Getting Started

What follows is a quick review of the steps normally followed in doing a seriation from start to finish. For more detail click on the appropriate links.

Files

There is no need to open a file to get started. OptiPath starts with an open file, by default the file OptiPath.ops in the folder "Program Files\Shepardsons\OptiPath". A file can hold multiple data sets and in most cases there will be no need to work with files. However, you can backup, or archive, your data sets by copying the data file, OptiPath.ops. File management within OptiPath is under construction. At this time, to backup your data sets, use Microsoft Explorer to make a copy of the OptiPath.ops file.

Create a Data Set 

The first thing to do is create a data set. You may import your data set from Excel or you can create a data set from scratch in OptiPath. In either case you will want to spend some time setting the parameters for the artifacts and features, as well as for the seriation. You may have as many data sets as you want but you can only work with one at a time.

Create a Seriation

Creating a data set will automatically create a seriation. However, you can create a new seriation without changing data sets or creating a new data set.  In either case you will probably want to set the parameters for the seriation. You may have as many seriations as you want but you can only work with one at a time.

Create Artifacts

If you import a data set from Excel, or if you add a new seriation to an existing data set, you will automatically have a fully populated artifacts table. If you are creating a data set from scratch you will need to create artifacts. At any time you can add/delete/edit artifacts from the artifacts table.

Create Assemblages

At any time you can create assemblages or add/delete/edit assemblages from the assemblages table.

Create Features

If you import a data set from Excel, or if you add a new seriation to an existing data set, you will automatically have a fully populated features table. If you are creating a data set from scratch you will need to create features. At any time you can add/delete/edit features from the features table.

Set Seriation Parameters

If you did not already set the seriation parameters while creating a new seriation, now is a good time to do it. The best time to set seriation parameters is after creating features and before setting feature parameters. This is because choosing a default seriation technique (such as occurrence seriation or optimal path seriation) for a feature causes OptiPath to automatically set many of the feature parameters for that feature (which you cannot override without resetting the feature seriation technique to Custom in the seriation parameters).

Set Artifact Parameters

If you did not already set the artifact parameters while creating artifacts, now is a good time to do it. If you are going to use assemblages, you must create assemblages before setting the assemblage for each artifact.

Set Assemblage Parameters

Assemblages are not required. They are an option if you have data for individual artifacts but want to perform frequency seriation on collections, or assemblages, of the data. OptiPath will automatically calculate the frequencies for each assemblage and create an assemblage data set (that you will not see) to use in seriation. You can set assemblage parameters in the same way as setting artifact parameters.

Set Feature Parameters

If you did not already set the feature parameters while creating artifacts, now is a good time to do it. The best time to set feature parameters is after creating features and after setting seriation parameters. This is because choosing a default seriation technique (such as occurrence seriation or optimal path seriation) for a feature causes OptiPath to automatically set many of the feature parameters for that feature (which you cannot override without resetting the feature seriation technique to Custom in the seriation parameters). 

Create Data

If you import a data set from Excel, or if you add a new seriation to an existing data set, you will automatically have a fully populated data table. Otherwise, once you have set up your artifacts (and assemblages) and features, you will need to select Edit | Data from the OptiPath main menu and  enter your data.

Seriate

Once you have your artifacts (and assemblages) and features and data you are ready to seriate. Select Seriate | Seriate from the OptiPath main menu to seriate your data.

Examine the Results

At last, you can inspect the results be selecting Edit | Results from the OptiPath main menu. Results will be given for your artifacts (or assemblages if you were using them).

Export a Data Set to Excel

You may export your data set to Excel.