The Formula Editor is a graphical editor that aids
in the creation of formulae in the Agent Builder. The Formula Editor
is displayed when you do one of the following tasks:
- Creating or editing derived attributes, see Creating derived attributes and Editing derived attributes
- Creating Filtered Attribute groups, see Creating a Filtered Attribute Group
- Filtering data from attribute groups, see Filtering attribute groups
Attention:
- When you create derived attributes, the formula that you create must result in a data type that matches the type of the attribute. For example, if the derived attribute type is a number, the formula you create must evaluate to a numeric result.
- When you create filtered attribute groups or filter data from attribute groups, the formula that you create must result in a Boolean value, "true" or "false".
Note: In the following views, the Formula Editor is
shown creating formulae for derived attributes. The views are identical when you
use the Formula Editor with filtered attribute groups or to filter
data from attribute groups. The views show the heading Derived Formula Editor or Filter Formula Editor depending on use.
When the Formula Editor (Figure 1) is displayed,
the current formula is loaded into the editor. If a formula does not
exist, you can enter one by typing directly into the formula space
in the Formula Editor window. Alternatively you
can click Insert to begin entering a formula by
using the editor menu options. The editor contains two views of the
formula in the default window, and an option for a third view:
- Component view (default)
- The components of the edited formula are shown in the operand areas and Operator field. In Figure 1, the (+) operator is the current operator. The operator and its two operands can be edited by using the selection menus.
- Formula view (default)
- The complete formula is in the formula field in the window. You can edit the formula by typing in this box.
- Formula hierarchy tree view (option)
- The formula hierarchy tree is displayed by selecting the Show formula hierarchy check box. See Figure 2. The state of the check box is remembered in subsequent invocations of the Formula Editor.
Figure 1. Derived Formula Editor
window (default)
Figure 2. Derived Formula Editor view with formula hierarchy tree view