Methods Reference

This is a complete reference of all methods available for manipulating Merlin data structures. Methods are organized by category and indicate which data structures support them.

Page Control Methods

page

Creates a new visualization step.

Syntax:

page
page 2x3  // with layout

Supported by: All structures

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show

Displays a data structure on the current page.

Syntax:

show objectName
show objectName (0, 1)  // with position
show objectName top-left // with text based position

See more: Positioning

Supported by: All structures

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hide

Hides a data structure from the current page.

Syntax:

hide objectName

Supported by: All structures

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Single Element Methods

setValue(index, value)

Sets the value at a specific index.

Syntax:

obj.setValue(0, "newValue")

Supported by: Array, Stack

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setValue(index | id, value)

Sets the value at a specific index or node ID.

Syntax:

obj.setValue(0, "newValue")        // by index
obj.setValue(nodeA, "newValue")    // by node ID

Supported by: Graph, Tree, LinkedList

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setValue(row, col, value)

Sets the value at a specific matrix position.

Syntax:

matrix.setValue(1, 2, "newValue")

Supported by: Matrix

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setValue(value)

Sets the text content for all lines.

Syntax:

text.setValue("newText")

Supported by: Text

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setValue(line, value)

Sets the text content for a specific line.

Syntax:

text.setValue(0, "newText")  // first line

Supported by: Text

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setColor(index, color)

Sets the color at a specific index.

Syntax:

obj.setColor(0, "red")
obj.setColor(0, null)  // remove color

Supported by: Array, Stack

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setColor(index | id, color)

Sets the color at a specific index or node ID.

Syntax:

obj.setColor(0, "red")             // by index
obj.setColor(nodeA, "red")         // by node ID
obj.setColor(nodeA, null)          // remove color

Supported by: Graph, Tree, LinkedList

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setColor(row, col, color)

Sets the color at a specific matrix position.

Syntax:

matrix.setColor(1, 2, "blue")

Supported by: Matrix

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setArrow(index, arrow)

Sets the arrow/label at a specific index.

Syntax:

obj.setArrow(0, "important")
obj.setArrow(0, null)  // remove arrow

Supported by: Array, Stack

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setArrow(index | id, arrow)

Sets the arrow/label at a specific index or node ID.

Syntax:

obj.setArrow(0, "important")       // by index
obj.setArrow(nodeA, "important")   // by node ID
obj.setArrow(nodeA, null)          // remove arrow

Supported by: Graph, Tree, LinkedList

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setArrow(row, col, arrow)

Sets the arrow/label at a specific matrix position.

Syntax:

matrix.setArrow(1, 2, "target")

Supported by: Matrix

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setHidden(index | id, hidden)

Sets the visibility of an element by index or node ID.

Syntax:

graph.setHidden(0, true)        // hide by index
graph.setHidden(0, false)       // show by index
graph.setHidden(nodeA, true)    // hide by node ID
graph.setHidden(nodeA, false)   // show by node ID

Supported by: Graph

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Multiple Element Methods

setValues([...])

Sets multiple values at once. Use _ to keep existing values.

Syntax:

obj.setValues([1, 2, 3])
obj.setValues([_, 2, _])  // only change middle value

Supported by: Array, Stack, LinkedList, Graph, Tree, Text

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setValues([[...], ...])

Sets multiple matrix values at once.

Syntax:

matrix.setValues([[1, 2], [3, 4]])
matrix.setValues([[_, 2], [3, _]])  // partial update

Supported by: Matrix

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setColors([...])

Sets multiple colors at once.

Syntax:

obj.setColors(["red", "blue", null])
obj.setColors([_, "blue", _])  // only change middle color

Supported by: Array, Stack, LinkedList, Graph, Tree

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setColors([[...], ...])

Sets multiple matrix colors at once.

Syntax:

matrix.setColors([["red", "blue"], [null, "green"]])

Supported by: Matrix

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setArrows([...])

Sets multiple arrows at once.

Syntax:

obj.setArrows(["start", null, "end"])
obj.setArrows([_, null, _])  // only change middle arrow

Supported by: Array, Stack, LinkedList, Graph, Tree

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setArrows([[...], ...])

