Configurable relationship direction

[kbs666]

At present setting relationships is somewhat counterintuitive. Which side of each relationship pair, master/minion, residence/resident etc., is set is entirely dependent on which side of the relationship the relationship is initially set. This can be frustrating as it frequently requires saving the new topic, opening the other half of the relationship, setting the relationship in the other topic and then going back to the topic you're actually working on.

It would be better if you could set which side of the relationship the topic where you create the relationship is on.

 

[Silveras]

You can set a relationship of any type from either side.

Also, you can drag-and-drop one topic to another to set relationships (Shift-Drag makes it Containment specifically, otherwise you get a dialog to set the type you want).

I agree that it is not intuitively obvious which way the relationship goes from either side... that could certainly be improved.

 

[Greebo]

Yes, relationships are handled quite long-winded, at the moment.

A view / option / editor to create family trees and relationship networks (including a create new topic button) would be very handy.

 

[kbs666]

You can set a relationship of any type from either side.

? How precisely?

 

[Silveras]

? How precisely?

Let's start with a common one, Master/Minion, with a creature that is in the middle of chain.. "B" has a Master relationship with "C" and a Minion relationship with "A" (A is master of B is master of C).

1. From "B", click on the "+" button on the "Relationships" panel. There, the dialog has two drop-down selection lists, and a navigation tree.
2. Select "Belongs to or Within" from the first drop-down list.
3. Select "Master/Minion" from the second drop-down list.
4. Select "A" from the content tree.
5. Enter any notes you like in the "Enter Description Here" box.
6. Click OK

This creates the relationship where "B" is the Minion of "A"

1. Click "+" again.
2. In the dialog, select "Comprises or Encompasses" in the first drop-down list.
3. Select "Master/Minion" from the second drop-down list.
4. Select "C" from the content tree.
5. Enter any notes you like the "Enter Description Here" box.
6. Click OK

This creates the relationship where "B" is the Master of "C"

Parent/Child in either direction is contained within the "Family Relationship"; from either one of the two, you can select "Parent of" or "Child of", or "Immediate Ancestor of" or "Offspring of", to create the Parent/Child or Ancestor/Offspring relationship in either direction from one of the participants.

Many other relationships are simpler links between the two.. "Simple Relationship" and "Arbitrary Relationship", for example, do not denote hierarchy intrinsically. You may include notes to that effect, but by their nature they are simply bi-directional links.

 

[kbs666]

That has got to be the worst way of doing things I've ever seen in 30 years of software development.

My original post stands. Fix this so the process is intuitive rather than arcane.

 

[Teresa]

I wouldn't go so far as to say is arcane...

... but I always suffer before deciding whether "belongs to/within" or "comprises/encompasses" is the one I want. And I do sometimes get it wrong ;_;

I usually blame it on my dislexia - but asking for a bit more intuitive process would work wonders in my case.

 

[Bidmaron]

kbs, how do you suggest it be done? I'm not disagreeing with your assertion, but I'm not sure what the best way is to make the interface less arcane...