Merging Objects and Relations

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Ideally, there will only be one object for each person, place, instrument, and company (noun/entity) in the system.  Assigning objects in this way promotes the idea that an object is a “pivot point” to access ways of viewing an object.  It also reinforces the “object as a repository of data” idea where you can drag and drop an object into a space and get one-click access to all data.

 

The point of this is to encourage you to merge new data in the system with existing entities.

(This will happen in a more automated and/or guided fashion as the software develops.)

 

To merge objects, right click one of the objects you wish to merge and go to Merge > Objects… to open the Merge Objects panel.  The panel will have two identical buttons labeled Choose… with a Dominant option next to them.  Click on one of the Choose buttons and navigate through the tree to the other object.  (The tree automatically focuses on the space you are currently in.)  Select the object and press OK.  Both objects will now appear in each of the Choose buttons. 

Merge Objects Panel

After you have chosen the dominant object, press OK.

 

“Dominant” object features/attributes are used to:

  • resolve conflicts
  • determine object properties, such as image and URL

 

If two objects have the same named attribute but different time stamps, those attributes will be combined as one with all non-conflicting attributes and the dominant value in each case of conflict.

 

You can only merge two objects at a time (Tip: By merging repeatedly you can merge multiple objects.).  Whenever objects are merged, a new object is created that absorbs data from both and inherits properties of the dominant object. The object that was not set as dominant will disappear from the tree (because it was absorbed into the dominant object).

 

You can also merge recently imported objects with existing objects to have all data, sub-spaces, and instances in galleries for an object unified on one object.  Select two objects (hold Ctrl to select second object), right click, and choose Merge > Objects….