Skip to main content

Create Nets - Combine Axes or Elements

Updated

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

You can combine existing axes or elements in the project tree to create nets by using combine items, which is found in the design menu, in the construct section.

    Tags:
  • Project Owner
  • Creator
  • Explorer

 

In this article

  1. Create a New Combined Item
  2. Combined Axis
    1. Create a new combined axis
    2. Edit a combined axis
    3. Updating elements in a combined axis
    4. Relabel elements used in a combined axis
    5. Convert a combined axis to a constructed axis
  3. Combined Elements (Nets)
    1. Create a new combined element (Net)
    2. Edit a combined element (Net)
    3. Convert a Combined Element to a Constructed Element

 

1. Create a New Combined Item 

Combine items, located under construct in the design menu lets you combine two or more non-constructed items to create a new item.

  • 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. Therefore, the option to deconstruct is only available for constructed type variables created through Automation.
  • The ability to combine constructed items will be available in upcoming Harmoni versions.

Remember, you cannot select two constructed items, axes or elements, to combine them. You will not see the combine items option in the design menu if you select constructed items. Constructed items display the orange dot in the project tree icon.

 

2. 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.

 

Combine_Axis.gif

  • Select the axes you want to combine
  • Select combine items from the design menu
  • Name your new axis
  • Hide any elements that are not required

You must select two or more items to see combine items in the design menu.

 

b. Edit a Combined Axis

After creating a combined axis, you can only add or remove items in the expression editor. You can't edit the definitions of the elements themselves. New elements can't be created at this point.

Add an axis into the combined construction

  • In the project tree, drag and drop the axis on top of the constructed item.
  • In the expression editor, hover over the definition and click EDIT. Then drag and drop the axis into the expression editor and click Apply 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. 

In the following example, a new source has been added and there are new axes that can be added to the existing combined axis.

Combine_AxisEdit.gif

  • Drag and drop the new axis, Hot Pools onto the combined axis in the project tree
  • Select the combined axis and open the expression editor
  • Click EDIT
  • Drag the new axis, Theme Park into the expression editor
  • Apply Expression

 

c. Updating Elements in a Combined Axis 

Elements in a combined axis synchronize with the original axes.

  • A combined axis updates to include any new items in the original standard axes.
  • Items removed from the original standard axes are removed from your combined axis.

 


LightBulb_WhiteOnTealBG.svg

Combined axes update dynamically

 

In the following example, Arrival and Departure airport axes are combine to create Airports Visited. In the Departure Airport axis a new combined element is added. This element is automatically added to the Airports Visited axis as they are linked. When this element is deleted from the Departure Airport axis, it is automatically deleted from Airports Visited.

CombinedAxis_Update.gif

  • A combined axis is created
  • A combined element is added to a source axis
  • The element is added to the combined axis
  • The element is deleted from the source axis
  • The element is removed from the 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.

 

Combine_Axis_RelabelSourceElement.gif

  • Update the element name in the standard axis used in a combined axis
  • The element name also updates in the combined axis

 

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

 

Combine_Axis_RelabelSourceElement_2.gif

  • Change an element label in the combined axis
  • It will not change if you change the element label in the source axis

 

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.

 

Convert_to_Construction-Axis.gif

  • Select the combined axis
  • Click convert to construction in the design menu
  • The axis displays an orange dot and behaves like a construction

 

3. 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.

Remember, you cannot select two constructed elements to combine them. You will not see the combine items option in the design menu if you select two or more constructed elements. Constructed items display the orange dot in the project tree icon.

 

Combine_Elements.gif

  • 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

  • In the project tree, drag and drop additional elements onto the combined element.
  • In the expression editor, select the combined element, hover over the definition in the editor, and click EDIT. Then, 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.

 

Update_Combined_Element.gif

  • Open the expression editor to view the definition
  • Drag and drop an element onto the combined element
  • Click EDIT on the expression editor
  • Click the X to remove an element
  • Apply Expression
  • Click EDIT on the expression editor
  • Drag an element into the expression editor
  • Apply Expression

 

c. 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.

 

Convert_Element.gif

  • Select the combined element
  • Click convert to construction from the design menu
  • The definition displays as a constructed item

 

Where to from here?

Learn more about creating new items:

Up_Arrow.png

Related to

Related articles