As you load entity types into the link chart view, you can manually add links between the nodes. Alternatively, links can be added automatically when you define the link sources and targets in the Relationship Type window. The sections below outline these options.
Add links using entity key fields
To add links between entities when the fields that define the relationship between the entities exist within the entity type data sources, complete the following steps:
- Add at least one entity type in the link chart.
- Click Relationship Type
on the Link Chart Diagram tab. The Add new relationship type between entities dialog box appears.
- Choose an entity type from the Choose source entities drop-down menu.
This list is generated from the list of entity types that have been added to the link chart.
- Choose an entity type from the Choose target entities drop-down menu.
This can be the same entity type you chose in step 3 or a different entity type.
- Type a name for your relationship type in the Enter name for relationship type text box.
- To set a default label for all links in the relationship, type a label in the Enter default label text box.
You can modify individual labels on relationship links after the links are added to the link chart. See Add link labels manually in this topic.
- For Choose key type, choose Entities.
- For Source entity key field, choose the field in the source entity that contains values that match values in the Target entity key field.
This field can be of data type Text, Date, Short Integer, Long Integer, Float, Double, Object ID, GUID, Global ID, and XML.
- For Target entity key field, choose the field in the target entity that contains values that match values in Source entity key field.
This field can be of data type Text, Date, Short Integer, Long Integer, Float, Double, Object ID, GUID, Global ID, and XML.
- Click OK to create the relationship type.
Links between nodes are displayed in the link chart. To edit the link symbology, choose the relationship type in the Contents pane and click Symbology
on the Link Chart Diagram tab.Note:
Edits made to the link chart data sources—such as adding new records, updating record attributes, and deleting records—are not automatically synchronized with the link chart. Click Refresh
in the link chart view to sync these edits. The date and time the link chart was last synchronized are displayed on the Current as of label in the link chart view. - Optionally, click Relationship Type and repeat the steps above to add more relationship types.
- Optionally, to edit the parameters of an existing relationship type, right-click the relationship type in the Contents pane and choose Properties
. Make your changes, and click OK to update the chart.
Add links using foreign key fields
To add links between entities when the fields that define the relationship between the entities exist within the entity type data sources and in a non-entity data source, complete the following steps:
Note:
In these steps, the non-entity data source is referred to as the foreign data source.
- Add at least one entity type in the link chart.
- Click Relationship Type on the Link Chart Diagram tab
The Add new relationship type between entities dialog box appears.
- Choose an entity type from the Choose source entities drop-down menu.
This list is generated from the list of entity types that have been added to the link chart.
- Choose an entity type from the Choose target entities drop-down menu.
This can be the same entity type you chose in step 3 or a different entity type.
- Type a name for your relationship type in the Enter name for relationship type text box.
- To set a default label for all links in the relationship, type a label in the Enter default label text box.
Individual labels on relationship links can be modified after the links are added to the link chart. See Add link labels manually in this topic.
- For Choose key type, choose Foreign.
- For Choose layer, choose the foreign data source; this can be a layer or stand-alone table.
- For Source entity key field, choose the field in the source entity that contains values that match values in Matching source key field from foreign key layer.
This field can be of data type Text, Date, Short Integer, Long Integer, Float, Double, Object ID, GUID, Global ID, and XML.
- For Target entity key field, choose the field in the target entity that contains values that match values in Matching target key field from foreign key layer.
This field can be of data type Text, Date, Short Integer, Long Integer, Float, Double, Object ID, GUID, Global ID, and XML.
- For Matching source key field from foreign key layer, choose the field in the foreign data source that contains values that match values in Source entity key field.
- For Matching target key field from foreign key layer, choose the field in the foreign data source that contains values that match values in Target entity key field.
- Click OK to create the relationship type.
Links between nodes are displayed in the link chart. To edit the link symbology, choose the relationship type in the Contents pane and click Symbology
on the Link Chart Diagram tab.Note:
Edits made to the link chart data sources—such as adding new records, updating record attributes, and deleting records—are not automatically synchronized with the link chart. Click Refresh
in the link chart view to sync these edits. The date and time the link chart was last synchronized are displayed on the Current as of label in the link chart view. - Optionally, click Relationship Type and repeat the steps above to add more relationship types.
- Optionally, to edit the parameters of an existing relationship type, right-click the relationship type in the Contents pane and choose Properties . Make your changes, and click OK to update the chart.
Add links manually
To manually draw links between nodes in the link chart view, complete the following steps:
- From the Active Relationship drop-down menu on the Link Chart Diagram tab, choose a relationship type to which the links will be added.
- Click Add Link
in the Add group.Note:
You can add a relationship type without key fields by choosing None in the Key Fields section of the Add new relationship type between entities dialog box. The new relationship type will be empty, but you can add new links by manually drawing them between entities. - In the link chart view, select a node in the link chart and drag the pointer to another node to add a link. Continue adding links between nodes until you have added all the links you need.
Add link labels manually
Add labels to links by following these steps:
- Click the Select tool
on the Link Chart Diagram tab and double-click the link to be labeled.The pointer is activated where you can type text along the link.
- Type a label for the link and press Enter.
The label appears for the link.
- Repeat these steps to add more labels.
Change link symbology
By default, links are drawn as solid gray lines with arrowheads pointing from the source nodes to the target nodes. To change the link symbology options, follow these steps:
- Choose a relationship type in the Contents pane, and click Symbology on the Link Chart Diagram tab.
The Link Symbology pane appears.
- Optionally, edit the Color, Line Width, Dash Effect, and Enable Arrowheads To Target Nodes options for the links.
- Edit the link labels properties in the Link Label section.
Link labels are not displayed by default.