Overview
Classes allow you to add new properties to objects. If you, for example, use a map to make a decision on buying a vehicle, you might add mileage, top speed and price. In project management, you might use person responsible, priority and already done (%). Subordinate objects inherit properties. You then set property values for these objects (for the examples above: a certain type of car or a certain project stage).
Basics
Objects And Object Types
A map consists of objects of different object types. Besides the map center, the object types branch, twig, free text, picture and connector are available. If you have MYmap show the outline, you can easily see which objects are contained in your map and their respective types.
Class Hierarchies
Every map is stored as a tree structure in MYmap. This constitutes a class hierarchy: If you create a branch for a certain manufacturer in a vehicle purchase map, for example, and then add the various models of this manufacturer as twigs, you express that these vehicles are related to this manufacturer.
Properties
Every object has, depending on object type, a number of standard properties — a branch, for example, has branch line color and font size properties. You can add your own user properties to objects, such as mileage or person responsible. (The term properties applies to standard and user properties together.)
Property Values
Property values are the actual characteristics of a certain object, such as red for branch line color or Ms. Miller for person responsible. Changing the value of a standard property affects display accordingly and immediately, while changing the value of a user property does not.
Inheritance
If you add user properties to an object, these properties apply to all subordinate objects by default. This behavior is called inheritance. You can set for each object whether it inherits. User properties can be inherited, standard properties cannot. Property values are also never inherited.
Classes: Four Steps
#1 Create Map
Start by creating a map in the usual way. In order to make the most of the user property inheritance features, it is advisable to set great store on creating a meaningful class hierarchy where sub-branches are related to their respective superordinate branches by a is-a relationship. If you want certain properties inherited, you must make sure that the objects that are to inherit this certain property are subordinate to those objects that first introduce the property into the class hierarchy of your map.
If such a class hierarchy cannot be implemented due to reasons with regards to content, you can alternatively assign the required properties to the map center in the next step. They will then be available to all objects. Whenever possible, you should avoid this approach, however.
#2 Create Properties
Add the desired properties. Use the Edit classes task pane by clicking the respective task pane tab or pressing Ctrl+5. In your map, select the object of which you wish to edit inheritance behavior or properties.
- Enable/disable inheritance: The Inherit all properties check box in the Selected object section is enabled by default, except for the map center; the object then inherits all properties of the superordinate object. In order to interrupt inheritance, disable the checkbox; the object will then inherit no properties at all. Properties are never inherited over map boundaries, because every map is saved as an independent file, and renaming or moving one of the maps comprised might destroy the entire class hierarchy otherwise.
- Create property: Enter the name of the property to be created into the left column of an empty row of the Properties and values table and press the enter key.
- Edit property: Click the table row containing the property to be edited.
- Type: Providing the type of a property is for documentational purposes, stating the kind of information expected. By default, MYmap assumes String. MYmap does not enforce type safety, and selecting a certain type does not have any effect within MYmap. Nevertheless, it is good practice to state the type correctly because third-party software might rely on this declaration, and type safety might be enforced in later versions of MYmap.
String Unicode text Hyperlink Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) according to RFC 3986 Float Number, optionally with decimal places Integer Integer Percent Integer interpreted as percentage Boolean Logical value DateTime Date, time or combination of both TimeSpan Interval of time Table 6-1: Types of properties
- Show in map view: This checkbox has no effect within MYmap. Third-party software and later versions of MYmap might evaluate this data.
- Type: Providing the type of a property is for documentational purposes, stating the kind of information expected. By default, MYmap assumes String. MYmap does not enforce type safety, and selecting a certain type does not have any effect within MYmap. Nevertheless, it is good practice to state the type correctly because third-party software might rely on this declaration, and type safety might be enforced in later versions of MYmap.
- Delete property: Click the area left to the name of the property to be deleted. This selects the entire row. Then press the del key.
#3 Set Property Values
Add property values, the actual pieces of information. Make sure the Edit classes task pane is still selected (see above), and select the object of which you wish to set property values.
- Set property value: Enter the value of the property into the right column of the respective row of the Properties and values table and press enter key.
- Calculate property value as function value: Select the row of the Properties and values table containing the property of which the value is to be calculated. Then click the Insert button in the Function part of the Selected value section. Functions are inactive within MYmap. Third-party software and later versions of MYmap might calculate function values.
#4 Use Property Values
You can now evaluate data in MYmap or export a table. Compare property values in MYmap by clicking the objects of your map and looking at the values shown in the Edit classes task pane. For table export, select File → Export or press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+ S. Select the Simple Web Page tab und make sure the With class tables checkbox is enabled. Then click Export. Your browser will open and show an outline containing properties and property values as tables attached to the respective objects.