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analysis

DataTools
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Overview

When creating apps or testing functionality, it is often necessary to create test data. There are a number of ways to quickly create test data do this in PhixFlow, which can be manually edited and added to. On this page, the . The following methods will be covered:

Creating an Editable Grid - This method creates a spreadsheet-style screen, that allows you to edit and update data. This method is best when using existing data
Using External APIs - This method is best for

using existing data and making amendments.

creating large datasets using a third-party data generator (mockeroo.com)
Using Input/Output Multipliers - This method is best for small datasets, with specific examples. The data can be easily rolled back and reset to its original state. For example, testing the results of a function

If, after making changes, you wish to restore your test data to a previous run or its original form, see Rolling Back Test Data.Using External APIs - This method is best for large datasets and existing data.

Video

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Creating an Editable Grid
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Grid
Grid

Use a simple ERD and Screen setup to create an editable grid.

Step 1: Create a table

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title	How?

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 a CSV file by dragging it from your PC onto your ERD canvas
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
Add as many new attributes to your table as you need by clicking
If you import a CSV file, add the above UID attribute to your table and set it as the
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_key_primary
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Add the attributes you require to your table by clicking
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Add on the table, and give your attributes appropriate namesnames
1. New attributes only require a valid Name and Type

Step 2: Create a Screen

in the toolbar

Click the tickbox next to each attribute, or click the top tickbox to select all of the attributes, and drag them onto your screen

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PhixFlow will ask how you would like the attributes to be displayed, choose

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title	How?

To create a screen using your ERD data, click
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on your table and choose
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Create Screen
On the Create Screen wizard, enter the following:
1. Name: give your screen an appropriate namename
2. Open Maximised: toggle
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3. Description: give your screen an appropriate description to indicate its purpose
4. Template: choose Tile with Buttons, Tile no Buttons or Edit Form
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5. Click Create Screen
The Available Attributes selector will automatically appear, press the cross to close thisTo select the attributes you wish to see on your screen, select excerpt-include

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	HELP100:_gridHELP100:
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PhixFlow will ask if you would like to add actions, choose Yes

On the Grid Actions wizard, drag Delete Selected Records onto the Delete button on your screen - this is the only button you need

Close the Grid Actions and Available Attribute wizards

Step 3: Set up the Screen

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title	How?

Click Right-click on the grid on your screen to highlight it in the Layers panel on the left within the Body
The View Component Properties will show on the right, click the View hyperlink
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In the View Propertiesand select
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On the
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, toggle on
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Auto Save
1. In the Layers panel, click on the area FieldContainer to containing the grid to open its Properties on the right
2. Click on the
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  and within the Style Settings section, change ensure the Width and Height to 100%
  1. Click on the Name attribute header on the grid to open the View Attribute Properties on the right
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  2. On the
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    , within in the Grid Settings section, untick Read Only
    1. In PhixFlow version 11 and older, this option is on the
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    2. Click Insert excerpt
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  3. 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
  4. Then clickclick Insert excerpt
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  5. With Auto Save set up, the screen no longer requires a Save button
  6. To delete the Save button, click on it on the screen to highlight it in the Layers, right click it in Layers and select Insert excerpt
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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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title	How?

Right-click on your new Add button and choose
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1. Give your
actionflow
1. Actionflow a name
To configure the input connection, within the Connections section on the left, click on Click to Connect
Choose the On Click Action Event, then select Connect Input
Drag the Calculate node from a
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action from the toolbar onto the canvas
1. Give it a suitable name
The Properties for the Calculate node will
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for the Calculate action will show on the right
1. If these are not open, click the Calculate action to reopen them
In the Output Attributes section, add a new attribute by selecting
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1. Give it a name and set the expression to "new"
Drag the Save node from the a
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action from the toolbar onto the canvas, give
1. Give it a name
, set
2. Set the Type to Auto Insert/Update
, and from
2. On the Table dropdown list, choose
your table
1. the table you made earlier on your ERD
Connect the out pipe from the Calculate node to the Save node
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Map across your Output Attribute from the Calculate node onto the Save node
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Drag the Input Connection Point onto the Calculate node
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Close the Actionflow and open the screen you created earlier
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the screen, then select the Add button
The Actionflow will fire and a new record will be created on the grid, with a unique ID (UID)
Double click on the fields to manually enter information
Repeat these steps of adding a new record and updating the information as many times as required
Each record will save automatically

Check Point

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

Using

Input and Output Multipliers AnchorMultiplierMultiplierUse a simple table configuration on an Insert excerptHELP100:_analysisModelHELP100:_analysisModelnopaneltrue.

