JViews 5.5 Stylable Data Mapper and JViews for Workflow Release Notes

Incompatibilities
General Changes
Library Changes
New Packages

• ilog.views.sdm.metadata

• ilog.views.sdm.graphic.IlvDefaultManagerFrameGraphic
• ilog.views.sdm.graphic.IlvDefaultManagerFrameGraphicBeanInfo
• ilog.views.sdm.graphic.IlvURLGraphic
• ilog.views.sdm.model.IlvRDFSDMModel
• ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvCSSFunction
• ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvGrapherPinRenderer
• ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvGrapherPinRenderer.SDMGrapherPin
• ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvGrapherPinRenderer.SDMPinLinkConnector
• ilog.views.sdm.renderer.graphlayout.IlvGraphLayoutRenderer.ParameterSetter
• ilog.views.sdm.renderer.graphlayout.IlvSwimLanesRenderer
• ilog.views.sdm.util.IlvXSLConnector

• ilog.views.sdm.IlvSDMEngine
• ilog.views.sdm.graphic.IlvGeneralLink
• ilog.views.sdm.graphic.IlvGeneralNode
• ilog.views.sdm.graphic.IlvHalfZoomingGraphic
• ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvFilterSDMRenderer
• ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvHalfZoomingRenderer
• ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvInteractorRenderer
• ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvLegendRenderer
• ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvRendererUtil
• ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvSDMRenderer
• ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvStyleSheetRenderer
• ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvSubGraphRenderer
• ilog.views.sdm.renderer.graphlayout.IlvGraphLayoutRenderer
• ilog.views.sdm.renderer.graphlayout.IlvLabelLayoutRenderer
• ilog.views.sdm.renderer.graphlayout.IlvLinkLayoutRenderer
• ilog.views.sdm.renderer.maps.IlvMapRenderer
• ilog.views.sdm.util.IlvXMLConnector

Incompatibilities

• SDM Viewer and Workflow Modeler Classes. The SDM/GUI package (that is, mainly the IlvSDMViewer utility) and the Workflow Modeler application are now based on the JViews Application Framework. The previous implementations of these packages are still available, but the Application Framework offers many powerful features, so you are encouraged to migrate your existing code that was based on the previous implementations.
• Incremental Layout Mode. In the class IlvGraphLayoutRenderer, the incremental layout mode is not enabled by default any more. You can enable the incremental mode by setting the incrementalLayout property to true in the SDM style sheet, or by calling setIncrementalLayout(true) on the graph layout renderer.
• Metadata. XML files are automatically converted to the new metadata mechanism upon reading. When saved, some of the SDM property names may have changed. If this leads to a compatibility issue, it's possible to turn off the metadata mechanism manually, or to force the property names through the style sheet. Example: the declaration "x : @x ;" forces SDM to update the "x" property on interactive changes of the object location. Without this declaration, the metadata "sdm:x" would be updated instead.

General Changes

Graph Layout Enhancements

It is now possible to set in the SDM style sheet all the graph layout parameters that apply to a particular link or node, as for example the shape of a particular link, the side to which a link should be connected to a node, the number of connections on a given side of a node, and so on.

It is also possible to define geometric constraints between nodes when using a hierarchical layout, such as: these two nodes must be at the same level, or these two nodes must be side-by-side, or this node must always be on the right.

A new "hierarchical" link routing mode is available. This mode gives better results when the nodes are placed using a hierarchical layout.

See the classes ilog.views.sdm.renderer.graphlayout.IlvGraphLayoutRenderer and  ilog.views.sdm.renderer.graphlayout.IlvLinkLayoutRenderer for more details.

Swimlanes

SDM now supports swimlanes:

• A new SwimLanes renderer can be used to represent swimlanes graphically.
• The GraphLayout renderer can be configured to place the nodes according to the swimlanes when you use a hierarchical layout.


See the class  ilog.views.sdm.renderer.graphlayout.IlvSwimLanesRenderer for more details.

