Sends features to the FME Data Inspector for display.
When the workspace run is completed, any features that enter this transformer will be displayed in the FME inspection application. The Inspector also allows you to view the internal FME Feature Store (FFS) data as it is being processed at that particular moment. Depending on the placement of the Inspector, FME will open the Inspector and load the data in a new view.
A feature type in the Inspector application will have the same name as its corresponding Inspector transformer.
Input Ports
This transformer has a single unnamed input port that accepts any feature.
Output Ports
This transformer has no output ports.
Parameters
Group By
If any Group By attributes are specified, their values are appended to the Inspector name to create a feature type for display in the Inspector.
Vector Parameters
Pen Color Override
The pen color override takes precedence over the fme_color attribute on the feature. It has the same effect as setting fme_color attribute on the feature to the selected override color for the purposes of inspection.
For point cloud features, if the cloud contains color components for each point, the Inspector will use the color specified in the component. In this case, the pen color override will not be used.
If the cloud does not contain color components for each point, the following priority is used when selecting the paint color for each point:
- If there is a Pen Color Override selected, the inspector application will paint all points in the cloud with the selected override.
- If the cloud does not contain color component and a Pen Color Override is not selected, the inspection application will paint all points in the clouds based on the fme_color attribute on the feature.
- If the cloud does not contain color component and there is no Pen Color Override or fme_color attribute on the feature, the inspection application will use a color ramp based on the z range from blue for the minimum value to red for the maximum value. When the intensity component exists, the intensity value becomes the lightness of the color.
Area Fill Color Override
The Area Fill Color override sets the fme_fill_color for the feature for the purposes of inspection.
Area Fill Color Override is not applicable for any feature that does not need a fill such as point clouds, line features, and point features.
Raster Parameters
Reduction Type
This parameter offers different methods to speed up the inspection of rasters:
- No Reduction: Rasters will be visualized in full detail.
- Resample: Large rasters will be resampled down to a smaller size. This is useful if only an overview (that is, not full detail) is required for viewing.
- Subset: Only a subset of each raster will be written. This subset is defined by the Subset Start Column, Subset Number of Columns, Subset Start Row, and Subset Number of Rows parameters.
- Bounding Box Only: Only the bounding box of the raster data will be written.
Subset Start Column
Applicable when Subset is selected for the Reduction Type parameter. These parameters identify the position in the input raster from which the subset will be taken, as well as the size of the subset.
Subset Number of Columns (cells)
Applicable when Subset is selected for the Reduction Type parameter. These parameters identify the position in the input raster from which the subset will be taken, as well as the size of the subset.
Subset Start Row
Applicable when Subset is selected for the Reduction Type parameter. These parameters identify the position in the input raster from which the subset will be taken, as well as the size of the subset.
Subset Number of Rows (cells)
Applicable when Subset is selected for the Reduction Type parameter. These parameters identify the position in the input raster from which the subset will be taken, as well as the size of the subset.
Point Cloud Parameters
Thinning Type
This parameter offers different methods to speed up the visualization of point clouds by removing points from the cloud:
- Every Nth Point (Interval): Keeps every <interval>th point.
- Every Nth Point (Maximum Number of Points): Keeps at most <maximum number of points> points that are evenly spaced throughout the dataset.
- First/Last N Points: Keeps at most <maximum number of points> points from the start or end of the dataset. This likely will perform faster but produce a less even distribution of points than the Every Nth Point thinning type.
Interval
Specifies how often the points are retained. For example, an amount of 2 will result in every other point of the input cloud feature will be present in the output point cloud.
Maximum Number of Points
Specifies the maximum points in the output point cloud. For example, an amount of 100 will result in points in the input cloud being dropped so the maximum number of points in the output cloud is 100.
Usage Notes
This is a very useful tool for debugging workspaces. Keep in mind, however, that you are viewing the internal FME data, which may not be the same as the data eventually written to your output dataset. This is because FME does not apply any format-imposed restrictions on the data.
