Manual Map Build

There are two ways to build a software map, automatically or manually. If you want more control over your map, the Aplas map builder allows you to place applications individually.

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Important note

It is generally recommended that you automatically build your software maps. Even though it might seem feasible to build your map manually, over time, the map will become out-of-date. Automatically generated maps are designed to stay in sync with your software index as it changes.

Creating an empty map

1. Create a new map while selecting the manual build type.
2. Click to Lock for Edit to ensure you have exclusive access while building your map.
3. Click the Build button to open the map builder.

The map builder

This is where maps can be built from scratch and maintained ongoing. The map builder has two main parts:

• Control panel: Changes the mode of the map. Selecting a different mode changes what actions occur on the map canvas.
• Map canvas: Starts as a black area, as applications are attached, the canvas will fill with your software map.

The control panel has the following nodes (from left to right):

• Attach mode: Includes the list of unattached applications that can be selected, then dropped on the map. You build a map in this mode.
• Select mode: This allows you to select hex cells on the map canvas to see what attachments are placed.
• Move mode: Allows applications to be moved on the map canvas.
• Expand mode: Allows regions to be expanded.
• Contract mode: Allowed regions to be contracted.
• Tasks mode: Provides options to regenerate the entire map or just the integration channels.
• Detach mode: Allows applications to be selected, the removed from the map. They will reappear in the attach list if you wish to reattach.

What is the region buffer? When attaching/detaching applications, you will notice the region around the application is added/removed automatically. This setting controls the radius of the impacted cells.

Building a map

The process of building a map is just a matter of attaching applications. Regions will build themselves up behind applications, while integration channels are attached automatically as the connected application are attached.

1. Select the attach mode from the control panel (plus icon).
2. Click to select an application.
3. Click again on the map canvas to attach the application.
4. Repeat steps 2+3 until all required applications are attached. Remember, it's important to drop applications with the same tag next to each other.

Maintaining a map

Manually built maps don't maintain themselves. If a new application is added to your index you will need to open the map builder to attach the application. For new integrations, you can use the task mode to auto-place channels. If you would like to repeat what happens when you create a map, you can click auto-place applications.