Did You Know? : Adding Comments

Adding comments

Composable DataFlows can span the range from simple tasks accomplished with a small number of easily-traceable modules to broad, complex, even nested tasks that become harder to follow the logic of as they evolve across dozens of modules in a process.

It would be nice if we could make comments within the DataFlow so that we could document in place. 

Did you know that you can do that?

As an example, let’s explore the DataFlow created in the first lab from the NASDAQ API Project Lab Series, with the wire type changed to Flow Chart here.

Initially, our DataFlow looks something like this:

Now, let’s add some in-flow comments to help us remember what we built.

Find some empty space above the Ticker module and right-click.  That opens up a box that reads: Add a Comment.

Click on Add a Comment and you get a box within which you can enter notes.

You can type into the body of the comment.  You can even add Markdown characters for formatting.  You can also rename the box so that it doesn’t read as “Add a Comment”.

The bracketing ** are Markdown for bold.

Click outside the Comment box and see your results.

If you want to take up less screen real estate until the comment is desired, you can minimize the Comment.

Also, while in the Minimized state, you can click-and-drag to move the Comment.  I will raise mine a little higher so that it doesn’t underlap my Ticker module when expanded.

If you like, you may add other comments to help document what we have done today.