Refreshing a data function instance in your analysis

If you have added a data function instance with manual update to your analysis, and the underlying data has been changed, you can update the calculation using the same settings as last time by clicking Refresh in the data canvas.

Before you begin

Data functions have been created using the installed Spotfire client and saved in the library. At least one data function instance has been added to the analysis.

Note: If you run a data function that creates one or more columns and then you delete one of the result columns from the analysis, the lost column remains deleted even if you refresh the data function. To recreate the lost column, edit the data function output mapping from the data canvas. This will rerun the data function and add the output result as specified.

About this task

When you add a data function in Spotfire, you can specify whether that data function should refresh automatically and run every time the Spotfire analysis is opened. You might want to avoid this option if the data input does not change, and running the data function consumes a lot of time and resources. However, if the input data changes frequently and you want the data function to reflect the changes in a visualization, automatic refresh can be helpful. You can change the Refresh function automatically setting at all places where you add or edit data function instances.

Note that if your analysis contains a cyclic dependency, the data function will automatically switch to manual update, so it does not get stuck in an update loop.

To refresh a data function instance manually, follow these steps.

Procedure

On the authoring bar, click Data canvas .
Locate the data function that you want to refresh. Use the search field in the top-left selector if you have many data tables or data functions in the analysis.
Click Refresh.

Results

The data function is refreshed.

Tip: When a data function instance has been added to an analysis, and the outputs are columns or rows used in a visualization, you can refresh the data function or change the setting to automatic refresh directly from the tuning popover in the visualization.

Note: To make sure that you automatically run the data function when an analysis is opened or inputs are changed, you must both make sure that you use the Refresh function automatically option mentioned above, and you must also configure all data tables in the in the analysis that are outputs from the data function to be Linked (individual settings per source), and not Embedded in analysis. You can change these setting from the data canvas.