How to Use the 3.0 Text Area

In TIBCO Spotfire 3.1, a new version of the text area was created in order to allow the use of property controls and script actions in the text area. See How to Use the Text Area for information about the new text area. However, for compatibility reasons, you can go back to use the 3.0 version of the text area instead.

• To use the 3.0 text area:

1. Select Tools > Options.

2. Go to the Compatibility page.

3. Select the Use 3.0 text area check box.

   Response: All new text areas created in the document will be of the 3.0 version. Note that previously created text areas in your document will not be affected by this change.

The text area is not a visualization as such, but it can be placed within a page just like a bar chart or scatter plot. The text area is where you can provide text, images and links that you think are helpful for people opening your analysis. You can provide information on the purpose of a page, or maybe state the insights you have made so that other people can verify or comment on your findings. See Visualization Layout for more information on how to position the text area in a page.

There are three types of content you can add to a text area:

• Text - text can be formatted to your liking, by changing the font, color, alignment, etc..

• Images - images can be imported into the text area in GIF, BMP, PNG or JPG format.

• Links - you can add links to the text area. These come in some different forms - links can lead to an external web page or be "function links" or "action links" within TIBCO Spotfire. A function link is a link that when clicked launches a tool or feature of TIBCO Spotfire. These are very handy if you intend to share your analysis with other people. You can then write instructions in a text area, and include links to any operations you want them to perform, for example, "...and when you are done filtering, Export your results to PowerPoint." which would launch the Export to PowerPoint tool. Action links can perform simple actions, like switching to a different page or applying a bookmark, but they can also contain a whole series of actions.

• To insert a 3.0 text area on a page:

1. Click on the New Text Area button on the toolbar, .

   Comment: You can also select Insert > New Text Area from the menu.

   Response: A blank text area is created.

• To edit the 3.0 text area:

1. Right-click in the text area and select Edit Text Area from the pop-up menu.

   Comment: When the text area is active you can also select Edit > Visualization Properties.

   Response: The Edit Text Area dialog is displayed.

2. Edit the Title and type whatever you want in the text field.

   Comment: See Edit Text Area (3.0) for more information about the available tools.

3. Click OK.

• To add a function link to the 3.0 text area:

1. Right-click on the text area and select Edit Text Area from the pop-up menu.

2. Click on the Insert/Edit Link button, .

   Response: The Insert Link dialog is displayed.

3. Click on Function in the left-hand panel.

   Comment: On this page, you can add links that open tools, exports data or images. Only one function per link is allowed. To add a link that applies a bookmark or changes page, see below.

4. Type a Display text to be shown in the text area.

5. Click on the function in the list which you wish to be performed when clicking on the link.

   Comment: Click on the plus sign to expand the tree. Only the leaf nodes in the tree can be selected as a function.
   Note: Clicking the link in the Edit Text Area page opens the Edit Link dialog. To be able to follow the link, you have to click the link from the actual text area.

6. Click OK.

• To add a web link to the 3.0 text area:

1. Right-click in the text area and select Edit Text Area from the pop-up menu.

2. Click on the Insert/Edit Link button, .

   Response: The Insert Link dialog is displayed.

3. Click on Web Page in the left-hand panel.

   Comment: On this page, you can add links to external web pages which open in a separate web browser. To add a link that applies a bookmark or changes page, see below.

4. Type a Display text to be shown in the text area.

5. Type or paste a web address in the Web page field.
   Note: If you leave the Display text field empty, the actual web address you type into the Web page field will be the displayed text.
   Note: Clicking the link in the Edit Text Area page opens the Edit Link dialog. To be able to follow the link, you have to click the link from the actual text area.

6. Click OK.

• To add a bookmark link to the 3.0 text area:

1. Right-click in the text area and select Edit Text Area from the pop-up menu.

2. Click on the Insert/Edit Link button, .

   Response: The Insert Link dialog is displayed.

3. Click on Actions in the left-hand panel.

   Comment: On this page, you can add multiple actions to a single link, but you can also choose to add a single action, such as a bookmark or a page shift.

4. Type a Display text to be shown in the text area.

5. In the Available actions list, click on the plus sign to expand the Bookmarks group.

6. Click to select the bookmark you wish to add, then click on Add.

   Comment: You can also double-click on the bookmark to add it to the Selected actions list.

   Comment: If you wish to add more items to the action link, select them in the Available actions list and click Add.
   Note: Clicking the link in the Edit Text Area page opens the Edit Link dialog. To be able to follow the link, you have to click the link from the actual text area.

7. Click OK.

• To add a page-switch link to the 3.0 text area:

1. Right-click in the text area and select Edit Text Area from the pop-up menu.

2. Click on the Insert/Edit Link button, .

   Response: The Insert Link dialog is displayed.

3. Click on Actions in the left-hand panel.

   Comment: On this page, you can add multiple actions to a single link, but you can also choose to add a single action, such as a bookmark or a page shift.

4. Type a Display text to be shown in the text area.

5. In the Available actions list, click on the plus sign to expand the Pages and Visualizations group.

6. Click to select the page to which you wish to switch, then click on Add.

   Comment: If you wish to add more items to the action link, select them in the Available actions list and click Add.
   Note: Clicking the link in the Edit Text Area page opens the Edit Link dialog. To be able to follow the link, you have to click the link from the actual text area.

7. Click OK.

• To add a multiple actions link to the 3.0 text area:

1. Right-click in the text area and select Edit Text Area from the pop-up menu.

2. Click on the Insert/Edit Link button, .

   Response: The Insert Link dialog is displayed.

3. Click on Actions in the left-hand panel.

4. Type a Display text to be shown in the text area.

5. In the Available actions list, click on the plus sign to expand the group of interest.

6. Click to select the action you wish to add, then click on Add.

7. Repeat steps five and six to add more actions.

   Comment: The actions will be performed in the order from top to bottom of the Selected actions list. It is possible to rearrange the actions in the list by clicking on them and selecting Move Up or Move Down.
   Note: Clicking the link in the Edit Text Area page opens the Edit Link dialog. To be able to follow the link, you have to click the link from the actual text area.

8. Click OK.

See also:

Edit Text Area (3.0)

Details on Insert Link (3.0)

Details on Insert Image (3.0)

What is a Guided Analysis?