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The FAQ page lists the most common questions that are asked by users.

Installation / Internet Update Questions

Is Quantrix compatible with Windows 7 and 8?
Quantrix is compatible with Windows XP, Vista and 7. Quantrix Modeler 5 has been reviewed on Windows 8. Installation and very basic functionality have been tested. A full certification is planned for the next point release of v5.

Is Quantrix compatible with OS X Mountain Lion?
Yes - when launching Quantrix for the first time on OS X Mountain Lion, you will be prompted to download and install Java. Once Java is installed, Quantrix will run successfully. If you receive the error message that the Quantrix Modeler file is damaged and you should move to trash, then go to System Preferences and Security and Privacy. Change "Allow applications downloaded from" to "Anywhere". If you have any other problems running Quantrix on OS X Lion, please contact support@quantrix.com.

I am having trouble activating Quantrix on Windows Vista or Windows 7.
If Quantrix appears to activate successfully, but then asks to activate again the next time Quantrix is launched, please do the following:

1. Navigate to the Quantrix installation directory - typically c:\program files\quantrix modeler
2. Find the Quantrix Modeler.exe file and right click on it.
3. Choose Run as Administrator. This will launch Quantrix in administrator mode.
4. Try the activation again.

Quantrix will not install on Windows 2003. How can I fix this?
A feature of Windows 2003 Service Pack 1 is "Data Execution Prevention". This security feature blocks the installation self-extractor from running. To fix this problem, do the following:

1. Click Start, right click My Computer, and select Properties.

2. On the Advanced tab, click the [Settings] button under the Performance section.

3. Select the Data Execution Prevention Tab in the Performance Options dialog.

4. Select the radio button for "Turn on DEP ... except those I select:"

5. Select "Add" and select the Quantrix installer (the entry shows up as "InstallAnywhere Self-Extractor" in the dialog).

6. Select "Apply" on the "performance options" and "OK" on the "System Properties" page.

7. Now run the installer.

How do I make Quantrix automatically check for updates?
With Quantrix open, there are two ways:

1. For Windows, click Tools-->Options. For OS X, click Quantrix Modeler --> Preferences. Under Miscellaneous Options, click the checkbox “Automatically Update Quantrix on Exit”

2. Click Help/Update Quantrix in the file menu. An Update Quantrix dialog box comes up. Click the check box “Automatically check for updates each time Quantrix exits”.

What are the new features in Quantrix Modeler 5?
Quantrix Modeler 5 includes support for multi-threaded calculations, improved charting and visualization capabilities, and user interface enhancements. For an overview of the new features and enhancements that are available in Quantrix 5, please read the Release Summary section in the Online Help.

Data Import and Export

What JDBC or ODBC Database drivers can be used with Quantrix?

Quantrix is designed to connect with any standard ODBC or JDBC driver. You can find out specific ones we have tried in this forum post.

Are there any Quantrix formulas that will not export to Excel?
The following formulas are specific to Quantrix functionality and will not export to an Excel spreadsheet.
# isempty
# between
# clearerror
# clearzero
# dayofyear
# err
# first
# join
# last
# s
# select
# selectbetween
# selectgreaterthan
# selectlessthan
# selects

I am getting a Too Few Parameters error message when connecting Quantrix to an Access database via DataLink.
When trying to connect to Access stored queries that are unions of many external tables, any strings in the query need to be quoted with single quotes instead of double quotes. Once single quotes are used, the ODBC driver will be able to find the columns names and import the data successfully.

Via DataLink, I can connect to an Excel file, but no tables or columns display.
When connection to an Excel file with DataLink, users need to 'name' their ranges of Data in Excel in order for Quantrix to detect what data to access.

In Excel, select the data you are looking to import and choose Insert > Name > Define to apply a name to the range of data.

Can I copy and paste data between Quantrix and other applications?
Yes! Using standard copy and paste functionality, you can copy cells and their values to the system clipboard and paste to the other application.

How do I open my Lotus Improv files (.imp) in Quantrix?
Quantrix has the ability to import Lotus Text Files (.imx) files into Quantrix. To create an .imx file in Improv, open your model, choose 'File --> Save As' and save as a file type .imx.

In Quantrix, choose 'File --> Import', and choose file type of .imx. Locate your file and click 'Import'.

You are not directly opening a native improv file. Quantrix imports a text version of the .imp file. It is likely some minor clean up will need to be done to get your Quantrix file into shape.

When setting up a DataNAV connection, there is a JDBC / ODBC Data Source or a Local Data Source. What is the difference?

