Based on my limited knowledge, the ShapeNode looks like the right class for me to inherit so I can add various additional properties like TaskName, TaskRequired, TaskStatus, TaskSuccessorConditions, etc. for use in an application.

When I create a simple vb.net class (TaskNode) that inherits the ShapeNode using VS2005, I see warnings indicating the ShapeNode is CLS-Compliant. This doesn't bother me but are there any problems down the line?

Also, as a test, I am trying to modify the FlowCharter sample to use my new TaskNode class. At first I thought I would just create TaskNodes instead of ShapeNodes but then noticed that there is a Factory method used to create the nodes and return is ShapeNode.

So I left the sample code in tact where it relates to the factory returning ShapeNode and thought I would just cast the ShapeNode as a TaskNode but I recieve an "System.InvalidCastException" error. (see the last code line below)

Any ideas on what I need to do to make my class work in this way or is there any other way to add my own properties to a ShapeNode and use it with full functionality?

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Dim b As FlowCharter.ShapeNode = _doc.Factory.CreateShapeNode(pt.X, pt.Y, 20, 20)
b.Shape = _nodes(sdi.Index).Template
b.AnchorPattern = ap
b.HandlesStyle = HandlesStyle.DashFrame

Dim t As TaskNode
t = CType(b, FlowCharter.ShapeNode)
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Thanks for your help.

That certainly makes sense. Not sure why I didn't look for that basic method first but I guess the example just threw me off. Anyway, works great, thanks for the help.

On another note, now that everything works as I wanted with my new class that inherits the shapenode I tried to use the savetofile/loadfromfile methods.

While it appears to save and load everything OK, it looks like it saves and/or loads the shapenode instead of my new TaskNode. I end up having to try to cast again which is obviously not working as I indicated in the last message.

Do you have any suggestions for saving the diagram and making it save and load my extension of the ShapeNode class? I can do this from scratch but I am sure someone has had to do this before.

Thanks again for your help.