Overview

PhixFlow stores data in tables (previously called streams). Views are used to display the data in these Tables. Often they can contain more data than you want to show to a user. For this reason, whenever you show data on a screen, you first compile a view of the data, which displays the information you specify.

Views Consist of:

1. Attributes
   1. Attributes from the base table
      Specify which attributes to include in your view. You can hide attributes that you want access to but do not necessarily want a user to see, such as the UID of a record.
   2. Attributes from related tables.
      These are the attributes available to the view as the table they originate from shares a relationship with the base table as defined in the ERDs; see Understanding ERDs. Views which contain these type of attributes are referred to as a relational view.

2. Records:

   1. For each table, the view includes records specified in the tables default period. This can be all data (usually for transactional data) or only the latest.
3. Sorting and Filtering
   1. You can filter and sort records. See Filtering and Sorting Data.

View Components

The views below display data in different ways.

1.  Grid: the attributes form the grid columns and data records are displayed in rows. PhixFlow can add scroll bars or paging where grids cannot be accommodated by the screen size.
2.   Card: rather than using a form to display data, you can use a card. Any palette item can be added to a card which offered great flexibility.
3.   Pie Chart: attributes are represented in different segments of a pie chart, with values aggregated to represent the segment size. 
4.   Horizontal Bar Chart: attributes are represented on the vertical axis, with values aggregated and represented in the bar length.
5.   Vertical Bar Chart: attributes are represented on the horizonal axis, with values aggregated and represented in the bar height.
6.   Line Graph: attributes are represented as points on a horizontal axis, with values aggregated and setting the point position on the vertical axis.
7.  Form: attributes are represented by different fields. Usually a form is linked to an action on a grid. For example, the application user selects a line on a grid, and the form displays the data from that record.

Form and card components are special data components, as they can contain other elements, usually fields and labels.

How to Create and Display a View

As views are designed to display data on a screen, for more information on the specific of setting up charts and graphs see Creating Dashboards and Reports.

Step 1 Select a Table

1. There are several ways to show data on a screen:

   1. From an Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD), select a table and use the Create Screen option; see Creating a Screen from an ERD Table.
   2. Drag a Table from the repository or a tables icon from its properties directly onto a screen.
      1. A list of available tables is available by clicking the Tables button on the toolbar.
      2. This method will typically set the data for the backing form to that of the table.
2. PhixFlow asks you how you want the data to be displayed, select the desired option:
   
3. The view will be added to the screen.

Step 2 Select the Attributes

1. Drag attributes from the Available Attributes window onto the view.
2. Start with attributes from the current (base) table.
3. Optionally, click on related tables to show additional attributes that are available.
4. When you have dragged all the attributes you require, close the window.
5. 
6. These attributes can be changed at a later date, when a screen is unlocked:
   1. For Forms, click the attributes button from the toolbar.
   2. For Card Components (and Kanbans), right-clicking on the card and selecting Show table view configuration
   3. For Grids and Charts: right-clicking on the item, selecting Show Table view configuration. In the attributes section click Attributes.
7. See Available Attributes Window for details.

Step 3 Apply Filtering and Sorting

You have now created your view and added it to a screen. Optionally, specify if you want to apply any filters or sort orders to the data:

1. Select the view you have added.
   You may need to right-click the view and select Show table View Configuration.
   PhixFlow opens the view properties.
   1. For Forms, we can only apply filters. Right-click on a screen → Show Element Details → Background Filter Rules. This setup is slightly different see Screen Element for guidance.
2. 
   
   

3. Select an existing Default Sort Order, Default Filter or Background Filter or create new ones, see Sort Order and Filter for more detail.

4. Save all your changes and PhixFlow applies filters.

   Users can remove a Default Filter, where as Background Filters are permanent.

Reusing Views

Once you have created a view, you can reuse it in multiple locations. In the repository navigate the the table which owns the view, the base table, open the table and in the views section drag the desired view onto your screen. Be aware however that changes made to the view will affect all instances of that view.

Form Field Name

When you drag attributes from the Attribute Selection window or table onto a form, PhixFlow adds a field and label for each attribute. By default, the label is the attribute's name. However, for an attribute from a related table, the Display Name will be shown and not the foreign key value.

For example:

For information about primary and foreign keys and the Display Name option; see Understanding ERDs.