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How to modify the default behavior of draw connection? [message #1779058]

Sun, 31 December 2017 13:33

xi yahui

Messages: 32
Registered: October 2017

Member

When I add a connection, I wish the start point and end point of connection will be the location of mouse click. But the default start point is the center of shape.

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Re: How to modify the default behavior of draw connection? [message #1779467 is a reply to message #1779058]

Mon, 08 January 2018 10:51

Michael Wenz

Messages: 1931
Registered: July 2009
Location: Walldorf, Germany

Senior Member

Xi,

the start and end points of connections are always anchors, in case you specify nothing a ChopboxAnchor will be used that is located at the centre of the shape. To change that you will need to define another type of anchor (BoxRelativeAnchor or FixPointAnchor) for your shape, which you can place at a location your define. For details see http://help.eclipse.org/kepler/index.jsp?topic=%2Forg.eclipse.graphiti.doc%2Fresources%2Fdocu%2Fgfw%2Fanchors.htm&cp=27_1_3_8_1.

Michael

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Re: How to modify the default behavior of draw connection? [message #1779514 is a reply to message #1779467]

Tue, 09 January 2018 01:10

xi yahui

Messages: 32
Registered: October 2017

Member

Thanks. That is to say, I have to define the anchors before I can establish a connection. I can define the FixPointAnchor beforehand. In this way, the establishment of the connection is divided into two steps. First define the anchor, and then create the connection. I can't merge these two steps into one step. That is to say, add anchors( in the location of mouse click) while creating a connection.

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Re: How to modify the default behavior of draw connection? [message #1779523 is a reply to message #1779514]

Tue, 09 January 2018 08:00

Michael Wenz

Messages: 1931
Registered: July 2009
Location: Walldorf, Germany

Senior Member

Usually, the anchors are part of the shape and thus created together with the shape in the create feature for that shape. But in some cases (e.g. you need an anchor for each new connection) you might also create them together with the connection in the create connection feature. Having the anchor creation as a separate step for the user sounds awkward to me from a usability point of view.

So it would be a single step for the user, but 2 steps that are done inside the create or create connection feature, right.

Michael

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Re: How to modify the default behavior of draw connection? [message #1779556 is a reply to message #1779523]

Tue, 09 January 2018 15:15

xi yahui

Messages: 32
Registered: October 2017

Member

I can create the FixPointAnchor in the create connection feature. But the dashline starts at the center of shape( there hasn't any anchor). I wish the dashline start at the location of mouse click. Can i control the dashline?

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Re: How to modify the default behavior of draw connection? [message #1779597 is a reply to message #1779556]

Wed, 10 January 2018 08:26

Michael Wenz

Messages: 1931
Registered: July 2009
Location: Walldorf, Germany

Senior Member

In the create connection feature you can get the source location (which should correspond to the mouose click position), create a FixPointAnchor at that location and set the start anchor of the connecting to that.

Michael

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Re: How to modify the default behavior of draw connection? [message #1779626 is a reply to message #1779597]

Wed, 10 January 2018 11:47

xi yahui

Messages: 32
Registered: October 2017

Member

Yes, I can create a FixPointAnchor at that location. Before the connection is added, there is a dashline(it appear when select the source and target shape ). But the dashline starts at the center of the shape. The real connection start at the location, but the dashline start at the center of shape. I wish the dashline starts at the location of mouse click. Can I control the dashline?

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