Dear Thortspace … Is there a way to create a subgroup within a group?
Thortspace can currently express the inclusion of a subgroup within a group in a number ways :
A new question has come in from a user posted in response to our old promo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReEi0OjLuAw&lc=UgxH0lMJy3XXw3pyfjR4AaABAg
(1) Use of Category colours within groups
Note with this approach that the use of “category sets” (see the Categories tab) means that thorts can be added to categories within multiple category sets — ie. a thort can be in multiple categories by virtue of a sphere having multiple category sets applied to it.
More about use of Categories and CategorySets is here: https://medium.com/thortspace/how-and-why-to-use-category-sets-in-thortspace-79050373c42c
The basic use of applying Categories is covered here: https://medium.com/thortspace/how-to-apply-categories-to-thorts-in-thortspace-fe9c34809bc6
(2) Use of paths (which are composed of path-steps) within groups
One advantage of this approach is that thorts can be members of more than one sub-group. Note that the use of paths and path-steps can be combined with use of categories. Right-click or long-press on a path selects all the thorts connected by that path. Note also that paths can branch.
The basic use of Paths and Pathsteps is covered here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igz1-L1Iqno and towards the end of the very first quickstart article/tutorial here: https://medium.com/thortspace/how-to-start-out-in-thortspace-e01f5ef77850
More about the use of paths and pathsteps is here: https://medium.com/thortspace/dear-thortspace-is-it-possible-to-select-a-thort-and-list-all-its-connections-via-paths-1f544d0ea3e9
The basic naming of things in Thortspace is covered here: https://medium.com/thortspace/naming-of-parts-8d54fc9de55
(3) Use of path-steps that go from a thort to a group
This approach can be used to create a hierarchy of groups -> sub-groups -> sub-sub-groups etcetera. I can be combined with either or both of the previous approaches. Note that path-steps in Thortspace can be thort>thort, thort>group, and group>group. (The last of these is not shown in the graphic.)
(4) Use of Group to Group path-steps to create one or more “super-groups”
Instead of creating sub-groups to groups, you could create “super-groups”. Then groups effectively become sub-groups.
Notice how in the above graphic, thort->thort paths and pathsteps can be used to make cross-referencing groupings (linkages) between thorts within a group, but also across multiple groups, and even (although not shown) between thorts that are in different super-groups.
Also note that the application of “Arrangements” in Thortspace makes it possible to store multiple alternative configurations of any such groupings / categorizations and pathlinkages in the same sphere file, and transition between them graphically (see 6. below).
(5) Use of embedded spheres and linked spheres
There is an article about the use of linked and embedded spheres here:
Note in particular in the linked article that embedded spheres can be put into groups, just like thorts can; and they can be linked by paths. When embedded spheres are linked by path-steps, Thortspace provides an equivalence between path-steps and links between spheres. So you can create a sphere network simply by linking embedded spheres with path-steps.
Use of Pathsteps to link embedded spheres and the equivalence of this with linked spheres is covered here: https://medium.com/thortspace/embedding-other-peoples-public-spheres-into-your-own-thinking-14bc8c7be19e
(6) Note that Thortspace “Arrangements” can also play a role in expressing relationships between Thorts and groups and sub-groups or sibling groups
Thortspace Arrangements enable the same set of Thorts to be structured in multiple alternative ways. See:
Below is a pretty good example (of an amazing sphere) showing some things related to this. Note that this is third-party content, so it may not remain available:
I made a previous attempt at answering the question at the top here:
