The basic functionality of the Knowledge Discovery Schema Editor is as follows :
1. Specifying name of Mining Schema
The name of the schema can be any valid variable. It depends on the user whether he wants to edit a schema or enter a new schema. If he wants to edit a schema, then he should enter the name of the schema to be edited otherwise he should specify a new schema name. It is a mandatory field.
2. Entering a database schema name
It can be any valid database schema's name. It is a mandatory field.
3. Specifying the relation name
It can be any valid relation's name from the specified database schema in the database schema field. It is a mandatory field.
4. Attribute specification
The attributes of the relation can be * or a single attribute or more than one attribute separated by blanks. If the user enters the attributes as *, it means that all the attributes from the relation are to be taken. It is a mandatory field.
5. Mining Algorithm specification
It provides a pop-up menu for the user to select from the list of mining algorithms available. The user first selects the kind of knowledge to be discovered and then he can specify the mining algorithm to be used to mine that kind of knowledge. It is also a mandatory field.
6. Specifying Selection function
When the user wants to specify the selection function, he is given an option to choose from a default library of selection functions. The user can specify selection functions from that or he can a choose a function on his own from any other directory. It is an optional field. If the function doesn't exist, the editor gives appropriate error message.
7. Entering the name of Cleaning function
It is also an optional field. When the user wants to specify the cleaning function, he has the option to choose from a default library of cleaning functions. The user can specify cleaning functions from that or he can a choose a function on his own from any other directory. If the function doesn't exist, the editor gives appropriate error message.
8. Specifying Transformation function
To specify the transformation function, again the user is given an option to choose from a default library of transformation functions. The user can specify transformation functions from that or he can a choose a function on his own from any other directory. If the function doesn't exist, the editor gives appropriate error message. It is an optional field.
9. Specifying the hierarchy name
It is an optional field. It can be any valid variable name.
10. Specifying the hierarchy attribute's name
It is an optional field. It can be any valid attribute's name from the relation specified in the relation name field.
There are five mandatory fields in a schema. If the user doesn't fill the required fields and presses the button ``Store Schema'', he is prompted to enter the mandatory fields. After the user has filled the entries correctly and he presses the button, ``Store Schema'', he is asked to fill the knowledge dependent entries.
Some other features of the Editor are as follows :
1. The user can switch across the fields using ``tab'' key or ``enter'' key or ``mouse''.
2. The user can change his entries as many times as he wants but not after he has pressed the button ``Store Schema''.
3. The editor is very user friendly and can be easily handled by anyone who doesn't know much about data mining or knowledge discovery.
4. Relevant error messages are given to the user at appropriate times.