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agilian_user_guide Chapter 5 - Automatic Diagrams Layout

Chapter 5 - Automatic Diagrams Layout

Agilian provides a layout facility for arranging diagram elements in diagrams. It re-layouts the diagram elements so that they do not overlap, and the relationship links are arranged so that they will not cross over one another. Different layout styles and configurable options are provided, which allows for very flexible and sophisticated layouts to be adopted for diagrams.

In this chapter:

Auto Layout

Auto Layout can arrange the shapes by selecting the most suitable layout automatically. It is best for arranging the shapes when user has no special preference in choosing a specific layout.

To apply Auto Layout to the diagram, right-click on the diagram and select Layout > Auto Layout from the popup menu.

Figure 5.1 - Select Auto Layout

Class Diagram

Hierarchy base (Factory class diagram)

Figure 5.2 - Hierarchy base (Factory class diagram)

Navigation base (Mediator class diagram)

Figure 5.3 - Navigation base (Mediator class diagram)

Activity Diagram

Figure 5.4 - Auto layout of activity diagram

State Machine Diagram

Figure 5.5 - Auto layout of state machine diagram

Communication Diagram

Figure 5.6 - Auto layout of communication diagram

Other Diagrams

Figure 5.7 - Auto layout of other diagrams

Performing Layout

Figure 5.8 - Performing layout

Orthogonal Layout

Orthogonal Layout arranges shapes based on the topology-shape-metrics approach. It is best for arranging shapes and connectors in Class Diagrams. It is the default layout in Agilian. Every time you drag the models from the Model Tree to a diagram, the orthogonal layout will be applied to arrange the newly created shapes in the Class Diagram.

Figure 5.9 - Orthogonal Layout

Layout Grid Size: the virtual grid size for layout. Each shape will be placed in a way so that its center point lays on a virtual grid point.

Figure 5.10 - Orthogonal Layout setting

Hierarchic Layout

Hierarchic Layout arranges shapes in a flow. It is best for arranging shapes that have hierarchical relationships such as generalization relationships and realization relationships.

Figure 5.11 - Hierarchic Layout

Min. Layer Distance: the minimal horizontal distance between the shapes
Min. Shape Distance: the minimal vertical distance between the shapes
Min. Connector Distance: the minimal vertical distance of the connector segments
Orientation: the layout direction for arranging nodes and connectors -top to bottom, left to right, bottom to top, and right to left
Shape Placement: affects the horizontal spacing between shapes, and the number of bends of the connectors -pendulum, linear segments, polyline, tree, simplex
Connector Style: the style of the connectors -polyline style or orthogonal style

Figure 5.12 - Hierarchic Layout setting

Directed Tree Layout

Directed Tree Layout is one of the tree layouts in Agilian. It can arrange shapes in a tree structure. It is best for arranging shapes except those which have hierarchical relationships such as generalization relationships and realization relationships.

Figure 5.13 - Directed Tree Layout

Min. Layer Distance: the minimal horizontal distance between the shapes
Min. Shape Distance: the minimal vertical distance between the shapes
Orientation: the layout direction for arranging nodes and connectors - top to bottom, left to right, bottom to top, and right to left
Connector End Point Style: how the connector end points will be placed - shape centered, border centered, border distributed
Orthogonal Connector: whether the connectors will be arranged in orthogonal style

Figure 5.14 - Directed Tree Layout Setting

Balloon Tree Layout

Balloon Tree Layout is one of the tree layouts in Agilian. It can arrange shapes in a tree structure in a radial fashion. It is best for arranging large trees.

Figure 5.15 - Balloon Tree Layout

Min. Connector Length: the minimal distance between the connectors and shapes
Preferred Child Wedge: the angle at which the child node will be placed around its parent node
Preferred Root Wedge: the angle at which a node will be placed around the root node
Root Node Policy: determines which node is chosen as the tree root node for layout - directed root, center root, and weighted center root

Figure 5.16 - Balloon Tree Layout Setting

Compact Tree Layout

Compact Tree Layout is one of the tree layouts in Agilian. It can arrange shapes in a tree structure. You can set the aspect ratio (relation of tree width to tree height) of the resultant tree.

Figure 5.17 - Compact Tree Layout

Horizontal Spacing: the horizontal spacing between the shapes
Vertical Spacing: the vertical spacing between the shapes
Min. Connector Length: the vertical distance of the connector segments
Aspect Ratio: the relation of the tree width to the tree height

Figure 5.18 - Compact Tree Layout Setting

Horizontal-Vertical Tree Layout

Horizontal-Vertical Tree Layout is one of the tree layouts in Agilian. It can arrange shapes in a tree structure horizontally and vertically.

