Hi,

When using the applet version, the line routing is painful sometimes. It is very hard to draw a straight line between two symbols. I have attached a sample:

[code]
public class Goop extends JApplet {
private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;

private FlowChart flowChart;

@Override
public void init() {
super.init();

initialize();
// testArrow2();
// testContainment();
//routeTest();
}

private void initialize() {
flowChart = new FlowChart();
JScrollPane pane = new JScrollPane(flowChart);
this.getContentPane().add(pane);

flowChart.setSelectionOnTop(false);

flowChart.setArrowStyle(ArrowStyle.Cascading);
flowChart.setRouteArrows(true);
flowChart.getRoutingOptions().setTriggerRerouting(
RerouteArrows.WhileCreating | RerouteArrows.WhenModified);

float gridSize = flowChart.getRoutingOptions().getGridSize();
float nvs = flowChart.getRoutingOptions().getNodeVicinitySize();

// flowChart.setMeasureUnit(GraphicsUnit.Pixel);
flowChart.getRoutingOptions().setStartOrientation(Orientation.Auto);
flowChart.getRoutingOptions().setEndOrientation(Orientation.Auto);
flowChart.getRoutingOptions().setAnchoring(Anchoring.Ignore);
flowChart.getRoutingOptions().setTriggerRerouting(RerouteArrows.WhileCreating | RerouteArrows.WhenModified);
flowChart.getRoutingOptions().setDefaultMode();


flowChart.getRoutingOptions().setGridSize(gridSize * Toolkit.getDefaultToolkit().getScreenResolution() / 72);
flowChart.getRoutingOptions().setNodeVicinitySize(nvs * Toolkit.getDefaultToolkit().getScreenResolution() / 72);

TextFormat textFormat = new TextFormat(Align.Center, Align.Near);
textFormat.setWrapAtCharacter(true);
flowChart.setTextFormat(textFormat);
}
}
[/code]

When I draw two boxes that are horizontally aligned, and try to draw an arrow between them, the arrow turns into something like a spoon and the origin of the arrow is always at the vertical center of the first box.
So, it is very hard to draw a straight line (especially one which is not at the center of the vertical side).

Also, the arrow head turns up and down automatically, even when I am drawing the line horizontally.

Is there some way I can change the routing to do this, or is this something you can modify?

The whole point is, it should be easy to draw straight lines.

Thanks,
Praveen

Hi,

Can you please tell me if you can provide us this feature anytime soon? We have some users who find not being able to draw straight lines very annoying to the point of not using the tool.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Praveen

Hi Stoyan,

Here is a simplified code:

[code]
private void initialize() {
flowChart = new FlowChart();
JScrollPane pane = new JScrollPane(flowChart);
this.getContentPane().add(pane);

flowChart.setArrowStyle(ArrowStyle.Cascading);
flowChart.addFlowChartListener(new FlowChartAdapter(){
@Override
public void itemCreated(ItemEvent e) {
if (e.getItem() instanceof Arrow){
((Arrow)e.getItem()).route();
}
super.itemCreated(e);
}
});
}

[/code]

Now the above doesn't work for me, because
1. When the user starts drawing the arrow, he cannot find out where the arrow will be created when he releases the mouse (generally, the arrow gets created at the center of the side of the box).

2. The user cannot create arrows from where he draws them, so me cannot create arrows like these (the arrows automatically move to the center):

_                      ____
  |-------------->|
  |                    |
  |                    |
--                     -----

3. Calling route will again add few more segments to the arrow when in the orthogonal mode.

I would like to have something where user can draw like in the above figure, during creation of the arrow.
Is there some way this can be done?

Thanks,
Praveen

Hi Stoyan,

I cannot include anchor points as of now, because the Flowchart I am using gets data from another drawing tool, with similar box and line arrangement. THe other tool doesn't have restrictions on where the line can be connected. Without any anchor-points, Mindfusion's arrows also can behave exactly like the other tool. With anchor points, the lines can start to look a little different. Also, maintaining it with more and more shapes coming in could become tricky.

What did you mean by "modifying the SnapToNodeBorders" feature?

Thanks,
Praveen

Hi Stoyan,

With the first code I posted ( the bigger one) SnapToNodeBorder seems to be working during the line creation itself. The line doesn't seem to originate from somewhere inside the box, but from the border.

I would like to be able to draw a line as in the image I showed up there, on the first attempt. What I see now is that the origin of the arrow has a tendency to move towards the center of the border where it originates as I drag the arrow to the right. This makes the arrow connect to the destination in a step like manner. If the origin doesn't move, the arrow can get connect as a straight line.

Also, I see in the code that there is an attempt at having at least two segments when the style is cascading. Will this cause a problem when trying to draw a straight line between symbols?

Hi Stoyan,

Thank You!

So, what I understand is that with the property set during creation, the origin of the arrow will not move. So, user can draw a one segment line in orthogonal mode. Is my assumption correct?

I am sorry to be so pushy, but can you tell me when you might be able to provide this?

Thanks,
Praveen

Hi Stoyon,

Hopefully you might have started working on this issue that is critical to us just now. I might be more than willing to provide you with any other inputs if you need more information.

Thanks,
Rachna

To prevent the arrow routing function from running when not needed, enable the RerouteArrows.WhenIntersectNode flag in RoutingOptions, and add an "if (flowChart.rerouteArrow(this))" statement before calling doRoute() at the end of Arrow.completeCreate().