Grapher Pins

You can now define grapher pins in the SDM style sheet. Grapher pins let you define the precise positions of the link connection points for each node of the graph.

See the class ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvGrapherPinRenderer for more details.

Reading and Writing Custom XML Formats Using XSLT

A new IlvXSLConnector class gives the ability to read and write data files in an XML format different from the SDM format, without any Java coding.

This class applies an XSLT transformation to translate a custom format into the SDM format, and inversely. All you have to do is write the XSLT files that implement the transformation to and from the SDM format.

An example is provided that reads and writes Web Services Flow Language (WSFL) files.

See the class ilog.views.sdm.util.IlvXSLConnector for more details.

Support for Metadata

Metadata is used by SDM to store additional information (usually graphical information) on the data objects. Metadata is useful to read and write external data formats that do not contain any graphical information.

Metadata is basically namespaced properties. For example, "sdm:x" now replaces the "x" property. SDM uses the RDF format to store metadata.

CSS Expressions

You can now use expressions and user-defined function calls on the right-hand side of CSS declarations.

New Workflow Modeler Based on the JViews Application Framework

The Workflow Modeler application is now based on the new JViews Application Framework. This framework adds new features such as dockable panes, customization of the modeler through XML settings, persistence of the modeler configuration (window sizes, docked windows, recent file list, ...), and more.

See Changes in the Workflow Modeler for the other new features of the Workflow Modeler.

Library Changes

Changes in the CSS / Style Sheet Renderer

• Declaration value can be an expression (starting with '@|'), with the ability to define custom functions. For example: "prop : @|10.5+sin(@rot);"
• New '@' construct, to cancel the property setting. For example: "prop : "@" ;", the setProp() method won't be invoked at all.
• New operators ~ and == in selectors, to cleanly compare strings or numerics. ~ (resp. <>) means strings (or numerics respectively) are different, and = (resp. ==) means strings (or numerics respectively) are equal. For instance, if the attribute "speed" is "10" then in the CSS selector, "[speed=10.0]" is false and "[speed==10.0]" is true. As a reminder, the allowed operators in selectors are:

        ~, =, ~=               to compare strings
        ==, <>, <, >, <=, >=;  to compare numerics

Changes in the XML Save Format

• The previous format is still readable.
• An "SDM" element now has an optional Boolean attribute named "metadata" to force the metadata mode. The default value is true.
• The namespaces used in the document are global. They must be defined in the "SDM" element. The global scope will optimize the handling of metadata and will ease potential XSLT processing.
• Metadata items associated with model objects are declared as properties of the objects.
• Metadata about the document (comments, creator information, ...) are enclosed in an RDF element.

Changes in the Workflow Modeler

• The Modeler is now based on the JViews Application Framework. This brings new features such as persistence of the configuration, easier customization through XML settings, recent file list, docking panes, and others.
• A new panel lets you customize the parameters of the graph layout algorithms (nodes and links).
• A new palette that looks like a toolbar can be used instead of the previous palette with tabbed panes.
• The palettes can be customized through "open" and "save" buttons. You can drag and drop an object or groups of objects from an edit buffer to a palette.

New Packages

This package is a simple implementation of RDF to handle the new metadata mechanism.

New Interfaces and Classes

This class is an adapter that wraps an ilog.views.IlvDefaultManagerFrame in an ilog.views.IlvGraphic.

BeanInfo class for IlvDefaultManagerFrameGraphic.

A class that loads the contents of an IlvGraphic from a URL.

A metadata filter model which manages the metadata as RDF.

This interface define functions in IlvStyleSheetRenderer, so they can be called from a style sheet.

IlvGrapherPinRenderer is a filtering renderer that lets you define the positions of the connection points between the links and the nodes of the graph.

The class SDMGrapherPin implements the grapher pins used by the IlvGrapherPinRenderer.

The class SDMPinLinkConnector implements the link connector used by the IlvGrapherPinRenderer.