A JDBC / ODBC data source establishes a direct connection to a SQL compliant database. With this direct connection, Quantrix passes the SQL directly to the database, the database processes the query and passes the result set back to Quantrix.

A Local Data Source allows you to bring in data from a text based file or SQL compliant database to an internal Columnstore database. The Columnstore is a Quantrix specific database that stores this data for use in DataNAV queries. Advantages are the ability to fire SQL queries against text / csv files and not having to maintain an active connection to the JDBC / ODBC database to work with the data.

During a Datalink, I am getting a message that “The column counts are inconsistent across the data”.
This is typically caused by the csv file being ragged; not having a consistent number of columns on each line. The csv file needs to be adjusted to work around this error.

I am getting a DataLink message that says “The number of cells being imported exceeds the maximum number of cells allowed in a matrix”
The maximum number of cells that can be created in a DataLink import is about 2.1 billion cells. It is likely that some of the columns in the import data source should be a applied to a group or cell data instead of a category.

When creating a category in a matrix via a DataNAV query, I get a result of “too many matches”.
DataNAV limits the number of items that can be created in a category to prevent models growing too large and exceeding the computer systems processing capacity. However, this limit can be modified via Tools > Options > DataNAV and modifying the Field Unique Items Limit.

I have 64 bit Quantrix installed, but I get a “datasource name not specified” error when connecting to Access.
If you are using Quantrix 64bit, you need to make sure you also are using a 64bit version of Microsoft Office to establish a proper ODBC connection. More information about 64bit office can be found here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee681792.aspx
Can DataPush be used to create tables and push data into Microsoft Access or Excel?
Access and Excel are not supported with Quantrix DataPush.

The Qloud

I'm unable to publish to the Qloud. Any suggestions?
In the Qloud Publishing Wizard, check to make sure the URL points to the following: https://qloud.quantrix.com If it does not, change the URL in the Wizard. Also, go to Tools | Options | Web and make the same change.

Formula & Function Questions

What is the syntax for Inter-Model Formulas? Inter-model formulas are formulas that call data residing in other Quantrix Models. In a simple example; Model1 contains Matrix1 that has a value of 1 for A1. In Model2, you want to write a formula that brings over the A1 value from Model1. The formula would be:

a1 = !model1.model!Matrix1::A1

The name of the model you want to call is surrounded by exclamation points in the formula.

How do I use the SUMMARY statistical functions in the toolbar?
In the matrix:
1. Click on the category tile or group you want to apply a summary function to.
2. Either click the SUM button on the toolbar, or click the arrow in the toolbar to choose from the list of functions. (SUM, COUNT, COUNTA, AVE, MAX, MIN, PRODUCT)

Your statistical function will show up as an item in a new row or column and will be added as a formula in the formula pane.

I upgraded to Quantrix Modeler 5 but my calculations seem slower?
Quantrix 5 introduced a Multi-threaded Strategy. In most models, the new calculation strategy leads to dramatically improved calculation times. However, in some this new strategy may actually slow down the calculation time. It uses more memory than the range-based strategy, but can provide a significant speed boost. If you are experiencing slower calculation times you can change your calculation strategy via Tools > Calculation > Calculation Settings.

I have a model that already contains category tiles for Year and Months. How do I add a category tile for Quarters that groups the months?
It is best to separate out your Quarter analysis into a new matrix. You can use a powerful technique called ‘Using As’ where you can quickly, with one formula, get the quarterly results in the model. Click here for an example model file demonstrating this technique.

Cells / Items / Groups / Categories

I want to switch the order of my items and/or groups in my Matrix. How do I do this?
Click on the item/group you want to move, hold the CTRL key down while pressing one of the arrow keys:
# Move item up: CTRL - Up Arrow

# Move item down: CTRL - Down Arrow

# Move item left: CTRL – Left Arrow

# Move item right: CTRL – Right Arrow

I want to enter values into cells without a formula. Can I do this? Is there a way I can tell what cells are allowed input?
Yes, you can change cells that are not controlled by formulas by typing the value into the cell. There is an easy way to differentiate between formula cells and input cells. In the View menu, click “Show Input Cells”. The cells that allow input will have a green tag in the upper right hand corner of the cell.

How do I link a category between two or more matrices?
Simply drag the category tile you want linked to the other matrices. The category and items will be shared between the matrices, but the data will not be shared.

You can also copy the desired category and paste to a new matrix choosing 'paste' from the menu.

When I add an item to a category via pressing the enter key or right click > add items, nothing seems to happen.
It is likely that the setting to hide empty rows and columns is on. Make sure that this setting is off via the View > Hide Empty menu.

