Combine attribute classes

You can combine one attribute class and its values with another attribute class, and optionally delete the source attribute class.

Examples of when you might want to combine attribute classes:
  • You might incorporate data into your chart from different sources that use different attribute classes to represent the same information.
  • You might want to make the values of an analysis attribute visible on the chart. You can make these values visible by combining the analysis attribute into an attribute class, which can be displayed.
To combine attributes, you must specify the source attribute class and the target attribute class:
  • The source attribute class (Paste Values of Attribute) is the attribute class whose instances you want to convert. You can specify that this attribute class is deleted after the attribute classes are combined.
  • The target attribute class (Onto Values of Attribute) is the attribute class to which you want instances to be converted. The target attribute class does not need to be in use on your chart. It is typically the same type as the source attribute class, for example Text or Flag, but rules also exist for combining attributes of different types.

Any source attributes on the chart are converted to the target attribute. If a chart item already has an attribute of the target attribute class, then the value is pasted according to the On Paste behavior that is defined for the target attribute class.

Rules for combining attributes of different types

Typically, you combine attributes of the same type, for example, two Text attributes or two Number attributes. In this case, the values are pasted from the source attribute to the target attribute.

The following rules apply when you are combining attributes of different types.

Source Target Rules
Text Number Only possible when the source value can be interpreted as a number, that is, when the text contains numbers. For example, the value Text 3 becomes 3.

Otherwise, it is not combined.
Text Flag When the source value begins with Y, y, T, t, or 1, then the target value is set to YES.

Otherwise, the target value is set to NO.
Text Date & Time Only possible when the source value is a valid date and time.

Otherwise, it is not combined.
Number Text Number is pasted as text.
Flag Text Pasted as YES or NO.
Date & Time Text Pasted as the date and time, formatted as it is displayed on the chart.