Anchor-Buoy Graph Model - Circular Relationships, Many to Many Relationships & bidirectional portals - Relationships

June 18, 200916 yr

This is a compilation of resources including credit with the goal of helping people better understand the Anchor-Buoy Model. I have combining key terms people have used in asking questions where this may be the answer.

Circular Relationship: (I knew what I wanted to do but didn't know how to ask)

If you have multiple tables with many to many relationships and/or also want to have portals showing these relationships. You can not simply relate them using a Join Table

Anchor-Buoy Graph Model:

Though it is not necessary to use this model throughout your graph it will provide a simple to understand method of fixing the problem above. It is rather time consuming but I found that once you learn the naming, color and relationship rules you can mindlessly bang out a finished product.

The user "bcooney" provided a link to a guide on the AB model by Kevin Frank. Mr. Frank has created PDFs which show a method of converting other models to AB and also an extremely informative Power Point presentation on the rules of this model. It was a bit silly in some parts but it will really drive the points home.

http://www.kevinfrank.com/anchor-buoy.html

I also found a post by Daniel Antunes discussing the AB model

http://sixfriedrice.com/wp/six-fried-rice-methodology-part-2-anchor-buoy-and-data-structures/

Other Graph Models:

The user "Comment" provided a link to this whitepaper by Ray Cologon titled "Approaches to Graph Modeling" which has a wealth of information as to the pros and cons of various models and also descriptions of combining various models to suite your purpose.

http://developer.filemaker.com/content/technet/pdf/approaches_to_graph_modeling_en.pdf

Credits:

FMForums Users:

comment

bcooney

fenton

aislinn

BruceR

LaRetta

Others:

Kevin Frank

Ray Cologon