RE: [sarif] Another graph design issue: id vs. label

TL;DR: I agree with {node,edge}.label as human-readable text associated with a node or edge.

 

More details on my thinking:

 

As the design stands, I have properties named like this:

 

graph.description and graphTraversal.description: With the idea that graphs and traversals as a whole are things you describe to the user.

edgeTraversal.message: With the idea that you send a (transient) message to the user as you traverse an edge.

 

So the question is, what’s the best name for {node,edge}.label?

 

At first I thought “description” might be better, for consistency with graph and graphTraversal. But after more thought, I like “label”. It sounds like a little sticky note you attach to the edge or node, as opposed to “description”, which sounds more like a narrative, and better fits the larger-scale graph and graphTraversal objects.

 

Larry

 

From: Michael Fanning <> 
Sent: Friday, March 30, 2018 8:56 PM
To: Larry Golding (Comcast) <>; 
Subject: RE: [sarif] Another graph design issue: id vs. label

 

Interesting question. An id is used to uniquely identify something. A label is used to describe it in the viewer. I think we need both concepts. A descriptive label may be shortened in a way that renders it non-unique. 

 

 

From:  <> On Behalf Of Larry Golding (Comcast)
Sent: Friday, March 30, 2018 3:22 PM
To: 
Subject: [sarif] Another graph design issue: id vs. label

 

We’ve said that nodes and edges have “labels”, and that edge traversals have user-facing “messages”.

 

Is there a difference between {node,edge).id and {node,edge}.label? Ids are unique; can two nodes or two edges in the same graph have the same “label”? Do we need both?

 

Larry