How It Works

How the SemSpect Graph App works #

The SemSpect exploration interface communicates with the active DBMS using the Neo4j Bolt protocol and relies on procedures defined by the SemSpect Plugin, which has to be installed in the plugin folder of the DBMS before its start. In order to provide optimal support for the user for installation and maintenance of the SemSpect Plugin we developed our own deployment process.

This is how it works:

  • The SemSpect Graph App includes a plugin management application for the SemSpect Neo4j Plugin. It provides a user interface to install, update or delete the SemSpect Neo4j Plugin for all local DBMS. The SemSpect Neo4j Plugin itself contains the corresponding version of the exploration interface. Once the plugin is installed, the SemSpect Graph App downloads the exploration interface from the plugin. This method guarantees the compatibility between the components, even with remote DBMSs.
  • On start, the Graph App scans the status of the available DBMSs to decide which interface to display:
    • if either a local DBMS with the same version of the plugin installed or a remote DBMS with any version of the plugin installed is active, then the exploration interface is loaded from the plugin and started automatically Graph App Components 2
    • in all other configurations, the plugin management interface is displayed. The user can:
      • install/replace/delete the plugin for local DBMSs,
      • download the plugin for installation on remote DMBSs,
      • start manually the exploration interface if a DBMS with any version of the plugin installed is active. Graph App Components 1

Remark: due to the alternative installation method chosen, the SemSpect Plugin is not listed in the Neo4j Desktop plugin management interface. It can be uninstalled manually by deleting all files prefixed with semspect_ from the plugin folder of the database or simply by using the uninstallation option offered by the plugin management application.