Pasting data into Draco can be achieved using two methods. The
first simply adds new data into the worksheet, and several options
exist for how the data is to be added to the existing data. The
second pasting method allows new data to be added as a new variable
using interpolation based on existing data. Both methods are
described in detail below.
Pasting data is achieved using either the Paste option in the Edit Menu
or the Paste button on the toolbar, both visible when the Data Window
is in focus. If numeric data in table form is currently in the system
clipboard, the user will be presented with the paste dialog:
Draco allows three methods for adding data into the data set:
As New Columns
This option allows data to be pasted as new columns within the current
worksheet. The pasted data will appear as new variables in the Data Window.
The pasted data will be aligned at the first row with the
existing data, and, if either the pasted data or the existing data is
longer than the other, the shorter data will be appended with empty
cells as placeholders. No other input is necessary in the Paste dialog if the As New Columns option is selected.
At Selected Row
If a row is selected in the Data Window prior to selecting Paste from the Edit Menu, the At Selected Row option
will be available. Selecting this option will enable the next two
sections of the dialog. First, the user may choose whether
pasting at the selected row should overwrite data or whether the new
data will be inserted into the data set. Finally, the Variable Mapping section is used to specify the mapping of data columns from the clipboard data into the existing data.
Append to Data Set
Appending to the exsiting data set allows data on the clipboard to be
appended to select variables already in the project. The new data
will appear after the existing data in the Data Window. The Variable Mapping section must be used to specify to which variables the new data will be appended.
Variable Mapping
When existing data will be added to or replaced, the Variable Mapping
section muyst be used to specify which variables will be effected by
the new data from the clipboard. A best guess at the new variable
names are shown in the first column. The second column of the
mapping table contains a combo box listing all existing variables
currently in the project. New data must be mapped to an existing
variable. For each column within the new data, select one of the
existing variables or Do Not Paste. Selecting Do Not Paste will cause that column of the new data to be ignored.
Pasting with interpolation allows new data specified with a dissimilar
independent variable to be pasted as a new variable into an existing
data sheet using an existing variable as the new independent variable.
When this option is selected from the Edit Menu, the following
dialog appears:
The first selection box is used to specify which variable on the
clipboard represents the independent data column for the interpolation
source. The second slection box specifies the variable in the
current data set which specifies the independent values which should be
interpolated in the clipboard source data. All other columns on
the clipboard are treated as vairables to be interpolated and added as
new variables into the current data set.