Nevron Diagram for .NET version 4.0 - Officially Released

February 03, 2006 (PRLEAP.COM) Technology News
Nevron Diagram for .NET is the World's leading diagramming component for .NET. It is is a fully managed, extensible and powerful diagramming framework, which can help you create feature rich diagramming solutions. The product has been designed from the ground up to meet a vast number of customization and extensibility requests. Built on top of the solid Model - View - Controller architecture it will provide your applications with consistent, intelligent and powerful diagramming abilities. Nevron Diagram for .NET is a unique component, since it integrates state-of-art vector and raster 2D graphics technologies and wraps them in an easy to use - yet completely customizable framework. As a result your applications can easily reuse it to instantly gain significant advantage in visual impact and intelligence. In terms of image and presentation quality Nevron Diagram for .NET simply has no competition.

Features Overview

Document Object Model
The Document Object Model (DOM) represents the set of objects, which you can use to build a diagramming document. Following is a brief summary of the most important DOM features:

- Fully Extensible - you can subclass any DOM object and override its behavior.
- Interface Based Framework - DOM object features are neatly grouped in interfaces. The framework is in this way decoupled to a large extend from the actual object types in works with.
- Hierarchical Scene Management - DOM objects reside in hierarchical scenes.
- Stencils - DOM objects can display reusable content from stencils. Currently provided are arrowheads and point stencils, which can host any model. Stencils are specially optimized to display predefined content.
- Documents - documents are assembled from stencils, layers and models and can be displayed by multiple views. Currently there are drawing and library documents. Drawing documents support custom drawing scale configuration.
- Measurement Units - currently supported are three measurement unit systems: GDI+, Metric and English, with complete set of the respective measurement units. You can also plug your own measurement unit systems (for example extend the component to support Japanese measurement units).
- Layers - documents content is neatly organized in layers.
- Styles - the visual appearance of all DOM objects is controlled via inheritable styles.
- Permissions - any action, which modifies DOM objects, must have the right permissions to do so. Permissions are also inheritable.
- Models - models are the primary diagram building blocks. Models can be freely transformed.
- Primitive Models - implemented is a complete set of graphics primitives (strokes, closed figures and texts).
- Aggregate Models - aggregate models are assembled from other primitive and/or aggregate models.
- Shapes - shapes are aggregate models, which represent logical abstractions. Shapes can be involved in complex relationships. Shapes can have multiple ports, plugs and labels. Since any model can represent the geometry of a shape, shapes can even be nested.
- Graph Management - the DOM provides the necessary means to help you easily manage directed and undirected graphs. In this way the DOM is a powerful tool for graph drawing of any type.
- Groups - models can be grouped and manipulated as if they were a single model.
- Routing - models, which represent routes can avoid other models, which represent obstacles. Supported are Poly and HV routing.
- Persistency - documents can be saved in XML, binary and SOAP format.
- Printing - documents can be printed on single or multiple pages. Implemented is built in support for print preview.
- Image Export - an entire document or only portions of it can be exported to image of any type (JPG, PNG, BMP etc.). For documents defined in absolute measurement units (e.g. inches, millimeters etc.) you can also specify the target device resolution (helps you generate ready to print images).
- History - the entire DOM API is protected by history. Any property or method, which modifies the DOM objects state records history. The history can contain an unlimited number of actions. History actions can be grouped in transactions. Transactions can be committed or rolled back. Also nested transactions are supported . The history is implemented as a service so you can easily override it, suspend or lock it.
- Entities - implemented is a large amount of entities, which facilitate batch operations on logically connected sets of nodes. Currently implemented are entities for basic layouts, transformation, translation, replication, format and ZOrder operations.
- Event Handling - all events are fired from an event sink service, which provides you with the ability to consistently intercept all types of events regardless of the diagram you work with. Interactivity events (mouse, keyboard and drag drop events) support event bubbling.

WinForm View, Controller and Tools
In WinForm the viewing and editing of DOM documents is achieved with the help of views and controllers. Following is a brief summary:

- Fully Extensible - views, controllers and tools can be extended with ease.
- Views - views help you display and interactively edit documents. Views are feature rich and help you zoom, pan, stretch and fit documents. Views have powerful control over the displayed document content. Several views can display a single document. Views are highly extensible and can edit numerous DOM object features via interactive editors (trackers). Anything you edit with views is previewed.
- Controller - a single controller is attached to every view. The controller stores the view selection and provides an easy way to be extended via tools.
- Tools - tools are replaceable controller parts. Implemented is a myriad of tools, which help you create new DOM objects as well as edit the currently existing ones.

Layouts
Layouts can help you automatically arrange DOM objects. Following is a brief summary:

- Fully Extensible - all layouts can easily be extended. You can also create your custom layouts.
- Layout Clusters - all layouts operate with clusters, which makes it possible for them to arrange multiple structures.
- Layout Animation - the effect of all layouts can be animated.
- Tree Layout - implemented is a very powerful tree layout with lots of customization settings.
- Force Directed Layout - implemented is a generic force directed layout with many customization settings.
- Table Layout - implemented is a table layout which can order any DOM objects in a tabular manner.

Templates
DOM content can easily be created with the help of programmable templates. Following is a brief summary:

- Fully Extensible - all templates can be easily extended. You can also create your own custom templates.
- Visual Template Editing - the template editing can be performed visually with the help of the built-in wizard.

Diagram Designer Components
Nevron Diagram for .NET implements a complete set of components which can help you create a feature rich diagram designer in minutes. Following is a brief summary:

- Commands and Commander - any user action, which can be executed from a menu, toolbar or context menu is represented by a diagram command. Diagram commands are UI independent. Diagram commands are maintained by a commander, which also serves as bridge between Nevron UI and diagram commands.
- Command Bars Manager - this is a modern look and feel docking bars manager, which visually exposes the power of the Nevron Diagram for .NET with the help of the Nevron UI Suite.
- Library Browser - the library browser facilitates the library items reuse in drawings. The library browser can display multiple libraries as well as help you create new libraries and edit the currently existing ones.
- Pan And Zoom Window - in essence it is a control, which provides a bird's-eye view of the document edited in another view (called master view) and also provides you with an easy and intuitive way to zoom and pan the master view.
- Property Browser - the property browser can help you instantly edit the properties of the document, active layer, selection or the view.
- Status bar - the status bar is a useful control, which displays important information about the current state of a view.