Open and Create a Project

General overview

To make it easier to work with data, Analyst always needs to have an open "project",  where keeping track of linked datasets and databases used during the analysis.

To open a project from Analyst main window, go to Menu > Project.

How Solargis Analyst manages data

Projects, datasets and databases are key concepts in Analyst, designed for the correct management of data. The image below describes how multiple datasets from multiple databases can be linked to a single Analyst project.

A project is stored as a text file with .SDAT extension on your disk. It provides a working space for the user by keeping track of linked datasets and databases used. The project stores the list of datasets linked with the project. It does not store any actual data, just the dataset name and the database location of each linked dataset. A project can link multiple datasets from multiple databases.

A dataset contains actual time series data records and metadata (site location, data origin, data columns, flags and logs). You can see all the metadata in the Metadata editor. The actual data in a dataset is stored in the Analyst database and consists of a two-dimensional data table having multiple columns and rows. Rows are always indexed by a timestamp. To access and work with the dataset you need to link it to the Analyst project.

A database is a repository of datasets. Analyst uses a single-user file based on a SQL database (SQLite). For example "your_project_name.SDAT" can have most of the datasets stored in "your_database.db" file, but some other data can come from let's say "another_database.db" file. This way, the Analyst database can be sent to colleagues who can continue working with the same data. Only one user can access the same database file at any given moment. 

So for example, a project for a planned PV power plant in Almeria, Spain, could have several associated datasets like on-site measured data, satellite-based modeled data, data before and after quality control, etc. These datasets will be in turn connected to different databases, e.g. my personal database, my colleague's database, etc. Please see a sample diagram below, showing how this distribution could be:

Analyst works with the following type of files:

.DB: Database

.CSV, .TXT: Dataset formats for importing

.SDAT: Analyst project file

.SDATASET: Analyst dataset exchange file

.IMPT: Analyst import template