To help users master the Editable Nodemap, here are some step by step practice exercises designed to cover key navigation and features.
Prerequisites
Before you start, please log into your Cutover instance and find the certification workspace, create a new runbook and choose the sandbox folder. If you do not have a certification workspace, please choose any of your test/non-prod/UAT/sandbox environments or workspace to try out.
All the actions for the exercise will be in a blue call out box, so be sure to double check your steps!
Start of exercise
Let’s start by creating a blank Runnbook called “Editable StarMap - Learning Lab”
Now we have a blank runbook. Let’s start by creating a few tasks with out predecessors in the nodemap view:
1. Creating tasks
CREATE 3 ROOT tasks in the Nodemap and choose the task type via the icon option on the left.
Task name and type:
Anakin Skywalker - Milestone
Han Solo - Normal task type
Kylo Ren - Milestone
Note: If you don’t click off the tasks once you have created them, then for the next task it’ll just default to creating them in sequence
Now we will be adding a successor task, a predecessor task and a sibling task.using the “Action bar” at the bottom of the nodemap
ADD a successor task (Add task after)for Anakin Skywalker called Luke Skywalker and choose Milestone task type
ADD a sibling task for Luke Skywalker called Princess Leia also Milestone task type
ADD a predecessor task (Add task before) for BOTH Luke and Leia called Padme Amidala, normal task type
2. Editing and Managing Dependencies
We have explored ways of adding tasks in different order, Let’s look at how to add, change and remove dependencies.
FIND Kylo Ren, then use the node to drag the dependency to Han Solo so it becomes Han Solo successor (the task after)
ADD dependency between Kylo Ren and Princess Leia, so that Kylo is also the successor of Princess Leia (You can choose which way round you want to connect)
We gonna introduce a new persona now, so let’s remind ourselves on how to add a “ROOT Task”
ADD a Root task called Darth Vader with Milestone task type
Other than using the nodes on connect dependencies, if you want to have a task in between 2 tasks in sequence, you can also DRAG it, so we are gonna:
DRAG Darth in between Anakin and Luke
ADD a sibling task for Luke Skywalker called Luke’s left arm also Milestone task type
When you have unwanted dependencies, before, you’d go into the details panel and go and edit and delete the successors in the dependency section, now you can just select and remove.
DELETE the dependency between Luke’s left arm and Padme Amidala
Same as adding, you can do it directly from here and easily dictate who is the predecessor or successor
ADD Dependencies between Luke Skywalker and Luke’s Left arm. Luke Skywalker should be the predecessor.
Are we all good and following? Let's go to the next section!
3. Highlight Mode, Multi Edit, add comments & Undo
So, with the changes to the nodemap, we have added some visual indicators so you can easily tell if there is additional info, status and others. We will now add a comment (Spoiler alert!):
SELECT Darth Vader add a comment “Luke, I am your father” and you should be able to see the visual indicator icon for comments
You should see the comment icon on the task node so it adds visual cues for users to pay attention to.
Let’s get our tasks organise a bit, I wanna create a new stream from here:
ADD a new stream called THE FORCE
And let’s put some tasks into the stream. As you know, you can multi edit in the task list with the check boxes, in the nodemap, similarly to a lot of other UI, you can directly multi select the node by holding down Ctrl/Control key and click on the nodes (CMD on Macs), So Max, if you could:
MULTI SELECT Darth, Anakin, Leia, Luke and Luke’s left arm, Kylo
CLICK EDIT on action bar, then put both into THE FORCE Stream and remember to click SAVE
And some of you may already know what’s coming next
ADD a task description to Luke’s Left arm “ Bye bye” and you can also see the visual indicators on the node map for descriptions!
Now, the big finale
MULTI SELECT Anakin and Luke’s left arm
DELETE Anakin and Luke’s left arm at once (via Keyboard)
You maybe have noticed that in the editable nodemap we offer undo for certain actions, like, if you created a task, if you changed a dependency, it will only do one step back (the action you just did) but how would you find the undo option?
Now try out the undo function:
CREATE a new task called Yoda and then go back to the action bar and UNDO
CLICK ON any dependency link and remove them, then go to UNDO
*Note: if you deleted tasks, you cannot undo that.
4. If you have a bit more time, let’s try out a few other actions
You can also create tasks between 2 tasks by clicking the dependency link
CLICK ON the dependency link between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker and
ADD a task called “C3PO” as checklist task type
HOLD OPTION (ALT) and DRAG C3PO between Luke and Padme and add a new task called R2-D2
Did you know about Highlight Mode?
SELECT THE FORCE Stream filter, then go to the 3-dot more option on the top right next to the “list, nodemap and table” view buttons.
CLICK the Switch to highlight mode option and see your nodemap change.
NOW DESELECT the filters and SELECT Milestone task type filter and observe how it changes.
Lastly Let’s practice the navigation:
General nav: Use the mouse/trackpad to zoom in and out of the runbook to see both the "big picture" and task details. Use the mini-map to jump to a specific area.
Pan: Use the Shift + Arrow keys to pan across the map, and then press the 'c' key to re-center your view on a selected node.
Multi Select: Try a different way to multi select tasks, you can click outside the task nodes and drag out an area, any nodes that are covered by the area box will be selected.
That's it! Thank you for working it through with us! and hope you enjoy something slightly different. Please refer to our help article anytime if you have any questions on how the nodemap works!