This inner class is used to register custom graph layout parameters with the IlvGraphLayoutRenderer.

The SwimLanes renderer is responsible for displaying "swim lanes."

IlvXSLConnector is a subclass of IlvXMLConnector that can transform a third-party XML format into the format accepted by the SDM engine using XSLT.

Modified Classes

• Overview of new features:
• Metadata enabling control.
• Ability to drop and paste nodes directly inside existing groups.
• New methods:
• customizeAllObjects(): Recustomizes all the graphic objects corresponding to the data objects returned by the SDM model.
• getLabelLayoutRenderer(): Returns the graph layout renderer that is responsible for the layout of labels.
• getLinkLayoutRenderer(): Returns the graph layout renderer that is responsible for the layout of links.
• getNodeLayoutRenderer(): Returns the graph layout renderer that is responsible for the layout of nodes.
• getObject(IlvPoint, IlvManagerView, boolean): Returns the data object associated with the graphic object at a specified point in a manager view.
• getXMLProcessingInstructionProperty(String): Returns a property to be saved in the XML processing instruction for SDM.
• setXMLProcessingInstructionProperty(String, String): Sets a property to be saved in the XML processing instruction for SDM.
• isDropToGroupEnabled(): Returns true if dropping or duplicating a node in an existing subgraph will make the node a child of this subgraph, or false otherwise.
• setDropToGroupEnabled(boolean): Specifies whether or not dropping or duplicating a node in an existing subgraph will make the node a child of this subgraph.
• isLayoutRunning(): Returns the flag indicating that a graph layout algorithm is running.
• setLayoutRunning(boolean): Sets the flag indicating that a graph layout algorithm is running.
• isLinkLayoutDisabledWhenMove(): Returns true if the automatic link layout is disabled while moving a node.
• setLinkLayoutDisabledWhenMove(boolean): Disables the automatic link layout while moving a node.
• isMetadataEnabled(): Returns true if metadata are enabled.
• setMetadataEnabled(boolean): Controls whether metadata are enabled or not.
• moveObject(Object, IlvManagerView, float, float, boolean, int, boolean): Moves or translates an object to a specified view position.
• setStyleSheets(String[], boolean, boolean): Sets the style sheet(s) used by this SDM engine to map the data model to JViews graphic objects.

• Overview of new features:
• Improved decoration access.
• Ability to set the shape of the link.
• New methods:
• decorationBoundingBox(IlvTransformer, int): Returns the bounding box of one of the link decorations.
• decorationHit(IlvPoint, IlvTransformer): Returns the decoration which contains the given point.
• decorationTransformer(IlvTransformer, int): Returns the transformer that will be applied to one of the link decorations.
• getRealLinkWidth(IlvTransformer): Returns the final width of the link, according to the given transformer.
• getShape(IlvPoint[]): Returns the shape of the link, according to the given intermediate points.
• setIntermediateLinkPoints(IlvPoint[]): Ability to fix the shape of the link.
• getIntermediateLinkPoints(): Returns the points composing the link.

• Overview of new features:
• New mode for truncating labels.
• New protected methods and variables for easier subclassing.
• New methods:
• getLabelMargin(): Returns the margin that will be kept between the labels and the edges of the shape when performing word wrapping or label truncation.
• setLabelMargin(float): Sets the margin that will be kept between the labels and the edges of the shape when performing word wrapping or label truncation.
• getLabelMode(): Returns the label mode of this general node.
• setLabelMode(int): Sets the label mode of this general node.
• getShapeBBox(): Returns the bounding box of the general node's shape.
• isTruncatedLabelSuffix(): Returns the string that is appended to the label when it is truncated to fit in the shape's width.
• setTruncatedLabelSuffix(String): Sets the string that is appended to the label when it is truncated to fit in the shape's width.
• moveResize(IlvRect): Moves and resizes the general node's shape to the specified rectangle.
• New fields:
• icon: The icon of the general node.
• labels: The labels of the general node.
• layoutNeeded: This boolean indicates that a property of the general node has been modified and that the layout must be recomputed.
• realizeNeeded: This boolean indicates that a property of the general node has been modified and that the graphic objects must be reconstructed.
• shape: The basic shape of the general node.

