Description:
- Merges (compares) two networks from the canvases in the workspace.
- Exactly two canvases must be opened in the workspace
- The merging operation compares the two networks and finds the common part of the networks (intersection), the differences between the networks and the sum of the two networks (union). The networks are compared by searching for identical entities, processes and connectors, the definition of entity process and connectors identity is described below.
- The selected network (Network 1) is treated in a unique way during networks merging: The processes, entities and connectors in the intersection network and also common processes, entities and connectors in the union network inherit their properties from corresponding processes, entities and connectors from the selected network.
- The merge results are displayed in four new canvases arranged side by side for simultaneous display:
• the Differences between Network 1 and Network 2
• the Differences between Network 2 and Network 1
• the Union of Network 1 and Network 2
• the Intersection of Network 1 and Network 2
- All connectors in Network 1 are marked by one color denoted by the difference1 color (default is red) and all connectors in Network 2 are marked by another color denoted by the difference2 color (default is green). The same colors are used for the corresponding connectors in the resulting networks. The connectors that are common in Network1 and Network2 are colored by the intersection color (default value is magenta).
- The default values for the predefined colors difference1, difference2 and intersection can be defined in the Preferences Dialog Box (section Merge).
- The connector colors resulting from the merging operation are persistent, i.e., you can save the output networks and view the connector colors after you open these files.
- The difference between the Networks 1 and 2, contains those connectors of the Network 1, which are not in the Network 2. Please note that the difference operation gives priority to connectors, rather than to their source and target vertexes. The difference between Network 1 and Network 2 excludes the common (intersecting) connectors from the original Network 1 first. Then, all source and target vertexes are added for these connectors that are left. This means that a common (intersecting) entity or process might be in the difference network, but a common connector must not be included in the difference network.
Identity Definitions:
- Equality between two entities: two entities are equal if their corresponding values of Name is equal.
- Equality between two processes: two processes are equal if their corresponding values of Name is equal.
- Equality between two connectors: two connectors are equal if their corresponding source and target are equal according to the above definition of the relation of equality between the objects.
Constraints:
- Exactly two canvases must be opened in the workspace.