3.10.1 Automatic Connections

When you drag an application into the Modeler space, and the Modeler contains a driver set, Designer automatically draws a connecting line between the Driver Set object and the application.

When you use the palette’s Connection function to connect an application to an Identity Vault, you can begin or end your driver line at the Identity Vault. The line automatically connects to a driver set in an Identity Vault.

If the Identity Vault contains more than one driver set, the Connection function connects the driver line to the first driver set. This functionality also works for multi-driver connections.

All multi-driver driver lines are bendable. You can lay them out so that the lines don’t overlap at any angle. Also, you can reconnect multi-driver connections.

If an Identity Vault has multi-driver connections in a Domain Group and you minimize that Domain Group, a single collapsed line represents all of the multi-driver connections.

3.10.2 Connection Target Highlights

When you drag an application across the Modeler space, the closest Identity Vault and closest driver set in that Identity Vault are highlighted. The highlights indicate the item that the application will connect with when you drop the application.

Figure 3-26 Connected Objects

3.10.3 Automatically Creating Objects

If you drop an application into the Modeler space, and that space has no Identity Vaults, Designer automatically creates an Identity Vault.

If you add a driver application in the Modeler by right-clicking in the Modeler, then selecting New > Application, the driver application is now added at the place where you right-clicked. This makes it easier to locate items in the view.

3.10.4 Auto Redraw

If you move items, lines are automatically redrawn.

3.10.5 Manually Connecting

To manually connect an application to a driver set:

To reconnect an application, select the driver line, then drag one end of the line to another driver set or application.

The drag gesture gravitates the line towards the nearest connectable point. This functionality helps you know what you can connect to and where you can connect the item. If you try to connect to something that isn’t allowed, the cursor usually indicates so, or nothing happens when you drop the item.

3.10.6 eDir-to-eDir Connections

Figure 3-27 eDir-to-eDir Connections

An eDir-to-eDir connection is a special type of connection. It is used frequently in Identity Manager environments. This connection is a way to configure two eDirectory drivers to communicate directly with each other. (No other drivers are able to communicate directly with any other type of driver.) This type of connection is most commonly used for synchronizing a local directory tree with a Metadirectory Identity Vault.

To create an eDir-to-eDir connection, do one of the following:

When you connect a line between two eDirectory applications, the line automatically turns into an eDir-to-eDir connection. See the illustration in Section 7.2.6, Viewing an eDir-to-eDir Driver.

To disconnect an eDir-to-eDir connection, right-click an eDir item, then select Disconnect eDir-to-eDir. Designer creates two new eDirectory applications and redirects each driver to its respective application. A new driver is not created. No data is lost. Designer keeps the same drivers.

If you delete one side of an eDir-to-eDir connection, Designer converts the remaining half into a regular driver connection to an eDirectory application.

3.10.7 Multiple Driver Connections

To connect more than one driver from a driver set to an application:

Each time you connect, a new line is added. All lines are bendable, so that the lines don’t overlap. To get the model to look optimal, you probably need to move the application slightly from its default position.

You can also connect more than one driver to a single application. This actually causes the application to act as a hub. Each driver can connect to and authenticate to the application or system the same or differently, depending on your needs. Each driver can access the same part of the application or system or different parts (for example, different tables in a database). The Modeler lets you diagram a layout according to your needs.

Figure 3-28 Multi-Driver Connections

3.10.8 Straightening Connections

To straighten connecting lines:

What is straightened depends on what you select:

Lines are straightened only if they are less than 20 pixels from a north, west, south, or east alignment. The intent of this operation is to quickly nudge lines that are almost straight, so that they become perfectly straight.

This nudging removes the tedium of meticulously dragging items into perfect alignment and being concerned with the pixels. If a line isn’t almost straight, it is left alone. In fact, the Straighten Connection operation is disabled unless the selected items qualify to be straightened. If some of the selected items qualify but others don’t, the operation is still enabled, but only eligible lines are straightened.

3.10.9 Reconnecting

To reconnect components, do one of the following:

3.10.10 Driver Icons

Table 3-5 Driver Icons

Icon	Description
	A driver. The entire line between a driver set object and an application represents a driver.
	A remote driver.
	A firewall. Indicates that the driver is communicating across a firewall.

The following figure illustrates these icons.

Figure 3-29 Driver Icons

To see, turn on, or turn off driver icons:

3.10.11 Selected Drivers

As you move the mouse over a driver, the line thickens so that it is more obvious. You can click and interact with this line.

3.10.12 Auto-Layout of Imported Objects

When you import objects from the directory, they are automatically laid out, connected with lines, and assigned an icon that matches objects and relationships as closely as possible.

For example, if you import a Driver Set object, Designer imports all of the drivers and connects them with lines. Also, each driver points to an application icon. Application icons include the following:

3.10.13 Keyboard Support for Connections