Home : Lab 2.1.4: Working with Text Variables in calculations
Q14196 - INFO: Lab 2.1.4: Working with Text Variables in calculations
Lab 2.1.4: Working with Text Variables in calculations <Prev Next>

WIMS cannot calculate a Text Result, only numeric (or numbers with symbols/data qualifiers).  However, you can refer to Text Parameters in your calculations.  The trick is to understand how WIMS stores Text Results. 

WIMS stores the Text Value and a numeric value in the database when entering a Text Parameter.  The numeric value stored depends on the List of availiable values.  If no list is specifed, the numeric value for any text entry will be 1 (one).  If a list is specified, the value will be the row number of the list item selected.  For the Weather Observation variable shown below, if Sunny is selected the numeric value stored will be 1 (one).  If Partly Sunny is selected, the numeric value will be 2 (two), and so forth.  Therefore, Cold would be 9 (nine):

We can use the fact that a numeric value is stored for the Text in calculations.  Use the Audit Trail function to verify the numeric value stored:

 

Example 1. Count sunny or partly sunny days. 

IF(V941=1 OR V941=2,1,BLANK)

NOTE: TEXTEQ function could also be used.

Example 2: Use of ISBLANK, LV, and simple assignment with Text Variables.

 

Example 3: Graphing Text Variables

A Time Series graph will plot the numeric values.  Therefore you can see the change of state of the text variable on a graph:

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Created on 3/31/2014 1:01 PM.
Last Modified on 3/31/2014 4:32 PM.
Last Modified by Scott Dorner.
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