HOWCONNECTED Operator

HOWCONNECTED tries to find a connection between the objects it has been given.  As an example

GracePeriod HOWCONNECTED Duration

returns a non-null set if either an actual or virtual connection exists.

If the attempt to find a connection between the two objects in one direction fails, it tries the other direction.

The connection for HowConnected can be based on:

Attributes

If B, or a parent of B, is either an attribute of A, or has a child which is an attribute of A, or a parent of A.

Components

If B, or a parent of B, is a component of A, or has a child which is a component of A, or a parent of A. Attributes of components are also considered.

Contains

If B, or a parent of B, is contained by A, or a parent of A.

Relation

If A, or a parent of A, is a relation and B, or  a parent of B, is a valid parameter of that relation.
A "broken shaft" - shafts are things that can break.

The case shown in the diagram as B is where a more general term is used in conjunction with a defining term - "delivery date" - date is general here, whereas delivery has attributes of a start date and a finish date.

Examples

Ten days of delay - "ten days" has been turned into a duration - delay is a relation which has as a component a time period, which has as an attribute a duration. "duration of delay" will fail, but "delay of duration" will succeed, by finding the component, then the attribute of that component.

See Consistent

Selection Criteria