• Overview of new features:
• New option to keep a fixed size when unzooming.
• New methods:
• isGrayedWhenUnzoomed(): Returns the flag specifying whether the object is drawn as a gray box when the zoom level is less than the minimum zoom, or if it is drawn at its minimum size.
• setGrayedWhenUnzoomed(boolean): Specifies whether the object is drawn as a gray box when the zoom level is less than the minimum zoom, or if it is drawn at its minimum size.

• New methods:
• computeBBox(IlvSDMEngine, IlvManagerView, IlvTransformer): This method calls the filtered renderer's computeBBox method.

• Overview of new features:
• Half-zooming nodes can now keep a fixed size below the minimum zoom level.
• New methods:
• isGrayedWhenUnzoomed(): Returns the flag specifying whether half-zooming objects are drawn as grey boxes when the zoom level is less than the minimum zoom, or if they are drawn at their minimum size.
• setGrayedWhenUnzoomed(boolean): Specifies whether half-zooming object are drawn as grey boxes when the zoom level is less than the minimum zoom, or if they are drawn at their minimum size.

• New methods:
• addViewListeners(IlvManagerView): Adds the mouse listeners that handle shortcuts.
• needsViewListeners(): Returns true, because this renderer needs to install mouse listeners on all the views to handle shortcuts.
• removeViewListeners(IlvManagerView): Adds the mouse listeners that handle shortcuts.

• Overview of new features:
• New methods to control the zooming and the visiblity of the legend.
• New methods:
• addViewListeners(IlvManagerView): Adds the listeners that adjust the legend when the view is resized or transformed.
• computeBBox(IlvSDMEngine, IlvManagerView, IlvTransformer): Computes the rectangle that contains all the graphic objects of the manager for a given view.
• getScrollDelay(): Returns the delay after which the legend reappears when the view has been scrolled.
• setScrollDelay(int): Sets the delay after which the legend reappears when the view has been scrolled.
• isLegendVisible(): Returns true if the legend is visible, or false if the legend is not visible.
• setLegendVisible(boolean): Makes the legend visible or invisible.
• isLegendZooming(): Returns true if the items displayed in the legend zoom when the SDM view is zoomed, or false if the size of the legend items stays fixed.
• setLegendZooming(boolean): Specifies whether the items displayed in the legend should zoom when the SDM view is zoomed, or if the size of the legend items should stay fixed.
• needsViewListeners(): Returns true, because this renderer needs to install listeners to be notified of transformer changes.
• removeViewListeners(IlvManagerView): Removes the listeners that adjust the legend when the view is resized or transformed.

• Overview of new features:
• Static variables to identify the predefined renderers.
• New fields:
• Animation: The alias "Animation" for the class ilog.views.sdm.renderer.animation.IlvAnimationRenderer.
• Coloring: The alias "Coloring" for the class ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvColoringRenderer.
• Decoration: The alias "Decoration" for the class ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvDecorationRenderer.
• DrillDown: The alias "DrillDown" for the class ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvDrillDownRenderer.
• ExpandCollapse: The alias "ExpandCollapse" for the class ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvSubGraphRenderer.
• ExpandCollapse40: The alias "ExpandCollapse40" for the class ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvExpandCollapseRenderer.
• GraphLayout: The alias "GraphLayout" for the class ilog.views.sdm.renderer.graphlayout.IlvGraphLayoutRenderer.
• GrapherPin: The alias "GrapherPin" for the class ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvGrapherPinRenderer.
• HalfZooming: The alias "HalfZooming" for the class ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvHalfZoomingRenderer.
• InfoBalloon: The alias "InfoBalloon" for the class ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvInfoBalloonRenderer.
• Interactor: The alias "Interactor" for the class ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvInteractorRenderer.
• LabelLayout: The alias "LabelLayout" for the class ilog.views.sdm.renderer.graphlayout.IlvLabelLayoutRenderer.
• Legend: The alias "Legend" for the class ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvLegendRenderer.
• LinkLayout: The alias "LinkLayout" for the class ilog.views.sdm.renderer.graphlayout.IlvLinkLayoutRenderer.
• Map: The alias "Map" for the class ilog.views.sdm.renderer.maps.IlvMapRenderer.
• StyleSheet: The alias "StyleSheet" for the class ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvStyleSheetRenderer.
• SubGraph: The alias "SubGraph" for the class ilog.views.sdm.renderer.IlvSubGraphRenderer.
• SwimLanes: The alias "SwimLanes" for the class ilog.views.sdm.renderer.graphlayout.IlvSwimLanesRenderer.

