Create new topic

Revision as of 19:14, 27 February 2007

New topic is created with New instance topic... or New subclass topic... options in Topics > New Topic menu. Top menu bar also contains option New topic... to create disconnected topics. All options open dialog window used to enter initial basename and subject identifier for the topic. If basename field is left blank created topic has no basename. If subject identifier field is left blank the topic is given a default identifier.

If you selected New instance topic... option Wandora confirms if the created topic is attached to the current context topic as a instance. Similar approvement is requested if you started with New subclass topic... option.

After topic creation you may want to open topic for more detailed edition. If you created topic with New instance topic... or New subclass topic... options it is probably available at topic tree. In any case you find new topic with finder panel. Double click the topic in topic tree or search result and Wandora opens topic to the topic panel. Now you can edit topic as described in How to open and modify topic.

Creating topic with existing basename or subject identifier

Topic map standard defines that a topic should have unique basename (within the scope) and subject identifiers. If two topics share same basename (within the scope) or at least one subject identifier topics should be merged.

If you give new topic a basename or a subject identifier that allready exists within another topic Wandora merges new topic with the existing topic. If both topics are included in the same topic map layer the merge is real. Real merge is always irreversible. If both topics are part of different topic map layers the merge is virtual. Virtual merge keeps both topics apart but the real-time representation of topics is a merged topic. Merge is confirmed with a dialog window. If you disallow the merge no topic is created.