#!F-adobe-helvetica-medium-r-normal--18* #!N #!CSeaGreen #!N #!Rfields Fields #!N #!EC #!N #!N Given the sets of numbers, "positions," "connections," and "data," we can define a #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18* Field #!EF , as it is called in Data Explorer. The positions identify locations in space, the (optional) connections define logical continuities (interpolation paths) between positions, and the data are the values measured either at each position or within each connection element. Data Explorer calls each of these sets of numbers (positions, connections, data) a Field #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18* component #!EF . Components are represented as arrays of numbers with some auxiliary information specifying #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18* attributes #!EF (e.g., type of dependency). In addition, there are many other types of Field components. The Field is the basic unit of information in Data Explorer, so it is important to understand how to express your data in these terms. #!N #!N A Field can only have one "positions" and one "connections" component. A Field can have only one component actually named "data," but you may assign names of your choosing to additional components representing other data sets that are also mapped to the same grid. So you can name a "data" component "temperature" and another "wind velocity," or you can just use the default name "data" if you only have one "data" component. #!N #!N The ".dx" file format provides the most flexibility for describing data sets to Data Explorer. But many researchers produce fairly straightforward arrays of numbers mapped onto regular or deformed regular grids. If your data are already written out in such a form, you may not need to convert your data files into the native ".dx" file format. Instead, Data Explorer's General Array Importer can read your data directly, given a small "header" file that you create to tell the General Array Importer the name of your data file and its dimensions (see #!Lqimd,dxall109 h Importing Data #!EL in IBM Visualization Data Explorer QuickStart Guide). #!N #!N This shorthand description is enough for Data Explorer to convert your data structure into a Field when it reads your raw data file. You will still find it valuable to understand the components of a Field, because once you begin using the Data Explorer visual programming language, you will have direct access to these components. Much of the power and flexibility of the visual programming language is derived from our ability to access and manipulate Field components in a variety of ways. #!N #!N #!N #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18* Next Topic #!EF #!N #!N #!Lall195,dxall196 h Visual Programming: The Basics #!EL #!N #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18* #!N
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