In Tulip, there is a way to assign properties to each node or edge of the graph. Tulip defines two kinds of property : intrinsic and extrinsic. The first represents the properties computed relatively to the structure of graphs. But it is possible to assign values to the nodes or the edges that are not related to the structure. For example, if we build the map of a region and the nodes represent the towns, the label property can be used for the name of town. But it is not possible to determine the name with the structure of the graph; this kind of property is extrinsic.
For each graph, Tulip provides a set of properties used by the renderer engine ; all begin with the “view” prefix by convention : viewColor, viewLabel, viewLayout... They are updated during the computation phase of the plugins. In the other hand, it is possible to define properties to store informations relative to the graph. The number of this created properties are not limited.
Following is the list of rendering properties :
viewBorderColor :Color of the border of an edge or a node.viewBorderWidth :Width of the border of an edge or a node.viewColor :Color of an edge or a node.viewFont :Font path used to render label of an edge or a node.viewFontSize :font size used to render label of an edge or a node.viewLabel :Label of an edge or a node.viewLabelColor :Color label of an edge or a node.viewLabelPosition :Label position (x,y,z) of an edge or a node.viewLayout :Position (x,y,z) of a node, or vector of the bends positions of the edges.viewMetric :Result value of the last measure ( the section called “Measure” ) algorithm applied.viewRotation :Rotation (0 to 360) of a node or an edgeviewSelection :Selection equals true if the node or edge is selected. False if it is not.viewShape :Shape of a node or a graph.viewSize :Size (height, width, depth) of a node or an edge. To re-size an edge, the parameter "Size Interpolation" (CONTROL+R) must be switched off. For an edge, the three fields are : Width at source of the edge, Width at the end of the edge, Size of the arrow.viewSrcAnchorShape :Shape of the source anchor of an egde.viewSrcAnchorShape :Size of the source anchor of an egde.viewTexture :Texture will replace the color background of the node.viewTgtAnchorShape :Shape of the target anchor of an egde.viewTgtAnchorShape :Size of the target anchor of an egde.
As it is explained in the last section, it is possible to update the properties attached to the graph elements with algorithms. An other solution is to update the values through the Property tab of the Info Editor subwindow.
To give an example, create a graph :
Select the property you want to update,
viewSizein thelocaltable, for example, to manage the size of the nodes. Now, you can change all values or the value of one node.Click on
Set all, and write the new coordinates :(2.0, 2.0, 2.0)Click on the line and the second column of the choosed node in the table. Change the values for the
width, theheightanddepth.
If you want to change properties of selected elements, use the check box selected only of the Property tab.
Select elements with the
mouse toolbar operation or using the 'Add/Remove Selection' item displayed in the contextual pop-up menu which appears when pressing on the mouse right button (press Ctrl key when mouse pressing on Mac).
Select the property you want to modify :
viewLabel.Click on the checkbox named
Filter. The selected element just appears in the table above.Click on
Set alland write the text you want to display : “Hey!”.
If you uncheck selected only, all nodes are in the table. It is possible to do the same thing with the values of edges. You just have to click on the tab named Edges.
There is an other solution to modify the value of one node or edge :
First select the
mouse toolbar operation, then click on the node or edge you want to update.The
Elementtab of theInfo Editorsubwindow is then selected. It displays the informations of the element you clicked on.
The bottom of the Property subwindow enables to manage the properties. For each graph, as explain before, a set of display properties already exists. If you want to create a new property :
Click on the
Newbutton.Select the type of property,
String. (other possibilities are Color, Integer, Layout, Metric, Size, Selection)Type the name of the new Property (e.g.
mylabel).
For removing a property, you just have to select the property and click on the button named Remove. When deleting properties used by the render engine, those properties will be temporary removed from the list but still continue to exist. Note that it is not possible to remove inherited properties.
For importing properties from CSV files click on the Import CSV Data. A widget will appear to help user import data in the current graph see ???.
The last feature is cloning property. Select the desired property and click on the button named Clone. Type the name you have chosen. The new property keeps the values.
With this functionnality user can easily import properties from CSV files into graph. A widget helps user import data during the process by giving a preview of the result. Data will be loaded on nodes until there is no more data or all the nodes have bee processed (in this case the excess of data will be lost).
If you want to import properties :
Select the CSV file name with the
CSV filetext field.Choose the separator used in the file with the
Separatortext field.Set if the first row/column is used as properties name with the
Use first row as property namecheck box.Choose if the data are row arranged with the
Use column as propertiesradio button or column arranged with theUse row as propertiesradio buttonUse first row as property namecheck box.For each properties detected you can select or unselect it, change it's name and set this data type :
To select or unselect a property just check or uncheck the check box before its name. Each unchecked property wont be load.
To change the name of the property edit the text field. Each property must have a unique name.
To change the data type of the property change the value in the combo box below its name. By default the type is auto detected, but if user know the data type of the properties he can choose the right in the combo box. Auto detected data types are only three types : integer, double or string.
Launch the import process by clicking on the
Okbutton or cancel it by clicking on theCancelbutton.
The find tool is in the Edit menu. Make a graph with several nodes. Change some properties of node for making operations. Select nodes, check the Filter box and select the properties you want to change : viewRotation. Click on the Set all button and type a value (20 for example). Now, you have some node with a rotation of 0 degree and some other rotated of 20. So in the Find box :
Select the property used for the request :
viewRotation.Choose the operation and type a value for the comparaisons :
=and20, to find the element rotated of 20 degrees.Select the action in the
Optionspart :Addand the kind of the elements of the request :on nodes.