Making it easier to manage attribute visualization in attribute browser

Off the Wall
1

Is there a function similar to $DisplayedAttributes that can be easily managed for the Attribute browser? I don’t think so.

Here is what I’d like to do. I have quite a few workflows where I want to be able to export more than several attributes. Adding all these attributes to the attribute browser right now is clumsy. It takes time and I have to repeat the process over and over again each time I user the browser (keeping a tab open is not practical). Also, once I have 10 or more attributes in-display my Tinderbox file grinds to a screeching halt. What I’d like is to be able to create some presets for different attribute browser views that I constantly use. These presets can be created in the inspector and easily accessed in the attribute browser bar. In the preset I want the ability to check whether or not an attribute in the preset is in view or not. By doing this I can have select attributes be of the export set and not have them as part of the view and slowing down the file as much.

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2

Agree 100%. I believe a feature to save all the configuration settings for a given tab is needed. This not just for Attribute Browser, but also Timeline, Crosstabs, Outline (displayed columns), etc. Anything that affects the configuration of a document’s tabs should be savable in a “preset”.

(Obviously with the ability to delete / replace presets. I do not advocate moving presets between documents, however. Too messy.)

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3

This has certainly been discussed at recent online Tinderbox meet-ups and is likely on the radar but to crystallise things, I’d recommend making a feature request directly to Eastgate (this not being a formal tech support forum).

I’d note that Tinderbox doesn’t have a spreadsheet vie—even though Outline and AB view offer user defined columns, I don’t think either was designed to act like a gridded spreadsheet. The result is the views aren’t optimised for spreadsheet-like use. IOW, it may look like a spreadsheet in presentation terms but it is not designed the same way.

The issue about AB view and export also, I believe, reflects the point that ‘printing’ AB view to an RTF format wasn’t designed as a tab-delim table export as some are using it. I’d agree setting AB view columns is easier than writing an export template (especially if unused to the syntax) and currently you can’t access the category list† and the pre-category counts in either action or export code—although a request is in for category count access.

†. More precisely values() does get you all the discrete values in use for a given attribute but it doesn’t give occurrence counts such as a re seen in AB view.

With outline, I turn columns off when not in direct use. AB view is harder because as noted there is no such toggle. Perhaps that’s another feature request.

Personally, I’d like to see column presents for both Outline and AB view as it would make it easy to use columns when needed and otherwise turn them off without having to be manually re-made each time .

Outline, to be fair does remember the last used columns but often I want to swap out different column sets. Column view in outline is really useful for reviewing/scan-reading attribute values in large documents where there may be thousands of notes under review.

4

You could also set up export templates for HTML export

^value($Name) [tab] ^value(attribute 1) [tab] …

and use an agent with a query and Sort order based on the attribute browser.

5

You all are AWESOME!!! I love how TBX is rewiring my brain. I was trying to use TBX through my expectations and not for what it has to offer. I just tried the table approach using an export template and I got exactly what I need:

image
image2122×834 161 KB

I created a PipelineExport template

image
image1788×1196 245 KB

<table border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Organization</td>
<td>Stage</td>
<td>Sector</td>
<td>Region</td>
<td>Prioirty</td>
<td>Lead</td>
<td>Client Contacts</td>
<td>Last Action</td>
<td>Next Step</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
 ^children(/Templates/PipelineExport page/HTML item)
</table>

The children template looks like this

image
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^if($Prototype=="pOpportunity")^
 ^value($Organization)^ ^value($OppStage)^ 
^value($OppSector)^ ^value($Region)^ 
^value($Priority)^ 
^value($OppLead)^ 
^value($OppClientContacts)^ 
^value($OppLastAction)^ 
^value($OppNextStep)^ 
^children(/Templates/PipelineExport page/HTML item) 
^endIf^

My next step will be to figure out how I can replace the LastAction and NextSteps attribute data with task notes that are children within each of my opportunities (i.e. notes with prototype pTask nested win a note with prototype pOpportunity).

But, for now, this gives me so much more flexibility and performance. I can also copy and paste from the HTML preview view right into an Excel spreadsheet.

image
image1850×862 223 KB

So much faster and better. So much more potential than what I was trying before. :slight_smile:

Now, having said this, I still love the preset idea, as well as the ability to turn on and off columns easier, as there is still a ton of value in having it, as they do help with data analysis, correction, and insight generation. But, the approach that Mark et al. have shared for me immediate need is SOOOOOO much better and in line with Tinderbox’s purpose. :pray::pray::pray::pray:

BTW, how do I format in a comment so that I can paste the HTML code into my comments? I’d like to share the HTML, not just the pictures.

6

Here in the forum? Just use the markdown for code sections, IOW, 3 x back-ticks on a line of their own both before and after your code sample. I _think _ markdown also lets you include a hint to the parser to say the type of code being quoted (e.g ‘HTML’, Java, whatever).

7

Thanks. Updated my post.

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