External (Shared) Sequences

External sequences (shared sequences) are stored in a separate file outside a graph. The file with a shared sequence is stored in the seq directory within the project folder.

External sequence is better for sharing among graphs. So it is sometimes called a shared sequence.

But, if you want to give someone your graph, it is better to have internal sequence. It is the same as with metadata, connections, lookup tables and parameters.

Creating External (Shared) Sequences

If you want to create an external (shared) sequences, select File > New > Other from the main menu.

Expand the Data Shaper > Other category and use the Sequence item.

A Sequence wizard will open. See Editing a Sequence.

You will create the external (shared) sequence and save the created sequence definition file to the selected project.

Linking External (Shared) Sequences

Linking an external sequence to the graph allows you to use the external sequence there. Linking does not change the original graph and it does not copy the content of the external sequence into the graph.

1. Right-click either the Sequences group or any of its items and select Sequences > Link shared sequence from the context menu.

2. A File selection dialog displaying the project content will open.

3. Locate the desired sequence file from all the files contained in the project (sequence files have the .cfg extension).

Linking Multiple Sequence Files at Once

You can even link multiple external (shared) sequence files at once.

1. Right-click either the Sequences group or any of its items and select Sequences > Link shared sequence from the context menu.

2. A File selection dialog displaying the project content will open.

3. Locate the desired sequence files from all the files contained in the project.

You can select adjacent file items when you press the Shift and Down Cursor or Up Cursor keys. If you want to select non-adjacent items, use Ctrl+Click at each of the desired file items instead.

Internalizing External (Shared) Sequences

Internalizing converts a linked sequence to an internal sequence whereas the original linked sequence is left untouched.

If the original external sequence is persistent, both sequences will share the sequence file.

If you want to internalize an external (shared) sequence, link it to the graph first.

You can internalize any linked external (shared) sequence file into internal sequence by right-clicking some of the external (shared) sequence items in the Outline pane and selecting Internalize sequence from the context menu.

You can even internalize multiple linked external (shared) sequence files at once. To do this, select the desired linked external (shared) sequence items in the Outline pane.

You can select adjacent items when you press the Shift and Down Cursor or Up Cursor keys. If you want to select non-adjacent items, use Ctrl+Click at each of the desired items instead.

After that, the linked external (shared) sequence items disappear from the Outline pane Sequences group, but, at the same location, the newly created internal sequence items appear.

However, the original external (shared) sequence files still remain in the seq folder of the corresponding project which can be seen in the Project Explorer pane (sequence files have the .cfg extensions).