Connecting to Data


Generating Sample Files for Data Preparation

Citi Bike provides data monthly as zipped comma-separated values (.csv) files that contain the following data values:

  • Trip Duration (seconds) 
  • Start Time and Date
  • Stop Time and Date
  • Start Station Name
  • End Station Name
  • Station ID
  • Station Latitude/Longitude
  • Bike ID
  • User Type (Customer = 24-hour pass or 3-day pass user. Subscriber = Annual Member.)
  • Gender (Zero=unknown; 1=male; 2=female)
  • Year of Birth 

To download a ridership file;

Preparing Data With a Data Flow

Before you load data into your target data source, you can enhance it for your needs. This massaging of the data prior to loading is called data preparation. You can take advantage of the data preparation options to, for example, convert numeric codes to meaningful attributes, discard erroneous data, smooth out ragged data into manageable bins, and blend descriptive data from additional data sources. 

User's Guide PDF

TIBCO WebFOCUS® is the reporting engine that turns corporate data into meaningful information. It enables any executive, manager, analyst, employee, partner, or customer to execute smarter decision-making. The platform delivers many rich new capabilities and integrates the four critical elements that any enterprise needs: business intelligence, performance management, advanced analytics, and data integrity.

This content includes topics to to help you connect to and edit data, author reports and visualizations, perform predictive and location analytics, build applications, run and schedule procedures, share your data, and more. 

Video: New Data Preparation Workflow

Before you load data into your target data source, you can enhance it for your needs in a process called data preparation, which features options allowing you to convert numeric codes into meaningful attributes, discard erroneous data, smooth ragged data out into manageable bins, and blend descriptive data from additional sources. You can also use data preparation calculations to create new fields.

You can access data preparation options when you create a new data flow from the Applications page by clicking New and selecting Flow.

Running a Reporting Object From the Browser

You can run a Reporting Object or any individual component of it from the browser. You can run a Reporting Object in the following ways:

  • Select the object in the Reporting Object tool and click Run, or right-click the object and select Run.
  • Right-click the Reporting Object in the Workspaces view and select Run or Run Deferred.

The Run option in the Reporting Object tool is enabled regardless of the setting of the Only Run as a Deferred Report property.

Creating Report Components in Reporting Objects

The Report component creates a report template and saves it in a Reporting Object. Authorized users can use the report template to create a report that suits their needs and then save the new report.

To create a report template, double-click the Report component, or right-click the component and select Open. InfoAssist opens, allowing you to create a report template.

For more information on using InfoAssist, see the WebFOCUS InfoAssist User's Manual.

Note:

Creating Chart Components in Reporting Objects

The Chart component works exactly like the Report component. The Chart component creates a chart template and saves it in a Reporting Object. Authorized users can use the chart template to create a chart that suits their needs and then save the new chart.

To create a chart template, double-click the Chart component, or right-click the component and select Open. InfoAssist opens, allowing you to create a chart template.

For more information on using InfoAssist, see the WebFOCUS InfoAssist User's Manual.

Note:

Creating Selection Criteria (WHERE Statements) in Reporting Objects

WHERE statements or selection criteria, restrict the data retrieved to only those records that meet the conditions that you specify. Filters are selection criteria that run when the user selects the filter in WebFOCUS. Other selection criteria run when the user opens the Reporting Object, preventing data values that do not meet the criteria from being available to the user.

For more information on WHERE statements, see Field Tab in the WebFOCUS InfoAssist User's Manual.

Creating Filters in Reporting Objects

Filters enable users to quickly select predefined criteria that limit the data included in a report or chart. Filters are selection criteria (WHERE statements) that you create for users, who then select the filters needed to limit the data in a report or chart without having to create their own selection criteria.

In order to create a filter, you must create the filter group and define the filters that make up the group.

Note: The Undo and Redo functions are not available for the Filter component until you have created at least one filter.