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Overview

There are a number of ways to quickly create test data in PhixFlow, which can be manually edited and added to.  On this page, the following methods will be covered:

Creating an Editable Grid - This method is best for using existing data and making amendments.

Using Input/Output Multipliers - This method is best for small datasets, with specific examples. For example, testing the results of a function.

Using External APIs - This method is best for large datasets and existing data.

Creating an Editable Grid 
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Use a simple ERD and Screen setup to create an editable grid

Step 1: Create a table

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  1. On an

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    , either:

    1. Create a new table by dragging

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       from the toolbar onto your ERD canvas

    2. Add an existing table by clicking 
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       on the toolbar, then dragging a table from the
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       onto your ERD canvas 
    3. Import an Excel CSV file by dragging it from your PC onto your ERD canvas
  2. If you create a new table, PhixFlow automatically adds the following attributes to the table:

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      : UID

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      : Name 

  3. Add as many new attributes to your table as you need by clicking 

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    Add on the table, and give your attributes appropriate names

Step 2: Create a Screen 

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  1. To create a screen using your ERD data, click 
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     on your table and choose 
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     Create Screen
  2. On the Create Screen wizard, enter the following:
    1. Name: give your screen an appropriate name
    2. Open Maximised: toggle 
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    3. Description: give your screen an appropriate description to indicate its purpose
    4. Template: choose Edit Form
    5. Click Create Screen
  3. The Available Attributes selector will automatically appear, press the cross to close this
  4. To select the attributes you wish to see on your screen, select
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     in the toolbar 
  5. Click the tickbox next to each attribute, or click the top tickbox to select all the attributes, and drag them onto your screen
  6. PhixFlow will ask how you would like the attributes to be displayed, choose
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  7. PhixFlow will ask if you would like to add actions, choose Yes
  8. On the Grid Actions wizard, drag Delete Selected Records onto the Delete button on your screen 
  9. Close the Grid Actions and Available Attribute wizards

Step 3: Set up the Screen

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  1. Click on the grid on your screen to highlight it in the Layers panel on the left within the Body
  2. The View Component Properties will show on the right, click the View hyperlink 
  3. In the View Properties, toggle on 
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     Auto Save
  4. Click
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  5. In the Layers panel, click on the area FieldContainer to open its Properties on the right
  6. Click on the 
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     and within the Style Settings section, change the Width and Height to 100%
  7. Click
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  8. Click on the Name header on the grid to open the View Attribute Properties on the right
  9. On the 
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    , within the Grid Settings section, untick Read Only
  10. Repeat this step for all of your attribute headers, except UID
    1. Note: Unticking Read Only will allow you to manually enter information into these columns on your grid
  11. Then click
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  12. With Auto Save set up, the screen no longer requires a Save button
  13. To delete the Save button, click on it on the screen to highlight it in the Layers, right click it in Layers and select 
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Adding a Button

  1. Open the Palette by clicking 
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     on the toolbar
  2. Expand the Buttons - Primary section and drag the Add button onto your screen - the screen will highlight the areas where the button should be dropped
  3. Give your button a name
    1. Optional: In the Layers panel, expand the area Window CRUD Bar. Then, while holding shift, drag and drop your Add button onto either the Left or Right area within the Window CRUD Bar

Check Point

At this point, your screen should look similar to this:

Step 4: Add New Records via an Actionflow

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  1. Right-click on your new Add button and choose 
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  2. Give your actionflow a name
  3. To configure the input connection, within the Connections section on the left, click on Click to Connect
  4. Choose the On Click Action Event, then select Connect Input
  5. Drag the Calculate node from the toolbar onto the canvas
  6. Give it a name
  7. The Properties for the Calculate node will show on the right
  8. In the Output Attributes section, add a new attribute by selecting 
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  9. Give it a name and set the expression to "new"
  10. Drag the Save node from the toolbar onto the canvas, give it a name, set the Type to Auto Insert/Update, and from the Table dropdown list, choose your table
  11. Connect the out pipe from the Calculate node to the Save node
  12. Map across your Output Attribute from the Calculate node onto the Save node
  13. Drag the Input Connection Point onto the Calculate node 
  14. Close the Actionflow and open the screen you created earlier
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     the screen, then select the Add button
  16. The Actionflow will fire and a new record will be created on the grid, with a unique ID (UID)
  17. Double click on the fields to manually enter information 
  18. Repeat these steps of adding a new record and updating the information as many times as required
  19. Each record will save automatically

Check Point

At this point, your screen should look similar to this:

Using Input and Output Multipliers 
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Use a simple table configuration on an 

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Create a Multi-Record Table using an Array

This example uses an array to create static data. The table in this example will produce the exact records as stipulated in the Input Multiplier.

Create
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    , create a blank Calculate 
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  2. Within the Table's 

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    , add 
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     to the table, which will act as column headers

    1. The Expression for all of your attributes must be Add the Expression _inputMultiplier, followed by .1, .2, .3, etc. to the relevant attributes
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  3. In the Analysis Options section, in the Input Multiplier box, add an array, like the example here

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      [
          [1,'CHAIR',100],
          [2,'TABLE',430],
          [3,'MONITOR',800]
      ]


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     the Properties, then 
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     on the table
    1. Hover over the table and select 
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    2. For this example, the data will show shows three records, with each record assigned the UID, Item name and Quantity as specified by the Input Multiplier  Multiplier, along with the Last Updated date 
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Tip

Alternatively, an Output Multiplier can be used to create data. Repeat the steps above, but with the following changes:

  1. The Expression for all of your attributes must be _outputMultiplier, followed by .1, .2, .3, etc.
  2. Add the same array as above, but to the Output Multiplier box
  3. Add 1 in the Input Multiplier box to indicate the number of times the table should run



Using External APIs 
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Configure an

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 to import data stored outside of PhixFlow using an API.

Create a Multi-Record Table using an API

This example uses three elements, a

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,
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 and
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 to create dynamic data. The table in this example will pull across data, as stipulated by the attributes, and this data will change each time the user clicks 
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The HTTP Datasource will connect to the external source, the HTTP Collector will read the data and the Table will store the data in PhixFlow. 

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For more information on how these three elements work, see Importing Data Through an API.

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  2. Set up your 
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     to match the below settings
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  3. Set up your 
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An HTTP datasource is a modelling object whose properties provide the information needed to connect to an external source of data via HTTP. This may be a web site, a web service or some other target that allows XML, HTTP or text data to transferred over HTTP.

You must have one HTTP datasource for each HTTP location to which you need to connect. Each HTTP datasource must have at least one HTTP datasource instance. You can add several instances if you want to configure different settings.

In an analysis model, you can add:

  • HTTP Collector to load data from a site or service.
  • HTTP Exporter to update the site or service with processed data from the model.

An HTTP collector reads data from a HTTP Datasource. The collector defines how the data needed from the datasource is extracted to be used in PhixFlow.