Custom Deep View Diagrams

Users can customize Deep View to support new node-link diagrams. The customization applies to the blind user's textual information and diagram visualization.

Deep View diagrams can support these characteristics

Different types of nodes
Different types of links
Language related to nodes, such name: state, start state, end state in flow chart
Language describing links, such as from/to, indicating directional information
A link must be directional even if direction is irrelevant to the diagram. Link direction can be leveraged by Deep View's high level graph functions (path, cycle, parallel path). GraphViz also uses link direction to determine graph layout.

The diagram visualization features are customizable. Deep View uses GraphViz to create the visualization. The GraphViz characteristics (see examples)

Shapes of nodes (see GraphViz shapes)
Tail and head symbols of links (see examples)
Foreground, background color of nodes (see GraphViz colors)
Color of links (see GraphViz colors)

Diagram spec

Diagrams are specified in a tab delimited file. The file is named TypeMaster.txt located in the resource folder of Deep View. The file is loaded when Deep View starts.

Testing changes to diagram definition

Verify the new diagram is recognized by Deep View: Use File, File open and verify the diagram name is listed. Check nodes: Create a new node (Ctrl+N). If multiple node types are available, they will be listed.
Check links similar to checking nodes. Create a new link (Ctrl+L).
Verify the diagram language related to nodes and links in the Deep View tree view.
Verify the visualization by rendering the diagram (ALT+V). Errors might be generated if specified parameters do not specified according to GraphViz.

TypeMaster.txt file definition

The definition of a Diagram, node, and link each take one row in the TypeMaster.txt tab file. The columns having the following meaning. For now customizing Visio diagrams is not documented.

Diagram

DIAGRAM	Deep View specific tag
ID	Unique ID number identifying elements associated with this diagram
Name	Name of the diagram as it appears in list of new file types
template	GraphViz diagram layout, ex TB: top to bottom, LR left to right. See GraphViz spec for more

Node

NODE Deep View specific tag

diagOwner Diagram ID node is associated with

id Unique ID number used when Deep View saves diagram to file

name Node name as it appears in Deep View interface (see screenshot)

template Visio specific

stencil Visio specific

shape GraphViz shape

fill color GraphViz background color

font color GraphViz font color

New node dialog

Link

LINK Deep View specific tag

diag owner Diagram ID node is associated with

id Unique ID number used when Deep View saves diagram to file

name Link name as it appears in Deep View interface when creating link (see screenshot)

template Visio specifc

stencil Visio specifc

to Display short term indicating link direction (to) when displayed in Deep View tree (see screenshot)

from Display short term indicating link direction (from) when displayed in Deep View tree

to Create Phrase when creating a link. Indicates the destination node of a link (see screenshot)

From Create Phrase when creating a link. Indicates the source node of a link

String Type
Link name as it appears in Deep View tree view. Usually same as link name. ERD is counter example (see screenshot)

style GraphViz: specifies the line style (bold, dotted, etc)

tail GraphViz: specifies symbol draw on a link tail

head GraphViz: specifies symbol draw on a link head

color GraphViz: specifies color of link

New link dialog

Dorian Miller, July 26, 2007

NODE	Deep View specific tag
diagOwner	Diagram ID node is associated with
id	Unique ID number used when Deep View saves diagram to file
name	Node name as it appears in Deep View interface (see screenshot)
template	Visio specific
stencil	Visio specific
shape	GraphViz shape
fill color	GraphViz background color
font color	GraphViz font color

LINK	Deep View specific tag
diag owner	Diagram ID node is associated with
id	Unique ID number used when Deep View saves diagram to file
name	Link name as it appears in Deep View interface when creating link (see screenshot)
template	Visio specifc
stencil	Visio specifc
to Display	short term indicating link direction (to) when displayed in Deep View tree (see screenshot)
from Display	short term indicating link direction (from) when displayed in Deep View tree
to Create	Phrase when creating a link. Indicates the destination node of a link (see screenshot)
From Create	Phrase when creating a link. Indicates the source node of a link
String Type	Link name as it appears in Deep View tree view. Usually same as link name. ERD is counter example (see screenshot)
style	GraphViz: specifies the line style (bold, dotted, etc)
tail	GraphViz: specifies symbol draw on a link tail
head	GraphViz: specifies symbol draw on a link head
color	GraphViz: specifies color of link