Library

From Impure Wiki

Now, how do we get some modules into the stage? And, what are the available modules? That's where the colorful tabs on the left border of the stage come into play. They are the access point for Impure's library, which is a set of lists containing all the modules that are currently part of the application. There are many of them! Finding exactly what you need might not be easy when you are just getting started, but there are several resources to help you with that task, and you will soon get used to obtaining what you are looking for quickly and effectively.

There's one broad classification to start with: according to the type of process they perform, modules belong to one of five module types. Each of them is identified by a distinctive color, which you can see on the left border tabs. Click on any of them to unfold the corresponding list. For example, these are the Operators:

Tags

The words at the top of the list are a tag cloud. They are a very convenient way to get what you need. Click on one or more of them to bring modules tagged with them to the top of the list.

Search

Alternatively, you can do a search using the text input just below the tag list. The list will be filtered as you type, showing the best matches at the top. If you remember the name of a module, you will usually see it come up after typing just a few characters.

Dynamic placement

As you get more familiar with Impure's modules, you will more and more often remember the exact module you need in a particular situation. There's a method for placing module on stage very quickly, without even touching your mouse, that is very appreciated by more advanced users. Here's a description.

Click any empty point of the stage where you want your module to appear. Type the first letter of the module type you are interested in (see Keyboard shortcuts). Continue typing any part of the module's name. That will trigger a typical search, just as it would be if you had manually unfolded the list and clicked into the search box. Use the up and down cursor arrows to move up and down the filtered list. When the module you look for is selected, press the right arrow or Enter, et voila! There is your module, just where you mouse pointer is still waiting for it.