Group results using wildcard groups

There are situations where grouping shape elements or attributes may be desirable; for example, there is a pattern to the Name attribute of several attributes, and you want to produce a table with one column for each attribute type in the output table. In the following example, there are three Zone1 attributes: Zone1.Capacity, Zone1.PWR (Power), and Zone1.RollingCost. These attributes (Capacity, PWR, and RollingCost) are also shared by Zone2, Zone3, and Zone4. (For example, the Zone2 attributes are Zone2.Capacity, Zone2.PWR, and Zone2.RollingCost.) You want to compare these attributes by zones. The following screen shot is a partial view of this PI AF structure.

If you used a simple wildcard, you would get the following result with 64 matches. While some combinations are logical (for example, the Zone4 attributes grouped together, there are other combinations with a mix of different zones which is not the desired result.

In this instance, you want to generate a data set with one column for each attribute rather than 12 columns (three for each of the four zones). You can add wildcard groups to the attributes in the Asset Shape tree to get the desired results. The following procedure and example illustrate the concept of a wildcard group and how it can be used.

1. Create a shape with the asset and one set of the attributes you are interested in.

   

2. Click next to the first attribute (Zone1.Capacity).

3. In the Edit Filters dialog box, replace the string on which you are grouping the results with an asterisk.

   In this example, you would replace Zone 1 with an asterisk (*).

   

4. Click Save.

   This produces the following matches. One match groups the attributes of the same zone (Zone1), but the remaining three matches group attributes for different zones.

   

5. Click next to the second attribute (Zone1.PWR).

6. In the Edit Filters dialog box, replace the same string (Zone1) with an asterisk.

   The Edit Filters dialog box displays the following:

   

7. Click Group Together.

   In the Edit Filters dialog box, the asterisk is replaced with Group 1. The right pane shows the attributes included in Group 1 (Group1.Capacity and Group1.PWR).

   

8. Click Save.

   Both attributes in the asset shape are displayed with the Group 1 wildcard.

   

9. Click next to the third attribute (Zone1.RollingCost).

10. Delete the shared string (Zone1).

11. Click on Group 1 in the right pane, drag it into the Attribute Name field.

    

    The following screen shot shows the three attributes with the Group 1 wildcard.

    

12. Click Save.

    

    Using the group wildcard, the four matches show the Zone1, Zone2, Zone3, and Zone4 attributes grouped together.