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Tutorials - Getting Started

Building Block Basics

Your First Minutes With Quadrigram: Working the Data Station

Your data station is where the magic happens in Quadrigram. This is where you add your data, modify the information you want to include in your charts, as well as how you want your readers to interact with the information. The three-color coded figures shown above are what compose the data station. These drag and drop icons are referred to as building blocks.

There are three different types of building blocks:

Files

You import your data through import new file in the Files option. You can either drag or choose your file directly from your computer or upload them from your Google Drive account.

IMPORTANT: your data needs to be legible for the editor. Make sure the horizontal column corresponds with the information in the vertical column. Once uploaded you will see the information by Names (Column, Row). The horizontal information will read as Rows and the Vertical plane will read as Columns.

Formulas

You have your data but you don’t want everything in your spreadsheet to appear in the graph. You only want for specific bits of information. This is where formulas come into play. You decide the type of information you want by selecting Create New Formula right where you imported your file.

The sigma sign (Σ) has a drop down menu. Here are the options defined:

  • Set value: set manually the value of the block.
  • Filter: filter data block with conditions with conditions on the rows and columns.
  • Transpose: swap the columns and rows of a table.
  • Join: join two blocks with a common identifier into one.
  • Get names: extract the ids of a block.
  • Sort: sort the values of the block according to its id or name.
  • Aggregate: adds repeated categorical values in a column.
  • Pivot Table: customize a table by choosing categorical value to serve as row and column to populate specific data.
  • Go to Page: formula uses output function for interactive page navigation.
  • Go to Viz: formula uses output function for interactive visual navigation.

Outputs

You synchronize different data sets with your building blocks. Depends on what output you select, you can either view same data from different angles. Or you can add elements of interactivity by adding what type of data you want to see from the various click features.