GraphBrowser

 

The Graphbrowser Utility is invoked from the ConceptBaseWorkbench menu item Browsing submenu Browse Graphical. The Graphbrowser requires an object name and then draws the corresponding object as an initial node of a directed acyclic graph (DAG). After selecting the Browse Graphical menu item, ConceptBaseWorkbench requests the required object name parameter.

Note: the rollbacktime of the ConceptBaseWorkbench is not valid inside the Graphbrowser, instead the value 'Now' is used as default.

After the Graphbrowser shows up, you can select every displayed object by clicking the left mouse button. A selected object can be moved by dragging the object while keeping the left mouse button pressed. Note, that selecting and moving objects is also available for nodes and links. The following menu buttons are provided in the Graphbrowser tool:

Erase Node

- deletes the selected object (node or link) from the display .

Any

- displays all objects connected to the selected object by a link corresponding to a user-defined specification of orientation and label.

Show Attributes

- displays all direct attributes (no inherited ones !);

Show Instances

- displays all direct instances (no derivable ones); not available if the selected object is a link;

Show Classes

- displays all classes the selected object is an instance of; not available if the selected object is a link;

Show Subclasses

- displays one level of subclasses (i.e. subclasses of a subclass of the selected node are not displayed); not available if the selected object is a link;

Show Superclasses

- displays one level of superclasses (i.e. superclasses of a superclass of the selected node are not displayed); not available if the selected object is a link;

Save Layout

Saves the current layout of the Graphbrowser window to a specified file

Load Layout

Loads a layout from file and arranges the graphical situation as specified in the file. Note: This function only succeeds, if all Objects specified in the layout file are still present in the current application.

Help

- Displays a Info text explaining the Graphbrowser's facilities;

Quit

- terminates the Graphbrowser.

An additional button is provided for invoking another Graphbrowser with the selected object. If no object is selected, there is an additional option Add Node. On selection of Add Node, a new object with no connection to the existing graph is introduced at the position of the last left mouse click.

The style in which nodes or links are displayed in the Graphbrowser's window, is modeled within the knowledge base by so-called Graphical Types, which belong to a certain palette. Using these types, you can totally customize the appearance of the Graphbrowser (e.g. you can specify your own Icon-shapes, Fontstyles, etc.). Please refer to Appendix B for an extensional description of this facility.

If you'd like to use a different palette, you may use the Graphbrowser... menupoint in the ConceptBaseWorkbench Options menu.