Explore

The Explore interface is situated in the right-hand pane of Kinetica's Workbench administration application. It can be used to import data into the database from a variety of sources.

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Explore Landing Page

To access the Explore page, in Workbench, click the Explore menu item. This will open the list of your workbooks in the right-hand pane, as well as a button for creating a new workbook. Additionally, at the top, are several action buttons:

Action Description
Refresh Examples Update the sample workbooks to their latest versions
Import Import a workbook from a JSON file
Export All Export all workbooks listed under My Workbooks to a single JSON file
wb_icon_refresh Update the list of displayed workbook panels
+ Create Create a new workbook

Clicking on any workbook panel will open that workbook in the right-hand pane.


Workbooks

When a workbook is selected, its first worksheet is displayed, along with a corresponding tab for each of its other worksheets. Click the tabs to switch between worksheets, and click the + to create a new worksheet.

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Quick Start Workbook

There is also a set of workbook-level actions at the top:

Action Description
Share Toggle sharing of this workbook with all other users in the cluster
wb_icon_copy Make a duplicate of this workbook, appending Copy to the end of the workbook's name
wb_icon_embed

Display two means of referencing this workbook:

  • URL - a URL that can be used to link directly to this workbook, opening it in Workbench
  • HTML - an HTML snippet that can be used to embed this workbook as an iFrame within another web page; note that this will require logging into Workbench in that frame to access the embedded workbook
wb_icon_export Export this workbook in either JSON format or as a series of SQL statements in a text file
wb_icon_refresh Refresh the displayed blocks of this workbook
wb_icon_edit Modify the name or description of this workbook
wb_icon_delete Delete this workbook
wb_icon_close Close this workbook and return to the Explore landing page

Worksheets

The active worksheet displays the SQL-GPT interface at the top, followed by its contained blocks in the order they are defined within the worksheet. Block types include:

../../images/wb.worksheet.png

Quick Start Worksheet #1

At the top of the worksheet are a set of applicable action buttons:

Action Description
ws_icon_left Move this worksheet closer to the front of the workbook
ws_icon_right Move this worksheet closer to the back of the workbook
ws_icon_edit Modify the name or description of this worksheet
ws_icon_copy Make a duplicate of this worksheet in either the current workbook or another workbook, appending Copy to the end of the workbook's name
ws_icon_block Add a new block of the selected type to the end of this worksheet
ws_icon_report Download a performance report of all queries run within the worksheet
ws_icon_print Display a printable version of the worksheet
ws_icon_clear Clear all query results in SQL Blocks on this worksheet
ws_icon_run Run all SQL Blocks on this worksheet in the sequence in which they appear on the worksheet

To the right of the blocks is a column of numbers corresponding to each of the numbered blocks. Click any one of the numbers to jump to that block.


SQL-GPT

Each worksheet within Workbench has an interface for interacting with SQL-GPT at the top.

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SQL-GPT Interface

A natural-language question can be entered into the SQL-GPT text box in order to generate an equivalent SQL query that can be run to get an answer. The result will be added as a new SQL Block at the bottom of the worksheet.

Available SQL-GPT actions include:

Action Description
wsg_icon_gen Generate a corresponding SQL query for the natural language question entered into the SQL-GPT text box, and add it to a SQL Block as the last block on the worksheet
wsg_icon_config Open the SQL-GPT configuration page
wsg_icon_info Learn more about how to configure & use SQL-GPT

SQL-GPT Configuration

The SQL-GPT Configuration page allows one or more SQL-GPT contexts to be assigned to this worksheet.

../../images/wb.explore_ws_sqlgpt_config.png

SQL-GPT Configuration

Click on a SQL-GPT context on the left and then click the right arrow to assign the context to the current worksheet. Click a context on the right and click the left arrow to unassign the context from the current worksheet.

