Self-Managed Display (Download)

The Self-Managed Display can be accessed from the Main Menu: click Display then Self-Managed Display (Complete Flexibility). This display first opens to a page titled: Full Variable/Parameter Selection.

Full Variable/Parameter Selection

Example Image here

On this page use the display option fields and other options in the menu bar to select particular scenarios and variables or parameters to display, or create new variable lists and new G-lists using the Variable Selection Options.

In the center of the page there is search bar and a dropdown. Use the search bar to search for particular variables or parameters to display then click the desired choice or scroll and click on a desired variable and parameter from the dropdown. Choose the desired scenario form the scenario dropdown prior to clicking on the desired variable or parameter. Once a parameter or variable is clicked, a dropdown with countries or groups will appear; choose from the dropdown or select All to choose all countries or groups. If the chosen variable or parameter has dimensions (ex. Male, Female, and Total) a dropdown with these will appear choose from the dropdown or select All to choose all dimensions.

After choosing the desired countries or groups, and dimensions the original Full Variable/Parameter Selection page will open again but with a selection box showing the current choices at the bottom of the screen. Select another variable or Parameter from the search bar or dropdown to add more to the selection box. Below this box are four display option buttons; click on a particular button depending on the intended use of Self Managed Display.

An example of the Self-Managed Display when first opened.

Display Option Buttons:

• Clear Select: Clear current variable or parameter choices from the selection box.
• Computations: Create a unique variable. See the section below for more information.
• Go to Display: Open Display Menu page and from here choose desired display format.

Other Display Options:

• Choose Countries/Regions, Groups, Decomposed Groups, or Geography Lists to display desired groupings.
• Type name or click on name; then touch Enter key: Select desired variable or parameter from search results or scroll in drop down.
• Files Available for Display (the active file is in the Text Box): Select the desired scenario.
• To Show a Subset of Names: Choose a particular display category from the dropdown, to only show variables and parameters within that category.

The Full Variable/Parameter Selection page has a few other options and features:

• Continue: Go back to the previous menu or to the Main Menu of IFs.
• Scenario Output Files:
  • Explain File Numbering: Open a pop-up with explanation to scenario numbering.
  • Explain Scenario Analysis: Open a pop-up with an overview of scenarios and their use in IFs.
• Variable Selection Options:
  • Explain Names: Explains the difference between variable and parameter naming.
  • Show Variables: Only show variables and no parameters. Will have checkmark next to it if selected.
  • Show Variables and Parameters: Shows both variables and parameters and is chosen by default. Will have checkmark next to it if selected.
  • Show Variable and Display Lists: Shows both variables and display-lists (a pre-set list of certain variable(s) to display). Will have checkmark next to it if selected.
  • History plus Forecast: Display the historical data for variables when available. Will have checkmark next to it if selected.
  • Create variable list from selection status box: Create a unique variable or variable list. See the section below for more information.
  • Create G-list from selection status box: Create a new G-list based upon the chosen group(s) and county(s) in the selection box. Enter a name when prompted, and the Edit G-List page will open.
  • Edit G-list: Edit, import, and export different G-lists. Same process as the Edit Group or Country/Region Members page.
  • Use estimation to complete data: Extrapolate the historic data to fill in any holes that may exist. Will have checkmark next to it if already being used.
  • Use estimation to complete data (only holes no extrapolation): Fill any holes that may exist with estimations but does not extrapolate between holes.
  • Use all available Historical Data: provide the most up to date historical data available. Will have checkmark next to it if selected.
  • Exclude Total when using All Dimensions: When choosing all dimensions the total dimension will not be chosen.
  • Group Aggregation: Choose how to aggregate from the country to group level for variables that have an aggregation rule.
• Open IFsBaseHist or Open IFsBase: Click Switch to access historical empirical data and the historic forecasts. Use this feature to see historical forecasts using IFs from 1960 to 2020 for variables to fill in missing data. Or use this feature to validate past forecasts against empirical historical data. If IFsBaseHist is currently selected then Open IFsBase will be shown and vice versa.
• History Variable Options: Only available when Open IFsBaseHist is clicked first.
  • Select from Forecasted Historical Variables: Display variables that are forecasted from 1960-2020
  • Select from Empirical Historical Variables: Display all empirical data from 1960-2020 where available.
  • Select for Validation:  ??
  • Open for Validation: ??
• Variable Search: Click Search to open a Variable/Parameter Search page to search for a certain variable or parameter.
• Help: Open the corresponding page in the Pardee Wiki.

Computations

Click on the Computations button at the bottom of the page. A new screen will appear as displayed below. In the box, type in a formula for IFs to calculate. For example, the number of literate people within a country will be a*b/100; "a" represents the percent of literate people variable LIT, and b represents population in millions variable POP (the use of "a" and "b" are arbitrary and other letters can be used). Use standard symbols in order to distinguish different mathematical functions. Use * for multiplication, / for division, + for addition, - for subtraction, () to group terms etc. After typing in this formula, click SelectVars to select input variables or Exit to return to the previous page.

An example of the Computations page for creating a number of literate people variable.

An example of the Computations page prompt to enter and formula for the number of literate people.

Formula Name, Dimensions Name, and Units Name: These three naming options are available but only the Formula Name is required. The Dimensions Name could be used to describe, for example, the geographic bounds of the formula. The Units Name could be used to describe the units being displayed in the formula (e.g. Millions of People). Once the preferred names are entered click OK. The original Computations page will open but with a small table added at the bottom. The variables used in the formula will be displayed in this table.

Click on a letter in the table, then select the desired variable to be used in the formula from the search and dropdown box. When prompted to select dimension, click the desired dimension or All to create a variable with these multiple dimension. When prompted to select a Country or Group choose whichever, but ensure the same choice across all variables. Do this for each letter/variable.

An example of the Computations page with the variables selected for the number of literate people.

Once each letter has a variable next to it, click Exit to return to the original Self-Managed Display page. The new variable based upon the newly created formula will now be in the section box. Click Go to Display to visualize this new variable or click Create variable list from selection status box to create a new variable from the Variable Selection Options dropdown.

Click Help on any page to be brought to the corresponding wiki.

Create Variable List from Selection Status Box

Use the Create Variable list from selection status box option to create new variable lists or a new variable, to be accessed from other parts of IFs such as in Flexible Displays. First, ensure the desired variables for a new list or a newly created variable(s) from the Computations option are in the selection box. Then click Variable Selection Options and Create Variable list from selection status box. Enter the desired variable or variable list name then click Save List or click Cancel to be brought back to the Self-Managed Display screen. The Edit List page opens once Save List is clicked; shown below.

An example of the Edit List page when creating a new variable for the number of literate people.

Choose the desired category for the new variable list or variable to be found under from the Category dropdown, then click Update to ensure this category is updated with the new variable or list. Finally click Save Changes and OK on the warning prompt. A message should appear saying the variable was successfully saved.

Selecting Variables/Parameters Options