The Data Flow Analysis Tree and Graph

Data Flow Analysis Tree view

Multiple trees views can be open for the same program but only one can be open for a data item. If you try to run Data Flow Analysis for a data item which is already in the root of the tree, it will be shown in the current tree. If you select a different occurrence of the data item, it will be added as a new tree. In addition, if you make changes to the source code, the currently visible trees will be marked as outdated. Requesting the data item again will create a new tree.

The following list shows some of the different operations that you can perform from the Data Flow Analysis Tree view:

Expand the nodes

Click to expand the nodes of the tree and drill down to the next level.

Navigate to the code

Double-click a node in the tree to navigate to that line in the source code in the editor.

Display a code preview tooltip

Hover over a node.

Change analysis direction

Use the Data flow direction dropdown menu to switch between backward and forward data flow. Forward data flow analysis shows all possible source code locations which will be affected if the selected data item is changed at a specified location. Backward data flow analysis shows where the selected data item came from and source locations that could have changed the value of the data item. Changing analysis direction will reset the tree to show only the top level of data item nodes.

Show the current data flow results as a graph

Click to switch to a graph representation of the analysis data.

Toggle the highlighting of duplicate nodes

Click .

Change the settings

Click to make additional Data Flow settings such as types of inter-program and intra-program relationships to be displayed. The changed settings will apply only to future code analysis requests.

Remove results

Click to remove the selected results.

Click to remove the outdated results.

Click to remove all results.

Data Flow Analysis Graph

Multiple graph views can be open for the same program but only one can be open for a data item. If you try to run Data Flow Analysis for a data item which is already at the start of the graph, it will be shown in the current graph. If you select a different occurrence of the data item, it will be added as a new graph. In addition, if you make changes to the source code, the currently visible graphs will be marked as outdated. Requesting the data item again will create a new graph.

The following list shows some of the different operations that you can perform from the Data Flow Analysis Graph view:

Navigate to the code

Double-click a node in the graph to navigate to that line in the source code in the editor.

Display a code preview tooltip

Hover over a node.

Change analysis direction

Use the Data flow direction dropdown menu to switch between backward and forward data flow. Forward data flow analysis shows all possible source code locations which will be affected if the selected data item is changed at a specified location. Backward data flow analysis shows where the selected data item came from and source locations that could have changed the value of the data item. Changing analysis direction will reset the graph to show only the top level of data item nodes.

Change the layout of the graph

From the Layout menu you select various layout options such as display the graph from top to bottom or from bottom to top, from left to right or from right to left. You can also zoom in and zoom out the graph.

Find a paragraph or section in the graph

Use the button.

Show the current data flow results as a tree

Click to switch to a tree representation of the analysis data.

Find help with the symbols in the graph

Click Legend in the graph toolbar to find a description of the symbols used in the graph.

Zoom the graph

Click (Zoom To Fit) or use the adjacent Zoom field to zoom the graph.

Add comments

Click a node in the graph, and click (Comment), then add your comment in the callout.

Change the settings

Click to make additional Data Flow settings such as types of inter-program and intra-program relationships to be displayed. The changed settings will apply only to future code analysis requests.

Remove results

Click to remove the selected results.

Click to remove the outdated results.

Click to remove all results.

Copy, save or share the graph

Use the Share menu.