Modelling
Flows
Flows tell a story on top of a diagram, such as a checkout or a sign-in, step by step with the objects and connections you already have.
A flow never changes the model. It is an ordered list of steps that point at existing connections and objects, with your explanation for each step. Playing it walks through the steps on its diagram. Flows are saved in the workspace, so they are included in exports and snapshots, and everyone who can open the workspace can play them.
Create a flow
- Open the diagram the flow belongs to.
- On the explorer's Views tab, select Flows, then New flow.
- Enter a Name, check the Primary diagram (the view the flow plays on) and add a Description if you like.
- Select Add step from selection for each step. If a connection was selected on the canvas, the step starts as a message along it; if an object was selected, as an action of that object; otherwise as a note.
- For each step, adjust the Step type and fill in the Explanation.
- Select Save.
There are three step types:
| Step type | Points at | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Message | A Connection | A call, request or event between two objects. Turn on Response: display in the reverse direction for the answer that comes back. |
| Object action | An Object | Something one object does on its own, such as validating input. |
| Note | Nothing | Context between steps. |
Use Move up, Move down and Remove step to rearrange steps. Editing a flow needs Editor access.
Play a flow
Open Flows and select Play next to a flow. Archibara switches to the flow's primary diagram and shows the player below the canvas:
- Each message step selects its connection and brings it into view; each action step selects and focuses its object.
- Previous and Next move one step; Go to step jumps to any step. With the player focused, the Left and Right arrow keys do the same.
- Stop, or Esc, ends playback and returns you to the view, position and selection you started from.
If a step uses objects that the diagram does not show, the player says so. Open a diagram that contains them to inspect the step.
Keep flows working
A flow refers to objects, connections and its primary diagram by their identity, so renaming them never breaks it. Deleting them would, so Archibara protects your flows:
- Archibara refuses to delete an object, connection or view that a flow still uses and says that a flow has an invalid reference. Remove or change that step (or the flow's Primary diagram) first, then delete.
- When you drag a connection's end to another object and choose Change connection in model, the flows that use it are updated too. With New connection, existing flows keep using the original connection.
AI clients connected through MCP can read and write flows as well.