Dataflow
We use the term dataflow to describe a chain of drafts and operations that manipulate and generate new drafts.
If any node in the dataflow is changed, those changes propagate through the whole chain of connections, leading to changed results.
Dataflows are created when drafts and operations are connected together by selecting the outlet of a draft and connecting it to an inlet of an operation.
Chaining Drafts and Operations​
This act of connecting creates a relationship that will be maintained even when something in the dataflow changes.
AdaCAD allows you to chain multiple operations and drafts together. In the example, a draft (which was created in a point-and-click fashion by the user) is connected to the stretch operation which interprets the the parameters (2 and 2) to duplicate each end and pic in the input structure 2 times when creating the output structure. Connecting the outlet of the stretch operation to the inlet of the make symmetric operation takes the stretched draft and rotates it around whichever corner is chosen from the list on the make symmetric operation. And so on, the output of the make symmetric operation can be connected to the inlet of the tile operation, essentially "stamps" its input draft a user-specified number to the right/bottom of the original.
Editing Drafts Produced in the Dataflow​
One of the drawbacks of the dataflow is that you can't just open any individual draft generated by an operation for editing. This is because the draft generated by an operation is only aware of the rules told to it by the operation. There is no way for you, the user, to point and click and add your own rules or modifications on top of that (unless, of course, you'd like to program your own operation)
If you do need to make edits to a draft created in the dataflow you must open the draft in the editor and hit "Enable Edits" from the top of the screen. This will copy the draft generated by the operation and remove it from the dataflow so you can edit it freely. In this case, your draft will no longer be part of the dataflow and thus, it will not change if the dataflow is changed.
More Resources​
- Follow step-by-step instructions for creating common dataflows in Tutorials.
- Learn about advanced dataflows we created to support our projects in Examples.
- if you like programming, explore how you can write your own operations.
- want to explore link between algorithms and draft making? Feel free to download our paper that describes drafting, structures, and operations in the context of making woven force sensors. Pages 3 - 11 include a workbook for people to follow to learn for themselves.
- To better understand the potential benefits of designing with dataflows you can read our 2023 publication, AdaCAD: Parametric Design as a New Form of Notation for Complex Weaving.