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• Creator
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In Harmoni, a standard axis is a discrete or categorical variable with elements for each response. They can be single or multi-response.

Harmoni allows you to create new items or customized constructions to suit your analysis and reporting requirements. Create new variables using items that already exist in the project, or with user-entered values.

Options under the design menu allow you to create customized constructions. You can also drag and drop items from an existing axis or copy and paste items to create a new variable.

In this article

1. Create a new item - Drag and drop
2. Create a new item - Copy and paste
   • Copy and paste - New axis
   • Copy and paste - New element
3. Create a new item - Combine items
   • Combined Axis
     • Create a new combined axis
     • Edit a combined axis
     • Updating elements in a combined axis 
     • Relabel elements used in a combined axis 
     • Convert a combined axis to a constructed axis 
   • Combined Elements (Nets)
     • Create a new combined element (Net)
     • Edit a combined element (Net)
4. Create a new item using the Expression Editor
   • Construct a new axis
   • Construct a new element
5. Sharing Constructions

 

1. Create a new item - Drag and drop

You can create a new axis by selecting and dragging existing elements out of an axis into the Project Tree. This action creates a copy of the original axis.

• Elements can be dragged out of an axis when one, or more, elements from the same axis are selected.
• In the project tree, the new axis appears in the position elements are dragged.
• You can add new elements by using new element from construct in the design menu.
• Elements are editable. You can edit the elements using the expression editor. Learn more.

 

 

2. Create a new item - Copy and paste 

The options Copy and Paste, under construct from the design menu, allow making a copy of an existing item in the project tree.

• By using copy and paste you can:
  • Create a copy of an entire axis.
  • Copy selected elements into an existing axis.
  • Copy axes from a grid to create new standard axes.
  • Copy elements from a grid into an existing axis.
  • Copy a measure to create a new measure. The same is applicable to weights.
• Bases, auto-weights, and flags applied are carried over to the new axis/element.
• You can add new elements by using new element from construct in the design menu.
• Elements are editable.You can edit the elements using the expression editor. Learn more.
• Copy and paste into or within a grid isn't supported.

a) Copy and Paste - New axis

• Select an axis or a group of axes in your project tree.
• Select copy under edit.
• Select the desired position in the project tree by selecting an item.
• Select paste under edit.
• Elements can be edited.

 

b) Copy and Paste - New element

• Select an element or a group of elements in your project tree.
• Select copy under edit.
• Select the desired position in the project tree by selecting an item.
• Select paste under edit.
• Elements can be edited. Select the element and then the option define. 
• The expression editor will open. Click on the text field and begin typing to define.
• Once ready, select Apply Expression. For Creators with auto syncAuto sync controls whether changes are applied immediately or saved for later. Learn more. off, or Explorers, Save Expression is also available. Data is only updated in the new items when Apply Expression is applied to the axis.
• After defining an element there is also an option below the definition to add a new element. This allows you to create as many elements as needed.

 

3. Create a new item - Combine items 

Combine, under construct from the design menu, allows combining two or more non-constructed items.

• When you create a combined item, the items used to construct the combined item remain available in the tree. You can hide these items if you don't need to see them in the tree.
• When you load or connect to data, Harmoni creates combined items through automation. During this automated process, the source items used to create the combined item do not remain available in the tree. If you need access to the original items, use the deconstruct option in the design menu. Deconstruct is only available for items constructed using automation.

 

Combined Axes

a) Create a new combined axis

Two or more non-constructed axes can be combined together into a single variable using combine items (e.g., to create a multiple response axis).

The new combined axis appears above the first item selected in the project tree.

 

• Select axes you want to combine.
• Select combine items under construct.
• Name your new axis.

 

b) Edit a combined axis

After creating a combined axis, you can add or remove items, however, the definitions of the elements themselves can't be edited.  New elements can't be created at this point.

Add an axis into the combined construction

• Drag and drop, in the project tree on top of the constructed item. 
• Drag and drop, Into the expression editor and then reapply the expression.

Remove an axis from the combined construction

• In the expression editor, remove items using the 'x' next to the name of the axis you want to remove and then reapply the expression. 

 

 

c) Updating elements in a combined axis 

Elements in a combined axis synchronize with the original axes.

• A combined axis will update to include any new items in the original standard axes.
• At the same time, items removed from the original standard axes will be removed from your combined axis.

 

 

 

If you need to add nets into a combined axis that has been constructed via automation, you first need to deconstruct the combined axis. Follow these steps:

• Select the combined axis created via automation.
• Once you have the individual axes, you can manually combine them to create a new combined axis.
• The original axes remain in the project tree where you can combine elements to create a net.
• The net is automatically transferred to the manually combined axis.

 

 

d) Relabel elements used in a combined axis 

When you change the element label from one of the standard axes that are used in a combined axis, the element label in the combined axis is automatically updated.

 

 

However, if you have already changed the label in your combined axis, changes in the label of a standard axis won't flow. 

 

 

e) Convert a combined axis to a constructed axis 

You can convert a combined axis to a constructed one. When you highlight the combined axis label, the option to convert to construction is available in the design menu. Once the axis is converted, the yellow dot indicating a combined axis changes to an orange dot. You can edit the definition and add new elements if you require.

 

 

Combine Elements (Nets)

 

a) Create a new combined element (Net)

Existing non-constructed elements can be combined together into a new element using combine items. Combine items creates a net of existing elements (e.g., create a Top 2 Box).

• You can combine elements within an axis or within a grid.
  • Combined elements in a standard axis display a yellow dot in the project tree.
  • Combined elements in a grid display the icon "c" in the project tree.
• In the project tree, the new net appears above the first item selected.

 

• Select the elements you want to combine.
• Select combine items under construct.
• Name your new element.

 

b) Edit a combined element (Net)

After creating a combined element, you can add or remove items.

Add an element into the net

• Drag and drop, in the project tree on top of the constructed item. 
• Click the library/editor option to open the expression editor. Select the element then hover over the definition in the editor and click the EDIT button. Drag and drop additional elements into the expression editor and click Apply Expression. 

Remove an element from the net

• In the expression editor click EDIT, then remove items using the 'x' next to the name of the element you want to remove. Click Apply Expression to save.

 

 

Convert a combined element to a constructed element.

Use the convert to construction option in the design menu to convert a combined element to a constructed one in the same way as you can convert an axis. Simply highlight the element and select convert to construction. The yellow dot indicating a combined element changes to an orange dot.

 

 

4. Create a new item using the expression editor

You can create new items using the options under construct from the design menu. Constructions are defined through the expression editor.The expression editor is the interface by which the definition is entered. Learn more. 

 

a) Construct a new axis

You can create a new axis from other axes, measures, or weights. 

• Select the desired position in the project tree and then choose new axis under construct from the design menu. Learn more about the design menu. 
• In the project tree, the new axis appears above the item selected.
• The new axis is not saved in the project tree until the axis has a name, and there is at least one named element.
• After naming your new axis and the first element, the expression editorThe expression editor is the interface by which the definition is entered. Learn more. automatically opens for you to enter the definition.

• Select the desired position in the project tree by selecting an item.
• Select create new axis under construct.
• Name your new axis and new element.
• The expression editor will open. Click on the text field and begin typing to define.
• Once ready, select Apply Expression. For Creators with auto syncAuto sync controls whether changes are applied immediately or saved for later. Learn more. off, or Explorers, Save Expression is also available. Data is only updated in the new items when Apply Expression is applied to the axis.

 

b) Construct a new element

You can add new elements to existing axes. New elements can be added to variables that have come directly from the source or constructed in new user-created variables. 

• Select the axis and position in the project tree and then choose new element under construct from the design menu Learn more about the design menu. 
• In the project tree, the new element appears below the item selected.
• After naming your element, the expression editorThe expression editor is the interface by which the definition is entered. Learn more. automatically opens for you to enter the definition. Learn more about defining elements in the Expression Editor.

Once you have defined your new item Save Expression and Apply Expression become active if the definition is valid and auto sync is off. Only Apply Expression will appear with auto sync on.

• Harmoni validates the conditions you have entered. The element definition should specify the condition that must be true for the data records to be included in the element.
• To improve the workflow and efficiency,  after defining an element,  you can keep adding elements and saving the definitions but only apply expression when you are ready.

 

 

 

• Select the desired position in the project tree by selecting an element.
• Select create new element under construct.
• Name your new element.
• The expression editor will open. Click on the text field and begin typing to define.
• Once ready, select Apply Expression. For Creators with auto syncAuto sync controls whether changes are applied immediately or saved for later. Learn more. off, or Explorers, Save Expression is also available.
• After defining an element there is also an option below the definition to add a new element. This allows you to create as many elements as needed.

5. Sharing Constructions

After creating a construction, you may need to work with other team members to help develop and refine the construction. This feature allows users to share and edit constructions easily. Once finalized, the construction can be transferred to the Project Owner who can publish it to all users with access to the project. Learn more about Sharing Constructions.

 

Where to from here?

Learn more about different construction types.

• Headings
• Measures
• Weights
• Grids