Extend a Graph Analysis in Arcade Analytics Through Element Adding and Editing

Being connected to multiple data sources is a key feature for Arcade Analytics if you have to work with real-time data. However, it would be nice enriching the dataset loaded from the data source.

In this article, we are going to see how easy is to enhance the dataset of our analysis with Arcade Analytics. It is worth emphasizing that every editing is confined to the analysis context, that is to say, all the changes are applied to the analysis dataset in Arcade, but they are not propagated to the data sources that the widget is connected with.

Add New Elements

From here on out, let’s consider that we are performing an analysis of the Panama Papers.

In this scenario, a specific address could be still missing in our study, as not yet referenced by any other element in a first data source, but what if we get a new element from a second data source having a connection with that address? We should need to add that new address instance to the analysis. In this case, we can exploit the add element menu located in the top toolbar.

Then in the opening popup, we specify the class the new node will belong to, in this case, the Address class, and then click Save.

The newly added node will be automatically selected, and now we are able to fill it through the edit menu placed in the graph element menu, I will show you how further in this article.

Now let’s suppose we have inferred a new relationship between an Entity and an Intermediary through the analysis of a pattern like the following, by highlighting common connections with a single officer.

Then we want to link the Blenheim Associates Limited entity to the Intermediary vertex on the right: we just have to right click the source node to open the context menu and choose add edge.

Now you just have to drag the new edge’s head to the target node and click it.

Once the target node is selected, the following popup will open.

Here, you have to specify an edge class among those present in the data source model for the new edge. Moreover, if you need, you can change the edge direction by clicking on the exchange button placed between the current stated source and target.

By clicking the Save button, we can see the new inverted edge we have just created in the graph.

We have seen just a way to add a new edge, but you will be able to find out other procedures in the top toolbar documentation under the add element menu section.

Edit an Existing Element

More than adding new nodes and edges, you can also add or modify existing properties. Whether we want to edit a node or an edge, the first step is to select the element and open the graph element menu.

In the properties panel, you can see an Edit button, by clicking this button a dedicated popup for the element editing will open.

If the current element is a node, you will see a modal like the one above, where the user is able to change the properties’ values, delete a property, or add new key-value pairs by adding new fields. To add a new property, you have to click the New field button, choose a property name, in other words, the key, and click Add field. In this way, the new property will be added to the element and you will be able to fill it.

If you are editing an edge, then we will get the following window.

Here, you can act on the properties as already explained above and furthermore you can change the edge direction by clicking on the exchange button placed between the current stated source and target.

All the changes to the graph can be saved in the widget. As I already mentioned before, all the changes are visible just in the widget, no update is sent to the original data source. Everybody can access the widget (look at share a widget/dashboard article or at the documentation) will see the enhanced graph. If they have got permissions to edit the widget, they can also collaborate in the graph updating.

I hope you liked these new features we have just released in Arcade Analytics Open Source project. Today, no other Graph Analytics tool allows changing the dataset by letting non-technical people to do that through a simple user interface.

References

Arcade Analytics: https://arcadeanalytics.com/
Arcade Analytics Documentation: https://arcadeanalytics.com/usermanual/