c4-draw.io

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:experimental: :imagesdir: img/

[[c4-modelling-little-bit-easier-c4-draw.io]] C4 Modelling little bit easier (c4-draw.io)

Github-Pages on: https://tobiashochguertel.github.io/c4-draw.io/ (which is the same as the README.adoc file, but I think it's better to read there...)

[[about]] About

You can make C4 Architecture Software System Models with draw.io.

This is a C4 Modelling plugin for
https://github.com/tobiashochguertel/c4-draw.io[draw.io], which provides
C4 Notation Elements in draw.io.

[[quick-start]]
Quick Start

1. Access to link:https://www.draw.io/[].
2. Save the drawing, or decide later: kbd:[File] -> kbd:[Save] -> kbd:[Option]
3. Open the plugin dialog: kbd:[Extras] -> kbd:[Plugins]
4. Open the add plugin dialog with an click: kbd:[Add]
5. Put in the field kbd:[Enter Value (URL):] the link to the plugin: kbd:[https://tobiashochguertel.github.io/c4-draw.io/c4.js]
6. Click on kbd:[Apply]
7. Reload the page! to see the C4 Notation Shapes in the shape panel (figure 1).

.figure 1: After the reload, the C4 Notation Shapes are available from the shape panel: image:C4NotationShapes.png[]

[[usage]] Usage

.figure 2: Quick demonstration of how to use the c4-model plugin:
image:c4-draw.io-preview-demonstration.gif[]

. Drag a C4 notation shape on the diagram paper
. The most C4 notation shapes provide an small gear icon when they are selected. (_figure 3_)
. Edit the Properties of the selected C4 Notation Shape: (_figure 4_)
  .. Click the small gear to open the _properties dialog_ (_figure 3_)
  .. Press the key-stroke kbd:[CMD+M] to open the _properties dialog_ (_figure 3_)
  .. ,or use the menu: kbd:[Edit] -> kbd:[Edit Data (CMD + M)] (_figure 6_)
. Input Cursor / Focus is on the first field of the dialog, and with kbd:[tab] you can jump through the fields and submit (_figure 5_).

.figure 3: Location of the small gear, to open the properties dialog:
image:small-gear-on-c4-person-shape.png[]

.figure 4: Example of properties dialog of an C4-Person notation shape:
image:Data-Editor-Dialog-to-set-the-properties.png[]

.figure 5: Control tab order of the properties fields:
image:Control-Tab-Order-of-C4-Notation-Shape-Properties-Dialog.png[]

.figure 6: Other way to open the properties dialog:
image:Open-the-Properties-Dialog-from-Menu-bar.png[]


[[Good-to-Know-about-the-c4-shapes]]
Good-to-Know about the C4 shapes:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

- *[red]#Some C4 shapes have issues/limitations which I description in this section:#*

[[c4-relationship-notation-shape]]
C4-Relationship Notation shape:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

- Has also a properties dialog, but the small gear icon isn't available with this shape. (technical reason, I haven't found a solution, yet.)

- To open for a C4 Relationship shape the Properties Editor:
  -- key-stroke or over menu.

[[c4-person-notation-shape]]
C4-Person Notation shape:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++

- Has also a little technical issue, to open the properties dialog,
  -- gear icon or over menu.

[[directly-modify-the-shape-text]]
Modify the text on the shapes directly rather than using the properties dialog:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

. *is possible,*
. can be handy when you want to (re-)format the text, e.g. bold, italic, font size or when you want to insert a line break within the text/properties.
. *but keep in mind,*
. if you change the text here directly, and as next open the properties dialog of this shape, your changes will get lost because the information on the shape will be reset to the values from the properties dialog.

[quote, Tobias Hochgürtel]
Sorry for these issues, I keep fixing these in my spare time, feel free to create an link:https://github.com/tobiashochguertel/c4-draw.io/issues[issue], or provide an pull request, hints and ideas what We could improve!

[[Key-Strokes]]
Key-Strokes

.Table 1: Key-Strokes |=== |Key-Stroke|Description

|kbd:[CMD + M] |Open's the Data-Editor Dialog (properties dialog) of an selected shape on the diagram.

|===

[[credits]] Credits

I want to thank the following people and organisations:

* Draw.io Plugin: https://github.com/sakazuki/step-functions-draw.io[AWS Step
Functions Workflow Designer], which has inspired me to done this plugin, and what I use as code-base to done the plugin.
* C4Model Author: https://twitter.com/simonbrown[Simon Brown], thanks for let me know that this us useful and thanks for  sharing your knowledge about software architecture.
* https://www.draw.io/[draw.io], to provide draw.io as open source _software system_.