Variable Properties

• Variable Properties
• • Description
  • Display Format
  • Color Scale
  • Catalog

The variable properties panel, accessible by right click on a variable in the Data tab, enables you to set a description, to display the format, to specify a color scale and to access to an advanced description.

Description

You can enter a Short name and a Comment.

Display Format

The Display Format is only available for numerical variables.

It is used whenever the variable is displayed, in the Messages window, in the Map view, the 3D Viewer and exported files.

As a reminder, the unit class associated with the variable is printed at the top of the interface.

Select the option Use Default Display Format to use the format (Format, Precision and Unit) specified in the Setting up Preferences parameters, otherwise:

• Select a Format among Integer, Decimal, Free, Semi-free, Scientific.

  • Integer: No decimal point is used. The values are truncated to the closest integer.
  • Decimal: A number of digits is given, no exponent is used.
  • Free: The most suitable format is chosen according to the value to be printed. This format may change inside the same printout even for the same variable.
  • Semi-free: A number of significant figures is given.
  • Scientific: A number of digits is given, the values are printed using an exponential format.
• Specify a Precision. The precision is the maximal number of digits (located on the right of the decimal point) to be used for the display.
• Specify the correct Unit, attached to a Unit class (Time, Surface, Grade...). Note each time the unit changes, a conversion is made and the values are changed. If the variable unit class is None, enter a Symbol. Note there is no conversion over unit Symbol.
• Undefined: Enter the specific string of characters encoding undefined values.

Color Scale

The Color tab is only available for numerical variables.

Select the option Use default color scale to use the color scale specified in the Setting up Preferences.

Otherwise, select a Color Scale in the list. Use the button to edit the color scale using the Color Scale Editor.

Catalog

The Catalog allows to deal with the different categories of a categorical variable.

• If you want to modify the catalog associated with the variable, click on the New catalog selector and choose the new catalog to use. An association table lists the different categories of the variable and their corresponding proportion. The last column allows you to define which category of the new catalog matches with each old category.
• Click on to access the Catalog Editor.

Click Save to apply the modifications.

Click Close to close the properties without saving the modifications.