Imports and Exports

Termboard provides a versatile set of options for bringing data into your graphs and sharing your work in various formats. These functionalities can be accessed via the menu: File > Import/Export .

Excel

Termboard offers two distinct methods for working with Excel files, depending on whether you want to preserve all Termboard-specific data (like positions and colors) or import/export data from/to standard Excel sheets.

To preserve all Termboard data, use the dedicated Excel file operations: File > Open/Save File > Excel.

For importing and exporting data from/to standard Excel spreadsheets that may not have been created by Termboard, use the import/export functions: File > Import/Export > Excel . After selecting an Excel file, a mapping window will appear.

Import Excel

The import screen is divided into two sections: TERMS and RELATIONS. You can choose to import terms, relations, or both.

Once you select an Excel sheet for either TERMS or RELATIONS using the respective dropdown menu, additional fields will appear, allowing you to map columns from your Excel sheet to Termboard's data fields.

Mapping Excel Columns to Term Data

• id: The unique identifier for each term. This field is mandatory if you intend to import relations as well. If the term names in your Excel sheet are unique, you can select the column containing the term names for this field.
• name: The display name of the term. You can select the same Excel column as you did for id. For term name itself the column does not need to be unique: you can heve multiple terms with the same name, but it can be confusing in the graph
• type: (Optional) Specifies the type of the term (e.g., "term", "property"). Select the corresponding column from your Excel sheet.
• description: (Optional) The detailed description of the term. Map to the relevant column in your Excel file.
• additionalInformation: (Optional) Allows you to import additional information for the term, including HTML markup. Select the appropriate Excel column.
• parent: (Optional) If your data includes hierarchical groupings, select the column containing the id of the parent term. This will visually group the current term under its specified parent in Termboard.
• Extra fields: Allows you to map additional columns from your Excel sheet to become extra fields associated with each term in Termboard

Mapping Excel Columns to Relation Data

For relations, you have similar basic fields: id, name, description, and Additional information (all optional). Additionally, you need to map the following columns to define the connections between terms:

• source: Select the Excel column that contains the id of the term that acts as the source (starting point) of the relation. This can also be the term's name if the names are unique (as defined in the id field for terms).
• target: Select the Excel column that contains the id of the term that acts as the target (ending point) of the relation. Similar to the source, this can also be the unique term name.

Once you have mapped the mandatory fields (specifically id for terms if importing relations, and source and target for relations), the Import button will become enabled, allowing you to proceed with the data import.

Export Excel

This window allows you to configure how your Termboard data is exported to an Excel file.

• Sheet Names: Specify the names for the "Terms" and "Relations" sheets within the exported Excel file. The fields are pre-filled with "terms" and "relations" as defaults. If you leave either field blank, the corresponding data type (terms or relations) will not be included in the export.
• Column Mapping: Define the column headers for each data field you want to include in the respective Excel sheets. For example, entering "name" in the field corresponding to the term name will create a column labeled "name" containing the term names.
• Omitted Columns: Any column field you leave empty will not be included in the exported Excel sheet. This allows you to customize the exported data to your specific needs.
• RESET: will reset all fields to default values

Image

Termboard allows you to export your graph as an image in several common formats, making it easy to share your visualizations, embed them in documents like Word or PowerPoint, or use them in presentations.

Export Image

The following options allow you to customize your image export:

• Select export type: Choose the desired image format from the dropdown menu:
  • PNG (Portable Network Graphics): A widely supported format that excels with graphics, diagrams, and text. It supports transparency and lossless compression, meaning no image quality is lost. Ideal for sharing online and in documents where image clarity is important.
  • JPG (Joint Photographic Experts Group): A popular format for photographs and images with many colors. It uses lossy compression, which can reduce file size but may result in some loss of image detail, especially with sharp lines and text. Best for images where file size is a primary concern and subtle loss of quality is acceptable.
  • SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics): A vector-based format, meaning the image is defined by mathematical equations rather than pixels. This allows you to scale the image to any size without loss of quality or pixelation. Ideal for diagrams, logos, and icons that may need to be resized frequently.
• Full graph / On-screen only: Determine which part of your graph to export:
  • Full graph: Exports the entirety of your graph, even parts that are currently scrolled out of view. This is useful for capturing the complete overview of large diagrams.
  • On-screen only: Exports only the portion of the graph that is currently visible within your Termboard window. This is convenient for quickly sharing a specific section of your work.
• White background / Transparent background: Choose the background color for your exported image:
  • White background: Sets the background of the image to solid white. This is suitable for embedding in documents or platforms with light backgrounds.
  • Transparent background: Makes the background of the image transparent (only supported by PNG and SVG formats). This is ideal for overlaying the image on other backgrounds without a visible white box.

JSON LD

JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) is a standardized format for encoding Linked Data using JSON. It's designed to be both human-readable and easily processed by machines. JSON-LD enables you to create data that is interoperable and can be easily shared and integrated with other datasets on the Semantic Web. By providing context, JSON-LD allows applications to understand the meaning of the data, not just its structure.

Import JSON-LD

To import a Termboard JSON-LD file, you can either:

• Drag and Drop: Simply drag the JSON-LD file directly onto the Termboard canvas or the designated import area.
• Select from Folder: Click the "Import" button and browse your file system to select the desired JSON-LD file.

! Note

Currently, Termboard's JSON-LD import functionality is specifically designed to process files that have been previously exported from Termboard. Importing JSON-LD files from other sources may lead to unexpected results or errors.

Export JSON-LD

To export your current Termboard graph as a JSON-LD file, simply click the "Export" button within the JSON-LD import/export section. Termboard will generate a JSON-LD representation of your graph data, which you can then save to your local machine.

