Docs
The Proto Tutorials:
From a Beginner to an Expert in a few Hours
This document is intended to help you navigate the available online training resources to learn Proto quickly starting with topics that are relevant to your work. Whether you are planning to go through the tutorials or you just want to play around on your own, take a minute to familiarize yourselef with the Proto environment, data flow concepts, modules, and tables of data we call "Entrysets":
An Introduction to the Proto Basics
Congratulations! You have officially made it through the most complicated part of learning Proto: understanding our new vocab words and getting comfortable with the Builder and Viewer. You are now ready to start learning how to build your own Proto applications.
There are several paths you can take from here. Experienced VBA and Flash users who want to get up and running quickly can start with the tutorials that cover VBA and Flash integration. Those are accessible from dedicated pages below:
For Those Who Prefer a Complete How-To
If you are looking for a more general understanding of Proto and would like to first get used to putting together applications, you should start with this:
Although your application will not use every module Proto has to offer, you will cover the most important ones, which you will see most often in the Proto Tutorial series (read below). This step-by-step guide will also get you used to making Proto connections and working with a Proto database, so you can focus on the more important stuff when reading through the tutorial series.
You can alternatively go straight to the Proto tutorials listed below. There is a lot you can do with Proto that is not covered in these tutorials, however, the foundations for data manipulation, processing and calculation, user interface building, and using componenets are all covered.
When you strike out on your own to build new applications in Proto, lean on the expert builders on the forums to do most of the legwork. You should be able to build sophisticated applications using mostly components. If you don't see what you're looking for in the Component Library, just ask. We're constantly adding to it based on our experience and requests we get from users. When you learn how to use Excel you rely on local experts for quick answers to basic questions and Google for examples and deeper help. Use the forums as your one stop for help so that answers to your questions benefit the whole community.
You can jump around from topic to topic as you like. We've tried to order the tutorials in each section according to the difficulty:
| Getting & Storing Data | Manipulating Entrysets | |
| Calculation & Processing | User Interface Stuff | |
| Creating, Managing, and using Custom Modules | ||
Getting & Storing Data
Getting Data From Excel
Learn how to get data into Proto from Excel and how to push data back to Excel from Proto.
Modules Covered: Excel Reader, Excel Writer, Button, Table
ProtoDB
Learn how to store an Entryset in a built in, local database.
Modules Covered: ProtoDB Reader, ProtoDB Writer, Entryset Module, Date Chooser
Calling Web Services
Learn how to get data into Proto from the MSN search web service.
Modules Covered: Web Service
The ODBC Module
Learn how to get data into Proto from an external ODBC compliant database.
Modules Covered: ODBC
Manipulating Entrysets
Filtering and Editing - Part 1
Learn how to filter out Entries from an Entryset based on some filter criteria. Like, "Name = Aron" or "Price > 15".
Modules Covered: Entryset Filter, Textbox
Filtering and Editing - Part 2
Learn how to add, rename, reorder, and delete Attributes from an Entryset.
Modules Covered: Attribute Editor
Filtering and Editing - Part 3
Learn how to sort Entries alphabetically (text), based on value (numbers), or based on date (dates).
Modules Covered: Entryset Sorter, Checkbox
Filtering and Editing - Part 4
This tutorial combines what you have learned in the previous three Filtering and Editing tutorials.
Revisiting the Attribute Editor
Explore the more advanced features of the attribute editor.
Dynamic Interaction Using UI Objects
Use listboxes to let users pick which Attributes to use in filters, graphs, sorting, and even calculation. Dynamically build Entrysets based on Attributes picked in the Viewer.
Calculation & Processing
Formula and the Entryset Formula
Learn about the modules that perform calculations in Proto. The formula is used for single calculations while the Entryset Formula calculates a value for each Entry in a column.
Modules Covered: Formula, Entryset Formula
Simple Report
Learn how easy it is to group data and calculate summarizations for each grouping. Like an easy pivot table.
Modules Covered: Simple Report
Revisiting the Entryset Formula
Learn how to calculate a moving average using the Entryset Formula.
Entryset Generator
Learn how to generate Entrysets automatically over combinations or ranges of inputs. For example, create index-like Attributes or pairs from two lists of inputs.
Modules Covered: Entryset Generator, Contour Graph
Attribute Calculator
This module iterates over an Entryset performing some calculation at each step. You can use a Formula or even a custom module as the calculation "Plug-in" used by the Attribute Calculator.
Modules Covered: Attribute Calculator
Custom Modules - Part 3
Learn how to use a custom module as a plug-in to the Attribute Calculator. This ability allows you to create complicated calculations using simple components.
Switches and Routers
Learn about the switch and router modules. These modules allow you to create conditional gates in Proto and give you the option of passing one input to one of many outputs or one of many inputs to one output.
Modules Covered: Switch, Router, Slider
User Interface Stuff
Display
Learn about the many Proto modules you can use to visualize your data.
Modules Covered: XY Graph, Bar Graph, Pie Graph
Pop-Up Windows
Learn how to place sets of modules into pop-up windows.
Intro to Conditional Formatting in a Table
Learn how to create conditional formatting in a Table.
End to End Table Formatting
This article covers Table formatting options for Viewer and Builder users.
Presentation
Learn how to create movies and take screen captures from within Proto.
Modules Covered: Movie Capture
Using the Environment Module
Learn how to use the Environment module to get the current time and date when loading your module. Also learn how to open and close pop-up windows from within the custom module being displayed.
Modules Covered: Environment Module
Creating, Managing, and using Custom Modules
Custom Modules - Part 1
Learn how you can package useful flows of modules into new Components called, "Custom Modules".
Custom Modules - Part 2
See how easy it is to use a component form the online gallery.
Creating and Managing your Repository
Learn how to create a new repository and manage its contents (modules and ProtoDBs).
Preparing Modules for General Consumption
Read about how you can document your components so that other Proto users will be able to find and use them. Also, learn how to share your modules with the world on the online gallery or component library.