Conditions
Conditions are first-class objects that can be created on any connection in your Story Map (transitions, branch connections, jump connections, and the stem connections between sequences & branch points, sequences & interactive dialogue nodes, and sequences & jump nodes).
Conditions can be comprised of any combination of three different component types: Variable (which reference any custom variables you have created), Asset (which reference any assets created in Breakdown Mode, as well as any existing Story Map nodes), and Condition (which reference existing conditions).
These components are represented in the condition in the form of ‘Literals’. Literals are true or false statements that are based on an operation/predicate and/or value that is set by the user in reference to a specific component. A condition can have as many literals as required.
Creating & Adding Conditions
There are two methods for creating conditions. They can be created in advance by opening the ‘Manage Conditions’ menu via the Edit dropdown menu. Conditions created here will be available to be added to the Story Map.
For method one:
- Open the Manage Conditions menu as described.
- On the left, give the new condition a name and description, then click ‘Add Condition’. The condition will appear on the right under ‘Existing Conditions’. Click on it to open the Edit Condition menu.
The second method is to create and add a condition at the same time, directly on a connection. To do this, right click on any connection and select ‘Add New Condition’ from the context menu.
From here, you can begin to add components to your condition.
Editing Conditions
To edit a condition, open the Edit Conditions menu. This can be accessed via the 'Manage Conditions' menu by clicking on any existing condition, double-clicking on a key icon, or right-clicking on any connection where a condition is present and selecting ‘Edit Condition’.
From here, you can make changes to the condition such as altering its name, description, and adding or removing literals.
Click ‘Update’ to save your changes.
Deleting Conditions
To remove an instance of a condition from the Story Map, right-click on the connection where the condition is present and click ‘Delete Condition’. This will not remove the condition from the catalog.
To completely delete a condition from your project, open the Manage Conditions menu, click the X on the condition name, and click Update. If you do not wish to delete, click ‘Cancel’.
Catalog & Reports
All conditions are given unique catalog entries and unique IDs. To review your conditions and add additional information, open the ‘Conditions’ section in your project catalog. Condition information will be present in the Catalog Report in your reports module.
Condition catalog pages and reports also include a ‘Clause’ section. This section generates a string that describes the order of and operators for the literals in the condition.