3.3.2 Module operation / terminal connection / property setting

The following describes details of node operations, terminal connections and property setting.

• Creating a node
  Right-click on the network construction tab to display a list of node categories. Choose a category and left click on your desired node. To cancel the addition of the node, click the background part of the network construction tab (either of right or left).

• Moving a node
  To relocate a node to an easy-to-see position, click and drag the node with the left mouse button.

• Deleting a node
  Right-click on the node and select "delete".

• Copying a node
  Hold down the Shift key and left-click the node to copy it. Since attribute values are copied along with the node itself, this function is useful in constructing a network that executes the same processes in parallel.

• Connecting a node
  Modules are connected by connecting the terminals with arrows. Left-click on the source terminal, drag and release it on the connection point. The user can connect input to output terminals but cannot connect between input terminals and between output terminals. Multiple connections can be drawn from one output terminal to send the result of a node to multiple nodes. On the other hand, multiple connections cannot be established onto one input terminal.

  In some cases, input and output terminals cannot be established, for instance when the terminal cannot process a particular data type. Such a connection is indicated with a red arrow. In some cases, even though the arrow is black, an error may occur in a program execution when failing to judge the data type the terminal can process. Since the automatic data type judgment function is only a supplementary tool, it is recommended for the user to confirm appropriate data types in the node reference for accurate connections.

• Disconnecting a node
  Hold down Shift and right-click on the starting point or end point of the arrow of the connection that the user wish to disconnect.

• Bending a node connection line
  When moving a node, the node moves with the connection maintained. When positioning a large number of nodes, nodes and their connection lines overlap, which makes them difficult to see. Therefore, it is recommended to bend the lines so that network can be easily seen with fewer overlaps. Left-click the connection line and drag it to bend the line at that point.

• Setting a property value
  Right-click on a node and select “Properties" to display its settings dialog. Enter your desired values and data types, referring to the node reference, and click on “Apply". The settings are saved and the dialog is closed by clicking on “ OK".

Next, we describe how to create a network, using the example of a sound source localizing network.