Multimodal data
What is a document column?
A document column stores a PDF or similar file so pages and passages can be split, embedded, and cited from the row.
Updated · Part of What is a typed media column?
How it works
- The file stays addressable after you split it.
- A view emits one row per passage or page and points back at the file.
- Answers can cite the passage because the source row still exists.
What it is not
It is not pasted text in a string field, and it is not a blob the engine cannot page.
document column: this, and the thing it is confused with
| This | Not this | |
|---|---|---|
| Stored | The file, typed as a document | Text pasted into a string |
| Child rows | Passages or pages | A single vector for the whole file |
| Citation | A pointer back to the file | A chat window with no source |
Where Pixeltable fits
Pixeltable types it as pxt.Document. A document-splitter view is how passages stay tied to the file.
Questions
- How does document column work?
- The file stays addressable after you split it. A view emits one row per passage or page and points back at the file. Answers can cite the passage because the source row still exists.
- What is document column often confused with?
- It is not pasted text in a string field, and it is not a blob the engine cannot page.