Is it possible to add custom metadata to a PlantUML source file?

Question

Hi,

I'm writing a Git hook to generate PlantUML diagrams as part of the pre-commit stage to Git. The plan is to have the hook scan the repository for *.plantuml files, generate PNGs or SVGs then include them in the commit. I'd like to be able to add some metadata to the source files to let the user set the destination for the generated files, e.g.:

@startuml
[Destination=./output/class-diagrams/]
Bob->Alice : hello
@enduml

I've thought about implementing it using some custom syntax in a comment, but thought I'd check to see if there is any standard way to do this with PlantUML diagrams.

Answer 1

Hello R.,

You can just use a comment.. It will be on the metadata of the diagram... as:

@startuml
'Destination=./output/class-diagrams/
Bob->Alice : hello
@enduml

or:

@startuml
/'
Destination=./output/class-diagrams/
'/
Bob->Alice : hello
@enduml

See also:

• https://plantuml.com/en/commons#8413c683b4b27cc3

If that can help,
Regards,
Th.

Comments

You can also use the !pragma directive, as long as it does not clash with some existing property :

@startuml
!pragma Destination ./output/class-diagrams/
Bob->Alice : hello
@enduml

---

Hello all,

Even at worst, you can put on a preprocessing variable (and adding double quotes around value), as long as it does not clash with some existing variable...:

@startuml
!Destination="./output/class-diagrams/"
Bob->Alice : hello
@enduml

Regards,
Th.