| User Data - Tables |  |
Tables
User data tables are two-dimensional tables where the first column will be treated as a "lookup" column: given a lookup key, the values in any column after the first column will be retrieved based on comparing the key to the values in the first column.
The example below shows a table of field size and corresponding overhead.
When a table's definition is specified, a user creates the columns of the table. Each column can be named and assigned units. The function editor will usually refer to table columns by number (with the look-up column being numbered one) but @LookUpGetColumnIndex can be used to get a column’s number (minus one) from its name. The order of columns can be reordered by drag-and-dropping the rows in the definition grid but note that that this will interfere with any existing use the table in functions unless all such functions reference column names rather than numbers.
To create a new user table, click on User Data for the asset where the table is to be added and then click Add/edit user data. Type in the table name and select Table from the variable type dropdown; then click Add Definition.
Immediately after you have added the definition, the following editing dialog will appear (subsequently this dialog is accessed by clicking ”Edit Table” in the User Data definition screen or clicking “Edit Table Definition” in the relevant tab of the User Data entry screen):
As seen above, clicking "Add new Table column" adds a new column to the table definition. To enter data in the table, click the Back button and select the tab for the table.
During data entry, the user can add as many rows to the table as necessary via the "Add new row" link. *Note: Tables are always sorted in ascending order by the first column values and rows will rearrange accordingly as data is entered.
Shortcuts for editing this screen include: Right-click to paste, and Ctrl-D for duplicate-down, Function entry via typing a "=" as the first character.
Lookup Tables are (almost) invariably used in the user defined functions. Its name should not contain any blanks. E.g. "Table Data" should be renamed "Table_Data" or “TableData”.
For more on user functions, See User Defined Functions and Using Lookup Tables in User Functions.
*Note: Tables are always sorted by the first column values.