What is this and how does it work?

Data Scribbler is a web application for editing heirarchical data.

Data is arranged in columns, and within each column, heirarchically.

A cell can hold either explicit data, or a live formula that calculates based on references to other cell(s), like a spreadsheet.

When you start editing, the URL of the page changes to a link that allows others to collaboratively edit in real time, without an account or registration.

What data types are available?

All of the data types in JSON are supported (number, string, boolean, null, objects, and arrays), plus "undefined" and a third type of collection (unordered sets of unique values).

The three types of collections in Data Scribbler:

• List: [] – Ordered collection of values. Like arrays in JSON.
• Dictionary: {} – Unordered collection of pairs of unique keys and their associated values. Like objects in JSON. Like in JSON, keys are always strings but values may be any supported data type.
• Set: () – Unordered collection of unique values. No analogy in JSON.

Columns are actually just members of a top-level list which is always present in your document.

The constraints of each collection type affect behavior. For example, you can drag to change list order but not dictionary or set order.

When entering JSON data, why is it detected as a string and not recognized as JSON?

• JSON cannot be inserted in a collection of type "set" (a "set" cannot have child collections).
• Make sure that "Auto" is selected.
• There may be a syntax error in your JSON. Remember that all keys, and all strings, must be double-quoted.

I can't select certain cells as formula targets. Why is this?

In the Data Scribbler data model, only permanent cells can be referenced by formulas. "Permanent cells" are cells that will never be created or deleted as a result of a formula recalculation or moving another cell.

This means that the following cannot be referenced by formulas:

• Children of formula cells
• Children of sets (because sets only allow unique values)

You can, however, target a formula cell itself (just not its children).

How long are documents kept?

Normally, 15 days from the last time they are accessed. However, we reserve the right to delete them sooner (or keep them longer).

Undo history is sometimes trimmed sooner than that.

I have a question, comment, or suggestion.

We're happy to hear from you via email and Twitter.

I found a bug.

Thanks! Feel free to let us know via email or Twitter.

What are the terms of use?

We make no warranty of any kind. We reserve the right to delete any document without notice for any reason or no reason.

What is the privacy policy?

We will not intentionally publish, distribute, or sell the contents or URL of any private document without your consent, except as necessary to provide the service, to perform traffic analysis, to comply with a legal requirement, to protect our legal rights, or to avert harm to the rights, property, or safety of any person(s).

Additionally, a human may see your private document contents for any of the circumstances listed in the previous paragraph, to address security or technical issues, or in cases of suspected abuse.

This website uses Google Analytics. All five "Data Sharing Settings" are disabled. Google claims: "There are several types of data-sharing settings that can be changed at any time. If no options are selected, Google Analytics account data will be excluded from any automated processes that aren't specifically related to operating Google Analytics or to protecting the security and integrity of the data."

We cannot offer any legal warranty regarding the possibility of data or security breaches. Please use discretion when using Data Scribbler with sensitive data. Depending on your privacy needs, you may prefer to use private mode, in which your document is not stored on the server (collaboration and saving are unavailable), or install your own private copy of Data Scribbler on your own server.