---
title: " Connections"
url: "https://help.nodeslinks.com/en/article/connections"
language: "en"
last_updated: "2026-10-18T12:08:34.803Z"
---

#  Connections

**This screen allows you to:**

-   Explore project activities and milestones in a dynamic force layout
-   Switch between the Graph and the Timeline view
-   Highlight the critical path
-   View activity details in the side drawer
-   Filter activities
-   Search for specific activities and focus on them
-   View the number of activities and relationships, filtered and total  
     

#### **Graph View**

The Graph view presents your project schedule as an interactive force layout chart. Activities are represented by blue circles, while milestones are depicted as pink diamonds. Arrows between nodes represent relationships, providing a clear visual representation of project flow and dependencies.

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/68e32977-95d8-4162-8ff9-850dc51786c1)

#### **Switch between the Graph and the Timeline view**

Use the floating view toggle at the bottom of the canvas to switch between the two views. The Graph view shows the force layout described above. The Timeline view places activities along a date axis by their start dates, so you can see how the network unfolds over time. A marker line indicates Today's date.

Each view remembers its own zoom level and position, so switching between them always takes you back to where you were. Your chosen view is also remembered for each project version.

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/a00bdc0d-8371-4265-a242-c84f1e7cbc2e)

#### **View activity details and focus on connections**

Hover over any activity to see key information about it. 

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/69faf03b-0c03-41cd-9110-4dfb71fc8760)

Clicking on an activity selects it: its incoming and outgoing connections are highlighted, helping you understand how it's linked to the rest of the schedule, and the activity drawer opens with its full details, including status, floats and its WBS path. 

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/642a634b-31ac-4023-9e9b-371016a740a6)

Close the drawer and clear the selection with its close button, by clicking an empty area of the canvas, or by pressing Esc.

#### **Filter activities using predefined filters**

Click the Filters button at the top right of the screen. A side panel will appear, allowing you to apply various filters to narrow down the view to the most relevant activities. While filters are applied, the button shows an indicator, and the activity and relationship counts in the header display the filtered numbers next to the totals. 

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/22603c65-893d-4ef7-9520-049447c1c457)

#### **Color activities by status**

Use the "Status" switch to quickly visualize progress. When enabled, activity nodes are color-coded by their status: green for completed, blue for in progress, and grey for not started. This helps you assess the overall state of the schedule at a glance.

Status works in both the Graph and the Timeline view. Turning Status on switches the Critical path switch off, as only one of the two can be active at a time. Your choice is remembered for each project version.

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/f6a54ead-aea2-4349-a548-ff2271a5fdf4)

#### **Highlight the critical path**

Use the "Critical path" switch, next to "Status", to see the activities and relationships that drive your project's finish date. When enabled, critical activities and their relationships are drawn in red while everything else fades, and the view automatically frames the critical path.

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/cf249169-f212-461f-b3ee-fc2ae5dedce0)

#### **Search for specific activities and focus on them**

Use the "Search" bar at the top of the screen to locate a specific activity by name. Selecting a result focuses the chart on that activity, highlights it, and opens its activity drawer.

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/1e92b41c-c6a3-40c4-b41a-496c4b122db1)

####   
**Number of activities and relationships**

At the top right of the screen, the header displays the "Number of activities" and the "Number of relationships" in the schedule. Each count shows the filtered number next to the total, so when filters are applied you see both at once. This gives you immediate insight into the scope and complexity of your project.

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/76b35586-8bdb-4f79-8a9a-751d105fdf94)  
 

#### **Navigate the chart**

Drag the canvas to pan and use the mouse wheel to zoom, or use the zoom buttons in the top-left corner of the canvas to zoom in, zoom out, or fit the whole schedule into view. Zooming out is limited to the full fit of the schedule, so the graph can never drift off-screen, and the cursor shows a grabbing hand while you pan. 

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/1abf3569-6b6c-4414-90d6-29d2a8367080)