Managing Data Properties

Overview of Managing Data Properties

At any time after you have loaded a data source for your exploration, you can modify the properties of the data items. The changes that you make are stored as part of the exploration, but do not affect the original data source.
You can manage the data properties for all of your data items by using the Data Properties window.
You can manage the data properties for individual data items by using the Data pane.

Manage Data Properties By Using the Data Properties Window

To access the Data Properties window, select Datathen selectData Properties from the menu bar.
For each of your data items, you can specify the following properties:
Name
specifies the name of the data item
Role
specifies whether the data item is a category, a measure, or a geography data item.
Model Type
specifies the data model for a measure or for a category with datetime data. Select whether the data model is continuous or discrete.
The model type that you specify determines the type of data filters that you can create for the data item.
Note: If you change the model type for a data item that is used in a filter, then the filter is removed.
Format
specifies the data format for the data item.
See Select a Numeric Format and Select a Date or Time Format for details about specifying formats.
Aggregation (measures only)
specifies the method that is used to aggregate values for the measure. Select one of the following aggregation types:
Sum
provides the sum of the values in the measure.
Average
provides the average of the values in the measure.
Maximum
provides the maximum value in the measure.
Minimum
provides the minimum value in the measure.
Count
provides the number of nonmissing values in the measure.

Manage Data Properties By Using the Data Pane

You can manage data properties for a specific data item by selecting the data item in the Data pane and then interacting with the properties table at the bottom of the Data pane.
For the selected data item, you can specify the following properties:
Name
specifies the name of the data item
Role
specifies whether the data item is a category, a measure, or a geography data item.
Model Type
specifies the data model for a measure or for a category with datetime data. Select whether the data model is continuous or discrete.
The model type that you specify determines the type of data filters that you can create for the data item.
Note: If you change the model type for a data item that is used in a filter, then the filter is removed.
Format
specifies the data format for the data item.
See Select a Numeric Format and Select a Date or Time Format for details about specifying formats.
Aggregation (measures only)
specifies the method that is used to aggregate values for the measure. Select one of the following aggregation types:
Sum
provides the sum of the values in the measure.
Average
provides the average of the values in the measure.
Maximum
provides the maximum value in the measure.
Minimum
provides the minimum value in the measure.
Count
provides the number of nonmissing values in the measure.

Select a Numeric Format

To select a numeric format:
  1. In the Data Properties window or the property table in the Data pane, click the format for the data item that you want to manage. A window appears.
  2. Select the basic format type from the Format Type list.
  3. Specify the Width parameter for the format. The width of the format specifies the maximum number of characters that a value can contain, including decimal points.
    A preview of your format appears in the Sample field.
  4. Specify the number of Decimals for the format. The decimals value specifies the number of digits that appear to the right of the decimal place.
    A preview of your format appears in the Sample field.
  5. Click OK to apply your format.

Select a Date or Time Format

To select a date or time format:
  1. In the Data Properties window or the property table in the Data pane, click the format for the data item that you want to manage. A window appears.
  2. Select the basic format type from the Format type list.
  3. If necessary, select a more specific format from the Format list. The format names also represent sample values for the format.
  4. Click OK to apply your format.
Note: Time and datetime values in SAS Visual Analytics Explorer ignore daylight saving time.

Show and Hide Data Items

If your exploration contains a large number of data items, you might want to hide the items that you are not interested in.
To manage which data items that are shown in the Data pane:
  1. Select Options from the Data pane and then select Show or Hide Items. The Show or Hide Items window appears.
  2. Click Select All to select or deselect all of the data items, or click the check box beside each data item to select whether that data item is shown.
  3. Click OK to apply your changes.

Assigning Colors for Category Values

About Colors

By default, SAS Visual Analytics Explorer assigns colors dynamically to category values for grouped visualizations. You can assign specific colors to your category values to ensure that the category values are always represented by a specific color.

Assign Colors for a Category

To set the colors for a category:
  1. Right-click a category from the Data pane and then select Colors. A color selection window appears.
  2. For each value that you want to assign a color, select the value from the Choose drop-down list and then click the color box to select a color. Click Apply to save your selection.
  3. (Optional) To automatically assign persistent colors for all of the unassigned values, click Assign remaining. This option automatically assigns colors to all of the remaining values. These colors values are used consistently in all of your visualizations.
  4. When you have finished assigning colors, click OK to apply your changes.

Reset Colors for a Category

To reset the colors for a category:
  1. Right-click a category from the Data pane and then select Colors. A color selection window appears.
  2. Click Reset All to clear all of the color assignments for the category.
  3. Click OK to apply your changes.

Assign a Color for a Specific Category Value

To assign the color for a specific category value:
  1. Within a grouped visualization, right-click a data value and then select Change Color.
  2. Click the color box to select the color.
  3. Click OK to apply the new color. The color that you selected is used for the selected category value in all of your visualizations.
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