How link routing works

Learn how link routing works so that you can more effectively tame unwieldy connections.

David Chapman avatar
Written by David Chapman
Updated over a week ago

When you are putting together a diagram with a lot of interconnected devices, it doesn't take long before the connections start to get hard to follow and communication starts to break down about how things are connected.
If you understand a few things about how link routing works, it can help you keep your diagrams tidy and clear.
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When you are linking two devices together, D3M tries to route the link around the two devices you are linking including and visible properties, but ignores all other devices. This means that you may still need to reshape your links to make your diagram neat and tidy.

 

If devices are too close, routing around devices won't work

Sometimes your devices are so close together that D3M cannot find a path that does not overlap with the devices you are connecting. This is most common when you have visible properties on your devices. When D3M cannot find a good path, it will fallback to taking the shortest path.
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If you have two devices linked together and have not adjusted the path of the link, it will continue to auto-route using the rules above as you drag the devices around. 

  


After adjusting a link, D3M tries to maintain the custom path that you made when adjusting the link. If you would link D3M to forget about the custom path, you can always right-click on the link and click Reset. The link will then revert to auto-routing.

 

Conclusion

There you have it! That is how link routing works. Go forth and use this knowledge to tame your connections and bring clarity to your diagrams. If you would like more information about shaping things check out our article on Reshaping Connections

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