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Data Inspector vs Visual Preview: Preferences? Use cases? Tips?

  • February 5, 2025
  • 9 replies
  • 90 views

virtualcitymatt
Celebrity
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Hi all,

I just wanted to get an idea on how others are working with FME when it comes to inspection.

I have FME configured to always open up the FME Data Inspector rather that the Visual Preview in Workbench. Mostly I do this because I like to have a larger window and I’m used to it from the pre visual inspection days.

Am I missing out? Any tips on using the Visual Preview? I’m interested to hear from other on how they handle inspection 

9 replies

ebygomm
Influencer
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  • Influencer
  • February 5, 2025

The first thing I do whenever opening FME anywhere is select Inspect with Data Inspector when Visual Preview window closed in the options.

The only time I ever use Visual Preview is generally for answering a question here where I want to show the workspace and output in one screen print.


redgeographics
Celebrity
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I like the fact that I have everything at my fingertips in a single application with Visual Preview, but it’s a constant battle for screen real estate, especially on a laptop. So maybe I should give Data Inspector a try again and see how I like that.

I do seem to notice in the more recent versions of FME that Visual Preview is not behaving quite right. For example, it always opens the Feature Information panel (even when I close it, exit Workbench and start it again, it keeps popping up) and that is the one that I prefer to only use when I need it.


nielsgerrits
VIP
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Data Inspector only. Even when I work on a single screen, I still use de Data Inspector and Alt-Tab between it and workbench.

I believe the Feature Information window is important (especially for new users) because this is the only place where you can see all the unexposed attributes. And if you do not know something exists, it is hard to look for. But in the newer versions these are collapsed, making something easy, harder to work with. 🙄

When using Visual Preview, most users sacrifice the Translation Log for screen space. More often then not have I assisted users with an issue which would be obvious when blue and/or red text is passing that window.


jobvdnoort
Supporter
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  • Supporter
  • February 5, 2025

I also only use the Data Inspector! Visual preview is very small and if you have a lot of data it is to small to see what you need.

 

I dont use FME on 1 screen because of this reason. 


birgit
Influencer
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  • Influencer
  • February 5, 2025

I'm a Data Inspector shill mostly because of some of the stuff others have mentioned; I have multiple screens anyway, I want to be able to read the log easily after translation, I cannot see anything in the visual preview because it has to condense so much information in a small area, and I need the Feature Information window.  I am already shivering at the idea of having to navigate 3D data in the visual preview window in a poststamp viewport.


ebygomm
Influencer
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  • Influencer
  • February 5, 2025

Rightly or wrongly, I often have views numbered well into double figures in the data inspector too...


geomancer
Evangelist
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  • Evangelist
  • February 5, 2025

It depends.

On small screens with a limited number of features I prefer the Visual Preview.  Also when I want to look  at the data at several locations in my workspace I tend to use Visual Preview (with data caching enabled).

When I want to view large feature sets, or want to keep access to the data for some time, I switch to the Data Inspector.

In 2023 and older versions I always added a button to the toolbar to ‘Show/hide the Visual Preview window’ to make switching between Visual Preview and Data Inspector easier, but in 2024 this option is no longer available. And I also set the option to Inspect with Data Inspector when the Visual Preview window is closed.

 


liamfez
Influencer
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  • Influencer
  • February 5, 2025

I like to use the Data Inspector when working on a task myself or troubleshooting problems and I use the Visual Preview when demonstrating the process and results to others. Sometimes I also use the Visual Preview to do quick checks with smaller datasets while using basemaps from my organization.


virtualcitymatt
Celebrity
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Thanks for the overview - it seems like the overwhelming majority of replies here still use the inspector, same as me


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