! Note

Please be aware that the JSON-LD functionality in Termboard is currently experimental. For ongoing discussions and potential limitations, please refer to the Github discussion.

HTML

Termboard allows you to export your graph as an interactive HTML file. This enables you to share your visualizations with others who can explore the graph directly in their web browser. By clicking on terms, viewers can access their definitions in a separate window, providing an engaging way to navigate and understand the information without needing Termboard itself.

Export HTML

• Movable elements: If you check the Movable elements box, users viewing the exported HTML file will be able to click and drag the terms around on the screen. This can enhance exploration and allow viewers to arrange the graph according to their preferences. The changes cannot be saved.
• Text to display at start: In this field, you can enter text that will be displayed when a user first opens the exported HTML file. This can be an introduction to the graph, instructions on how to interact with it, or any other relevant information you want to present upfront.

OWL

OWL (Web Ontology Language) is a family of knowledge representation languages for authoring ontologies. Ontologies are formal, explicit specifications of a shared conceptualization. OWL ontologies can describe the classes, properties, individuals, and data values within a domain and the relationships among them. They are designed to be machine-interpretable and facilitate knowledge sharing and reasoning on the Semantic Web.

Import OWL

This feature enables you to import ontology files, particularly those available from resources like Ontobee. When you import an OWL file, Termboard will attempt to extract and display the classes (concepts) along with their definitions and the relationships (properties) defined within the ontology.

To import an OWL file:

• Download an ontology file: Obtain an OWL file (with a .owl extension), for example, from the BioCyc Ontology (BCO) or another ontology repository.
• Save the file: Save the downloaded .owl file to a location on your computer.
• Select or drop the file: Use the file selection dialog or drag and drop the .owl file into the designated area within Termboard's import interface.

! Note

Please note the following limitations and recommendations:

• OWL Compatibility: Due to the complexity and variety of OWL ontologies, not all OWL files may be successfully imported. Termboard's import functionality is designed to handle common OWL constructs, but highly complex or structurally unusual ontologies might not be fully processed.
• Ontology Size: For optimal performance and to prevent potential issues, it is recommended to avoid importing ontologies containing more than approximately 2000 classes. Importing larger ontologies may lead to slow processing or instability.

Have suggestions for improvement? We are continuously working to enhance Termboard's capabilities. If you encounter issues or have ideas for improving the OWL import functionality, please let us know via Help > Report an Issue . Your feedback is valuable!

PDF

The PDF export feature allows you to create a comprehensive document of your Termboard graph, bundling the visual representation with detailed information about your terms and relations. This is an ideal way to share your entire project in a single, easily distributable file.

Export PDF

The image above indicates that the document information is currently not set. While providing this information is optional, it enhances your PDF by including a cover page with the document's Name, Description, and an optional Image. You can set this information via File > Document Properties of press the "SET DOCUMENT INFO" button.

Customize your PDF export by selecting the following elements:

• Cover Page: Include a cover page at the beginning of the PDF, featuring the document's name, description, and author (if provided in the Document Properties).
• Cover Page Image: Add an image as a background to the cover page for a more visually engaging presentation (as provided in the Document Properties).
• White text background: When using a cover page image, this option adds a white background behind the text on the cover page, improving readability.
• Graph: Embed a visual representation of your Termboard graph as a page in the PDF document.
• Terms with description: Include a table listing all terms which have a description
• Terms without description: Also include terms without descriptions in the table.
• Export only selected terms: If you have specific terms selected in your graph, enabling this option will export only those selected terms and their immediate relations (also reflected in the exported graph).

Further customize the layout and content of your PDF using these options:

• Landscape or Portrait: Choose the orientation of the pages in your PDF document:
  • Landscape: Prints the content with a wider page orientation, often suitable for wider graphs.
  • Portrait: Prints the content with a taller page orientation, the standard document layout.
• Table (simple): Presents the definitions (name, description) of your terms in a straightforward table format.
• Sections (advanced): Generates a dedicated section for each term in your graph, offering more granular control over the included information. Within the "Sections" option, you can further select to include:
  • Table of contents of the terms: Adds a table of contents at the beginning of the term sections, allowing for easy navigation.
  • Relations per term: Lists all the incoming and outgoing relations for each term within its respective section.
  • Additional information: Includes the formatted "Additional information" content associated with each term.
  • Pagebreak after term: Starts each term's section on a new page, improving organization for documents with extensive term details.

Powerpoint

Termboard allows you to export your graph directly into PowerPoint format, providing a convenient way to integrate your visualizations into your presentations. Alternatively, you can also export the graph as an image and insert it into your slides.

Export Powerpoint

The following options allow you to customize your PowerPoint export:

• Layout: Choose from a range of built-in slide aspect ratios and sizes:
  • 16x10, 4x3, WIDE: Standard widescreen and traditional presentation formats.
  • A3, A4: Standard paper sizes, useful if you intend to print the slides as well.
  • AUTO: Automatically adjusts the slide size to attempt to fit the entire graph within a single slide. This is particularly useful for large graphs.
• Use AUTO for large graphs: As noted above, selecting "AUTO" is recommended for graphs that extend beyond the boundaries of standard slide sizes.
• Custom page size and margins (inches): If the built-in layouts don't meet your needs, you can define a custom slide width and height, as well as the margins around the graph on the slide, all measured in inches.
• Bendpoints: If your relations have bendpoints (intermediate points to adjust the path), these will be preserved in the exported PowerPoint. When this is disabled all relation lines will be rendered as straight lines connecting the source and target terms, regardless of any bendpoints in your Termboard graph. Control points (curved lines) are not supported in PowerPoint export. If you require curved relation lines, please use the Image Export functionality, which will capture the visual representation exactly as it appears in Termboard.