Available SQL-GPT configuration actions include:

Action Description
Clear History Delete the question history, which is shown when the SQL-GPT text box is clicked
Update Save the configuration
Cancel Don't update the configuration

SQL Blocks

Each SQL Block allows one or more SQL statements to be added or modified within it.

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SQL Block

The block-specific actions are as follows:

Action Description
wsb_icon_run Run the SQL statement(s) in this SQL Block, and output the result set of the final query (if one exists) at the bottom of this block, in either data grid or chart form
wsb_icon_job View the job status for the query executing in this SQL Block; the status will be displayed at the bottom of the block
wsb_icon_expand Expand or collapse this block when the enclosing workbook is embedded in another web page
wsb_icon_eye Hide or show this block when the enclosing workbook is embedded in another web page
wsb_icon_sqlgpt Insert a SQL-GPT text box for generating SQL into this SQL Block
wsb_icon_explain

Display the explain plan of the final query in this SQL Block, if one exists:

  • Explain Plan - display the basic execution plan
  • Run and Analyze - run the final query and display the execution plan with a statistical analysis
wsb_icon_runall Run all SQL Blocks from this one onwards, until the end of the worksheet
wsb_icon_add Add a new block of the selected type below this one
wsb_icon_shrink Collapse this block, showing only one line of it configuration; click again to expand the block
wsb_icon_up Move this block one block above its current position on this worksheet
wsb_icon_down Move this block one block below its current position on this worksheet
wsb_icon_delete Remove this block from this worksheet

If the SQL Block contains any queries, the result set of the final one can be displayed at the bottom of the SQL Block in either a grid view (on the Data tab) or as a chart (on the Visualization tab).

Data Tab

The Data tab displays a grid view of the result set of the final query in a SQL Block, when run.

../../images/wb.explore_wsb_sql_data.png

SQL Block Query Results Grid

Data tab actions include:

  • Export CSV - export the result set to a comma-separated values (CSV) file and download the file
  • Clear - remove the result set portion of the SQL Block

Visualization Tab

The Visualization tab allows the result set of the final query in a SQL Block to be displayed as a visualization, when run.

../../images/wb.explore_wsb_sql_vis.png

SQL Block Query Results Visualization

Several visualization types are available:

  • Bar Chart
  • Line Chart
  • Pie Chart
  • Scatter Plot
  • Big Number
  • Graph
  • Map

After selecting a visualization type, two actions are available:

Action Description
Save PNG For most visualizations, save the visualization to a PNG file
Config Configure the selected visualization with options that are specific to the type selected; click Update to display the visualization
X Delete the current visualization and select from the available types again

Text Blocks

A Text Block can be used to document the surrounding blocks.

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Text Block

Some formatting and other actions are available:

Action Description
wsb_icon_bold Apply bold styling to the highlighted text
wsb_icon_ital Apply italics styling to the highlighted text
wsb_icon_ul Underline the highlighted text
wsb_icon_eye Hide or show this block when the enclosing workbook is embedded in another web page
wsb_icon_add Add a new block of the selected type below this one
wsb_icon_shrink Collapse this block, showing only one line of it configuration; click again to expand the block
wsb_icon_up Move this block one block above its current position on this worksheet
wsb_icon_down Move this block one block below its current position on this worksheet
wsb_icon_delete Remove this block from this worksheet

Image Blocks

An Image Block can be used to display a static or animated URL-accessible image.

../../images/wb.explore_wsb_image.png

Image Block

Available actions include:

Action Description
wsb_icon_cfg Open the image configuration page
wsb_icon_eye Hide or show this block when the enclosing workbook is embedded in another web page
wsb_icon_add Add a new block of the selected type below this one
wsb_icon_shrink Collapse this block, showing only one line of it configuration; click again to expand the block
wsb_icon_up Move this block one block above its current position on this worksheet
wsb_icon_down Move this block one block below its current position on this worksheet
wsb_icon_delete Remove this block from this worksheet

Image Configuration

The Image Configuration page allows the associated image to be configured.

