View Graph Subsets

The previous views have only shown the complete dependency graph, that is the set "nodes". It is valuable to look also at smaller subsets of the graph.

  1. Select the Graph view.
  2. In the Set Browser, in the System folder, double-click on the sets jobs and files.
  3. Under the Predefined directory are many sets that will be useful when dealing with real life projects. The primary sets are Stuff to do and Failed job.
    These sets are currently empty. Later in the tutorial you will see how they can be used.
  4. Go back to the set System:nodes.
  5. Right click the node representing the file bb to show the pop-up menu.
  6. Select Connectivity > Selection Alone.
  7. Expand the graph around this node with the pop-up menu Connectivity > Expand Selection .
    Tip: Many common commands are bound to keyboard accelerators. For example, the operation you just performed (showing a node alone, then expanding the graph) can also be performed by typing a while the mouse is over the node to view the node alone and by typing x to expand the node.
  8. Display only the node bb. It may be useful to look at the inputs of node bb and their inputs, and their inputs and so on. The set of all transitive inputs of a node is called the "up-cone" of the node. The accelerator for up-cone is Ctrl-u.
  9. Repeat the previous exercise but get the "down-cone" this time, that is the set of all outputs of a node, and their outputs, and so on. The accelerator for down-cone is Ctrl-d.
    As you view selected subsets of the dependency graph, FlowTracer creates new sets. These are visible if you refresh the Set Browser by clicking Set > Refresh browser.