Basic Examples (5) 

Summarize a vector of numbers:

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Summarize a matrix of strings and specify the column names:

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Summarize a vector of numbers with missing values:

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Summarize a full 2D array with numerical and categorical columns (numbers, strings, and symbols):

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Summarize a dataset:

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Summarize a dataset with column names:

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Summarize an association of vectors:

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Scope (4) 

Define a dataset:

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A larger number of categorical values can be seen using the option "MaxTallies":

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The function works with missing values and summarizes them separately of the rest of the values in a column:

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Here we make a list of date objects with missing values:

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Here is the summary of the date objects list and with a specified column name:

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Here we make an association of random images:

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This summarizes the list of rules in the association:

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We can summarize association’s keys and values separately using the option setting Thread→True:

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A dataset does not have to have named columns:

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Options (7) 

MaxTallies (1) 

With the option "MaxTallies" we specify how many of summarized items we want to see for each column (variable):

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NumberedColumns (2) 

By default the summarized columns (variables) are automatically numbered:

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With the option "NumberedColumns" the automatic numbering can be prevented:

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Thread (4) 

The option Thread is used to specify should the summarization be "threaded" if data to be summarized is an association or a list of rules.

Here is an association of 3D points:

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Summarizing without threading:

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Summarizing with threading:

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Optionally column names can be added:

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Applications (3) 

Summarize Classify-ready data (2) 

Here we summarize the Titanic data:

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Here we summarize the Mushroom data:

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Summaries browser (1) 

If we have a set of datasets we can easily build an interactive interface that allows browsing of dataset summaries:

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Possible Issues (7) 

It is expected that the first argument of RecordsSummary is an object that can be converted to a full array atom objects:

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This fails because dataset cannot be converted to a full 2D array:

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A work-around is to use HoldForm for the columns that are not vectors:

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If the numerical columns have Quantity values those columns are treated as categorical:

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A summary of numerical values can be obtained by using QuantityMagnitude:

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For associations the values of which are not full arrays, using the option setting Thread→True produces a failure:

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This works though:

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Neat Examples (1) 

Summarize subsets of Titanic data that correspond to each passenger class:

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