The image needs to be specified with an accessible URL and alignment within the block. It can optionally be given a title and a scaling height & width.


HTML Blocks

An HTML Block can be used to display user-entered HTML.

../../images/wb.explore_wsb_html.png

HTML Block

Available actions include:

Action Description
wsb_icon_cfg Open the HTML configuration page
wsb_icon_eye Hide or show this block when the enclosing workbook is embedded in another web page
wsb_icon_add Add a new block of the selected type below this one
wsb_icon_shrink Collapse this block, showing only one line of it configuration; click again to expand the block
wsb_icon_up Move this block one block above its current position on this worksheet
wsb_icon_down Move this block one block below its current position on this worksheet
wsb_icon_delete Remove this block from this worksheet

HTML Configuration

The HTML Configuration page allows the HTML source and title to be modified.

HTML tags that may pose security risks will remain in the user-entered source, but not be displayed in the HTML Block.

HTML tags are not supported for the title.


Map Blocks

A Map Block is an empty zoomable & pannable world map, upon creation, that can be configured to display geospatial data from any table or view.

../../images/wb.explore_wsb_map.png

Map Block

Available actions include:

Action Description
wsb_icon_ref Refresh the map, reloading any data from the source, if configured
wsb_icon_dl Download a copy of this map at its current zoom level and pan position
wsb_icon_cfg Configure a source table to plot on this map, as well as other map-related settings
wsb_icon_eye Hide or show this block when the enclosing workbook is embedded in another web page
wsb_icon_full Pop up a near full-screen configurable view of this map
wsb_icon_add Add a new block of the selected type below this one
wsb_icon_shrink Collapse this block, showing only one line of it configuration; click again to expand the block
wsb_icon_up Move this block one block above its current position on this worksheet
wsb_icon_down Move this block one block below its current position on this worksheet
wsb_icon_delete Remove this block from this worksheet

Rendering Modes

Kinetica supports two different geospatial rendering modes:

  • Heatmap: A gradient of color that represents the density of features/shapes
  • Raster: Discrete colorization of each feature/shape
  • Class Break: A class (range) based colorization of each feature/shape
  • Track: A rasterization of features/shapes containing track information
  • Contour: A 3-dimensional planar graph, where each plane is bounded by isolines and contains data with the same z value

There are several categories of options to configure for each map:

  • Table Options - Source table & columns, along with the rendering mode
  • Map-Specific Options - Options that are specific to each map type
  • Viewport Options - Latitude, longitude, & altitude upon which the map is centered
  • Advanced Options - WMS key/value pairs that can be set to override or extend the map configuration. See Web Map Service for details.

Here is an example of some of the map configuration options that you have to style the output of geospatial data on a map, followed by a sample map.

../../images/wb.workbook_vis_map_config.png

Map Visualization Configuration

../../images/wb.workbook_vis_map.png

Map Visualization


Graph Blocks

A Graph Block is a visual network graph of a given graph-oriented data set.

../../images/wb.explore_wsb_graph.png

Graph Block

Available actions include:

Action Description
wsb_icon_ref Refresh the graph, reloading any data from the source
wsb_icon_cfg Open the graph configuration page
wsb_icon_eye Hide or show this block when the enclosing workbook is embedded in another web page
wsb_icon_add Add a new block of the selected type below this one
wsb_icon_shrink Collapse this block, showing only one line of it configuration; click again to expand the block
wsb_icon_up Move this block one block above its current position on this worksheet
wsb_icon_down Move this block one block below its current position on this worksheet
wsb_icon_delete Remove this block from this worksheet

Graph Configuration

The Graph Configuration page allows the graph source data set to be specified and modified.

../../images/wb.explore_wsb_graph_config.png

Graph Configuration

The most straightforward way to configure a graph is to create a graph via SQL, and then configure the graph to use the output table of the graph creation.

For an example of configuring a Graph Block, see Graph Blocks.