Sets multiple matrix arrows at once.

Syntax:

matrix.setArrows([["start", null], [null, "end"]])

Supported by: Matrix

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setHidden([...])

Sets visibility for multiple elements.

Syntax:

graph.setHidden([true, false, true])

Supported by: Graph

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Text Positioning Methods

setText(text, position)

Sets or removes text at a specific position around a data structure.

Syntax:

obj.setText("text", "above")
obj.setText("text", "below")
obj.setText("text", "left")
obj.setText("text", "right")
obj.setText(null, "above")  // remove text

Parameters:

• text: String value to set, or null to remove text
• position: String literal indicating placement - "above", "below", "left", or "right"

Behavior:

• Creates a new text component if none exists at the specified position
• Updates existing text component if one exists at the position
• Removes text component when text is null
• Automatically handles text object lifecycle (creation/deletion)

Chained Method Access: Access methods of linked text objects through position chaining:

// Access text object methods through the main object
obj.above.setFontSize(16)
obj.below.setColor("#ff0000")
obj.left.setValue("New Text")
obj.right.setFontWeight("bold")

Supported by: Array, Matrix, Graph, Tree, Stack, LinkedList (all non-text structures)

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Add/Insert Methods

addValue(value)

Adds a value to the end of the structure.

Syntax:

obj.addValue("newItem")

Supported by: Array, Stack, LinkedList

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insertValue(index, value)

Inserts a value at a specific index.

Syntax:

obj.insertValue(1, "inserted")

Supported by: Array, Stack

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addNode(name, value?)

Adds a new node with optional value.

Syntax:

graph.addNode(newNode, "value")
graph.addNode(newNode)  // no value

Supported by: Graph, Tree, LinkedList

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insertNode(index | id, name, value?)

Inserts a node at a specific index or after a specific node ID with optional value.

Syntax:

list.insertNode(1, newNode)           // by index
list.insertNode(1, newNode, "value")  // by index with value
list.insertNode(nodeA, newNode)       // after node ID
list.insertNode(nodeA, newNode, "value") // after node ID with value

Supported by: LinkedList

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addEdge(edge)

Adds an edge between nodes.

Syntax:

graph.addEdge(nodeA-nodeB)

Supported by: Graph

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setEdges([...])

Sets all edges at once.

Syntax:

graph.setEdges([A-B, B-C, C-A])

Supported by: Graph

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Remove Methods

removeValue(value)

Removes the first occurrence of a value.

Syntax:

obj.removeValue("target")

Supported by: Array, Stack, LinkedList

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removeAt(index)

Removes the element at a specific index.

Syntax:

obj.removeAt(2)

Supported by: Array, Stack, LinkedList

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removeNode(name)

Removes a specific node.

Syntax:

graph.removeNode(targetNode)

Supported by: Graph, Tree, LinkedList

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removeEdge(edge)

Removes a specific edge.

Syntax:

graph.removeEdge(nodeA-nodeB)

Supported by: Graph

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Tree-Specific Methods

addChild(parent-child, value?)

Adds a child to a parent node.

Syntax:

tree.addChild(parent-newChild, "value")
tree.addChild(parent-newChild)  // no value

Supported by: Tree

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setChild(parent-child)

Changes parent-child relationship.

Syntax:

tree.setChild(newParent-existingChild)

Supported by: Tree

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removeSubtree(node)

Removes a node and its entire subtree.

Syntax:

tree.removeSubtree(nodeToRemove)

Supported by: Tree

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Matrix-Specific Methods

addRow([values]?)

Adds a new row to the matrix.

Syntax:

matrix.addRow()             // empty row at end
matrix.addRow([1, 2, 3])    // row with values at end

Supported by: Matrix

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addColumn([values]?)

Adds a new column to the matrix.

Syntax:

matrix.addColumn()             // empty column at end
matrix.addColumn([4, 5, 6])    // column with values at end

Supported by: Matrix

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removeRow(index)

Removes a row at the specified index.

Syntax:

matrix.removeRow(1)

Supported by: Matrix

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removeColumn(index)

Removes a column at the specified index.

