Layout Management

Essential Diagram provides a default layout implementation for all the common layout patterns. It also lets you easily customize the existing layout technique and implement brand new ones as well.

Diagram Layout Manager provides the basic plumbing required for positioning diagram nodes and abstracting layout algorithm from the diagram data. When the Layout Manager is initialized with a diagram model, it hooks into the appropriate diagram bounds and node related events that will have an effect on the diagram node layout. The Layout Manager then responds by using a pre-defined layout algorithm to position the diagram nodes.

Application developers can provide custom layout management routines for their diagrams. This can be achieved by deriving and implementing the required node positioning algorithm from the Layout Manager.

The Directed-Tree Layout Manager implements a layout manager to arrange nodes in a tree-like structure. This Layout Manager can be applied to any diagram composed of a directed tree graph with unique root and child nodes. The Layout Manager lets you orient the tree in just about any direction around the root and can be used to create many sophisticated arrangements. A few arrangements are illustrated below:

The Radial-Tree Layout Manager arranges nodes in a circular layout and positions the root-node at the center of the graph and child-nodes in a circular fashion around the root. Sub-trees formed by the branching of the child-node are located radially around the child-node. This arrangement results in an ever-expanding concentric arrangement with radial proximity to the root node indicating the node level in the hierarchy.

The Table-Tree Layout Manager arranges nodes in a table layout positioning the nodes in a rectangular grid of cells where, each node spans over a single table-cell. The Table-Tree Layout Manager is useful when tabular relationships need to be depicted.

The Symmetric Layout Manager arranges nodes in a symmetric fashion using the vertical input distance. The vertical input distance specifies the distance between nodes.

The Hierarchical Layout Manager arranges nodes in a hierarchical fashion depending on the parent-child relationship. Unlike the directed layout, more than one parent item can be defined for a child.