Modeling Languages#
Since version 2.0, Gaphor supports the concept of Modeling languages. This allows for development of separate modeling languages separate from the Gaphor core application.
The main language was, and will be UML. Gaphor now also supports a subset of SysML, RAAML and the C4 model.
A modeling language in Gaphor is defined by a class implementing the
gaphor.abc.ModelingLanguage
abstract base class. The modeling language should
be registered as a gaphor.modelinglanguage
entry point.
The ModelingLanguage
interface is fairly minimal. It allows other services to
look up elements and diagram items, as well as a toolbox, and diagram types.
However, the responsibilities of a modeling language do not stop there. Parts of
functionality will be implemented by registering handlers to a set of generic
functions.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. What is the functionality a modeling language implementation can offer?
A data model (elements) and diagram items
Diagram types
A toolbox definition
Connectors, allow diagram items to connect
Format/parse model elements to and from a textual representation
Copy/paste behavior when element copying is not trivial, for example with more than one element is involved
Grouping, allow elements to be nested in one another
Dropping, allow elements to be dragged from the tree view onto a diagram
Automatic cleanup rules to keep the model consistent
The first three by functionalities are exposed by the ModelingLanguage
class.
The other functionalities can be extended by adding handlers to the respective
generic functions.
Modeling languages can also provide new UI components. Those components are not loaded
directly when you import a modeling language package. Instead, they should be imported via
the gaphor.modules
entrypoint.
Editor pages, shown in the collapsible pane on the right side
Special diagram interactions
- class gaphor.abc.ModelingLanguage[source]#
A model provider is a special service that provides an entrypoint to a model implementation, such as UML, SysML, RAAML.
- abstract property diagram_types: Iterable[DiagramType]#
Iterate diagram types.
- abstract property element_types: Iterable[ElementCreateInfo]#
Iterate element types.
- abstract lookup_element(name: str) type[Element] | None [source]#
Look up a model element type by (class) name.
- abstract property toolbox_definition: ToolboxDefinition#
Get structure for the toolbox.
Connectors#
Connectors are used to connect one element to another.
Connectors should adhere to the ConnectorProtocol
.
Normally you would inherit from BaseConnector
.
- class gaphor.diagram.connectors.BaseConnector(element: Presentation[Element], line: Presentation[Element])[source]#
Connection adapter for Gaphor diagram items.
Line item
line
connects with a handle to a connectable itemelement
.- Parameters
line (Presentation) – connecting item
element (Presentation) – connectable item
The following methods are required to make this work:
allow()
: is the connection allowed at all (during mouse movement for example).connect()
: Establish a connection between element and line. Also takes care of disconnects, if required (e.g. 1:1 relationships)disconnect()
: Break connection, called when dropping a handle on a point where it can not connect.
By convention the adapters are registered by (element, line) – in that order.
- allow(handle: Handle, port: Port) bool [source]#
Determine if items can be connected.
Returns True if connection is allowed.
Format and parse#
Model elements can be formatted to a simple text representation. For example, This is used in the Model Browser. It isn’t a full serialization of the model element.
In some cases it’s useful to parse a text back into an object. This is done when you edit attributes and operations on a class.
Not every format()
needs to have an equivalent parse()
function.
Copy and paste#
Copy and paste works out of the box for simple items: one diagram item with one model element (the subject
).
It leverages the load()
and save()
methods of the elements to ensure all relevant data is copied.
Sometimes items need more than one model element to work. For example an Association: it has two association ends.
In those specific cases you need to implement your own copy and paste functions. To create such a thing you’ll need to create two functions: one for copying and one for pasting.
- gaphor.diagram.copypaste.copy(obj: Element) Iterator[tuple[Id, Opaque]] #
Create a copy of an element (or list of elements). The returned type should be distinct, so the
paste()
function can properly dispatch. A copy function normally copies only the element and mandatory related elements. E.g. an Association needs two association ends.
- gaphor.diagram.copypaste.paste(copy_data: Opaque, diagram: Diagram, lookup: Callable[[str], Element | None]) Iterator[Element] #
Paste previously copied data. Based on the data type created in the
copy()
function, try to duplicate the copied elements. Returns the newly created item or element.
Gaphor provides some convenience functions:
- gaphor.diagram.copypaste.copy_full(items: Collection[Element], lookup: Callable[[Id], Element | None] | None = None) CopyData: #
Copy
items
. Thelookup
function is used to look up owned elements (shown as child nodes in the Model Browser).
- gaphor.diagram.copypaste.paste_link(copy_data: CopyData, diagram: Diagram) set[~gaphor.core.modeling.Presentation]: #
Paste a copy of the Presentation element to the diagram, but try to link the underlying model element. A shallow copy.
- gaphor.diagram.copypaste.paste_full(copy_data: CopyData, diagram: Diagram) set[~gaphor.core.modeling.Presentation]: #
Paste a copy of both Presentation and model element. A deep copy.
Grouping#
Grouping is done by dragging one item on top of another, in a diagram or in the tree view.
- gaphor.diagram.group.group(parent: Element, element: Element) bool #
Group an element in a parent element. The grouping can be based on ownership, but other types of grouping are also possible.
Dropping#
Dropping is performed by dragging an element from the tree view and drop it on a diagram. This is an easy way to extend a diagram with already existing model elements.
- gaphor.diagram.drop.drop(element: Element, diagram: Diagram, x: float, y: float) Presentation | None #
The drop function creates a new presentation for an element on the diagram. For relationships, a drop only works if both connected elements are present in the same diagram.
The big difference with dragging an element from the toolbox, is that dragging from the toolbox will actually place a new
Presentation
element on the diagram.drop
works the other way around: it starts with a model element and creates an accompanyingPresentation
.
Automated model cleanup#
Gaphor wants to keep the model in sync with the diagrams.
A little dispatch function is used to determine if a model element can be removed.
Editor property pages#
The editor page is constructed from snippets. For example: almost each element has a name, so there is a UI snippet that allows you to edit a name.
Each property page (snippet) should inherit from PropertyPageBase
.
Instant (diagram) editor popups#
When you double-click on an item in a diagram, a popup can show up, so you can easily change the name.
By default, this works for any named element. You can register your own inline editor function if you need to.
- gaphor.diagram.instanteditors.instant_editor(item: Item, view, event_manager: EventManager, pos: tuple[int, int] | None = None) bool #
Show a small editor popup in the diagram. Makes for easy editing without resorting to the Element editor.
In case of a mouse press event, the mouse position (relative to the element) are also provided.