Shortcuts
- To attach an Inspector transformer: right-click on a selected reader feature type or transformer and choose Connect Inspector(s).
- Click the Inspector button
to place an Inspector transformer in a workspace. - To immediately open the Viewer, right-click on a reader or writer feature type and select Inspect.
Redirecting Output to an Inspector
In some cases you might want to inspect output data, but you don't want to actually have to write the data to do so. For example, in a translation that applies updates to a spatial database, you will probably want to check the output before actually committing an update. The answer is the Redirect to FME Data Inspector setting.
When this setting is applied, the output from a translation is redirected away from the specified output and sent directly to the FME Data Inspector.
The simplest way to turn on this feature is to select Writers > Redirect to FME Data Inspector from the Workbench menu bar. This is a toggle setting, meaning that each selection turns the setting on or off.
Transformer History
This transformer was previously named the Visualizer.
References
The FME Data Inspector help files contain additional information about viewing and saving raster, point cloud, and vector data.
Editing Transformer Parameters
Using a set of menu options, transformer parameters can be assigned by referencing other elements in the workspace. More advanced functions, such as an advanced editor and an arithmetic editor, are also available in some transformers. To access a menu of these options, click 
beside the applicable parameter. For more information, see Transformer Parameter Menu Options.
Defining Values
There are several ways to define a value for use in a Transformer. The simplest is to simply type in a value or string, which can include functions of various types such as attribute references, math and string functions, and workspace parameters. There are a number of tools and shortcuts that can assist in constructing values, generally available from the drop-down context menu adjacent to the value field.
How to Set Parameter Values
Using the Text Editor
The Text Editor provides a convenient way to construct text strings (including regular expressions) from various data sources, such as attributes, parameters, and constants, where the result is used directly inside a parameter.
Using the Arithmetic Editor
The Arithmetic Editor provides a convenient way to construct math expressions from various data sources, such as attributes, parameters, and feature functions, where the result is used directly inside a parameter.
Conditional Values
Set values depending on one or more test conditions that either pass or fail.
Parameter Condition Definition Dialog
Content
Expressions and strings can include a number of functions, characters, parameters, and more.
When setting values - whether entered directly in a parameter or constructed using one of the editors - strings and expressions containing String, Math, Date/Time or FME Feature Functions will have those functions evaluated. Therefore, the names of these functions (in the form @<function_name>) should not be used as literal string values.
Content Types
| These functions manipulate and format strings. | |
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Special Characters |
A set of control characters is available in the Text Editor. |
| Math functions are available in both editors. | |
| Date/Time Functions | Date and time functions are available in the Text Editor. |
| These operators are available in the Arithmetic Editor. | |
| These return primarily feature-specific values. | |
| FME and workspace-specific parameters may be used. | |
| Creating and Modifying User Parameters | Create your own editable parameters. |
Dialog Options - Tables
Transformers with table-style parameters have additional tools for populating and manipulating values.
Table Tools
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Row Reordering
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Enabled once you have clicked on a row item. Choices include:
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Cut, Copy, and Paste
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Enabled once you have clicked on a row item. Choices include:
Cut, copy, and paste may be used within a transformer, or between transformers. |
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Filter
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Start typing a string, and the matrix will only display rows matching those characters. Searches all columns. This only affects the display of attributes within the transformer - it does not alter which attributes are output. |
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Import
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Import populates the table with a set of new attributes read from a dataset. Specific application varies between transformers. |
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Reset/Refresh
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Generally resets the table to its initial state, and may provide additional options to remove invalid entries. Behavior varies between transformers. |
Note: Not all tools are available in all transformers.
FME Community
The FME Community is the place for demos, how-tos, articles, FAQs, and more. Get answers to your questions, learn from other users, and suggest, vote, and comment on new features.
Search for samples and information about this transformer on the FME Community.
Keywords: Visualizer