Tools Overview
Sigilweaver Loom provides a set of tools for building data transformation workflows. Each tool performs a specific operation on data.
Tool Categories
Input/Output
Load and save data:
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Input | Load data from files or databases |
| Output | Save data to files |
Preparation
Transform and clean data:
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Filter | Split data based on a condition (visual builder or expressions) |
| Select | Choose, rename, reorder, and cast columns |
| Sort | Order rows by column values |
| Formula | Create or replace calculated columns (50+ built-in operations) |
| Sample | Take a subset of rows (first N, random, etc.) |
| Unique | Remove duplicate rows |
Join
Combine datasets:
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Union | Stack datasets vertically |
| Join | Combine datasets horizontally on key columns |
Aggregate
Summarize data:
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Summarize | Group data and calculate aggregations |
| Pivot | Reshape data from long to wide format |
| Unpivot | Reshape data from wide to long format |
Common Concepts
Sockets
Every tool has sockets for connecting to other tools:
- Input sockets (left side): Receive data from upstream tools
- Output sockets (right side): Send data to downstream tools
Some tools have multiple sockets with labels (e.g., L/R for left/right, T/F for true/false).
Configuration
Each tool has a configuration panel that appears when the tool is selected. Configuration options vary by tool type.
Lazy Evaluation
All tools use Polars' lazy evaluation. Operations are not executed immediately - they're optimized and run together when you preview or execute the workflow.
Cheat Sheet
| I want to... | Use |
|---|---|
| Load a CSV file | Input |
| Query a database | Input (Database) |
| Save results | Output |
| Keep only certain rows | Filter (visual builder or custom expression) |
| Remove or rename columns | Select |
| Order my data | Sort |
| Calculate a new column | Formula (50+ built-in operations, no coding needed) |
| Take a random sample | Sample |
| Remove duplicates | Unique |
| Stack two tables | Union |
| Match rows between tables | Join |
| Calculate totals by group | Summarize |
| Reshape long to wide | Pivot |
| Reshape wide to long | Unpivot |