.. _Functionality:

Functionality
-------------

DEXiWin supports the following tasks:

#. Developing `DEX models <https://dex.ijs.si/documentation/DEX_Method/DEX_Model.html>`__: creating and editing DEX models and their components:

   - Attributes: variables that represent decision subproblems and properties, observed at decision alternatives.
   - Tree of attributes: a hierarchical structure representing the decomposition of the decision problem.
   - Scales: discrete and continuous scales that define admissible values that can be assigned to attributes.
   - Aggregation and discretization functions: functions that define the aggregation/discretization of attributes from the
     bottom to top of the attribute tree.

#. Evaluation and analysis of decision alternatives:

   - Creation and editing of alternatives and their values, assigned to individual attributes.
   - Evaluation of alternatives: a bottom up aggregation of alternatives' values in accordance with model structure and defined  functions.
   - Analysis of alternatives: what-if analysis, selective explanation, comparison of alternatives, "plus-minus" analysis, target analysis.

#. Other graphical-user-interface and input-output features:

   - Loading and saving DEX models in the native XML format (``.dxi`` files).

   - Copying, pasting, importing and exporting DEX models and their parts in various formats: Json, tab-delimited and CSV (Comma-Separated Value).

   - Reporting: creating, combining, displaying and exporting various reports.

   - Charts: creating and displaying various customizable charts.

   - Tree graphic view: graphic display of model structure.

.. _DEXiWinCompatibility:

Compatibility
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DEXiWin is backward compatible with `DEXi <https://kt.ijs.si/MarkoBohanec/dexi.html>`__.
It implements all DEXi's features, except loading and saving DEXi models in obsolete data formats
(``.dax`` and pre-2000 ``.xml``). DEXiWin can read and process ``.dxi`` files produced by DEXi.
Also, unless new DEXiWin features are used, ``.dxi`` files remain readable by DEXi.

In comparison with DEXi, DEXiWin introduces several new features:

- DEXiWin supports all DEX method extensions introduced in `DEXi Suite <https://dex.ijs.si/dexisuite/dexisuite.html>`__.
- Additional features for handling decision rules: considering symmetricity, marginal values, representation using decision trees, graphical interpretation using linear functions, multilinear interpolation and QQ evaluation.
- "Plus-minus-1" analysis is generalized to "Plus-Minus-AnyValue" analysis.
- Added Qualitative-Quantitative (QQ) evaluation for ranking alternatives within qualitative classes.
- Added new report types, supporting a flexible composition of reports.
- Added new chart types. Some of the old ones have been redesigned and extended, too.
- Implemented many small, but important improvements in the user interface, for instance displaying model components in user-selectable columns, tree-structured display/editing of evaluation results, consistent use of colors for displaying 'good' and 'bad' value categories, predefined scales, etc.
- Incorporated the functionality of `DEXiTree <https://kt.ijs.si/MarkoBohanec/dexitree.html>`__.
- Most user-defined settings are now remembered in ``.dxi`` files.