Creating your first dataset

To create the dataset briefly described in the introduction on datasets, first create a new model. In this model, add a node ‘add_dataset’ to our model. In this node, we will create our first dataset. To start, click [Actions > Dataset] to open the dataset window. The following screen will pop up:

In this screen you can name your dataset ‘ds_employees’. It is always smart to start datasets with ‘ds’: that way you will always know that it is a dataset.

You can now simpy copy your data and paste them directly into an automatically generated structure, or you can manually create the structure first, and enter the data later. The first option is super easy and will suffice for most purposes. The second option is more complicated, but gives you more control.

Simply copy - paste

The easiest way to create the database is to copy all the data (including the header row) from your spreadsheet, and then click somewhere in the part of the window that says ‘Click here to paste a dataset, e.g. from MS Excel.’ The following screen will appear:

For the name, enter ‘employee_data’ and press [Ok]. If the data in your spreadsheet did not contain a header row, you can uncheck [Data has head row]. If you do that, the names of the columns will be generated automatically.

You will now see the dataset presented as a grid. If your satisfied, press [OK] and you’re done. It’s that simple!

Manually define the structure

If your spreadsheet does not have a header row, or you do not want to use it, or if you want more control over the structure of the dataset, you can define the structure yourself. The structure is called the dataset type.

Let’s start again at the first screen shown above. Since no types have been defined yet, we will make our own by pressing the icon next to Dataset type. A screen will pop up asking you for a name. Enter ‘employee_data’ and press [Ok]. The following screen will appear:

In this screen, we will add a variable with the for every column in the Excel spreadsheet presented in the introduction on datasets. For convenience it is practical to give them the same name.

You can also paste the names here. Copy some or all values from one row or column in your spreadsheet, click in the variables-box and paste them there (press Ctrl+V). You can also add more variables later by pasting in some more.

The result is shown below:

Now press [OK] and you will return to the dataset screen. As you can see, the Berkeley Studio shows an empty dataset just like our Excel spreadsheet. Now all we have to do is to add data to it. You can either come up with your own data or copy it from the Excel file provided by us (on the top of this page). Note that if you want to enter data either by typing or pasting, you will need to click on one of the fields first. The resulting windows should look like this:

Now press [OK]. Congratulations! You have created your first data set. In the next section, we will inspect the dataset with the inspector. This will also help you understand how the dataset works.