Introduction

In this chapter

• Overview
• Customizing a Collection Grid
• Using the Chart Wizard
• Exporting a Collection Grid

Example of a collection grid

Example of a collection list

Both grids and lists can be displayed at any time, and it is easy to switch a display from one to the other.

Choosing a Display Format

Collection type dictates display format

Switching the collection display

Alternative: Click the Use Grid Mode tool in the toolbar.

Populating Collection Grids and Lists

How to populate a grid or list

Alternatives: Click the Show Class Extent tool in the toolbar; or double-click on a root in the Database Root pane, or on a class in the schema pane.

How Inspector Loads Collections

Loading collection grids

Inspector fetches the collection one group at a time on an as-needed basis. For example, if the collection you are displaying has 450 instances, Inspector loads only the first group, or 150 instances. The next group is fetched only if you request it (by scrolling the grid past the last instance in the first group of 150, for example).

Based on the size of your database and the number of instances associated with a typical collection, you might want to adjust this number up or down. You can change this number on the Collections Grid page of the Options dialog box. See Collection Grid Options for more information.

Tip: You can force Inspector to load the entire collection into a grid, regardless of the default Options setting, by clicking Grid | Load Entire Collection on the menu bar, or by clicking the Load Entire Collection tool on the toolbar.

Loading collection lists

Tip: When you drag the scroll bar, Inspector displays the current position in the list in a small pop-up caption that appears next to the scroll bar. This feature can help you quickly locate a particular instance in the collection.

Refreshing Collections

A collection grid, on the other hand, is a snapshot of the underlying database and needs to be refreshed periodically if you suspect the data might have changed since you first displayed the collection (it has been changed by an application, or by another Inspector instance, for example).

How to refresh a collection grid

Tip: Inspector refreshes a collection automatically any time you switch from the collection list to the collection grid display.

Parts of the Grid

When a new sheet is added, any customization you have done to the formatting of the first sheet is copied to the second sheet. You can customize sheets that are already displayed by selecting them and then formatting them as desired.

To select multiple sheets:

1. Click the tab of the first sheet you want to select.
   
   
2. Press and hold the Shift key.
   
   
3. Click the tabs of the other sheets you want to select.
   
   

Edit bar

The edit bar appears by default at the top of the grid. The left side of the edit bar displays the grid address that contains the current cell focus. The right side of the grid displays the contents of that cell. (The edit bar is available on Windows platforms only.)

The edit bar can be a convenient way to add formulas to a collection because you can see more of what you type than you would entering the formula directly in the cell.

Tip: You can turn the edit bar off to gain more space for the collection display. To turn the edit bar off, click Grid | Edit Bar on the menu bar, or click the Show/Hide Edit Bar tool on the toolbar.

Finding a string

The collection grid enables you to search for a string within the collection, using the Find String dialog box:

To search for a string:

1. Click Grid | Find String on the menu bar.
   
   The Find String dialog box appears.

2. Enter the string you want to find in the Search For field.
   
   
3. Click OK.
   
   If found, the cell containing the string you searched on appears in the upper left corner of the grid. The Edit Bar displays the cell location and value.

4. To continue the search, select Grid | Find Next on the menu bar.
   
   

You use collection grid options to control performance and appearance characteristics of collection grids.

Option	Description
Number of Instances to Load	Controls the number of instances in groups fetched from the database for display.
Show Progress Dialog if Instances Exceed	Displays a dialog box if the number of instances being loaded exceeds the number here, giving you the chance to cancel the load operation. (Available on Windows platforms only.)
Use Most Recent Template	Automatically uses the last grid template associated with this collection.
Size Rows	Automatically resizes the cell width based on the cell's content.
Size Columns	Automatically resizes the cell height based on the cell's content.
Show Edit Bar	Controls whether or not the edit bar is displayed by default. (Available on Windows platforms only.)
Prompt to Save Modified Templates	Controls whether or not Inspector displays a prompt asking you if you want to save changes to the grid template.
Copy Format to All Grid Sheets	Controls whether or not current formatting is applied to successive grid sheets when they are displayed. (Available on Windows platforms only.)

How to set collection grid options

1. Click Tools | Options on the menu bar.
   
   The Options dialog box appears.

2. Click the Collection Grid tab.
   
   
3. Set the default values for the options you want.
   
   
4. Click OK.
   
   

Customizing a Collection Grid

Tip: You can save the changes you make to a grid using a grid template. See Saving Your Modifications for more information.

Customization Procedure

1. Select the cell or cells you want to format.
   
   Tip: If you plan to save your formatting changes, consider selecting the entire column to ensure that the format is applied in a uniform way, regardless of the instance that occupies a particular cell.

