Selecting Data Detail
After selecting a data source, select Database > Detail to specify the data you want to use to draw graphs. If you try to draw a graph or generate a report before selecting data, Visualizer displays the Data Selection dialog box first.
The Data Selection dialog box displays defaults for the Date, Start Time , and End Time fields. The cursor highlights the first field where you need to make a selection.
You can either use the date and time defaults, or choose values. Defaults are set as follows:
- Date is the day before the last day in the database. For example, if the last day is the 25th, the default is the 24th.
- Start Time is the first interval on the selected Date.
- End Time is the start time of the first interval on the day following the selected Date. For example, if the first interval on the 24th is 12:00 A.M., the End Time default is 12:00 A.M. on the 25th.
The data fields available on the Data Selection dialog box depend on the type of data source selected. If there are more than seven data fields to choose from, access the additional fields from a drop-down list box.
For example, additional MVS Measurements and Summary data fields include Storage Group/Pool, Channel, Suite and Application.
Visualizer lets you group data components so you can include more than one of the same component on the same graph. See Creating-and-Maintaining-Groups.
Specifying dates as variables
You can specify variables on the Data Selection dialog box instead of actual dates. Variables give you more flexibility, particularly when setting up templates and scripts to automate daily graphing. See Creating-templates or more information.
The following table describes the variables, their definitions, as well as the fields where you can use them.
The Variables for defining dates in templates are as follows:
Variable | Description | |
|---|---|---|
Use the following variables only in the Date box to represent a group of dates |
| |
<ALL> | All dates | |
<FIRSTnDAYS> | The first n number of days | |
<LASTnDAYS> | The last n number of days | |
<LASTMONTH> | The last month, beginning with the previous month in the database | |
<LASTWEEK> | The last week by counting back seven days from the last Saturday (this works only for data collected seven days a week) | |
<LASTWKDAYS> | The last five weekdays, by counting from the last Friday back to Monday | |
<MONTH> | The current month beginning with the current month in the database | |
<WKDAYS> | Use the last Monday, include that Monday and everything up to and including Friday | |
<WEEK> | Use the last week beginning with the most recent Sunday | |
Use the following variables to represent individual dates or individual objects |
| |
<FIRST> | Use the first date | |
<NEXT> | Use the second date (next to first) | |
<NEXTn> | Use the next date relative to the first | |
Date | Groups of dates for use only in the Date box | |
<NEXTLAST> | Use the next to the last date | |
<NEXTLASTn> | Use the next to the last date relative to <LAST> | |
<LAST> | Use the last date | |
<LASTDAYn> | The last day with n intervals | |
<FIRSTnWKDAYS> | The first n weeks' weekdays. Visualizer uses the first date in the database to determine the date span for the group. If the first date in the database is Wednesday, <FIRST4WKDAYS> selects that day and any weekdays falling within the remainder of that week or any of the next three full weeks. | |
<LASTnWKDAYS> | The LAST n weeks' weekdays (using the last date in the database to determine the date span for the included weekdays) If the last date in the database is Wednesday, <LAST4WKDAYS> selects that day and any weekdays falling within the beginning of that week or any of the previous three full weeks. | |
<FIRSTnXXXDAYS> | The FIRST n selected days (using the first date in the database to determine the date span for the group) XXX is the three-letter abbreviation of the selected day of the week (in English language Windows: MON, TUE, WED, THU, FRI, SAT, and SUN). | |
<LASTnXXXDAYS> | The LAST n selected days (using the last date in the database to determine the date span for the group) XXX is the three-letter abbreviation of the selected day of the week (in English language Windows: MON, TUE, WED, THU, FRI, SAT, and SUN). | |
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