• Overview of new features:
• New mechanism for adding view listeners on all views of the SDM engine.
• New methods:
• addViewListeners(IlvManagerView): This method can be overridden to add view listeners on any view attached to an SDM engine.
• computeBBox(IlvSDMEngine, IlvManagerView, IlvTransformer): Computes the rectangle that contains all the graphic objects of the manager for a given view.
• getAlias(): Returns the alias of this renderer.
• setAlias(String): Sets the alias of this renderer.
• getAuxiliaryBeans(): Returns auxiliary objects used by the renderer, so that these auxiliary objects can be customized in the style sheet.
• needsViewListeners(): This method can be overridden to specify that this renderer needs to add listeners on all the views attached to the grapher of the SDM engine.
• removeViewListeners(IlvManagerView): This method can be overridden to remove view listeners from any view attached to an SDM engine.

• Overview of new features:
• Declaration values of CSS can now be expressions and functions.
• Custom functions can be registered, through API or through the CSS itself.
• New methods:
• registerFunction(IlvCSSFunction): Adds a new function to be resolved through a "@|" right-hand declaration.
• setFunctionList(String): Sets the new functions to be resolved through a "@|" right-hand declaration.

• Overview of new features:
• "Load on demand": the objects contained in a subgraph can be created only the first time the subgraph is expanded.
• The expanded/collapsed state of a subgraph can be saved to the SDM data model.
• New methods:
• createSubManager(): Factory to create the submanager.
• isLoadOnDemand(): Returns true if load-on-demand is enabled, or false otherwise.
• setLoadOnDemand(boolean): Enables or disables load-on-demand.
• isSavingExpandedState(): Returns true if the expanded state of a subgraph is saved to the data model, or false otherwise.
• setSavingExpandedState(boolean): Specifies whether or not the expanded state of a subgraph is saved to the data model.

• Overview of new features:
• Ability to set the node and link parameters of the graph layout algorithm in the SDM style sheet.
• Ability to define hierarchical constraints in the SDM style sheet.
• Partial layout (layout of selected nodes only, leaving all other nodes unchanged).
• New option to connect the links to the shape of the node when the label is outside of the shape.
• New methods:
• addParameterSetter(IlvGraphLayoutRenderer.ParameterSetter): Registers a custom parameter setter.
• getAuxiliaryBeans(): Returns an array containing the IlvGraphLayout object returned by getGraphLayout.
• getGraphLayout(IlvSDMEngine, IlvGraphic): Returns the IlvGraphLayout instance attached to the IlvGrapher containing a graphic object.
• getGraphLayout(IlvSDMEngine, IlvGrapher): Returns the IlvGraphLayout instance attached to the specified IlvGrapher.
• getLayoutProvider(): Returns the layout provider that is responsible for creating the sublayouts when the SDM engine's grapher contains subgraphers.
• getLayouts(IlvSDMEngine, boolean): Returns the graph layout objects associated with the top-level grapher and all its subgraphs.
• isConnectingLinksToShape(): Returns the flag that specifies whether the graph layout algorithm should connect the links to the shape of the nodes or to the global bounding box of the nodes.
• setConnectingLinksToShape(boolean): Specifies whether the graph layout algorithm should connect the links to the shape of the nodes or to the global bounding box of the nodes.
• isIncrementalLayout(): Returns true when the incremental mode is enabled.
• setIncrementalLayout(boolean): Enables or disables the incremental mode of the hierarchical layout.
• isPartialLayout(): Returns true when the partial mode is enabled.
• setPartialLayout(boolean): Enables or disables the partial layout mode of the layout.
• removeParameterSetter(IlvGraphLayoutRenderer.ParameterSetter): Unregisters a custom parameter setter.

