Attribute Details Panel

(Page under construction.) This panel shows all the details of an attribute in Istar.

Row 1

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.

Row 2

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

Row 3

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.

The Derivation

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.

The Override Row

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.

Override Value

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.

Status of Attribute

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.)

Other Info on Attribute

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').

Visual Appearance

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.

Exit Buttons

These buttons exit this panel. They include:

'OK' - which stores any changes made and exits.
'Ok-Act' - which stores any changes made, exits and brings up the Attribute Action Panel.
'Show' - which exits this panel and shows the attribute on the easel, hiding all else.
'Cancel' - which exits without storing any changes made - except for those changes made to the lists of antecedents and consequents.

Antecedents and Consequents

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.