What's changed? - Data360_Analyze - Latest

Data360 Analyze ships with a number of script-free nodes that you can configure without entering any code. These easy-to-use nodes allow you to complete common tasks more easily. For example, the Aggregate, Filter, Sort, Split and Join nodes are now script-free.

Data360 Analyze also includes the new Calculate Fields and Modify Fields nodes. The Calculate Fields node allows you to create new fields by performing calculations on input field values. The Modify Fields node allows you to modify field metadata. You can:

• Select input fields to include in, or exclude from, the output.
• Rename input fields.
• Change the data type of input fields.
• Reformat the field output value.

For more advanced tasks, you can use Python script to achieve greater flexibility when configuring the nodes.

See Supported nodes.

One of the major enhancements of Data360 Analyze is the transition from the proprietary BRAINscript language to the widely used Python language. Many of our nodes that previously used BRAINscript have been deprecated and have been replaced by new Python-based nodes. Our aim is to reduce the learning curve for new users by using an industry standard programming language. The Python-based nodes also deliver improved performance when handling larger data sets.

It is recommended that you begin to use the new Python-based nodes. Support for deprecated nodes is likely to be withdrawn in the next major release of the software.

See BRAINscript to Python.

To simplify and improve the understanding of the functionality of Data360 Analyze, we have introduced some terminology changes. For example, "data flow" is the new name for "graph".

For a list of other terminology changes, see Terminology changes.

When you launch Data360 Analyze, you are taken to the Directory screen. The Directory lists all of your data flows, library nodes (reusable components) and schedules (automated data flow runs) that you have created and imported.

When you create or open a data flow, you will be taken to the Designer screen. From the Designer you can build, interrogate, troubleshoot and run your data flows.

The JDBC nodes have been enhanced to simplify the process of connecting to an external database. Additionally, a number of JDBC drivers are shipped as part of the Data360 Analyze installation.

Schedules can be created within Data360 Analyze, allowing you to easily schedule an automatic run of your data flow at specified times and intervals.

Scheduling is available with the Desktop Automation license, as well as on Data360 Analyze Server editions where you can enable the scheduled execution of data flows in a multi-user environment.

In Data360 Analyze, the concept of exporting a node library as a container for reusable nodes no longer exists. Instead, you can create library nodes (reusable components) to share with others to deliver repeatable results.

You can control the order of node execution, outside of the basic left to right structure of your data flow, by adding wait or re-run dependencies (clocks and events) to your nodes.

In Data360 Analyze, you can add a new clock or event by selecting the nodes that you want to create the dependency between, right-clicking, and selecting the required option from the context menu.

The integrated help can be accessed directly from within Data360 Analyze, including direct links from the Properties panel to specific node help topics.

The Excel File node now attempts to determine the data type of the imported fields and assigns the most appropriate Data360 Analyze data types. For example, if an input field contains integer and decimal values, the node will assign a double data type to this field.

If you are working with data flows created in earlier versions of the product, to avoid any incompatibility issues with the Excel File node, you may want to revert to the previous behavior, where all fields from Excel files were output as either string or Unicode types. To revert to this behavior for a specific Excel File node, set the DetectFieldTypes property to False and leave the DefaultType property blank (default).

Or, to revert to the previous behavior for all Excel File nodes, copy the following text into your cust.prop file: ls.brain.node.excelFile.inferTypes=false

The Directory List node now outputs Unicode type data rather than string data.

Similarly, the CSV/Delimited Input node, which has replaced the deprecated CSV File and Delimited File nodes, also outputs Unicode type data. For a full list of deprecated nodes, see Deprecated nodes.

When using Data360 Analyze Server there is no client-side install required - the browser is used to access the Data360 Analyze web application.

The LAE Explorer client functionality is now delivered by applying the appropriate role to the user's Data360 Analyze account.

You can create new node properties and define the tooltip text to be displayed when you hover over the property in the Properties panel.

In BRE, it was also possible to generate new node help and to define functional documentation to be displayed in a tooltip when you hovered over a node on the canvas; these types of user-generated documentation are not currently possible in Data360 Analyze.