The Graphs view is a configurable view for the purpose of graphically visualizing complex model structures. It also provides the tools needed for editing your data directly in the graph. This article describes how to use the view.

Prerequisites


Select the item in the structure for which the graph is configured, and select the desired Graph view via the Items Ribbon, if configured, or by selecting it in the View drop-down list. 



Getting Acquainted with the View

The view consists of a toolbar along the top and 3 tabs - View, Definition, and Description. Graphs are generated on the View tab, therefore, you will likely remain on that tab. The two additional tabs - Definition and Description - can be used by Architects for graph configuration and to provide helpful information to users. If interested, see Creating Config Item Views, and, Creating Configurable Graphs - Introductory Training to learn more about configuration of configured views, and graphs in particular. 



Zoom

You can zoom in the view by the using the mouse scroll wheel. Zooming in, and out, is centered around the current curser position in the graph.



Click and Drag

You can also move the graph content in the view by clicking and dragging the graph. 



Indication in Tree

If you click on a node or port in a graph that represents an item in the tree, the selected object will be indicated with green in the tree. Multi-select of nodes and ports in the view is supported by holding down the Ctrl key and selecting the nodes.



To unselect a node(s) or port(s), hold down the Ctrl key and deselect the object. 


Note: Only items and parts can be indicated in the tree. It is not possible to see indication for issues included in the graph since issues cannot be displayed in the tree structure.


Tooltip

Should a NodeGroup header be too long, it will be truncated with "...". A tooltip is provided when hovering over a graph object to allow viewing of the entire header. 


The graph objects that support this tooltip are:

  • Port (tooltip = the port name)
  • Node/node inside node (tooltip = the node name)
  • Edge (tooltip = the edge name)
  • Group (tooltip = the node group name)


Open

It is also possible to double-click on a node to redirect to it. If the node's corresponding item is in view in the structure tree, you will be redirected to that item and can then select the desired view. If the node's corresponding item is not in view in the tree, it will be opened in a new tab with the Overview view loaded by default. You also have the option to use any of the Open Shortcuts (Ctrl+O, Ctrl+Alt+O, Ctrl+Shift+O), or the Open option on the Items ribbon to redirect to it. 


Note: If the graph is Locked, double-clicking on a node whose corresponding item is in view in the structure tree will not load the item to the active page as it would if the graph was unlocked. Instead, the item will be selected in the tree. 


Copy

It is possible to copy a node in the view using Ctrl+C, the right-click Copy ID(s) menu, or the Copy option on the Items ribbon which will put the unique ID(s) on your clipboard. You can then, for example, use Ctrl+G to find it in the structure tree, paste it in an email, etc. Multi-select for copying is supported.



It is also possible to select and copy a port if needed. 



Find

With the graph view in focus, you can use the Find Items ribbon group (including the Ctrl+F shortcut) to find nodes and ports in the graph. Hits are highlighted with a green frame in the graph.



The view also provides a Log pane which can be useful for general debug purposes in the view. The pane is collapsed at the bottom of the view and can be displayed by dragging upwards on the pane splitter. 



Tip: To open the Log in a separate window, use Shift+Ctrl+L.


Note: Graph architects may have a need to see a graph's intermediate code. To do this, click Ctrl+Shift+X on the View tab. The XML will appear below the graph work area.

Editing Data

The graph provides an Edit mode option enabling users to edit data directly in the graph view in the same way they would edit data in the structure tree. Any edits made via the graph are reflected in the item structure in the tree view. To learn more about editing, see Editing Data in a Configured Graph.


Automatic and Manual Layout

Unlike other graphical views in SystemWeaver, the configurable Graphs view features automatic layout and routing of the graphical elements, thereby saving users both time and effort. However, it is also possible to manually change the auto-layout of a graph, as needed, to bring more clarity to your model. 


Manual Layout

When the manual layout option is configured by a SystemWeaver Architect, users can click the Edit button to access the manual layout functionality. A saved manual layout is applied and seen by all system users with access to the item.



Moving Nodes

Simply drag and drop a node to the desired location

Resizing Nodes

Modifying the size of a node is done by clicking on one of the points and resizing.  


Saving Changes to the Layout

At any time, changes to the layout can be saved by clicking Save layout. Changes are saved and will remain in place for the selected item type. It is possible to set a different layout per parameter.


If Save layout is not clicked, the changes will not be saved. 


Loading a Saved Layout

If there is a saved manual layout, and you have made changes that you do not wish to save, you can revert back to a saved layout by clicking Load layout.


Reset to Auto-layout

If you want to see the system-default layout at any time, click Relayout. If you then wish to save the auto-layout and overwrite any saved manual layout, click Save layout. 


Note: The manual layout option is supported by incremental layout whereby layout calculation is performed dynamicly. For informational purposes only, the graph caches are stored at: %LocalAppData%\Systemite\SystemWeaver\3.0\0. This address is a generic one and works on every Windows computer.


Disclaimer: The first version of the manual layout functionality is available in release R40. Changes may follow in later versions. Should problems arise with loading a graph, we recommend using the Relayout option to return to the auto-layout starting point.

Printing the Graph

To print a graph, click Print... on the toolbar or right-click anywhere in the empty graph work area to select the Print option there. The Print dialog will display where you can select a printer. 



A preview window will open. To proceed with printing, click Print.



Exporting the Graph

The view also offers a download option. To export the graph, click Export... on the toolbar, or right-click anywhere in the empty graph work area to select the Export option there. The Export Graph dialog will display where you can select the location for your download and any of the following file types for the exported file:

  • png
  • jpg
  • xps
  • graphml


Showing a Node or Port Neighborhood

Graphs came become very large and sometimes you might need to view a sub-structure's relationships more closely. To do this, you can either zoom in using your mouse scroll button, or you can use the Neighborhood option on the toolbar. With the option turned on, a pane will display to the right. Select a node or port of interest in the graph and the Neighborhood pane will display only the directly connected relationships for the selected item. The selected item is indicated with red.


Lock the Graph in Primary View

The view can be locked in the primary view position enabling you to keep the selected item in focus in the graph while you navigate through the structure tree. With the view locked, when you make selections in the tree, you will see them highlighted in the view.



Tip: Combined with the use of the Secondary item view, you can make edits to, e.g., attributes, description, etc., to an individual item selected in the graph while keeping the graph in view. Working this way, the structure tree view can basically be minimized altogether since most work tasks can be completed directly in the graph. 

Viewing the Legend

If configured, a Legend option will display on the toolbar, and enable you to view a legend for the graph in a right-side pane. Click Legend again to close the pane.


Refresh the View

To refresh a graph view, simply use the F5 shortcut, or click the Refresh button. This works when the graph is locked or unlocked. 

Version Mismatch

Mismatches between the version in the mapping item and the one in the selected scope will be indicated in yellow in the graph. Users can handle version mismatches in the structure tree if needed. In the below example, version (1) is in the Requirement Mapping, but there is a newer version (2) in the scope.


Faulty Mapping

At some point during your work, analysis areas may change and, as a result of this, faulty mappings may appear. For example, a design requirement item may be removed from the scope of the analysis after mappings have already been made. Any faulty mappings will be indicated in red in the graph, and can be handled in the structure tree.



Tip:  Ensuring consistency of data is quite critical, and although SystemWeaver uses a strong meta model to avoid inconsistencies, there are still possibilities that this can happen. For example, a receive port may not have a send signal, or you might want to check that items being used are coming from a specific sub-set of items. Consistency checks can be performed using a graph as a way of visualizing inconsistencies. 

What's Next?

Learn how to edit data directly in a configured graph view.