Editing data values and metadata

When the system is in Edit mode, users with sufficient access privileges can edit the data values, metadata, quality rating, read and write permissions, and other properties of record attributes.

Different edit options are available for data, depending on the type of attribute being modified. The procedure below applies to all types of data; other topics cover the additional options available when editing text data, numerical data, functional data, equation-based functional data, tabular data, and file data.

Tools for editing data

There are two ways of editing data values for the attributes on a datasheet:

• Click Edit > Edit data on the menu bar at the top of the datasheet to display an "editable" datasheet view, where you can edit data values for multiple, simple attributes on the same page.
  • Complex data types, such as tabular, functional, and equation-based data, and multi-value point and discrete data, cannot be edited in this view.
  • You can edit data values only in this view: you can't edit metadata or notes relating to the data.
  • All attributes available within the current layout are visible in this view, even if they currently have no data (i.e., are "empty") and are hidden from the main datasheet.
  • Trailing zeroes in numbers containing a decimal point are preserved in this view.
  • Clicking Save on this page saves only data you have changed.
• Click Edit this data on the left of an attribute name to edit the data values, metadata, notes, quality rating, or access control permissions for that attribute. All data types can be edited in this way.

To edit data and metadata

1. Ensure that the system is in Edit Mode.
2. Open the datasheet of interest and click Edit this data on the left of the attribute name.   
3. Edit the data value(s) and metadata on the Data tab.

   The edit options available on the Data tab vary depending on the type of data you are editing.  See Editing text data, Editing numerical data, Editing functional data, Editing equation-based functional data, Editing tabular data, Editing file, picture, & hyperlink data.

   • Not applicable: select this check box if this attribute is not relevant for this record; for example the attribute 'Dielectric Constant' may not be applicable for all electrical conductors (e.g. metals), since the dielectric constant property is only relevant for electrical insulators.
     Note that selecting Not Applicable will result in all existing data defined for the attribute being deleted when you click Save.
   • Metadata: you may be able to add additional information about data value such as statistical information or notes about the source of the data.
4. Additional tabs may also be available, allow you to edit:
   • Notes: optionally, you can enter information about any changes that you make to data values on the Notes tab.
   • Quality Rating: if the table has a quality rating system assigned to it, a Quality Rating tab will be available for most types of data: click on the tab to assign one of the available quality ratings to the attribute data.  
   • Access Control permissions: if the table is access-controlled, and if you have the required level of access, an Access Control tab will be available, and you can change the read and write permissions for the attribute data.
5. Click Save to save your changes.

Note: if an attribute requires a unique value, MI:Viewer will check to see if the value entered is already being used in another record; if yes, you will be unable to save your changes to the data, and a message similar to this will be displayed with the name of the attribute and the duplicate value:  "No changes have been saved. There is already a record with attribute 'AttributeA' set to value 'ValueX'. (This uniqueness constraint can be configured on short text and integer attributes in MI:Admin.)

For version-controlled records only:

• The data value that has been changed is indicated on the datasheet with an icon.
• The version number of the data value will have been incremented by one.