Layout algorithm based on example flowchart?

Question

Dear Team,

 

The Layout algorithms are very mighty. The results are very hard to foresee as the settings are pretty complex.

 

Is there a way to identify the layout of a given flowchart (e.g. average values of relevant properties) and use this as the base for a "customised" layout algorithm?

 

That would really be great to have.

 

Thanks in advance

Best Regards

Answer 1

This forum is for yEd questions only. For questions regarding one of the yFiles programming libraries, please contact yWorks support by mail. (Please include your yWorks customer or evaluator ID in your mail when doing so.)

Comments

Dear Thomas,

My question refers to yEd, not to yFiles programming libraries. I am not a yWorks customer and do not hav any ID.

Thanks in advance
Best Regards

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Thank you very much for the clarification. However, I am afraid I do not understand the question with regards to yEd. Could you maybe explain in more detail what you are trying to achieve?

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I am creating pretty complex BPMN flowcharts. To keep the overview, I manually adjust nodes, lanes and edges. Although, this gives an ok pictures, the layout algorithms are obviously better able to create a consistent picture than any human being will be able to. Therefore I would like to use the layout algorithms. now, unfortunately, using "Layout" is a merely trial and error as the settings are pretty complex and I cannot really foresee the result it will give me. This is why I would like to identify the settings of my manual flowcharts (e.g. by taking average values for "distance between ...." and make these my new settings for the algorithm. That way I could get the flowchart image I would like to see without heavy trial end error in the settings.

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Thank you very much for the clarification. Unfortunately, the feature you are looking for is not available in yEd. You might look into hierarchic layout and BPMN layout with option "Use Drawing as Sketch" enabled, though. This settings ensures that the algorithm keeps the existing order of elements.