Lens Settings
You can access the Lens Settings by going to the legend at the bottom left of the screen, selecting the object or space and then clicking on Edit.
1. Feature: The feature associated with the space or lens. There are currently 21 potential features for objects and six for relations.
2. Map: Check box to control whether the feature is rendered or not in the space. This changes automatically for pre-configured buttons. If this box is unchecked, your settings are turned off on your workspace but not reset (in other words the attribute, derivation, etc. chosen will remain). To reset your settings, click on the Unmap button (see #4).
3. Attribute: Select the named attribute to be mapped in a feature; the list is generated from the available data on the objects and relations.
4. Add/Remove/Unmap: Adds or removes the feature that is currently highlighted in blue from the list. Unmap erases (resets) all settings for the highlighted feature and unchecks the Map check box, but will remain on the list.
5. Inverse: Reverses the distribution of the data (i.e. “-“ values will be up and “+” values down. Or small values will be big and big values small). This is primarily useful when mapping cases where negative values are a good thing when compared to positive mapped variables. Try it in the XYZ center chart.
6. Derivation: Apply simple analytics to mapped features. Try % change (in last 30 days – see below) as the default for color. NOTE: Some derivations do not make sense (i.e. % change in 0 days).
7. Compare to: Choose timeframe to compare the mapped features with the past number of days (“Previous”), a specific date (“Since Date”), or the first date in the data (“Beginning”). This option is usually used for colors to indicate changes in values.
8. Period: Specify the period in days, weeks, months, or years.
9. Log: Applies a logarithmic distribution to the mapped feature. Good for pronouncing trends more loudly. You can also try to stretch the grid using the Axis and Grids control panel (the first icon under Lens toolbar, or main menu Lens> Axis and Grids…).
10. Compare Self or Parent:
For Self: the current value is compared to the min and max during the animation for each distinct attribute. The feature only has meaning relative to itself, not other objects in the group. All objects will go to the top and bottom during the animation. This is good for getting a feel of the dynamics or volatility in the data. Be careful not to mistake values at same levels as same values–the position is relative to the unique range for each object.
For Parent: the current value is compared to the minimum and maximum values of all objects in the parent group with the same attribute. Only objects having the actual min and max values for the group will reach the bottom or top respectively. This is good for comparing behavior of data across a set of concerns.
11. Min/Max
For position (XYZ): Defines outer limit of graphs. This option is good if there are extremes that hide or compress the variability of the rest of the group.
For color and size: Used for visual filtering. This allows users to hide values’ objects with map variables outside of the selected min/max range.
12. Apply/Reset: Applies any changes you make after you open the Lens Setting panel. You must hit Apply in order to confirm your changes and see it rendered on your workspace. The Reset button reverts your settings back to what you originally had before you opened the Lens Setting panel. It does not reset/erase all features you have already mapped.