4. Manifest Document Format

Manifest is not only a visualization platform, it is a document format for describing supply chains, trade networks, and other logistical structures. Manifest documents are JSON files that correspond to the Manifest Document format. They can be created by hand, or in the Manifest editor.

Manifest Document Format Overview

1. Manifest Overview - All Manifest documents contain some basic overview information, including a name and a description.
2. Location - Manifest documents can also contain a location. This location is associated with the document as a whole (for example, Manifests of products might like the iPhone might use the location for the designing firm--in this case, Apple in Cupertino, California.
3. Node List - Manifest documents are primarily a list of Nodes. This nodes presents sites, suppliers, parts, and similar divisions of the supply chain. Each document could have an arbitrary number of nodes.
4. Nodes - Each node contains information like an overview that includes names, descriptions, and similar details; locations, the address that geographically represents the node; lists of: other nodes that node is connected to, categorizations for the node, quantitative measures for the node, images associated with the node, and sources for the information about the node.
5. Notes - Manifest documents an also contain additional notes that will not be used by the Manifest web app.
6. Key-Value Pairs - Manifest documents can also contain an arbitrary number of key-value pairs that will not be used by the Manifest web app.
7. Meta Info - Manifest documents can also contain meta information used by the Manifest web app (describing preferred styling and similar sorts of information).

Data Notes

• Special Measures - Manifest treats some measures differently. A measure for starttime, for example, indicates when a node becomes relevant to the supply chain and a measure for endtime indicates when it ceases to be relevant (a node can have a starttime without having an endtime). This measure, given as a Unix Time Stamp will also be printed as a conventional date by the Manifest web app.
• Styling Information - Nodes in Manifest documents can be given certain styling cues to tell Manifest how to display them. Right now, the currently supported node-level style information includes:
  • Color - Each node can have color information associated with it independent of the overall document color scheme. This can be useful for showing categorizations, groupings, etc. Each nodes color information includes a primary color, a secondary color, and a contrasting color (usually used for text).
  • Icon - Each node can include an icon drawn from a pre-selected list (nodes that are clustered will always show the cluster icon instead). This list is: [building, factory, warehouse, inventory, boat]