Syntax:

matrix.removeRow(1)

Supported by: Matrix

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insertRow(index, [values]?)

Inserts a row at a specific index with optional values.

Syntax:

matrix.insertRow(1)             // empty row at index 1
matrix.insertRow(1, [4, 5, 6])  // row with values at index 1

Supported by: Matrix

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insertColumn(index, [values]?)

Inserts a column at a specific index with optional values.

Syntax:

matrix.insertColumn(1)             // empty column at index 1
matrix.insertColumn(1, [4, 5, 6])  // row with values at index 1

Supported by: Matrix

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Text-Specific Methods

setFontSize(size)

Sets font size for all text.

Syntax:

text.setFontSize(16)

Supported by: Text

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setFontSize(line, size)

Sets font size for a specific line.

Syntax:

text.setFontSize(0, 20)  // first line

Supported by: Text

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setColor(line, color)

Sets color for a specific line.

Syntax:

text.setColor(1, "red")  // second line

Supported by: Text

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setFontWeight(weight)

Sets font weight for all text.

Syntax:

text.setFontWeight("bold")
text.setFontWeight("normal")

Supported by: Text

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setFontWeight(line, weight)

Sets font weight for a specific line.

Syntax:

text.setFontWeight(0, "bold")

Supported by: Text

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setFontFamily(family)

Sets font family for all text.

Syntax:

text.setFontFamily("Arial")
text.setFontFamily("Georgia")

Supported by: Text

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setFontFamily(line, family)

Sets font family for a specific line.

Syntax:

text.setFontFamily(1, "Courier")

Supported by: Text

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setAlign(alignment)

Sets text alignment for all text.

Syntax:

text.setAlign("center")
text.setAlign("left")
text.setAlign("right")

Supported by: Text

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setAlign(line, alignment)

Sets text alignment for a specific line.

Syntax:

text.setAlign(0, "center")

Supported by: Text

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setLineSpacing(spacing)

Sets spacing between lines.

Syntax:

text.setLineSpacing(20)

Supported by: Text

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setWidth(width)

Sets text box width.

Syntax:

text.setWidth(300)

Supported by: Text

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setHeight(height)

Sets text box height.

Syntax:

text.setHeight(100)

Supported by: Text

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Text Multiple Element Methods

setFontSizes([...])

Sets font sizes for multiple lines.

Syntax:

text.setFontSizes([20, 16, 14])
text.setFontSizes([_, 16, _])  // only change middle

Supported by: Text

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setColors([...])

Sets colors for multiple lines.

Syntax:

text.setColors(["red", "blue", "green"])

Supported by: Text

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setFontWeights([...])

Sets font weights for multiple lines.

Syntax:

text.setFontWeights(["bold", "normal", "bold"])

Supported by: Text

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setFontFamilies([...])

Sets font families for multiple lines.

Syntax:

text.setFontFamilies(["Arial", "Georgia", "Courier"])

Supported by: Text

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setAligns([...])

Sets alignments for multiple lines.

Syntax:

text.setAligns(["left", "center", "right"])

Supported by: Text

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Special Values

• null - Represents no value/color/arrow
• _ (underscore) - In multiple element methods, keeps the existing value unchanged
• Edge syntax - nodeA-nodeB represents an edge between two nodes

Method Compatibility

Data Structure	setValue	setColor	setArrow	setText	add/insert	remove	Special Methods
Array	✓ (index)	✓ (index)	✓ (index)	✓	✓	✓	-
Matrix	✓ (2D)	✓ (2D)	✓ (2D)	✓	-	-	addRow, addColumn, addBorder
Graph	✓ (index/id)	✓ (index/id)	✓ (index/id)	✓	✓	✓	setHidden (index/id), addEdge, setEdges
Tree	✓ (index/id)	✓ (index/id)	✓ (index/id)	✓	✓	✓	addChild, setChild, removeSubtree
Stack	✓ (index)	✓ (index)	✓ (index)	✓	✓	✓	-
LinkedList	✓ (index/id)	✓ (index/id)	✓ (index/id)	✓	✓	✓	addNode, insertNode
Text	✓	✓	-	-	-	-	Font methods, alignment, sizing