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On
this page: | Interactive Tables
| Manipulation Tools | Sorting
Tabular Data | Tour Menu |
Interactive
Tables
If you conduct a search, or are just browsing, clicking on
a table link takes you to the interactive table of your choice.
Tables are displayed with the exact information available from
the printed version in alphabetical order. Within a table, you
can refine your search for specific information. Clicking on
the hot links in the header allows you to sort (alphabetically
or numerically) the table by specific information type.
The great benefit of interactive tables is that you can choose
what data to display and how to display it. You can filter out
unwanted material and sort the data that you have gathered.
In order to view the interactive tables you need to download
the Java Run-time Environment SE v1.4.0. The first time you
select a table either from the Table of Contents or from the
Search Results and Data window the plugin download screen will
automatically load. Follow the instructions and install the
plugin on your hard disk. You will then be able to view and
manipulate the interactive tables in The Handbook of Chemistry
and Physics.
The top of the table interface contains the name of the actual
table being viewed (for example, 'Standard Atomic Weights').
Fig 7: View of the Standard Atomic Weights
table, Section 1
(Basic Constants, Units and Conversion Factors)
Interactive
Tables: Manipulation Tools
Within each table there are several manipulation tools available
(Sorting, Restoring the Default Ordering, Printing Table, and
Exporting the Current View).
Fig 8: Manipulation tools in interactive
tables
Interactive
Tables: Sorting Tabular Data
Each table column can be sorted in ascending or descending
order. Select the column you wish to sort by clicking on the
column header. The column will then be sorted in ascending order.
To sort by descending order, click on the column header agin.
The table will then be sorted accordingly.
To return the column to its default setting, click on the ‘Restore
Default Ordering’ icon  .
A sort operation on a very long table may take considerable
time. Greater efficiency can be achieved by first using the
filter function to isolate a range of records of potential interest
and then sorting this subset.
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