Attribute Details Panel
(Page under construction.) This panel shows all the details of
an attribute in Istar.
Leftmost in row 1 is the label (name) of the
attribute, that will appear as text in the attribute box.
In the middle of row 1 is a wee OK button
which acts exactly like the main one further down the panel.
It is here for your convenience for when you are merely filling
in label and meaning and no other details.
The right half of row 1 is occupied by the
meaning of the attribute, that will flash into the meaning bar
at the top of the control screen when the mouse passes over
this attribute.
Leftmost in row 2 is the domain of the
attribute, that is, what type of value it is. It has two
parts: the main window in which the name of the domain is
shown, and a wee button to hit with the mouse to alter the
domain.
In the middle area of row 2 is the current
value of the attribute. It might be just a checkbox as
here, or a longer gadget such as a slider for bayesians or
probabilities, a number for an integer or twin numbers as for a
ratio.
Over the right hand side of row 2 you
sometimes get extra information about the value type:
- For bayesians: a slider showing the a-priori value
- For enumerated and ordinal types: the number of elements in
set
The leftmost button in row 3 is a checkbox to
say whether the current value of the attribute is to be shown
on the main easel. If ticked then the value of
probability, bayesian and proportion attributes is shown as a
horizontal line along the bottom, and this is either solid if
answered and dotted if not. If the attribute is of a boolean
domain, then a line is shown that occupies the right half to
show 'true' and the second left-quarter if 'false'. Other
domains are not shown at present.
The second button in row 3 is ticked if the value
is infinite (as when dividing by 0). At present not
functional.
The third button in row 3 is ticked if the value
is unknown and not ticked if known. At present not always
functional.
You tick the rightmost button in row 3 if the
value must be known; that is unknown is not allowed.
Normally used for question attributes. At present not
functional.
This radio button, over the left side of the panel and nearly
half way down, shows how this attribute's value is to be
derived. There are four options:
- Constant: The value is constant, as given in the value gadget.
- Inferred: (the default) The value is
inferred from antecedent attributes by the
inference method. If this option is selected
but there are no antecedents then it is treated as user-supplied.
- User-supplied: A question is put
to the user, whose text is the question
text if present, or, failing this, the meaning text or the label.
- Async: This is like user-
supplied, in that a question is put to the user, but
asynchronously. In this case the question is put but the
search for input continues, and the user can answer at any
time. This facility is not likely to be very useful on its
own; it is designed for use when, instead of asking the human
user, Istar will post a request for information on the
Internet.
Inference Method for Attribute. This is a
type gadget lying alongside the Infer
radio button. Its window shows the current method, and hitting
the wee button to its left brings up a list of inference
methods appropriate to the domain of this
attribute.
In this area you sometimes get extra information about the
inference mechanism. For bayesians there are two cutoffs,
lower and upper, whose purpose is to ignore minor antecedent
factors. Suppose a bayesian attribute has a lower cutoff set
at 10% and four antecedents A,B,C,D. A, B are answered with
low values and the weights on C,D are such that however high
they are answered the result cannot exceed 10% then the
attribute is considered answered and C and D are ignored.
Conversely for upper cutoff.
Question Text. The long string gadget
preceded by 'Q' holds question text. For use with user-supplied attributes, this is the
text that is put to the user. If empty, the meaning or the
label will be used instead. This is also the text used on a Form against the gadget for this
attribute.
Explanation/Help Text. The long string
gadget preceded by 'X' or 'H' holds explanation or help text.
This is text that is dsiplayed to the user if they hit the
'Help' button.
Can Override. Toggle the checkbox, to
left end of override row, to say whether or not the attribute
can have an override value.
Override Text. This is the text put to the
user when asking them for an override value.
Overridden Status. This checkbox says
whether the attribute is currently overridden. In the present
version of Istar, you can alter it.
Overriding an attribute allows the user to temporarily insert a
value of their choice that takes priority over the value
obtained by the normal derivation. This
might be used, for instance, if the user is to be given the
chance to say that they do not like the value that was
inferred. Normally you would place overridable attributes into
one or more override lists.
Waiting. (Not yet used.)
Answered. This checkbox shows whether the attribute is
answered or not. You cannot alter it (though you can alter
the gadget).
Error Indicator. (Not yet fully used.)
Next row: Other information.
- Topics
. Bring up the Topics panel to allow you to link
the attribute to topics of your choice.
- References
: Not yet used. Will allow you to link
attribute to external references.
- Item
to which this attribute belongs.
- 'See' takes you to the Item Details Panel.
- DSAP
: Unique internal identifier for the Attribute.
('Data Structure Area Pointer').
This row deals with the visual appearance:
- DSAP of EaselPiece that holds the visual appearance.
- Pens: first is label colour, second is box outline.
- Pattern: line pattern for drawing box: 1 or 0 represents a
pixel in outline, repeating every 16.
- Size: width and height in 1/256 of an inch (approx 0.1 mm)
on 14 inch monitor and standard zooming.
These buttons exit this panel. They include:
Bottom of panel, left for antecedents, right for
consequents, are two lists
with buttons. These are underneath the exit buttons because
anything you do with these lists will not be cancelled if you
hit the 'Cancel' button.
- 'See': Click this to raise the attribute details panel for
the selected attribute.
- 'R': Click this to raise relationship instance panel for
the selected link.
- 'X': Click this to gain explanation of what happens in the
link.
- '1': Click this to make that attribute first in list.