Set default properties for elements

Question

When I create edges, I always want them to have smooth bends, and to have the labels positions "centre slider" with a white background. At present it seems that I have to set this each time I add an edge (or, more commonly, select all edges and edit them en masse after each edit).

Is there a way to set the default properties so that, whenever I create an edge, it has these settings on by default?

Actually, it would be nice to be able to set default properties for everything, and (please sir, can I have some more....) per group. e.g. I may set that by default all my elements have blue backgrounds, but then within a node, by default they're all yellow. Again, I know I can do this post-hoc after all my edits, but it would be nice to be able to select my defaults once, rather than change things after every edit.

Answer 1

You can add new elements to the palette.  Just create a new palette section with the nodes, edges, and groups customized the way that you like, and then use these in your graph diagrams.

To create a new palette section, either choose Edit->Manage Palette from the menu or right-click the palette and select Manage Palette.

In any graph diagram, create a node, group, or edge with the settings you want.  Right-click on the element and choose Add to Palette, then select the new palette section that you created earlier.  Repeat for other elements until your palette section has the elements you use often.

There are other ways to do this as well, but this should get you started with a custom palette section.

Comments

Thanks, this partially helps, however in order to save the label position settings, it appears that I have to have an active label on the entry in the palette. As soon as a label is deleted from an edge, the settings revert to the yed defaults. I tried creating an edge, adding a label, setting the format and saving it, and that's fine. But if I delete the label (having edited the properties) then save the edge to the palette, the label settings are lost. Similarly, if I delete the label from an edge, and then recreate it, any settings I applied to the first label are lost.

So - is there a way to save the edge label settings, without having to have a default label for every edge?

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I would also like to know how to save edge properties I have created. This doesnt seem possible

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Even if you could just copy and paste edges you've created with labels just the way you want them, that would be great.

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Hi the anwser helped me a lot. I just saved an edge with an empty label " " and the required properties to the palette. This pretty much does for me what @PhilEvans asked for.