Video showing this: https://youtu.be/SI4DFSG-3Aw
Most datasets in LityxIQ are sourced from large files or database tables. However, sometimes there is a need to create a dataset that is small and editable directly in the LityxIQ UI. The Manual Dataset option allows you to hand-enter data manually, or cut/paste from an Excel spreadsheet.
0) If you haven't already created the new manual dataset, see https://support.lityxiq.com/319229-Create-New-Dataset
1) Select the dataset in the dataset list, then select Define Dataset Source from the Selected Dataset menu.
2) The Edit Manual Dataset dialog will open. The settings on these tabs allow you to enter the data and to control the dictionary for the dataset as well as some post processing and advanced options.
Data Entry Tab
The Data Entry tab allows you to manually enter data for the dataset. Use the Add Column button to add a new column to the dataset, or the Delete Column button to delete a column. The top yellow row in the display can be used to enter a new row of data. Enter a value for each column, then press the Enter key. The existing data in the grid can be edited by clicking in a cell and entering new data. In addition, you can Copy data from an Excel spreadsheet, then Paste it (CTRL-V) into the grid.
To copy data from an Excel file or other spreadsheet, click once to highlight any existing row or click the white space below the existing table, and then paste the copied data using the CTRL-V keyboard sequence. The new rows will be added to the end of the table. Note: Any columns copied that exceed the number of columns in the manual dataset will be ignored.
Dictionary Tab
The dictionary tab contains important settings that describe the data in the data source. The dataset dictionary is a listing of the variable names and data types that are to be found in the manual dataset. The method for creating that dictionary is controlled by the Dictionary Load Options setting. For Manual Datasets, it is usually best to let LityxIQ dynamically create the dictionary each time the data is saved, but see below for other options.
Dictionary Load Options - this options controls how the dictionary will be created. There are three methods available:
- Create Automatically from Data - with this option, LityxIQ will look at a snapshot of the data in the data source and automatically determine the variable names and types using an intelligent AI process.
- With this option, the dataset dictionary as defined in LityxIQ will remain static over time. If the raw data source changes (e.g., variables added or deleted, or have different data types), the LityxIQ dictionary will not change. This may cause issues with future imports of the data.
- However, if it is likely that the data source will not change, this is the best option to ensure a consistent dictionary.
- In situations where no variable names are provided for some or all fields, LityxIQ will create names such as Column_xyz, with xyz replaced with a number.
- When using this option, you must also click the Create Dictionary button (or Re-create Dictionary if there is already a dictionary in place) to start the process of loading the dictionary.
- Create Dynamically Each Import - with this option, LityxIQ will always automatically create the dictionary each time the data is imported based on a review of the data in the data source at that time.
- This option provides a very flexible way to account for data sources that may change structure from one time to the next.
- The number of variables and the variable names and types are all determined directly from the data source on each import. A potential issue with this is that if the data source does not provide consistent variable names
- With this setting, it is not necessary to use the Create or Re-create Dictionary button because the dictionary will be automatically revised on each import.
Create / Re-create Dictionary Button - this button creates the dictionary automatically using an intelligent AI process based on data in the data source. It is described within the above options.
View/Edit Dictionary Button - this button allows you to manually change the dictionary settings after it has been loaded. See https://support.lityxiq.com/618334-View-and-Edit-a-Dataset-Dictionary for more help.
Configuration Dataset Settings Tab
Using the configuration dataset settings tab is described here: https://support.lityxiq.com/110354-Configuration-Dataset-Settings-Options.
Advanced Tab
The advanced tab is described here: https://support.lityxiq.com/928057-Creating-Datasets---Advanced-Tab.
3) Exit the dialog:
- Click Cancel to exit the dialog and cancel any changes you have made.
- Click Save and Close to save your settings and close the dialog. For a Manual Dataset, this will also process the data that was entered and make the dataset available for use elsewhere in LityxIQ. There is no need to "Execute" it, as with Raw Datasets or Derived Datasets.