Figure 5.19 - Horizontal-Vertical Tree Layout

Horizontal Spacing: the horizontal spacing between the shapes
Vertical Spacing: the vertical spacing between the shapes

Figure 5.20 - Horizontal-Vertical Tree Layout Setting

BBC Compact Circular Layout

BBC Compact Circular Layout is one of the circular layouts in Agilian. It can arrange shapes in a radial tree structure. The detected group is laid out on the separate circles. It is best for arranging shapes that belongs to more than one group with a ring structure.

Figure 5.21 - BBC Compact Circular Layout

Maximal Deviation Angle: the maximal angle of deviation
Preferred Child Wedge: the angle at which the child node will be placed around its parent node
Minimal Edge Length: the minimal distance between the shapes
Compactness Factor: the parameter that affects the length of connector. The smaller the compactness factor, the length of connectors will be shorter and the layout will be more compact.
Allow Overlaps: whether the shape can be overlapped

Figure 5.22 - BBC Compact Circular Layout Setting

BBC Isolated Circular Layout

BBC Isolated Circular Layout is one of the circular layouts in Agilian. It can arrange shapes into many isolated ring structures. It is best for arranging shapes that belong to one group with ring structure.

Figure 5.23 - BBC Isolated Circular Layout

The attributes of this layout is the same as BBC Compact Circular Layout.

Single Cycle Circular Layout

Single Cycle Layout is one of the circular layouts in Agilian. It can arrange shapes in circular structure in single circle.

Figure 5.24 - Single Cycle Circular Layout

Choose radius automatically: determine the radius of circular structure automatically or manually
Minimal Node Distance: the minimal distance between the nodes
Fixed radius: the radius of circular structure

Figure 5.25 - Single Cycle Circular Layout Setting

Organic Layout

Organic Layout is one of the organic layouts in Agilian. It can arrange shapes in a star or ring structure. It is best for arranging the shapes that have highly connectivity relationship.

Figure 5.26 - Organic Layout

Activate Deterministic Mode: whether the layouter is in deterministic mode
Activate Tree Beautifier: whether or not to activate the subtree beautifier
Attraction: the degree of the attraction between shapes
Final Temperature: the factor that affects the distance between shapes
Gravity Factor: the factor that affects the distance between shapes and the center
Initial Placement: the initial value of placement
Initial Temperature: the initial value of temperature
Iteration Factor: the degree of iteration
Maximum Duration: the maximum degree of duration
Obey Node Size: the size of obey shapes
Preferred Edge Length: the preferred length between the nodes
Repulsion: the factor that affects the distance between shapes which belong to the same ring or star structure

Figure 5.27 - Organic Layout Setting

Smart Organic Layout

Smart Organic Layout is one of the organic layouts in Agilian. It is a variant of the Organic Layout. It can set the ratio of the quality : producing time of layout and controls the compactness of layout.

Figure 5.28 - Smart Organic Layout

Compactness: the factor that sets less/more compact layout.
Deterministic: whether the layouter is in deterministic mode
Minimal Node Distance: the minimal distance between nodes
Node Overlaps Allowed: whether the node can be overlapped
Node Size Aware: whether the node size can be aware
Preferred Minimal Node Distance: the preferred minimal distance between the nodes
Quality Time Ratio: the ratio of the quality of layout to the producing time of layout

Figure 5.29 - Smart Organic Layout Setting

Organic Edge Route Layout

Organic Edge Route Layout is one of the edge route layouts in Agilian. It can arrange the connectors without affecting the location of shapes. It can ensure that the shapes will not overlap and keep a specific minimal distance.

Figure 5.30 - Organic Edge Route Layout

Minimal Distance: the minimal distance of the connectors
Route All: whether all the connectors will be routed
Use Existing Bends: whether using existing bends

Figure 5.31 - Organic Edge Route Layout setting

Orthogonal Edge Route Layout

Route Connectors can arrange the connectors using vertical and horizontal line segments only. It is best for arranging the connectors that have complicated route.

Figure 5.32 - Orthogonal Edge Route Layout

Center to space ratio: the ratio of center to the distance between center and nodes
Coupled distances: the distance between coupled nodes
Crossing cost: the cost of crossing connector
Custom border capacity: the capacity of the border
Local crossing minimization: whether the local crossing of connectors will be minimized
Minimum distance: the minimum distance of connectors
Minimum distance to node: the minimum distance between the shapes
Rerouting: whether the connector that has many crossings will be rerouted
Routing style: the style of routing

Figure 5.33 - Orthogonal Edge Route Layout setting

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