Standard Item Types

Diagram elements in MindFusion.Diagramming for Cocoa Touch are represented by ShapeNode, ContainerNode, TableNode and DiagramLink instances. Combined and linked together, they can form complex data structures such as process or entity-relationship diagrams, class hierarchies, networks and graphs. Each of their rich features can be customized through numerous methods and properties.

Shape Nodes

ShapeNode objects can represent geometric shapes, flowchart elements, icons in network diagrams, and so on. They can display both graphics and text in different fonts, sizes and colors. A node’s shape can be set by calling its setShape method. There are more than 100 predefined node shapes and apart from them, MindFusion.Diagramming for Cocoa Touch offers an easy way to define custom shapes. Shape nodes can be rotated, either interactively using the round selection handle drawn above them, or programmatically using the rotationAngle property.

Table Nodes

A TableNode displays tabular data, and can be used to represent table schemas in database diagrams or classes in class-hierarchies. A table contains cells arranged in a grid, and every cell can display text and/or image. Cells, columns and rows can be customized in various ways - there are properties available for setting their extents, style, image and text alignment. Tables’ dimensions can be programmatically changed; inserting, appending or deleting rows and columns can be done in a very comprehensive, intuitive way whenever you might need it. Tables can also display background images and graphics.

Container Nodes

A ContainerNode can contain other diagram nodes. When a container is moved, its child nodes move too. Containers can be nested one within another to unlimited depth. They can be folded to a smaller size, hiding their child items, and unfolded to show content again. Nodes inside a container can be linked to nodes both inside and outside of it. If a link connects items in the same container, the container is not considered an obstacle by the auto-routing algorithm.

DiagramLink objects are used to represent various types of connections and relations in diagrams. MindFusion.Diagramming for Cocoa Touch offers three basic link shapes, which can be set by the shape property:

  • polyline links composed of straight-line segments;
  • curved links composed of Bezier-spline segments;
  • cascading links composed of horizontal and vertical segments, alternating their orientation so that every segment is orthogonal to its neighbor.

A link can be connected to a node at each of the link’s ends. It is also possible to have unconnected links - having one or both of their ends not connected to nodes. Some customizable link’s properties are: headShape, labels, headStroke, baseBrush, number of segments.