2. Select the feature you want to use from the main database view menu bar or the data view toolbar.
   
   
3. Use the dialog box to define the feature you want to apply.
   
   
4. Repeat step 1 through step 3.
   
   
5. Optionally, save the customized grid. See Saving Your Modifications.
   
   

Selecting Cells

• To select an entire row or column, click the row or column heading, respectively. Alternative: Drag select the cells you want to select.

• To select an individual cell, click it.
• To select a group of contiguous cells, drag select them. Alternative: Click the first cell, press and hold the Shift key, then click the last cell you want to select.

• To select a group of noncontiguous cells, click on the first cell, press and hold the Ctrl key, then click the other cells you want to select.

Changing Cell Dimensions

Changing the Alignment of Cell Data

You set the alignment of cell data using the Alignment dialog box.

To change alignment:

1. Select the cells whose data you want to align.
   
   
2. Click Grid | Cell Format | Alignment on the menu bar.
   
   Alternative: Click the Alignment tool on the toolbar.

   The Alignment dialog box appears.

3. Select the horizontal and vertical alignment options you want.
   
   
4. Use the Word Wrap check box to indicate whether or not you want the text in a cell to wrap if the cell is not wide enough to display the cell name.
   
   
5. Click OK.
   
   

You can select different patterns and colors for the grid cell borders using the Borders dialog box.

To change the grid border:

1. Select the cells whose border you want to customize.
   
   
2. Click Grid | Cell Format | Border on the menu bar.
   
   Alternative: Click the Border tool on the toolbar.

   The Border dialog box appears.

3. Select the pattern and color options you want.
   
   
4. Click OK.
   
   

You can fill cells with colors and patterns using the Pattern dialog box.

1. Select the cells whose color or pattern you want to change.
   
   
2. Click Grid | Cell Format | Pattern on the menu bar.
   
   Alternative: Click the Pattern tool on the toolbar.

   The Pattern dialog box appears.

3. Select the fill color (background), fill pattern (design), and pattern color you want to use.
   
   The Sample field displays how the cells will look with the pattern and color you have selected.

4. Click OK.
   
   

You can select the font used to display data values in the collection grid using the Font dialog box.

1. Select the cells whose font you want to change.
   
   
2. Click Grid | Cell Format | Font on the menu bar.
   
   Alternative: Click the Font tool on the toolbar.

   The Font dialog box appears.

3. Select font elements you want to use (name, style, size, special effects, and so on).
   
   The Sample field displays how the data will appear using the font elements you have selected.

4. Click OK.
   
   

You can specify special formats for numbers using the Custom Format dialog box.

You can select formats for numbers in different categories (currency, date, scientific, for example). In addition, if you are familiar with Excel cell format, you can create your own customization scheme.

1. Select the cells for which you want to use a custom number format.
   
   
2. Click Grid | Cell Format | Custom Number Format on the menu bar.
   
   Alternative: Click the Custom Number Format tool on the toolbar.

   The Custom Format dialog box appears.

3. Select the category of number formats you want to review in the Category drop-down list.
   
   
4. Select the style you want to use from the Format list box.
   
   The entry field beneath Format list box displays the syntax that will be used to format number data.

5. Optionally, customize the syntax to create your own format scheme.
   
   
6. Click OK.
   
   

A grid annotation is comparable to a screen caption (or callout).

You can create a grid annotation using

• Text - You can add text to empty cells. Just select an empty cell and start typing. You can format text using the same formatting tools available for cell data. See Changing the Font.
• Shapes - You can draw lines, squares, circles, arcs, and polygons to encapsulate comments and draw attention to cells. (This feature is available on Windows platforms only.)

• Shapes are drawn using a fine black line.
• Shapes are only as large as you make them.
• Shapes are superimposed over the cells on which you draw them.
• Shapes are transparent (that is, they use no fill color).
  
  You can change any of these characteristics after you draw the shape.

1. Position the grid where you want to create the annotation.
   
   
2. Click the cell and type your comment.
   
   
3. Press Enter.
   
   

1. Position the grid where you want to draw the shape.
   
   
2. Select Grid | Draw Shape | and select the shape you want to draw.
   
   Alternative: Click the appropriate shape tool from the toolbar.

   The pointer changes to a cross (+).

3. Draw the shape on the grid.
   
   The shape appears on the grid.

1. Select the shape.
   
   
2. Click Grid | Shape Format | Line Style on the menu bar.
   
   The Line Style dialog box appears.

3. Select the desired line style, weight, and color.
   
   
4. Click OK.
   
   

1. Select the shape.
   
   Grab handles appear on the shape border to let you know it is selected.

