Draw arrows

Analytica User GuideCreate and edit a modelDraw arrows



Release:

4.6  •  5.0  •  5.1  •  5.2  •  5.3  •  5.4  •  6.0  •  6.1  •  6.2  •  6.3  •  6.4  •  6.5


Use the arrow tool to draw or remove arrows (influences) between variable nodes. Now press and drag an arrow from this node to the second (destination) node. Drawing an arrow from node A to node B puts A in the list of inputs of B. When you create or edit the definition of B, you can now conveniently select A from the inputs menu to insert it into its Definition).

Draw an arrow

To draw an arrow, first click the arrow icon Chapter4 9.png in the toolbar to select the arrow tool. In arrow mode, the cursor changes to this arrow icon when over a diagram window.

  1. Drag from the origin node (which highlights) to the destination node (which also highlights).
  2. Release the mouse button, and it draws the arrow.


To speed up drawing arrows from multiple nodes to a single destination, select all the origin nodes. Drag an arrow from any origin node to the destination, it it will add an arrow from every origin node when you release the mouse button.

Tip
Some arrows are hidden. They disappear after you draw them, even though the underlying dependency remains. For example, arrows to and from indexes and functions are hidden by default. You can change these settings in the Diagram Style dialog and Node Style dialog.

Remove an arrow

  • Click the arrow to select it, then press the Backspace or Delete key, or
  • Just redraw the arrow from the origin node to the destination node. If the origin variable is used in the definition of the destination, it asks if you really want to remove it.
Tip
When you enter or edit a definition (Creating or editing a definition), it automatically updates the arrows into the variable to reflect those variables that appear in the definition (and not those that don't).

Influence cycle or loop

An influence cycle or loop occurs when a variable A depends on itself directly, where A → A, or indirectly so that the arrows form a directed circular path, e.g., A → B → C → A.

If you try to draw arrows that would make a cycle, it warns and prevents you. Except, it does allow a cycle in aDynamic Simulation loop -- i.e. where at least one of the variables in the cycle is defined with the Dynamic function, and contains a time- lagged dependence on another variable in the cycle, shown as a gray arrow (or a variable defined by Iterate which may depend on itself.)

Influence arrows and Modules

Influence arrows to or from Modules and Libraries reflect any influences between variables inside the Modules:


Chapter4 10.png

Arrow from one variable to another:

Chapter4 11.png

Arrow from a variable to a module:

Chapter4 12.png

Arrow from a module to a variable:

Chapter4 13.png

Arrow from a module to another module:

Chapter4 14.png

Double-headed arrow between modules:

Chapter4 15.png

Small arrow-head on left (or right) shows menu with remote inputs (outputs): (

Chapter4 16.png

Press the arrowhead to the left (right) of node to see a menu listing all local and remote inputs (outputs). You can select an object from these menus to jump to see that object node in its parent diagram. For more go to Seeing remote inputs and outputs


See Also

History

  • Segmented and curved arrows, and the ability to change line width, styles, and colors, were introduced in Analytica 6.0
  • Sticky arrows introduced in Analytica 6.3
  • Using dashed lines for arrows that don't reflect a true dependency introduced in Analytica 6.3.
Create and edit nodesDraw arrowsDraw arrows between modules
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