Building a Simple Query

You build a query by selecting objects in the Universe Objects pane and adding them to the Results Objects pane. You can set various properties for the query, and then run the query to get the data for each object. The following is an overview of the steps that you follow to build a query. Each stage is described in more detail in its corresponding section. A procedure for the whole process is given in Running a Simple Query.

You can control the amount and type of data that is returned for an object by setting filters on the object.

An overview of the query building process appears below:

1. Navigate the Universe Objects pane to find the objects that you want to use in the query.

2. Select and add objects to a query.

3. Set properties for the queries.

4. Run the query.

Using the Universe Objects Pane

The objects that you can use in a query are contained in a universe. The universe is displayed in the Universe Objects pane at the left of the HTML Report panel. Within a universe, objects are organized in folders called classes which are arranged in a tree view in the Universe Objects pane. Each class is attached to the tree by a node. You click the node alternatively to open the class folder to display its objects or close the class folder to hide its objects. You navigate through the objects in a universe by expanding and closing classes.

Opening and closing a class folder

You open a class folder to display its objects. You close a class folder to hide its contents. Opening a class folder is called expanding a class.

To expand a class:

• Click a plus node next to the class that contains the object that you want to use in a query
  or

• Click a class folder. The class expands. The objects contained in the class appear in the tree view.

To close a class:

• Click a minus node next to the class that you want to close
  or

• Click an open class folder. The class closes. The objects contained in the class are no longer displayed.

Building the query

You build a query by selecting objects in the Universe Objects pane and clicking the Add button to add the object to the Query panel. You can also remove an object from the Query panel at any time.

To add an object to a query:

1. Verify you are on the Query tab of the HTML Report Panel.
   
   
    

2. Open a class. The class expands to show the objects that belong to the class.

3. Double-click an object in the Universe Objects pane
   or
   Drag an object from the Universe Objects pane and drop it onto the Result Objects pane
   or
   Select an object on the Universe Objects pane, then click the >> button.
   The object appears in the Results Objects pane.

To remove an object to a query:

1. Verify you are on the Query tab of the HTML Report Panel.
   
   
   
   The objects selected for the query appear on the Result Objects pane.
    

2. Drag an object from the Result Objects pane and drop it onto the Universe Objects pane
   or
   Select an object in the Result Objects pane and then click the << button.
   The object is removed from the Results Objects pane and is no longer part of the query definition.