The Data Preview Window in Presentation Preview mode allows you to view and verify all data retrieved from Data Providers used in your PADS4 presentation. This is especially useful for confirming that live data connections are working correctly and for inspecting the data during design time.

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Opening the Data Preview Window

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Step-by-step:

  1. Start a presentation preview:
    • Go to the View tab in the ribbon bar.
    • Click Presentation in the Preview section.
    • The Presentation Preview window will open and the presentation will start automatically.
  2. Inside the Presentation Preview window, click Data Preview on the ribbon bar to open the Data Preview Window.

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Overview of the Data Preview Window

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What You See:

  • Tabs for Each Data Provider:
    Each Data Provider used in the presentation will have its own tab. Click the tabs to switch between Data Providers and view their data.
  • Live Data:
    You see the actual data returned from each Data Provider, showing you what will be displayed in your presentation elements connected to that data.

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Data Preview Window Functions

FunctionDescription
RefreshReloads and updates the data for all Data Providers. This lets you see newly retrieved data in real time.
CloseCloses the Data Preview window.

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Use Cases for Data Preview

  • Verify Data Connection: Ensure that data from external sources (e.g., databases, web services, RSS feeds) is being correctly retrieved.
  • Test Dynamic Content: Check how dynamic data will appear in your presentation elements.
  • Debugging: If data is missing or incorrect in the presentation, use this window to verify if the data source is returning expected results.
  • Live Updates: Confirm that updates in your data source are reflected when refreshing data.