Object and connection organization in a diagram

Abstract

A method includes presenting, on a display, a diagram. The presenting of the diagram includes presenting a first row that defines a location where objects of a first object type can be created, wherein a first ghosted object of a first object type is displayed in the first row. The first ghosted object represents a first creatable object of the first object type. The presenting of the diagram includes presenting a second row that defines a location where objects of a second object type can be created. The method also includes responsive to a first input to create a first object of the first object type in the first row, creating the first object of the first object type. Also in response to the first input, the method includes graphically changing the first ghosted object into the first object and presenting a second ghosted object of the second object type in the second row.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 presenting, on a display, a diagram, wherein the presenting of the diagram comprises,
 presenting, on the display, a first row that defines a location where objects of a first object type can be created, wherein a first ghosted object of a first object type is displayed in the first row, the first ghosted object representing a first creatable object of the first object type; and 
 presenting, on the display, a second row that defines a location where objects of a second object type can be created; and 
   responsive to a first input to create a first object of the first object type in the first row,
 creating the first object of the first object type; 
 graphically changing the first ghosted object into the first object; 
 presenting, on the display, a second ghosted object of the second object type in the second row, wherein the second ghosted object represents a second creatable object of the second object type; and 
 presenting, on the display, a first ghosted connection between the first object and the second ghosted object. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein presenting, on the display, the diagram comprises presenting, on the display, a third row that defines a location where objects of a third object type can be created,   wherein the method comprises,
 receiving a second input to create a second object from the second ghosted object; 
 responsive to the second input,
 creating the second object of the second object type; 
 graphically changing the second ghosted object into the second object; 
 presenting, on the display, a third ghosted object of the third object type in the third row, wherein the third ghosted object represents a third creatable object of the third object type; and 
 presenting, on the display, a second ghosted connection between the second object and the third ghosted object. 
 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 receiving a third input to create a third object of the second object type in the second row;   receiving, as a fourth input, a selection of the third object as a selected object in the second row;   defining the third object as the selected object in the second row;   defining the second object as the unselected object in the second row; and   displaying, on the display, any connections and ghosted connections between the third object and objects in the third row.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising removing, from the display, any connections and ghosted connections between the second object and the objects in the third row. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising displaying, on the display, a number on or near the second object, wherein the number defines the number of connections between the second object and the objects in the third row that were removed from the display. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first row, the second row, and the third row comprise swimlane rows. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the diagram comprises a topographical diagram.