Using the Viewer (2.4)

Exploring IOK files created by  others

Applies to versions 2.3 & 2.4

This section provides an introduction to 'navigating' or 'exploring' Omniscope files that someone else has prepared and sent to you. This section uses an Everton British football club file as an example, which you should download now.

Omniscope files always open as last configured and saved. In the case of the Everton file, it has many columns that could be used for filters, so it has been configured to open with four views and both the right and left Sidebars open:

The following sections discuss the navigational features on the Omniscope Main Toolbar, and the use of Sidebar filters and other devices that help you navigate any IOK file and select the records (rows) that you wish to see in detail.

Main Tool Bar Commands:

The left side of the Main Toolbar contains top level command menus useful for preparing .IOK files. These are not needed to navigate .IOK files already prepared by someone else with your needs in mind. More detail on these commands, which are not specific to using individual views, can be found here

To the right of the command menus, the Main Toolbar displays a number of useful icons/buttons that are used to aid exploration/navigation of the .IOK file:

Add View - Used to add an additional View to the current display. In the demo, try adding a Details View to the display. To remove a View from the display, click on the [X] in the upper right hand corner. To change one View to another, click on the View name and select the View you want from the drop-down menu. In the demo, try changing the Map View to a Graph View.

Reset - Omniscope files are flat tables of data, with records (rows) and fields (columns). One of the objectives of navigating an Omniscope file is to select and focus on only a certain subset of records (rows), rather that the whole universe of records in the file. The Reset button removes all of the filtering criteria you may have expressed, and returns the current display views to show all the records. It is very important to always reset your data before filtering, so that all qualifying records will be considered in your subsequent query.

Deselect - Omniscope navigation depends on 4 basic operations: Select (or Deselect), Move, Keep, and Reset. Every view provides ways of selecting one or more records. In the Everton demo file, look at the Table View and under 'Player', click on the first picture (Richard Wright). His record is now selected, indicated by blue animated shading, and his record is now highlighted in other views. In the Graph View, for example, we can see from the blinking highlight that like most goalkeepers, he had no goals or assists. Now click the Deselect icon on the main Toolbar, and this record is not longer selected. Try selecting, then de-selecting other players, or groups of players. For example, in the demo Pie View, click on Republic of Ireland. This will select two goal-scoring players from Ireland. Be sure to click Deselect before moving on.

Move - Selecting records is a precursor to deciding whether to Move these records OUT of further consideration. The Move Command moves all selected records OUT of consideration, where they stay until the display is Reset.

Keep - the opposite of Move, the Keep command keeps only the selected records IN consideration, and moves all the other unselected records OUT of consideration.

Back - like a browser, you can go back to the previous display at any time by pressing Back.

 Controls (2.3 Show Sidebar) - clicking this icon gives you the option to show or hide the Sidebars on one or both sides of the current display. Uses of the Sidebar are explained in the section on filtering.

Barometer - upon opening a file, it is useful to know how many records are in the data set. As you filter, it is useful to see how many records have been kept IN consideration, and how many moved OUT. The barometer is a visual gauge that shows the total, as well as the split between IN (green) and OUT (red). Click on the Republic of Ireland wedge of the Pie View in the demo. Notice how the barometer tells you that you have selected two players.

Now click Move. Notice how the barometer tells you that you have excluded two players...just because they were Irish?

Since they were goal scorers, let's click Reset and put them back on the team!

{version 2.3 only} Basket - the basket is a 'parking place' where you can put selected records, such that they will stay there even if you Reset the display. At any time, you can open the Basket and see the records you have placed there. In the demo, go to the Table View and select the Position 'Goalkeeper' instead of Richard or Wright. Notice that unlike a spreadsheet, the Barometer tells you that you have selected 3 Goalkeepers, not just Richard Wright. Now click the Basket, and choose 'Add selection to basket'. The record count in the Basket changes to 3. To view the contents of the Basket, click on the icon. We have just put all 3 of our Goalkeepers on the market! Let's re-consider...click on the drop-down arrow to the right of the basket, then click Clear selection from basket, or Clear basket. More on Using the Basket.

Help screen - click on the help icon to see what the publisher or re-publisher of the file may have to say that will help you understand more about the file.

Publisher logo link - if you are publishing or re-publishing a file, you can put your own logo here, and link it to your website.

Using Sidebars

Most Omniscope files contain pages with Sidebars showing on the right, the left or on both sides of the display. At any time, you can reveal and configure Sidebars to help you and your readers navigate a file. 

{version 2.4 only} The display of Side Bars is controlled from the Main Toolbar > Controls drop down menu. More infomation on configuring and using Sidebars and using the Controls drop-down.