In contrast to IlvLinkConnector, the class IlvHyperEdgeConnector is a subclass of IlvGraphic and can display the contact points
in the hypergraph. For example, it is useful to display the pins of
a pin connector permanently at the nodes that represent electrical
circuits in a signal diagram.
Not all subclasses of
IlvHyperEdgeConnector
use this facility. Like
IlvGraphic
, some connector classes need to display visible parts. Like
IlvLinkConnector
, other connector classes are only a logical computation facility
for the contact points. Thus, the class
IlvHyperEdgeConnector
is a mix of a graphic object and a connection calculation
algorithm.
Visible hyperedge connectors need to implement the method isGraphic to return true. They also need to
implement all the usual methods of
IlvGraphic
, namely draw, boundingBox, and contains.
Invisible hyperedge connectors need to implement the method
isGraphic()
to return false. They do not need to implement the usual methods of
IlvGraphic
, because when
isGraphic()
returns false these connectors will not be used as graphic objects.
Visible hyperedge connectors can only be
attached to nodes, not to hyperedges. The position of a visible
hyperedge connector is always the same position as the node. When
the node is moved, the hyperedge connector is automatically moved
with the node. When the node is removed or inserted into a
different hypergraph, the hyperedge connector is automatically
removed and inserted into the same hypergraph as the node; that is,
you need only to attach the connector to the node and the entire
handling of the hyperedge connector as a graphic object is done
automatically.
The only predefined visible hyperedge connector is IlvHyperEdgePinConnector. All other
predefined hyperedge connectors are invisible connectors. See IlvHyperEdgeConnector for additional
information.