Specify Format Characteristics Dialog

The Specify Format Characteristics Dialog allows you to create a new field format or modify an existing one. These formats are used when displaying fields in the Spreadsheet View and the Portfolio View. The format that will be used to display a field can be selected on the Modify Field Dialog: Overview page.

&  For help with the Portfolio View, see Managing Data with the Portfolio View.

&  For help with the Spreadsheet View, see Displaying Data in a Spreadsheet.

Viewing the Current Field Formatting

The current format is displayed in the Sample Formatting table. For non-signals, this table displays how the numbers 1875, 18.75, and 0.1875 would be displayed as positive and negative numbers. For signals, this table displays how the signal strengths 1 (100%), 0.3125 (31.25%), and 0.03125 (3.125%) would be displayed as upward and downward signals.

Formatting Decimals and Fractions

To select between displaying partial numbers as decimals or fractions, choose the appropriate button.

·      Display partial numbers as decimals

This option displays partial numbers as decimals rounded to the specified number of decimal places.

þ    Fixed

This option causes all decimal numbers to be displayed with the specified number of decimal places. If this option is turned off, trailing zeros will be removed from the value.

·      Display partial numbers as fractions

This option displays partial numbers as fractions with up to the specified number of digits in the denominator. Partial values that cannot be displayed as a fraction will be rounded to the closest displayable fraction.

Ä    Note: To display all values as whole numbers, select to display partial numbers as decimals and specify to zero decimal places.

Displaying Symbols with Numbers

Use the following options to add special symbols to the values.

þ    Currency Symbol ( $ )

This option adds a dollar sign in front of all values.

þ    Thousands Separator ( , )

This option adds a comma before every third digit in the whole number portion of a value, designating the billions, millions, and thousands places.

þ    Percent Sign ( % ) With Adjustment

This option multiplies all values by 100 and displays a percent sign after them.

Formatting Negative Numbers

Use the following options to indicate how to format values that are less than zero.

þ    Include Negative Sign ( - )

This option adds a negative sign in front of all negative values.

þ    Highlight in Red

This option displays all negative values in red.

þ    Enclose in Parentheses

This option surrounds all negative values with parentheses.

Restoring the Default Values for Pre-defined Formats

If you have modified a pre-defined field format and would like to restore the original values for the format, press the Restore Defaults button.

Ä    Note: For a list of the pre-defined formats, see the help for the Define Field Formats Dialog.

What Do I Do Next?

When you are finished making changes, press the OK button to save your changes. If you would prefer to exit this dialog without making any changes, press the Cancel button.

How Did I Get Here?

The Specify Format Characteristics Dialog is displayed when you press the Add… or the Modify… button on the Define Field Formats Dialog.