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.

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title	How?

On an Insert excerptHELP100:_analysisModelHELP100:_analysisModelnopaneltrue, create a blank Calculate Insert excerptHELP100:_tablesHELP100:_tablesnopaneltrueWithin the Table's Insert excerptHELP100:_property_tabsHELP100:_property_tabsnopaneltrue, add Insert excerptHELP100:_attributesHELP100:_attributesnopaneltrue to the table, which will act as column headers

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

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title	Input Multiplier

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

Insert excerptHELP100:_finishHELP100:_finishnopaneltrue the Properties, then Insert excerptHELP100:_run_analysisHELP100:_run_analysisnopaneltrue on the tableHover over the table and select Insert excerptHELP100:_view_showHELP100:_view_shownopaneltrue

For this example, the data shows three records, with each record assigned the UID, Item name and Quantity as specified by the Input 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:

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

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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 Insert excerptHELP100:_http_datasourceHELP100:_http_datasourcenopaneltrue, Insert excerptHELP100:_http_collectorHELP100:_http_collectornopaneltrue and Insert excerptHELP100:_tablesHELP100:_tablesnopaneltrue to the below three elements 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 is used to connect to the external source, the HTTP Collector will read then reads the data, and the Table will store stores the data in PhixFlow.

For more information on how these three elements work and for a detailed example, see Importing Data Through an API.

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title	How?

Prepare your API data and ensure it is in JSON format. For this example, we have created a data schema and mock API using https://www.mockaroo.com/mock_apis
On an
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, create a new
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Set up your
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Properties, which should Properties to look similar to the below settings, and ensure your URL is correct for matches your API source
Hover over your
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and select
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on the hover menu
Set up the
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Properties, which should Properties to look similar to the below settings, and ensure your URL passes in your API key
Hover over your
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and select
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Set up the
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Properties, which should Properties to look similar to the below settings, and ensure the
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you wish to display on your view are set up
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on your
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, then
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to see your data
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Using Input and Output Multipliers
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Multiplier
Multiplier

Use a simple table configuration on an

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	_analysisModel
	_analysisModel
nopanel	true

.

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.

Expand

title	How?

On an
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_analysisModel
_analysisModel
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, create a blank Calculate
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_tables
_tables
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Within the Table's
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_property_tabs
_property_tabs
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, add
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_attributes
_attributes
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to the table, which will act as column headers
1. Add the Expression _inputMultiplier, followed by .1, .2, .3, etc. to the relevant attributes
2. Image Added
In the Analysis Options section, in the Input Multiplier box, add an array, like the example here

For a detailed example, see Importing Data Through an API.

Code Block

title	Input Multiplier

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

Insert excerpt
_finish
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the Properties, then
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_run_analysis
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on the table
1. Hover over the table and select
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2. For this example, the data shows three records, with each record assigned the UID, Item name and Quantity as specified by the Input Multiplier, along with the Last Updated date
3. Image Added

Tip

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

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

Image Added

Version	Old Version 26	New Version Current
Changes made by	Zoe Baldwin	Zoe Baldwin
Saved on	Sept 01, 2023	Aug 30, 2024

Versions Compared

Key

Overview

Video

Creating an Editable Grid
Anchor
Grid
Grid

Step 1: Create a table

Step 2: Create a Screen

Step 3: Set up the Screen

Adding a Button

Check Point

Step 4: Add New Records via an Actionflow

Check Point

Using

Create a Multi-Record Table using an Array

Using External APIs
Anchor
API
API

Create a Multi-Record Table using an API

Using Input and Output Multipliers
Anchor
Multiplier
Multiplier

Create a Multi-Record Table using an Array

Page Comparison

Versions Compared

Key

Overview

Video

Creating an Editable Grid AnchorGridGrid

Step 1: Create a table

Step 2: Create a Screen

Step 3: Set up the Screen

Adding a Button

Check Point

Step 4: Add New Records via an Actionflow

Check Point

Using

Create a Multi-Record Table using an Array

Using External APIs AnchorAPIAPI

Create a Multi-Record Table using an API

Using Input and Output Multipliers AnchorMultiplierMultiplier

Create a Multi-Record Table using an Array

Creating an Editable Grid
Anchor
Grid
Grid

Using External APIs
Anchor
API
API

Using Input and Output Multipliers
Anchor
Multiplier
Multiplier