Charting and Presentation

I have applied the value chart series label but I cannot seem to format the label.

You can apply a formatted expression to the chart series label by doing the following:

Click on the series and then in the Format Toolbox > Chart Series, check the Expression check box and click the Expression button
For the expression, call the name of the category you want the series values to come from.
Then in the Number Format tab - apply the desired format.

Ideally you should be able to format a series value label directly from the format toolbox. This will be added in a future release of Quantrix Modeler.

Hide Empty Rows and Columns is not hiding the associated chart data in the chart view.
To automatically hide empty areas of a chart, from the menu choose View > Hide Empty Series or Points

Quantrix.com Web Site Support

I forgot my password to My Quantrix. How do I retrieve it?
Click here to go to a screen where you will be prompted to enter your email address. The email you receive will contain your password to access My Quantrix.

Where do I sign up for a My Quantrix account?
Click here to register for a My Quantrix Account. Here you can also sign up for the Quantrix email newsletter and stay informed of the latest Quantrix developments.

Quantrix Technical Questions

Can I integrate Quantrix with my existing business systems?
Quantrix Professional Edition includes an Application Programming Interface (API). Additionally, Quantrix's native file format is XML. Data that is available in XML form can be formatted using industry standard XML tools to be easily opened, viewed and manipulated in Quantrix.

How can I increase the memory allocation for Quantrix?
You can increase the amount of your computer's memory dedicated to Quantrix processing by doing the following:

Open Tools > Options > General from the menu. (OS X users choose Quantrix Modeler > Preferences > General).
Change the value in the Maximum Memory box to a number just below your computer's installed memory. So if you have 1Gig of memory, a setting of 950 is appropriate. A contiguous block of memory is required for this setting. If the number is too high, Quantrix will prompt you to lower the value. Please Note: The maximum memory value depends on the software installed on your system. If Quantrix fails to run after making this change, please contact support@quantrix.com.
At your discretion, you can reduce the size of the undo stack to conserve system resources.
If you have large matrices that are very sparse (lots of blank cells), choose Tools > Calculation > Calculation Settings and place a check in the box to 'Treat empty cells as missing values'. This will reduce the amount of memory formulas consume when calculating across sparse matrices.

What are the Quantrix System Requirements?
Please click here to view the System Requirements for Quantrix Modeler Standard and Professional Editions.

Can I share my Quantrix Mac models with my colleagues who are working with the Windows version?
Yes. The two versions are compatible.

Is Quantrix a server- based application?
Quantrix is currently a desktop application.

What language is Quantrix written in?
Quantrix is written in Java. A compatible version of the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) will be part of the Quantrix Windows installation. The JVM that is installed is a local copy that will not overwrite the system installed JVM.

For OS X installation, you need to have the Java Virtual Machine that is provided by Apple Computer installed on your Mac. For Quantrix, we recommend having Java 1.6 installed.

How do I fix a stack overflow error?

Stack overflow errors are typically due to very long recursion statements in a model. You can resolve these errors by increasing the stack size setting by doing the following:

Navigate to your users home directory - specifically:
- C:\Users\yourUserName\AppData\Roaming\Quantrix\user_config
Edit the file Quantrix Modeler.vmoptions with a text editor like notepad
You will see a line indicating the stack size like the following:
- -Xss2M
- This is the stack size setting. You can try changing this to a higher number such as 10M.
Save and close the file and restart Quantrix

How many cells can a Quantrix model process?

There are no set size limitations for a Quantrix model. Our experience has shown that 32bit machines can handle models up to 10MM cells comfortably, with models 20-40MM cells possible on powerful computers.

With a 64bit processor and a 64bit version of the operating system (Windows or OS X), Quantrix models in the hundreds of millions of cells are achievable.

Does Quantrix support multiple processors?
Quantrix Modeler 5 introduces a new Multi-threaded calculation strategy. This strategy is very similar to the range-based strategy, but designed to take advantage of multi-core machines. It uses more memory than the range-based strategy, but can provide a significant speed boost on most models.

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FAQ

Installation/Update Questions

Data Import and Export

The Qloud

Formula & Function Questions

Cells / Items / Groups / Categories Questions

Charting and Presentation

Quantrix.com Web Site Support

Quantrix Technical Questions

Installation / Internet Update Questions

Data Import and Export What JDBC or ODBC Database drivers can be used with Quantrix?

The Qloud

Cells / Items / Groups / Categories

Charting and Presentation

Quantrix.com Web Site Support

Quantrix Technical Questions

Data Import and Export

What JDBC or ODBC Database drivers can be used with Quantrix?