Navigating a Dependency Map

By default, the document selected in the document list is the root block in the dependency map. The root block is the block that is the focus of the map. All other blocks branch off of the root block. The outline of the root block appears in bold to distinguish it from the other blocks.

If necessary, you can temporarily change the perspective of the map by setting another block as the root. You can also change the orientation so that the root block will appear at the left, right, top, or bottom of the map. By default, the orientation is set to Display Root at Top.

When you select a block, the outline color of the selected block becomes red, the color of its inward links change to blue, and the color of its outward links change to green.

For example, when the selected block represents a master DGN document:

the outline color of the selected block changes to red
the outline color of the blocks that represent the master document’s references change to blue
the color of the links that are pointing from the reference blocks to the master block also changes to blue

In this example, a block representing a master document is selected in the map.

If the selected block represents a reference document, then:

the outline color of the selected block changes to red
the outline color of the block that represents the master document now changes to green
the color of the link pointing from the reference block to the master block also changes to green

In this example, a block representing a reference document is selected in the map.

Changing the root block in a map

When you change the root block, the dependency map is automatically redrawn to show the selected block moved to the root position, with all its dependent blocks branching away from it.

Changing the root block is not permanent, since document’s dependency map is always freshly generated from the most current information in the database for that document. The newly set root will remain the root as long as that dependency map remains loaded in the Dependency Viewer tab and you do not click Refresh on the Dependency Viewer toolbar. If you click Refresh, or if you switch to another document’s dependency map and then later return to this one, the default root block will be restored.

To change the root block:

Select a document in the document list to view its dependency map.
In the map, right-click any block that is not the root block, and select Set As Root.
The dependency map is automatically redrawn to show the selected block now in the root block position.

To restore the default root block:

Click the Refresh icon in the Dependency Viewer toolbar.

Changing the orientation of the current map

You can change the orientation of the current map using the , Display Root at Right, Display Root at Top, and Display Root at Bottom icons on the Dependency Viewer toolbar.

When you change the view orientation, the current dependency map is automatically redrawn with the root block placed in its extreme position (according to the selected view orientation icon), and with the other blocks and links correspondingly repositioned to maintain the integrity of the dependency map.

The default view orientation is Display Root at Top. To change the orientation, just click one of the other three view orientation icons.

You can see what the current orientation for the current dependency map by looking at which view orientation icon is selected in the toolbar.

When you change the default view orientation, that view orientation remains in effect throughout your session of ProjectWise Explorer (until you change it again). Closing and reopening ProjectWise Explorer will restore the view orientation to the default.

Panning and zooming in a map

Using the various zoom-related icons on the Dependency Viewer toolbar you can zoom in and out of any dependency map.

If your mouse has a scroll wheel, you can also use that to zoom in and out of dependency maps. If you click the scroll wheel button, the mouse arrow becomes a hand that grabs the dependency map, at which point you can move the mouse in any direction to drag the dependency map as needed. Click the scroll wheel button again to release the map.

Clicking the Overview Window icon on the toolbar opens a small window (called the Overview Window) in the lower right corner of the Dependency Viewer tab, which displays a scaled down version of the current dependency map. The Overview Window is primarily used for panning, and is useful when you are already zoomed in deep into the current dependency map. To pan using the Overview Window, click somewhere inside the Overview Window, then drag and release the map as needed. When you release, the larger dependency map is also panned.

Impact analysis

You can also use the Impact Analysis feature to highlight only a block’s inward links, or only its outward links.

To highlight a block's inward links, right-click a block and select Impact Analysis > Highlight Objects In Current Dependency Map That Affect Me.
The outline color of the selected block changes to red, and the color of its inward links and linked blocks changes to blue.
To highlight a block's outward links, right-click a block and select Impact Analysis > Highlight Objects In Current Dependency Map That I Affect.
The outline color of the selected block changes to red, and the color of its outward links and linked blocks changes to green.

Tip: When you are finished, click an empty space in the map, or click the Refresh icon in the Dependency Viewer toolbar, to restore the dependency map to its normal state.