Scale Editor
============

*Scale Editor* is a window in which you can create and edit one
attribute :doc:`scale <DEXiGlosScale>`. Basically, a scale is just an
ordered or unordered list of values; you can add and delete these
values, give them names and optional descriptions, change their order
and define their bad or good class.

.. image:: images/ScaleEdit.png
   :alt: Scale Editor

Workspace
---------

Scale Editor consists of:

-  *Value list*: each value has a name (usually a short string) and an
   optional description (used only for documentation).
-  *Scale order* entry field at the top: here you can define scale
   ordering: *unordered*, *increasing* (recommended) and *decreasing*.
-  The checkbox *Use value intervals* specifies whether or not
   :doc:`intervals <DEXiGlosIntervals>` can be used with this scale.
-  *Toolbar* at the right: provides :ref:`command <DEXiIntEditScale_cmd>` buttons.
-  The field *Default scale for new attributes*: when checked, this
   scale will be automatically assigned to all attributes created
   hereafter in the :doc:`Model Page <DEXiIntTabMod>`.
   
.. _DEXiIntEditScale_cmd:

Commands
--------

To invoke a command, you may either:

-  press a button shown in the toolbar, or
-  select an item from the pop-up menu that appears after right-clicking
   the mouse button.

Scale Editor provides the following commands:

|Add| **Add value**: Inserts a new value into the list. The default name
of this value is 'new value', and you may change this name immediately
after insertion.

|Delete attribute| **Delete value**: Deletes the value that is currently
selected in the value list.

**F2** (keyboard): **Rename value**: Opens a small in-line field in
which you can quickly rename the currently selected value.

|Edit value| **Edit value**: Opens a dialogue in which you can edit both
the name and description of the currently selected value.

|Bad class| **Set bad**: Set the class of the currently selected value
to bad.

|Neutral class| **Set neutral**: Set the class of the currently selected
value to 'neutral' (nor bad nor good).

|Good class| **Set good**: Set the class of the currently selected value
to good.

|Move up| **Move up**: Moves the currently selected value one place up
in the list.

|Move down| **Move down**: Moves the currently selected value one place
down along the list.

Remarks
-------

Editing a scale (especially adding and deleting values) may affect
already defined :doc:`utility functions <DEXiGlosFunct>`. DEXi tries to
adapt the affected functions so that their 'meaning' is preserved as
much as possible, but you should be careful and verify all affected
functions after making such changes.

*Increasing* scales are strongly recommended: they improve the
comprehensibility of :doc:`models <DEXiGlosMAMod>` and simplify the
definition of :doc:`utility functions <DEXiGlosFunct>`.

The concept of value 'class' (bad, neutral, good) is meaningful only
with ordered scales. Thus, the commands |Bad class| |Neutral class|
|Good class| do not work with *unordered* scales. For *ordered* scales,
classes must be ordered, too. Therefore, classes can be assigned only so
that zero or more bad values are followed by zero or more neutral
values, which are then followed by zero or more good values.

.. |Add| image:: images/add.png
.. |Delete attribute| image:: images/del.png
.. |Edit value| image:: images/form.png
.. |Bad class| image:: images/bad.png
.. |Neutral class| image:: images/null.png
.. |Good class| image:: images/good.png
.. |Move up| image:: images/up.png
.. |Move down| image:: images/down.png

.. toctree::
  :hidden: