Operation Modes

TIFANY provides three distinct modes of operation to handle different data manipulation and structural requirements. Use the sidebar icons to switch between these modes.

1. Table Mode (Standard)

The default mode for TIFANY. It provides a visual grid for direct manipulation of table data and structure.

• Best For: Direct editing, manual styling, merging cells, and quick structural adjustments.
• Key Features:
• Drag & Drop: Reorder rows and columns by dragging them.
• Cell Selection: Advanced selection logic for single cells, rows, columns, or ranges.
• Context Menu: Right-click access to most structural and content functions.
• Live Rendering: Visual feedback as you apply styles and attributes.

2. Draw Mode (Structure Builder)

Draw Mode is an innovative feature designed to convert unstructured raw data into a clean table structure.

• Best For: Parsing raw text, terminal outputs, or messy lists into a grid format.
• Key Features:
• Interactive Grid: A blank grid where you can place data elements.
• Bulk Insert: Paste large blocks of text and insert them sequentially into the grid.
• Paint Mode: Activate Paint Mode to select text fragments and instantly "drop" them into the active cell.
• Auto-Advance: Configure the cursor to automatically move Right (Row) or Down (Column) after each insertion.
• Grid Resizing: Dynamically adjust the number of rows and columns to fit your data.

Workflow

1. Enter Draw Mode.
2. Paste raw text into the input editor.
3. Set your desired Grid Size.
4. Select text in the editor and select Insert Selected (or use Paint Mode).
5. Once the structure is complete, select Build Table to generate the final sheet.

3. Node Editor (Data Pipelines)

The Node Editor is a powerful visual scripting environment for building data processing pipelines.

• Best For: Complex data transformations, merging multiple tables, filtering large datasets, and performing automated calculations.
• Key Features:
• Visual Data Flow: Connect tables (source) to operators (process) via wires.
• Operator Variety:
• Filter: Keep rows matching specific conditions (equals, contains, regex, etc.).
• Formula: Add computed columns using arithmetic, logic, and string functions.
• Join: Perform relational merges (Inner, Left, Right, Full Outer) or simple stacking.
• VLookup: Enrich data by pulling columns from reference tables.
• API: Fetch live JSON data from external URLs.
• Topological Execution: The engine automatically calculates the correct processing order.
• Persistence: Your graph structure is saved automatically between sessions.

Workflow

1. Enter Node Editor.
2. Imported sheets appear as Table Nodes.
3. Add Operator Nodes via the toolbar or by right-clicking a port.
4. Connect output ports to input ports.
5. Configure operators (select the ⚙ icon).
6. Select Run (▶) to execute the pipeline.
7. Select a destination node and select Build Table to export the result.

For detailed technical information on individual node types and formula syntax, see the Node Editor Engine Guide.