A cPlan creates a view of the data. A cPlan script is used to merge, filter, and add calculated columns to cBase data.
A cPlan defines a set of data sources and columns that are available for use in a dive within a Diver Platform client. Because you cannot save a cPlan in a Diver client, a best practice is to design a cPlan layer when you design the cBase. Even if not required, a cPlan gives flexibility later on because it is easier to modify than the actual cBase. For example, calculations can be added to a cPlan long after the cBase has been built.
This specialized view allows you to:
- Present one or more inputs as a single data set. These inputs can be cBases, cPlans, text files or ODBC tables.
- Perform operations on the inputs such as filtering the data or adding data by using lookups.
- Define and name new calculations such as summaries and time series columns.
- Inherit from another cPlan to make additional sets of columns available.
- Add columns by importing calculations from a file.
- Adjust the view of the cBase independent of the build process in order to simplify access for users.
NOTE: If your ProDiver users require console categories to group dimensions in a cBase, you can create the categories in a DivePlan by using DiveMaster. See What are the Elements of a DivePlan?