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AutoSpecify All XYZ Data Items

The Autospecify All XYZ Data Items option is the easiest way to specify all XYZ data sets in the entirety of a data source, such as an Excel file. This option is available in the File menu. In the TableCurve 3D Explorer, it is found in the right click menu for the data source item, or if the data source is a spreadsheet file that has been expanded, it is found in the right click popup menu for each of the individual sheets within a spreadsheet file that have not already seen manual specification via the Specify XYZ Data Item option.

This option operates on a data source or its individual worksheets. The source must first be added to the notebook using the Import Data Source procedure. The autospecification applies only to the selected item in the TableCurve 3D Explorer.

Format for Autospecifying XYZ Columns

In order to use this option, the data must follow a specific format. The numeric columns of data can be interpreted as:

  • a sequence of X, Y, Z columns
  • a single X and Y column followed by a sequence of Z columns, each defining a data set.

When the Automatically Import Data dialog appears, answer Data is Completely XYZ Triplet for the first case and Data is Completely XY many Z for the second instance. Blank columns and columns without numeric data are permitted and are not used in the sequencing. If the data does not follow one of these formats, it will be necessary to manually specify the X, Y, Z columns for each data set.

For field based formats such as dBase and DIF, the sequence is determined by the field order. For variable based formats such as Systat and SPSS, the sequence is determined by the variable definitions.

For an Excel file, it is recommended that the main titles of the XYZ data sets be stored in the first row. These should be in the Z columns for both of the supported formats. The X, Y, and Z titles are then stored in the second row and the data observations begin in the third row. While many other structures are possible for numeric import, this approach assures automatic title import.

Full File Import

If the entirety of the data source follows one of these formats, and all of the data within the file is needed, all XYZ data sets can be specified in a single step. Highlight the data source and select the Autospecify All XYZ Data Items option in the File menu or in the right click popup menu for the data source item. Do not expand the data source in the tree. Once the source is so expanded, even if this is done only once, the individual sheets in the file are added as subsources and it will then only be possible to automatically import the data one sheet at a time.

Individual Sheet Imports

If only a subset of the worksheets contain data of interest, or comply with the required XYZ ordering, the individual sheets must be imported separately. To do this, first expand the data source to create the individual sheet items. Select the Autospecify All XYZ Data Items option in the File menu and in the right click menu for the specific worksheet to be processed.

Explorer Content

tree4.png For Excel, each sheet in the XLS file will be shown with its position in the file and the name assigned to it. For other multicolumn data file types, only the position will be shown.

tree5.pngThe sheet icon changes when expanded with data and analysis items.

tree6.png The data items are initially shown with the file, sheet, and columns used in this automatic procedure. Once clicking on a data item, its title will change to reflect the main title stored in the data source for this particular XYZ data set.

Once a data source or individual sheet within a spreadsheet has used this autospecification procedure, it will no longer be available.