2. Drag the shape by one of its grab handles until it is the size you want.
   
   

Tip: To display the Pattern dialog box to format a shape:

1. Select the shape.
   
   
2. Click Grid | Shape Format | Pattern on the menu bar, or click the Color and Pattern tool on the toolbar.
   
   

To change the placement of a shape:

1. Select the shape.
   
   
2. Click Grid | Shape Format | Bring to Front or Send to Back from the toolbar.
   
   

1. Select the shape.
   
   Grab handles appear on the shape border to let you know it is selected.

2. Press the Delete key, or press Ctrl + X.
   
   

Tip: Consider using the edit bar to enter formulas.

Copying formulas

You define the formula in an empty cell, that is, one not already occupied by a collection instance. Once the formula is created, you can copy it down the entire column. Continuing the previous example, copying the formula down the column would provide the cost of all repairs listed in the collection - tune-ups, timing belt replacement, and so on.

How to create a formula

1. Select a cell not that does not represent a value in the ObjectStore database.
   
   The edit bar displays the coordinates of that cell.

2. Using the edit bar or the cell itself, enter the formula you want to use.
   
   
3. Press Enter to perform the operation.
   
   The value derived by the formula appears in the cell.

To copy a formula to other cells in a column:

1. Select the cells to which you want to copy the formula.
   
   Tip: To select an entire column at once, click the column heading.

2. Click Grid | Copy Cell Down.
   
   

Saving Your Modifications

What is saved with the grid?

• Grid format
• Cell format
• Data format
• Charts and graphs
• Annotation

1. Make the changes you want to the collection grid's appearance.
   
   
2. Click Grid | Template | Save As on the menu bar.
   
   Tip: If you want to save changes to an existing grid template, click Grid | Template | Save As on the menu bar

   The Save Grid Template dialog box appears.

3. Type a name in the Grid Template Name field and click OK.
   
   

The name of the current grid template is displayed in the upper left corner of the toolbar.

This field displays <none> if no grid template is applied to the collection.

Note: The collection is refreshed when you apply a grid template.

To apply a grid template:

1. Click Grid | Template | Open on the menu bar.
   
   The Open Grid Template dialog box appears.

2. Select the template you want to apply from the Grid Templates for Class list box.
   
   
3. Click OK.
   
   

How to delete a grid template

1. Click Grid | Template | Delete on the menu bar.
   
   The Delete Grid Template dialog box appears.

2. Select the grid you want to delete from the Grid Templates for Class list box.
   
   
3. Click the Delete button.
   
   

Using the Chart Wizard

Note: This feature is available on Windows platforms only.

Using the Wizard

• Work with the wizard manually - Click the Next button to work through the Chart Wizard dialog box one page at a time.
• Let the wizard run automatically - Click the Finish button on any page to let the Chart Wizard create a chart using default values.

Wizard Steps

Step 1 - Gallery

The Gallery page lets you select the type of graph or chart you want to create.

There are different types of two-dimensional and three-dimensional charts.

Step 2 - Style

The Style page lets you choose a style for the graph.

Step 3 - Layout

The Layout page provides options that help you format graph elements such as the title, footnote, and legend.

Step 4 - Axes

The Axes page lets you label graph axes.

How to Create a Chart

1. Select the cells that contain the data you want to present in the chart.
   
   Tip: Select contiguous cells using drag select.

2. Click Grid | Chart Wizard on the menu bar.
   
   Alternative: Click the Chart Wizard tool on the toolbar.

   The pointer changes shape (+).

3. Drag the pointer to create the area in which you want the chart to appear.
   
   Tip: You can move a chart to a new location on the grid after it is created.

   The Chart Wizard dialog box appears.

4. Complete the wizard by running it manually or by letting it run itself.
   
   When the wizard completes, the chart appears on the grid.

• Move it - To move a chart, drag it using the mouse.
• Resize it - To resize a chart, click the chart to select it, and drag the grab handles until the chart is the size you want.
• Delete it - To delete a chart, click the chart to select it and then press the Delete key.
• Save it - Charts are saved with the grid template in which they are created.
• Edit it - You can edit finished charts, changing display options and editing chart data. See the Chart Wizard help for more information.

• XML
• Excel
• Formula One
• HTML
• Tabbed text

Note: If you are using Inspector on UNIX, you can export a collection grid using XML and tabbed text formats only.

What Information Is Exported?

How to Export a Collection Grid in XML

1. Refresh the collection if you have not done so recently.
   
   
2. Click Grid | Generate XML on the menu bar.
   
   The Save As dialog box appears.

3. Enter a name in the File Name field.
   
   
4. Click Save.
   
   

1. Refresh the collection if you have not done so recently.
   
   
2. Click Grid | Export Data on the menu bar.
   
   The Save Table dialog box appears.

3. Enter a name in the File Name field.
   
   
4. Select the format type from the Save As Type drop-down list box.
   
   
5. Click Save.
   
   

Updated: 05/07/99 16:43:27