Auto connect

[Allen]

I have a custom connector in the Palette. The custom connector can be dragged and placed on the diagram sheet. Then, I drag each end to other nodes to connect.

Am just asking if the following is possible:

I press on the custom connector in the palette. Then i move the mouse (with out the custom connector) to the diagram area. When i press on a node, it detects the node and automatically connects to it. The connector stays active until i find an other node to connect. When I click on the second node, the connection is created automatically.

Is this possible?

Iam vb net3.5 user

[Naganathan Ganesh Babu]

Hi Allen, 

 

We have created a sample to achieve your requirement. we suggest you to use PaletteGroupBar’s NodeSelected event to activate the connector tool to achieve your requirement. please refer to the below code example and sample. 

 

Code example: 

 

[VB] 

 

AddHandler paletteGroupBar1.NodeSelected, AddressOf paletteGroupBar1_NodeSelected 

Private Sub paletteGroupBar1_NodeSelected(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal evtArgs As NodeEventArgs) 

                                    If TypeOf evtArgs.Node Is ConnectorBase Then 

                                                'Activate your custom tool here 

                                                diagram1.Controller.ActivateTool("LineLinkTool") 

                                    End If 

                        End Sub 

 

Sample: 

 

Sample 

 

Video: 

 

Video 

 

Regards, 

 

Naganathan K G 

[Allen]

Thank you Naganathan!

That is fine but since I wanted to use a custom connector class that inherits orglineconnector, how can I make use of my custom connector instead of the default connectors? the name of my custom connector is customConnector, which is in the PaletteGroupBar

[Naganathan Ganesh Babu]

Hi Allen, 

 

We have created a sample with custom OrgLine connector to achieve your requirement. Please refer to the below sample. 

 

Sample: 

 

Sample  

 

Regards, 

 

Naganathan K G 

[Allen]

Thank you Neganathan,

How do you keep connecting if you have more than two nodes on the diagram sheet? I notice that the connector button remain pressed and I cannot connect more than once.  Either it should be un-pressed when I finish the first connection and then I press gain to proceed with the second connection or it has to stay active until I exit connecting (like with escape key or something like that).

[Naganathan Ganesh Babu]

Hi Allen, 

 

We have modified the sample to achieve your requirement. we suggest you to use Diagram’s MouseUp and KeyPress event to stay active/deactive the activated tools always. Please refer to the below code example and modified sample. 

 

Code example: 

 

[VB] 

 

Private stayActive As Boolean = False 

AddHandler paletteGroupBar1.NodeSelected, AddressOf paletteGroupBar1_NodeSelected 

                                    AddHandler diagram1.MouseUp, AddressOf diagram1_MouseUp 

                                    AddHandler diagram1.KeyPress, AddressOf diagram1_KeyPress 

Private Sub diagram1_KeyPress(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As KeyPressEventArgs) 

            If e.KeyChar = CChar(ChrW(Keys.Escape)) Then 

                If TypeOf diagram1.Controller.ActiveTool Is CustomOrgLineConnectorTool Then 

                    diagram1.Controller.DeactivateTool(diagram1.Controller.ActiveTool) 

                End If 

                stayActive = False 

            End If 

                        End Sub 

Private Sub diagram1_MouseUp(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As MouseEventArgs) 

                                    If stayActive Then 

                                                'Activate your custom tool here 

                                                diagram1.Controller.ActivateTool("CustomLine") 

                                    End If 

                        End Sub 

 

Private Sub paletteGroupBar1_NodeSelected(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal evtArgs As NodeEventArgs) 

                                    If TypeOf evtArgs.Node Is ConnectorBase Then 

                                                'Activate your custom tool here 

                                                diagram1.Controller.ActivateTool("CustomLine") 

                                                stayActive = True 

                                    Else 

                                                If TypeOf diagram1.Controller.ActiveTool Is CustomOrgLineConnectorTool Then 

                                                            diagram1.Controller.DeactivateTool(diagram1.Controller.ActiveTool) 

                                                End If 

                                                stayActive = False 

                                    End If 

                        End Sub 

 

 

Sample: 

 

Sample 

 

Regards, 

 

Naganathan K G 

[Naganathan Ganesh Babu]

Hi Allen, 

 

Please ignore out previous update. 

 

We suggest you to use diagram1.Controller.ActiveTool “SingleActionTool” property to set as False to stay active the activated tool always. Also use Diagram’s KeyPress event to deactivate the currently activated tool by using diagram1.Controller’s DeactivateTool() method. Please refer to the below code example and sample. 

