Transform Examples

 

Example: Transform Template Units

Templates in  the Transform pane often include parameter boxes using units of measure.  This example uses the Buffer template to show how to change units of measure quickly to whatever units are desired.

Example: Copy one Column into Another Column with Transform

How to use the Transform pane to copy the contents of one column in a table into another column, but only for selected records.  Uses the Products table from the Nwind example data set.  

Example: Transform Field Values using an Expression

How the Expression template in the Transform pane may be used to change the values of fields.  

Example: Overlay : Intersect

In this example we use the Overlay : intersect operation in the Transform pane to trim a drawing of points so that all points which do not fall within areas in a second drawing are deleted.   At the end of the topic, we repeat the operation using the Join dialog in a different approach.

Example: Merge : areas (dissolve)

In this example we combine multiple area objects into a single area object by using the Merge template in the Transform pane, using the areas (dissolve) option.  A drawing of French regions shows some regions as more than one area.  We would like each region to be one area so the table of regions has one record per region.

SQL Example: Learn SQL from Edit Query - Merging Areas

We learn how to write an SQL query that does a Merge : area (dissolve) operation by cutting and pasting from what the Edit Query button automatically generates.

Example: Construct JSON String using Select and Transform

Use the Select pane and Transform pane to manually construct a JSON string using values from other fields in a table. Shows how we can manipulate text to build desired contents in a field.

Example: Edit a Drawing with Transform Templates

In this example we open a drawing and edit objects in the drawing using Transform pane templates.  Includes examples of saving results to a new component and also the Edit Query button.

Example: Use a Transform Expression to Create Buffers in a Drawing

Use the Expression template in the Transform pane to create three different sizes of buffers for different lines in a drawing and then automatically create a query which does the same thing.  Includes examples of saving results to a new component and also the Edit Query button.

Example: Clip Areas with a Transform Expression

Use the Expression template in the Transform pane to clip areas in a drawing to fit within horizontal bounds.   Includes examples of saving results to a new component and also the Edit Query button.

Example: Simplify Lines with a Transform Expression

Use the Expression template in the Transform pane to make lines smoother in a drawing so that longer lines are smoothed more.  Includes examples of using the Edit Query button to show how different queries are created automatically depending on if we want to update a field or to add a new component.

Example: Transform Templates, Expressions and Queries

We learn to use a function by clicking on a template in the Transform pane, seeing what it does in a preview, looking at the query Manifold creates and then trying out the function in the Expression tab.

Example: Contour Areas and Contour Lines

In this example we use the Contour : area transform template in the Transform pane for images to create a drawing with vector areas showing height contours at desired altitude steps.   We color the areas using the attribute fields automatically created by the template.  Next, we apply a similar procedure using the Contour : line transform template to create a drawing with vector lines showing height contours at the desired intervals.

SQL Example: Custom Contour Intervals

This example builds on the Example: Contour Areas and Contour Lines topic, using the Edit Query button in the Transform pane for images to learn how to slightly alter the generated SQL to create contour areas or lines on whatever intervals we like, and not just evenly spaced intervals like the default transform creates.   It's incredibly easy.

Example: Trace Vector Areas from Raster Pixels

This example follows the Trace Vector Areas from Raster Pixels video on the Gallery page.   We use the Trace Areas template in the Transform pane for images to create a drawing with vector areas covering regions of similarly-colored pixels.  Next, we use a simple query to add classification codes from a USGS table of classes to the resulting drawing, using a simple INNER JOIN SQL statement.

Example: Vector to Raster using Kriging

Using the Interpolate : Kriging Transform pane template, we take a vector drawing of contour lines where each line has a Height attribute and we create a raster image that is a terrain elevation surface.   This example, uses a point and click Transform template to accomplish the same task as shown using an SQL query in the SQL Example: Kriging topic.

Example: Create a Bounding Box for Building Footprints with Merge

We would like to create a rectangular area that covers our area of interest, a region for which we have building footprints, that we can use to clip other data. We  import a shapefile containing building footprints, and then we use the Merge template to create a rectangle that is the bounding box for all building footprints.   

Example: Flooded Roads

We consider a hypothetical case of a 10 meter rise in sea level in the San Francisco Bay area, and we find what highways and major roads would be flooded by such a rise.   The example uses both raster and vector data sets, combines a number of techniques and uses the Contour, Buffer, Merge, and Clip transform templates.

Example: Voronoi Diagram from Areas

Voronoi diagrams are normally created from points.  This example shows how to create a Voronoi diagram for polygonal areas, so that every location in a given cell in the Voronoi diagram shows which area is the closest to that location.

Example: Get Tokens From a String

Step by step instructions to extract tokens from strings using a simple regular expression in the Transform pane.