Manipulating graphical objects

1. A method of connecting graphical objects on a display device, the method comprising:

causing display on a display device of a connector between at least two graphical objects simultaneously visible on the display device;

associating a first portion of the connector with a first plane such that the first portion of the connector tends to remain in the first plane;

receiving user input that manipulates a location of at least one of a first end terminal of the connector and a second end terminal of the connector; and

responsive to the user input, executing a runtime script configured to:

determine a first minimum number of elbows to be included in the connector when the first portion of the connector is to remain routed in the first plane after manipulation of the location of the at least one of the first end terminal of the connector and the second end terminal of the connector;

determine a second minimum number of elbows to be included in the connector when the connector is not to remain routed in the first plane after manipulation of the location of the at least one of the first end terminal of the connector and the second end terminal of the connector;

route the first portion of the connector in the first plane unless the first minimum number of elbows is greater than the second minimum number of elbows; and

responsive to the second minimum number of elbows being less than the first minimum number of elbows, remove the first portion of the connector from the first plane and route the first portion of the connector to another position.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein associating the first portion of the connector includes receiving user input that manipulates a position of the first portion of the connector so that the first portion of the connector is routed in the first plane.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the connector includes two or more elbows, and

the first portion of the connector is between the two of the two or more elbows.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising routing the first portion of the connector, wherein the routing the first portion in the first plane includes increasing, decreasing, or maintaining a length of the first portion of the connector.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a second user input that manipulates a location of at least one of the first end terminal and second end terminal; and

routing the connector between a first end point of the connector and a second end point of the connector by routing the first portion of the connector in the first plane.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein routing the first portion of the connector to another position includes routing the connector between a first end point of the connector and a second end point of the connector.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising, responsive to the second minimum number of elbows being less than the first minimum number of elbows, removing at least one elbow of the connector.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising after routing the connector between the first end point and the second end point:

receiving a second user input that manipulates a location of at least one of the first end terminal and second end terminal;

reestablishing the first portion of the connector;

routing the connector between the first end point and second end point; and

routing the first portion of the connector in the first plane.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the associating includes receiving user input effective to position a cursor external to a first graphical object within a predetermined distance of a peripheral edge of the first graphical object that defines a shape of the first graphical object, to click and drag the cursor to an end position, and to manipulate a position of the first portion of the connector such that the first portion of the connector is routed in and associated with a first plane.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising causing the connector to connect to the first graphical object located at a first end point at a user definable angle.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the user definable angle is maintained after the first graphical object is manipulated.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein a user is able to define the user definable angle as any one of at least 45, 60, and 90 degrees.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the connector is an elbowed connector that includes the first portion, a first end point, a second end point, a plurality of elbows, the first end terminal, and the second end terminal; and

the first portion of the elbowed connector runs between two of the plurality of elbows.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving additional user input that manipulates a position of a second portion of the connector such that the second portion of the connector is routed in a second plane;

in response to the additional user input, rendering the connector between a first end point of the connector and a second end point of the connector; and

routing the second portion of the connector in the second plane.

15. A machine-readable hardware storage device having embedded therein instructions which, in response to being executed by a system, causes execution of operations comprising:

causing display on a display device of a connector between at least two graphical objects simultaneously visible on the display device;

associating a first portion of the connector with a first plane such that the first portion of the connector tends to remain in the first plane;

receiving user input that manipulates a location of at least one of a first end terminal of the connector and a second end terminal of the connector;

responsive to the user input, executing a runtime script configured to:

determine a first minimum number of elbows to be included in the connector when the first portion of the connector is to remain routed in the first plane after manipulation of the location of the at least one of the first end terminal of the connector and the second end terminal of the connector;

determine a second minimum number of elbows to be included in the connector when the connector is not to remain routed in the first plane after manipulation of the location of the at least one of the first end terminal of the connector and the second end terminal of the connector;

route the first portion of the connector in the first plane unless the first minimum number of elbows is greater than the second minimum number of elbows; and

responsive to the second minimum number of elbows being less than the first minimum number of elbows, remove the first portion of the connector from the first plane and route the first portion of the connector to another position.

16. The machine-readable hardware storage device of claim 15 , wherein associating the first portion of the connector includes receiving user input that manipulates a position of the first portion of the connector such that the first portion of the connector is routed in the first plane.

17. The machine-readable hardware storage device of claim 15 , wherein:

the connector includes two or more elbows;

the first portion of the connector is between the two of the two or more elbows;

the operations further comprise routing the first portion of the connector; and

the routing of the first portion in the first plane includes increasing, decreasing, or maintaining a length of the first portion of the connector.

18. The machine-readable hardware storage device of claim 15 , wherein:

receiving a second user input that manipulates a location of at least one of the first end terminal and second end terminal; and

routing the connector between a first end point of the connector and a second end point of the connector by routing the first portion of the connector in the first plane.

19. The machine-readable hardware storage device of claim 15 , wherein:

the routing the first portion of the connector to another position includes routing the connector between a first end point of the connector and a second end point of the connector; and

the operations further comprise:

responsive to the second minimum number of elbows being less than the first minimum number of elbows, removing at least one elbow of the connector; and

after routing the connector between the first end point and the second end point:

receiving a second user input that manipulates a location of at least one of the first end terminal and second end terminal;

reestablishing the first portion of the connector;

routing the connector between the first end point and second end point; and

routing the first portion of the connector in the first plane.

20. The machine-readable hardware storage device of claim 15 , wherein the associating includes receiving user input effective to position a cursor external to a first graphical object within a predetermined distance of a peripheral edge of the first graphical object that defines a shape of the first graphical object, to click and drag the cursor to an end position, and to manipulate a position of the first portion of the connector such that the first portion of the connector is routed in and associated with a first plane.

21. The machine-readable hardware storage device of claim 15 , wherein:

the operations further comprise causing the connector to connect to a first graphical object located at a first end point at a user definable angle;

the user definable angle is maintained after the first graphical object is manipulated;

a user is able to define the user definable angle as any one of at least 45, 60, and 90 degrees;

the connector is an elbowed connector that includes the first portion, a first end point, a second end point, a plurality of elbows, the first end terminal, and the second end terminal; and

the first portion of the elbowed connector runs between two of the plurality of elbows.