Spectre Build Squash Object

Column Grid

The Squash column grid displays the input columns and their attributes, some of which you can set.

Attribute	Description
Column	Displays the name of each input or created column. You can edit this value if the column is created by the squash object.
Type	Displays the data type of the column. This is not editable and is set to unknown when the column is created by the squash object.
Source	Displays the name and object type of the source object. This column shows if a column is newly created in the squash object. This column is not editable.
Dimension	Defines the input columns used to combine rows. Rows that have identical values for all of the selected dimension columns are combined. Select the Dimension check box for columns you want to set as dimensions. Columns with the Dimension check box selected cannot have the Column check box selected. At least one input column must be marked as a dimension. A number is automatically entered in the row's Dim Order.
Dim Order	Defines the dimension order for input columns with a Dimension check mark. The Dim Order is automatically set in the order that you select the Dimension check box for input columns. You can edit these numbers to change the order. If you assign a Dim Order value for an input column not already marked as a dimension, a check mark is added to the Dimension check box.
Column	Defines input columns that are preserved and passed to the output data flow. Select the Column check box for input columns that you want to pass to the output data flow. This optional attribute is useful for keeping data intact. Columns with the Column check box selected cannot have the Dimension check box selected.

The plus and minus buttons in the column grid can be used to add or remove rows in the Squash object.

NOTE: The minus button only removes rows that have been created in the Squash object. Click the minus button to remove the squash attributes of any row. Click the minus button twice to delete a row that has been created in the Squash object.

Clicking the plus button opens the Name new squash dimension/column window.

If the Column option is chosen, the new row is created with the Column checkbox selected. If the Dimension option is chosen, the new row is created with the Dimension checkbox selected and with the new highest Dim Order.

Expressions Editor

Each dimension in a squash object is calculated before its values are combined. The Expressions Editor pane allows you to define calculations for each dimension or column. The syntax for the Expressions Editor pane is the same as in the Spectre Build Calc Object and all functions can be found in the list of Alphabetized Functions for Spectre

Properties

After a row in the column grid has been determined to be a Column or Dimension, additional properties can be set in the Properties panel.

Attribute	Description
Duration	If set to `true`, the column must be a numeric column, and it will be marked as a duration column. Duration columns behave the same as normal numeric columns, except that they are meant to be displayed differently. When duration columns are displayed they ignore any format string and display as `h:mm:ss` (the value is interpreted as seconds).
Format	Sets the display format. Use to format dates, periods, currency, and Booleans. Setting the format Select the calc column. Click the Format property and use the pulldown. Locate and select the desired format. See also Spectre Format Conventions.
Label	Defines the display label used for a column.
Sort By	Specifies an alternate sort. When specifying columns, use sort-by to order them based on another column's value. Setting sort by Select the column which is to have an alternate sort order. Select Sort By in the Properties pane and use the pull-down to select from the available columns. The alternate sort is set. NOTE An alternate sort can only be applied to a string column, and the sort-by column must be a string or integer column. You cannot add, remove, or change alternate sorts after a cBase is built. Dive and cPlan files also have a sort tag, but for string data, rely on alternate sorts established (if any) when the cBase is built. Dives can also specify sorting on numeric columns. By default Spectre uses "numeric collation" when sorting strings. When a subset of a string looks like a number, then the numeric value is considered during the sort. For example, Spectre sorts "a2" before "a10". See also sort-natural. Null strings sort at the end. If two distinct strings in the column (to be sorted) are set to sort as the same value in the sort-by column, then the normal ordering of those distinct strings will resolve the tie. If a row has the value null or the value unknown in the column with an alternate sort, then the sort-by column must also have the same value. If the sort-by column has type string AND has the value null or the value unknown, then the column to be sorted must have the same value. Spectre issues a warning if you attempt to alternate sort null as non-null, or unknown as not-unknown.
Time zone	An ICU time zone name.

Comments, Documentation, and Errors

The Comments, Documentation, and Errors pane is split into three tabs:

Comments—Each object has an area where you can enter comments. It is a DI best practice to enter a note for every object in a Spectre script. These notes can help you or a coworker understand the intent of the node and troubleshoot issues in the future.
Documentation—The Documentation tab displays a short summary of any Spectre function that is highlighted in the Dimension Properties pane. This summary includes the names and data types of each parameter in the function, as well as a short description of what the function does.
Errors—The Errors tab displays any formatting errors that occur in the Dimension Properties pane. These can include missing parentheses, incorrect data types in parameters, or missing or excessive parameters.