Introduction to Selectors

Sample Model: Play Selector

The Play Selector is a component that continually inserts a series of rows or columns into a target range. It is ideal when you are creating a model that displays a large range of data or when you want to create a movie effect. Suppose you want to show the revenues by product for a retail company. Most probably, you will have 20 or more products that you need to track. You can use a Combo Box, Radio Button, or List Box to display the product and a chart to show the revenues over the last months. However, the final user will have to click as many times as there are products in the selector to see all product charts. The Play Selector runs product by product, like a movie, allowing you to go backward and forward or stop the presentation at any time.

Play Selector component:

The following displays a typical Excel file that contains data for a series of products:

Using the above Excel file, we are going to create a model that contains a Play Selector and a Column Chart. The Play Selector systematically inserts row by row into the designed Insert In row (B27:F27). The Column chart shows the data that is inserted into the Insert In row. The result is a dynamic model that runs like a "movie.

1. After the Excel file is imported, place a Play Selector in the Canvas Area and open the Property Sheet.
2. Select the Insert in Row function and click on the Source Data icon. Select the range that contains the data with the product names and revenues (B4:F25).





3. Click on the Insert In icon and select the target row (B27:F27).

The Play Selector is now configured with basic functions. As you open the Behavior and Appearance tab, you will find additional features (play time, enable auto rewind, etc) to enhance your models.

The next step is to insert and configure the column chart. The column chart will be linked to the selected Insert in Row.

In the end, your model will look similar to the following:

In this model, the end user can click on the play button and have the Play Selector systematically populate the chart with the net revenues of each of the 20 products. The user can stop the presentation, go back or forward, etc.