FAQ: Understanding MicroBase Pro Tree View & Collections View

MicroBase Pro Database Records (Data Items)

All data which has been saved (or imported) in MicroBase Pro exists in the MicroBase Pro database. The MicroBase database contains records (Data Items), composed of different types of collected data such as:

• Balance Histories
• Spectrum Plots
• Waveform Plots
• Blade Track Plots
• Broadband Data
• Peak Phase Data
• Etc.

Active and Inactive Data Items

A Data Item stored in the MicroBase Pro database can be either Active (in use) or Inactive (marked for deletion). If an item has been "deleted" by the user, it is marked for deletion and will generally not be displayed.

An item previously marked for deletion can be Restored to Active status by changing MicroBase Pro settings to display Inactive Data Items (Options - General Settings - [x] Show Inactive (deleted) Items), and then selecting Restore Item for the particular Data Item one wishes to restore.

Packing the database will permanently remove all items marked for deletion.

Database View Window

The Database View window contains two major nodes, named Tree View and Collections View. Each node displays the contents of the MicroBase Pro database according to a different set of rules.

The Tree View node, including all data found below it, is automatically built by MicroBase Pro based on a set of well defined rules.

The Collections View node is created by the user (along with a little bit of automatic help from MicroBase Pro).

Tree View Node

The Tree View node goes all the way back to the very first version of MicroBase. The Tree View node displays all Data Items which are stored in the database and which are to be displayed based on the current Data Filter settings (Options - Data Filter Settings). If the Data Filter is cleared, the Tree View node will display the entire database.

The Tree View node sorts the currently selected Data Items in a three level data heirarchy of sub-nodes that exist below the Tree View node. The currently displayed data heiarchy can be change in Options - General Settings - [x] Show Tree View.

The Tree View node is automatically populated with Data Items based on the Data Filter settings. As a result of this, the user cannot "move" items in or out of the Tree View node, and a particular Data Item can only exist in a single location.

Selecting a particular sub-node under the Tree View node will cause all of the Data Items in that sub-node to be listed in the Selection List.

Collections View Node

The Collections View node was incorporated beginning with MicroBase Pro v2.20. The Collections View node permits the user to create custom groups of selected Data Items, much like creating and maintaining a musical playlist on one's smart phone.

It is best to think of a Collection as a folder that contains a group of user selected Data Items. The user can create a new Collection, then add or remove selected Data Items to or from any existing Collection. Therefore, a particular Data Item can exist in multiple places under the Collections View node.

Note: Some Collections are automatically created such as those with names such as Imported <date> or Saved <date>.

Particular care should be exercised when working with Data Items saved in a Collection. Removing an item from a Collection only affects the Collection and the item will still exist in the MicroBase Pro database. However Deleting an item from a Collection removes it from the Collection and also deletes it from the MicroBase Pro database.

Selecting a particular Collection will cause all of the Data Items contained within it to be listed in the Selection List.

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