 

Code example: 

 

[VB] 

 

AddHandler paletteGroupBar1.NodeSelected, AddressOf paletteGroupBar1_NodeSelected 

AddHandler diagram1.KeyPress, AddressOf diagram1_KeyPress 

 

Private Sub diagram1_KeyPress(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As KeyPressEventArgs) 

If e.KeyChar = CChar(ChrW(Keys.Escape)) Then 

If TypeOf diagram1.Controller.ActiveTool Is CustomOrgLineConnectorTool Then 

diagram1.Controller.DeactivateTool(diagram1.Controller.ActiveTool) 

End If 

End If 

End Sub 

Private Sub paletteGroupBar1_NodeSelected(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal evtArgs As NodeEventArgs) 

If TypeOf evtArgs.Node Is ConnectorBase Then 

'Activate your custom tool here 

  diagram1.Controller.ActivateTool("CustomLine") 

Stay active the activated tool always 

diagram1.Controller.ActiveTool.SingleActionTool = False 

Else 

If TypeOf diagram1.Controller.ActiveTool Is CustomOrgLineConnectorTool Then 

diagram1.Controller.DeactivateTool(diagram1.Controller.ActiveTool) 

End If 

End If 

End Sub 

 

 

Sample 

 

Sample[n1]  

 

Regards, 

 

Naganathan K G 

---

 [n1] 

[Allen]

Dear Naganathan,

Thank you so much. I was shortly asking on a few issues, which I just resolved minutes ago

I still have one issue with it: when I deactivate the connection with Escape, the customLine button (under the PaletteGroupbar) still remains pressed. I have to press on another button within the same palette group. It doesn't unpress the button if I presse another button of different Palette group. So, it would be ideal to unpress the button of the customline when I press Escape 

Not really an issue but It would be nice to have a function that highlights a node when the mouse is hovering over it

Mouse pointer is arrow until it is over the node. Then it turns to cross.  To start drawing only when the mouse is over the Node, not outside of it.  

[Naganathan Ganesh Babu]

Hi Allen, 

I still have one issue with it: when I deactivate the connection with Escape, the customLine button (under the PaletteGroupbar) still remains pressed. I have to press on another button within the same palette group.	We suggest you to use get the currently selected item from the paletteGroupBar by using PaletteGroupBar’s SelectItem property and  use PaletteGroupView’s SelectNode() method to pass a parameter as null to unselect the nodes in current PaletteGroupbar.    Please refer to the below code example:    Code example:    [VB]    Private Sub diagram1_KeyPress(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As KeyPressEventArgs)              If e.KeyChar = CChar(ChrW(Keys.Escape)) Then                  If TypeOf diagram1.Controller.ActiveTool Is CustomOrgLineConnectorTool Then                      diagram1.Controller.DeactivateTool(diagram1.Controller.ActiveTool)                  End If                  UnSelectNodeCurSymbolPalette(paletteGroupBar1, paletteGroupBar1.SelectedItem)              End If                          End Sub                            Private Sub UnSelectNodeCurSymbolPalette(ByVal groupBar As PaletteGroupBar, ByVal selectItem As Integer)                                      Dim groupView As PaletteGroupView = TryCast(groupBar.GroupBarItems(selectItem).Client, PaletteGroupView)                                      'Unselect the node in palette group bar while changing the current symbol palette                                      groupView.SelectNode(Nothing)                          End Sub
It doesn't unpress the button if I presse another button of different Palette group. So, it would be ideal to unpress the button of the customline when I press Escape	In order to achieve your requirement, we suggest you to use PaletterGroupbar’s “GroupBarItemSelectionChanging” event and follow the same procedure which is provided in above.    Please refer to the below code example.    Code example:    [VB]    AddHandler paletteGroupBar1.GroupBarItemSelectionChanging, AddressOf paletteGroupBar1_GroupBarItemSelectionChanging      Private Sub paletteGroupBar1_GroupBarItemSelectionChanging(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal args As GroupBarItemSelectionChangingEventArgs)                          UnSelectNodeCurSymbolPalette(TryCast(sender, PaletteGroupBar), args.OldSelected)  End Sub
Not really an issue but It would be nice to have a function that highlights a node when the mouse is hovering over it  Mouse pointer is arrow until it is over the node. Then it turns to cross.  To start drawing only when the mouse is over the Node, not outside of it.	Also please use Diagram.Eventsink’s NodeMouseEnter/NodeMouseLeave events to add your logic codes as per your requirement.     Code example:    [VB]    AddHandler diagram1.EventSink.NodeMouseEnter, AddressOf EventSink_NodeMouseEnter  AddHandler diagram1.EventSink.NodeMouseLeave, AddressOf EventSink_NodeMouseLeave    Private Sub EventSink_NodeMouseLeave(ByVal evtArgs As NodeMouseEventArgs)                                      Dim node As Node = evtArgs.Node                                      node.LineStyle.LineColor = tempColor                                      node.LineStyle.LineWidth = tempWidth                          End Sub                          Private Sub EventSink_NodeMouseEnter(ByVal evtArgs As NodeMouseEventArgs)                                      Dim node As Node = evtArgs.Node                                      tempColor = node.LineStyle.LineColor                                      node.LineStyle.LineColor = Color.Red                                      tempWidth = node.LineStyle.LineWidth                                      node.LineStyle.LineWidth = 2                          End Sub

Sample: 

Sample 

Regards, 

Naganathan K G