user manual

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Chapter 5
Figure 5-1
Completed stream on the stream canvas
This section cont ains more detailed information on w orking with nodes to create more comple x
data streams. It also discusse s options and settings for nodes and streams. For step-by-step
examples of stream building using the data shipped with SPSS M odeler (in the Demos folder of
your program installation), see App lication Examples on p. 5.
Working with Nodes
Nodes are used in IBM® SPSS® Modeler to help you explore data. Various nodes in the
workspace represent d ifferent o bjects and actions. The palette at the bottom of the SPSS Modeler
window contains all of the possible n odes used in stream building.
There are several types o f nodes. Source nodes bring data into the s tream, and are located on
the Sources tab of the nodes palette. Process nodes perform operat ions on in dividual data records
and fields, and can be found in the Record Ops and Field Ops tabs of t he palette. Output nodes
produce a variety of output for data, charts and model results, and are included on the Graphs,
Output and Export tabs of the nodes palette. Modeling nodes use statist ical algor ithms to create
model nuggets, and are located on th e Modeling tab, and (if activated) the Database Modelin g tab,
of the nodes palette. For more information, see the topic Nodes Palette in Chapter 3 on p. 18.
You conn ect the nodes to fo r m streams which, when run, l et you vis ua lize re lationships and
draw conclus ions. Strea ms a r e like scripts—you can save them and re use t he m with different
data files.