Connecting workflow elements

Setting up connections between elements is the key to controlling where data flows. Elements are connected via their output channels and input channels. These channels are type dependent: only those with a matching type can be connected. Hovering the mouse cursor over an input or output channel will show a toolip with information like the data type required.

Compatible input and output channels can be connected in various ways:

A given output channel can supply its data to multiple other workflow elements, and workflow elements can accept data as input from more than one output channel. This is illustrated in figure 11.7.

Image workflow_multiple_connections
Figure 11.7: Input channels can receive multiple connections, and multiple connections can be configured from output channels. Here, two elements are supplying data to the Reads input channel of the Map Reads to Reference element and data from the Reads Track output channel of Map Reads to Reference is being used as input to two elements.

Input and output channels are discussed further in Workflow elements