Object Information & Functions Reference

This document outlines the comprehensive information and functions available for each object in the Plings system.

Core Object Information

Each object instance contains the following key information categories:

1. Basic Information

  • Name: Display name of the object
  • Description: Detailed description of the object’s purpose, characteristics, or notes
  • Type: Object classification/category
  • Owner Organization: The organization that owns this object
  • Created By: User who originally created the object entry

2. Visual Information

  • Main Image: Primary visual representation of the object
  • Image Gallery: Additional images showing different angles, states, or details
  • Image Upload: Ability to add, remove, and manage object images

3. Status Information

  • Current Statuses: Active status tags (e.g., “active”, “for_sale”, “in_repair”)
  • Status History: Historical record of status changes over time
  • Status Management: Add, remove, and update object statuses

4. Location & Positioning

  • Current Position: Where the object is right now (displays “Unknown” if not available)
  • Normal Position: Where the object is typically kept/stored (displays “Unknown” if not available)
  • Spatial Parent: Container or location that currently holds this object
  • Spatial Children: Objects that are contained within this object
  • Spatial Hierarchy: Full containment path from root to current location
  • Location History: Previous locations and movement tracking

5. Temporal Information

  • Last Seen: Most recent confirmed observation date/time (displays “Unknown” if not available)
  • Created Date: When the object entry was first created
  • Updated Date: When the object information was last modified
  • Movement History: Timeline of location changes

6. Relationships

  • Part Of: Larger assembly or system this object belongs to
  • Functional Relationships: How this object works with other objects
  • Spatial Relationships: Physical positioning relative to other objects
  • Collections: Groups or sets this object belongs to

7. Properties & Metadata

  • Object Class: Blueprint/template this object follows
  • Custom Properties: Additional metadata specific to the object type
  • Tags: Searchable keywords and labels

Location Information Display Policy

The system always displays location information, even when data is incomplete:

  • Normal Location: Shows the normal placement name, or “Unknown” if not set
  • Current Location: Shows spatial hierarchy breadcrumb, or “Unknown” if not available
  • Last Seen: Shows timestamp in local format, or “Unknown” if not recorded

This ensures users always see the location section and understand what information is missing, rather than hiding the entire section when data is incomplete.

Object Functions & Actions

Viewing Functions

  • View Details Modal: Comprehensive tabbed interface showing all object information
  • Image Viewer: Full-screen image gallery with navigation
  • Relationship Explorer: Visual representation of object connections
  • Location Tracker: Spatial positioning and movement history

Editing Functions

  • Edit Basic Info: Update name, description, and core metadata
  • Manage Images: Upload, delete, and reorder object images
  • Update Status: Add, remove, and modify status tags
  • Change Location: Move object to different containers or locations
  • Edit Properties: Modify custom attributes and metadata

Advanced Functions

  • Create Relationships: Link objects through spatial or functional connections
  • Bulk Operations: Apply changes to multiple objects simultaneously
  • Export Data: Download object information in various formats
  • Audit Trail: View complete history of changes and modifications

The object details modal organizes information into focused tabs:

Overview Tab

  • Basic information (name, description)
  • Current location and spatial positioning
  • Normal location and spatial hierarchy
  • Last seen timestamp
  • Active statuses
  • Core metadata

Relationships Tab

  • Spatial relationships (parent, children)
  • Functional relationships (works with, powers, etc.)
  • Part-of relationships
  • Relationship management tools

Location Tab

  • Current placement details
  • Normal placement information
  • Location history
  • Movement tracking
  • Spatial relationship editor

Images Tab

  • Main image display
  • Image gallery
  • Upload new images
  • Delete/manage existing images
  • Image metadata

Collections Tab

  • Collection memberships
  • Collection management
  • Add/remove from collections

Properties Tab

  • Object class information
  • Custom properties
  • Editable attributes
  • Property history

UI Design Principles

Information Hierarchy

  1. Primary: Name, main image, current location
  2. Secondary: Description, statuses, last seen
  3. Tertiary: Detailed relationships, properties, history

Location Information Display

  • Always show location fields, even when data is missing
  • Use “Unknown” as placeholder text for missing location data
  • Maintain consistent UI layout regardless of data availability
  • Provide update buttons for all location fields

Quick Access Features

  • Hover-revealed details button on object cards
  • Prominent “View Details” button for comprehensive information
  • Status badges for immediate status recognition
  • Location indicators with icons
  • Last seen timestamps for recency awareness

Responsive Design

  • Mobile-optimized modal layouts
  • Touch-friendly interaction elements
  • Adaptive grid layouts for different screen sizes
  • Swipe navigation for image galleries

Data Requirements

Essential Fields (Always Present)

  • id: Unique identifier
  • name: Object name
  • owner_organization_id: Ownership information

Important Fields (Commonly Present)

  • description: Object description
  • mainImageUrl: Primary image
  • location: Current location text
  • statuses: Active status array
  • lastSeen: Last observation timestamp

Optional Fields (Context Dependent)

  • spatialParent: Container object reference
  • spatialChildren: Contained objects array
  • imageUrls: Additional images
  • properties: Custom attributes
  • collections: Collection memberships
  • normalPlacement: Default location reference
  • currentPlacement: Current location reference
  • spatialHierarchy: Location breadcrumb path

This comprehensive approach ensures users have complete visibility into object information while maintaining an intuitive and organized interface that gracefully handles missing data.