• Overview of new features:
• New options to specify if the layout moves the labels of links, nodes, or both.
• New methods:
• getAuxiliaryBeans(): Returns an array containing the IlvLabelLayout object used by this renderer.
• isLayoutOfGeneralLinkLabelsEnabled(): Returns a boolean specifying whether the layout of labels attached to the ilog.views.sdm.graphic.IlvGeneralLink objects of the graph is enabled.
• setLayoutOfGeneralLinkLabelsEnabled(boolean): Enables or disables the layout of labels attached to the ilog.views.sdm.graphic.IlvGeneralLink objects of the graph.
• isLayoutOfGeneralNodeLabelsEnabled(): Returns a boolean specifying whether the layout of labels attached to the ilog.views.sdm.graphic.IlvGeneralNode objects of the graph is enabled.
• setLayoutOfGeneralNodeLabelsEnabled(boolean): Enables or disables the layout of labels attached to the ilog.views.sdm.graphic.IlvGeneralNode objects of the graph.

• Overview of new features:
• New option to use a hierarchical layout to route the links.
• New methods:
• addViewListeners(IlvManagerView): Adds the listeners that recompute the link layout when the view is zoomed or unzoomed.
• getAuxiliaryBeans(): Returns an array containing the IlvLinkLayout object returned by getGraphLayout, and also the sublayouts of the IlvLinkLayout returned by ilog.views.graphlayout.link.IlvLinkLayout.getShortLinkLayout and ilog.views.graphlayout.link.IlvLinkLayout.getLongLinkLayout.
• isAddingLinkConnectors(): Returns true if a link connector is added on the nodes to compute the link connection points.
• setAddingLinkConnectors(boolean): Sets whether a link connector is added on the nodes to compute the link connection points.
• isHierarchical(): Returns true if this link layout renderer is configured to use the same hierarchical layout algorithm as the one used to position the nodes of the graph.
• setHierarchical(boolean): Configures this link layout renderer to use the same hierarchical layout algorithm as the one used to position the nodes of the graph.
• needsViewListeners(): Returns true, because this renderer needs to install listeners on all the views.
• performLayout(IlvSDMEngine): Performs the layout algorithm.
• removeViewListeners(IlvManagerView): Removes the listeners that recompute the link layout when the view is zoomed or unzoomed.

• New methods:
• computeBBox(IlvSDMEngine, IlvManagerView, IlvTransformer): Computes the rectangle that contains all the graphic objects of the manager for a given view.

• Overview of new features:
• This class now has the ability to read/write XML documents with metadata.
• Incremental mode to add objects to an existing model.
• New methods:
• getEngine(): Returns the calling engine.
• setEngine(IlvSDMEngine): Sets the calling engine.
• getMetadata(): Returns the last metadata found.
• setMetadata(IlvMModel): Sets metadata, to be saved in the next writeXML.
• getParent(): Returns the parent object.
• setParent(Object): Sets the parent object.
• isIncremental(): Returns the flag specifying whether reading an XML file creates new objects or just sets the properties of existing objects.
• setIncremental(boolean): Specifies whether reading an XML file should always create new objects or just set the properties of existing objects.

Example Changes

• SDM Viewer based on the Application Framework. The SDM examples are now based on the JViews Application Framework. This makes the code of the examples simpler and easier to customize by modifying  XML configuration files.