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Link Properties

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Figure 1. Link Properties

Links are draw between neurons or nodes in the diagram. They do not show up in the toolbox and the only way to add one is to connect two nodes. When you do this AnimatLab looks at the types of nodes you are connecting to decide which types of links can be used. If you are connecting two links that are in the same neural module then this module will display a dialog allowing the user to select a link type. In this case it will be a collection of possible synapse types. If you are trying to connect nodes that are in different modules and do not know how to talk to each other by default then AnimatLab will automatically add an adapter between these two nodes inorder to connect them for you. Link is the base object for synapse types so these properties are common for all them. Below is a list of the link properties.

Adjust Destination
Determines whether it is possible to adjust the position of the destination point of this link. By default AnimatLab controls where the destination and origin points are located on the nodes. If you stretch a link then it moves these points itself. But sometimes it may be important for the link to start or end in a particular spot. This property allows you to set exactly where this link will end on the node.
Default value: False.

Adjust Origin
Determines whether it is possible to adjust the position of the origin point of this link. By default AnimatLab controls where the destination and origin points are located on the nodes. If you stretch a link then it moves these points itself. But sometimes it may be important for the link to start or end in a particular spot. This property allows you to set exactly where this link will begin on the node.
Default value: False.

Arrows
You can specify three "arrows" for a link. These are at the origin, destination, and in the middle of the link. Each of these arrows have the same set of properties that show up as a nested list. Below is a description of the arrow properties.

Figure 2. The three arrow types for a link.

Figure 3. Examples of different types of arrow heads. The 15, 30, and 45 at the end of the names refers to the arrow angle property. Whether the arrow is filled or not is determined by the arrow filled property.

Arrow:Angle
This is the inner angle used for this arrow. The larger this value is the more spread out is the arrow head. See figure 3 for an example of this. The numbers 15, 30, and 45 at the end of the names refers to this property and will give you a good idea of what it means.
Default value: deg15.
Acceptable Values:

  • deg15
  • deg30
  • deg45

Arrow:filled
Determines whether the inside of the arrow is filled or not.
Default value: False.

Arrow:Size
Determines the overall size of the arrow.
Default value: Small.
Acceptable Values:
  • Small
  • Medium
  • Large

Arrow:Style
Determines the shape of the arrow. See figure 3 for an example of the different shapes.
Default value: None.
Acceptable Values:
  • None
  • Circle
  • Arrow
  • Fork
  • ClosedFork
  • Losange
  • Many
  • ManyOptional
  • One
  • OneOptional
  • OneOrMany
  • OpenedArrow
  • HalfArrow
  • OpenedHalfArrow

Arrow Destination
A nested item that allows you to configure how the arrow at the destination of the link looks.

Arrow Middle
A nested item that allows you to configure how the arrow in the middle of the link looks.

Arrow Origin
A nested item that allows you to configure how the arrow at the origin of the link looks.

Back Mode
Determines whether the background remains untouched or if the background is filled with the current background color before the text.
Figure 4. Back mode demonstration
Default value: Transparent.
Acceptable Values:
  • Transparent: The background for text is transparent.
  • Opaque: The background for text uses the background color.

Dash Style
Sets the pen style used to draw the border of the node.
Default value: Solid.
Acceptable Values:
  • Solid
  • Dash
  • Dot
  • DashDot
  • DashDotDot
  • Custom

Description
This is a text area where you can enter a detailed description of this link. When a user moves the mouse over this link a pop-up window will be briefly displayed that shows this descriptive text. This area is very useful for annotizing the parts of your circuit. For example, we are using it to keep track of which synapses in our circuits are based on real physiological data, and which are simply speculative. You can also add standard link descriptors in the text like ftp:\\, http:\\, and file:\\ for locations on your harddrive. This allows you to link a neuron or synapse to documents on the internet that describe it in detail.

Draw Color
Sets the pen color used to draw the border of the link.
Default value: Black.
Acceptable Values: Any Color from the drop-down box.

Draw Width
Sets the width of the line used to draw the border of the link.
Default value: 1.
Acceptable Values:Any Positive Integer value.

Font
Sets the font used for the text in the node.
Default value: Arial 14 point.
Acceptable Values: Any font that can be configured using the font editor dialog.

Jump
Sets the type of jump used when two links cross. A jump is a little arc displayed at the intersection of 2 links. The jump is displayed in the link that has the greatest ZOrder. In the following example, the link B is above the link A which is itself above the link C.

Figure 5. Description of link jumps.
Default value: Arc.
Acceptable Values:
  • None
  • Arc
  • Break

Line Style
Sets the type of jump used when two links cross. A jump is a little arc displayed at the intersection of 2 links. The jump is displayed in the link that has the greatest ZOrder. In the following example, the link B is above the link A which is itself above the link C.

Figure 6. Line Styles.
Default value: Polyline.
Acceptable Values:
  • Polyline
  • Bezier
  • Spline
  • VH
  • HV
  • VHV
  • HVH
  • VHVH
  • HVHV
  • VHVHV
  • HVHVH
  • VHVHVH
  • HVHVHV
  • VHVHVHV
  • HVHVHVH

Oriented Text
Determines whether whether its text can be drawn in the same direction as the link itself.

Figure 7. Description of oriented text.
Default value: True.

Orthogonal Dynamic
Determines whether the link is composed of several orthogonal segments (vertical or horizontal) so that the first and last segments of the link are orthogonal to the origin and destination nodes.

  • This property will have not any effect if the LinkStyle property of the link is 0 (polyline) or 1 (Bezier) or 14 (Cubic Spline).
  • To observ the "OrthogonalDynamic" behaviour, click on a link point and move it. You may also set the AdjustOrg and AdjustDst properties of the link.
  • Note that when you "stretch" an OrthogonalDynamic link, its LinkStyle property value may change.
Default value: True.

Text Color
Specifies the color of the text in the node.
Default value: Black.
Acceptable Values: Any Color from the drop-down box.

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