How do I change the Windows Excel Import Template so Text wraps on Import

Question

Hi Thomas
I prefer to Drive yEd from Excel. My graphs have way too many Nodes to rearrange them Manually.

I see that I can import from Excel

Select All Nodes I want to change

Set the Node Width

change to Cropping and Fit Width

When I do that, the Connecting Edges all need to be redone :(

I like the way Import can set the Node Width.

I have gone to Great Pains to create a macro to put char(10) where needed to a given text width. That works; but, it isn't pretty.

Specifying an Import Template with a given Width Node for Nodes other than Group Nodes would Work, if the Import would Crop to that Width and extend the Node Depth.

I really do NOT want to Edit the Imported Drawing in Any Manner. Fixing the Edges is too Cumbersome.

I'd appreciate any Advice.

Cheers, Bill

Answer 1

yEd's Excel Import offers the possibility to automatically apply a properties mapper configuration on import (see tab "Presentation").

If you use a configuration that sets the width of the node, there should be no need to redo any edges.

Even if you do not use such a configuration, there is still no need to manually fix any edges - just run the appropriate layout algorithm.

Furthermore, it is not necessary to manually change your label settings for label size and label configuration either. Instead, have your node configuration apply a properly configured node style. To do that

1. Create a node.
2. Configure said node's label settings as desired.
3. Create a user-defined palette section.
4. Add the configured node as a template to the user-defined palette section (right-click the node to open its context menu and choose "Add to Palette").
5. Open the properties mapper.
6. In your node configuration, set "Template" to "Single" and choose the palette template you just created.
7. Use the configuration for Excel Import.

Again, if you do not use such a configuration, it is still possible to use a node style template as created in steps 1 to 4 above for Excel Import: Choose the desired palette template for option "Template" on tab "Presentation" of the Excel Import settings.

Unfortunately, yEd does not offer a way to dynamically increase the height of a node such that text wrapped for the node's width fits into the node's height.

I have to admit that I do not understand what you mean by "a macro to put char(10) where needed". I am not aware of any feature in yEd that knows what "char(10)" means.

Comments

Hi Thomas:

Thanks for referring to this in your other reply.

yEd terminology and steps are challenging for me to understand and follow. I know you can't spend a lot of time clarifying how to do things. But, it will take me some time to figure out how to actually do the steps you outlined.

For instance, the "Fit to Content" Label setting works just fine.

It's the General Height that I will want to Map to an Import Parameter.

I only use yEd every few months. So, "Create a Node" will take me some time to figure out how to do it. I did it a Few Years ago. So, I know I can do it. It'll just take me time.

Please be patient with me.

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"Create a node" simply means dragging a node template from yEd's palette into yEd's editor area:

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yEd's properties mapper also offers 'Height' for 'Map To'. So, if there is a column with desired height values in your spreadsheet, you can use the properties mapper to assign those specific heights to the respective nodes.

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On hindsight

Choose the desired palette template for option "Template" on tab "Presentation" of the Excel Import settings.

was worded badly. I will try to clarify what you need to do:

After steps 1 to 4, go to the new palette section and double-click the new node template. This will turn the palette cell background a dark blue and turn the template into the default template for new nodes. When importing your spreadsheet, make sure option 'Template' on tab 'Presentation' of the Excel Import settings is set to 'Selected Template from Palette'.

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Thomas:

You have lots of patience. Thank you.

yEd seems to be doing what I want now -- Creating a visualization of my Excel File without any Additional Actions on my Part.

In other words, the yEd Visualization IS the Digital Twin of my Excel File.