E-DATAAID: Filtering [22802]

E-DataAid allows the application of filters to one or more columns in the spreadsheet. A Checklist filter and a Range filter may be applied to each column. The Filter command displays the Filter dialog box, which allows the user to apply filters to the spreadsheet or clear active filters. The Filter command is invoked through the Tools menu, by right clicking a column header and choosing the Filter option, by double clicking a column header, or by clicking the Filter button on the toolbar.

Checklist Filter
Checklist filters may be used to restrict the data set up to 32,767 values. The Checklist tab on the Filter dialog displays a list of unique values contained within the data set. To apply a checklist filter to a column, click the Filter... button. The Filter dialog will be displayed, allowing the selection of the column to be filtered, as well as the type of filter to be applied. In the “Column name” field on the Filter dialog, use the combo box to select the name of the column to be filtered, and click the Checklist button.

Checklist filters are inclusive such that only those values checked in the list are included in the data set for analysis. To include a value, check the box next to the value.

Checklist filters are immediately applied to the spreadsheet when the OK button is clicked. When a checklist filter is applied, only those values for which boxes were checked will be displayed. If no boxes are checked, the application assumes no filter is applied, and displays all values.

Multiple values may be selected by simply checking all boxes next to values to be included in the filter. To select a consecutive group of values, click the first value in the group with the mouse, hold down the Shift key, and click the last value in the group. All values between the first and the last will be highlighted. To highlight a non-consecutive group of values, hold the Ctrl key down while clicking all desired values with the mouse. Checking or unchecking any value in a selected group will check or uncheck all of the values in the group while the group is highlighted.

Range Filter
Range filters may be used to restrict the data set to a specific range of values. The Range tab on the Filter dialog allows the setting of up to two filters to the selected column. When more than one range filter is applied to a column, an operator (either AND or OR) is required.

To apply a range filter to a column, click the Filter... button. The Filter dialog will be displayed allowing the selection of the column to be filtered, as well as the type of filter to be applied. In the “Column name” field on the Filter dialog, use the combo box to select the name of the column to be filtered, and click the Range button.
 

Range filters may be applied using mathematical operations available from the combo box on the left side of the First Range or Second Range fields in the Filter dialog. Operations include Equal (=), Not equal (!=), Less than (<), Less than or equal (<=), Greater than (>), Greater than or equal (>=)and Disabled (no filter).

The mathematical operations may be applied to the range of values contained within the selected variable column. The range of unique values (up to 32,767) within the column may be viewed using the drop-down list associated with the edit box on the right side of the First Range or Second Range fields. If no drop-down box is available, modify the Range Filter option via the Options command on the View menu.
 

In the First Range field on the Range page, specify the range to be applied in the first filter. A second Range filter may also be applied to the same column if desired (using the AND or OR operators).

Range filters are inclusive such that only those values within the specified range(s) will be included in the data set for analysis. Range filters are immediately applied to the spreadsheet when the OK button is clicked. When a range filter is applied, only those values included within the specified range(s) will be displayed in the spreadsheet. For example, to include only reaction times greater than 100 msec in the analysis, a range filter may be applied using the “(>) Greater than” operation.  To filter for reaction times between 100 and 1000 msec, the AND operator would be used to set “(>) Greater than 100” in the First Range field and “(<) Less than 1000” in the Second Range field.

Display of Active Filters
Active filters are displayed in the Filters bar at the bottom of the application display. If there are no filters, the Filters bar’s display area remains blank. In addition, the columns on which the filters are applied are displayed with a white column header as opposed to the default header color (gray). The status bar on the bottom right of the application display indicates the number of unhidden rows. This is the number of rows satisfying the filter criteria.

 
Clearing Filters
Any active filters may be cleared using the Filter dialog. The Filter dialog may be displayed using the Filter command in the Tools menu, by right clicking a column header and choosing the Filter option, or by double clicking a column header.

In the Filter dialog, select the filter to be cleared and click the Clear button. To clear all filters (selected or not), click the Clear All button. Clearing filters will remove the display of the filter from the Filter dialog as well as from the Filters bar.

Refreshing Filters
The Refresh Filters command in the View menu refreshes the filters to include edits or changes that have been made to the spreadsheet.

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