Add new %encode() function

Question

If I want to add an (dynamic defined) arrow style to the legend then I need a correct encoded url like in https://forum.plantuml.net/11603/how-to-add-arrows-to-a-legend-or-a-table.

@startuml
left to right direction
[B]-[dotted]-> [D]

legend
   | ""-[dotted]->"" | <img:http://www.plantuml.com/plantuml/png/LSsn3i8m30JGFLzXiJFa1r3_0p5SQmCLYOri8twVPAEwwTuDjqJ2yzDRYTUkRpWwnHDitrqVT4SB-LisEA_cBBvPCoSrbJAHJYC8GZtKjHPKEb_PCeLlbmcBA8-_7m00> | blah3 |
endlegend
@enduml

and "LSsn3i8m30JGFLzXiJFa1r3_0p5SQmCLYOri8twVPAEwwTuDjqJ2yzDRYTUkRpWwnHDitrqVT4SB-LisEA_cBBvPCoSrbJAHJYC8GZtKjHPKEb_PCeLlbmcBA8-_7m00" itself is an encoded plantuml source

@startuml
skinparam shadowing false
skinparam cardbordercolor none
card " " as a1
card " " as b1
a1 -[dotted]> b1
@enduml

 The new function %encode("skinparam shadowing false\nskinparam cardbordercolor none\ncard "" "" as a1\n ....")  should calculate the corresponding counterpart of the source "LSsn3i8m30....mcBA8-_7m00".
(I think "@startuml and @enduml" should be obsolete or optional; \n defines a linebreak, " escaped with "" or some other logic term)

And with that the legend could be defined like

legend
   | ""-[dotted]->"" | <img:http://www.plantuml.com/plantuml/png/%encode("........")> | blah3 |
endlegend

Thank you and best regards
Helmut

Comments

Hello K, and PlantUML team,

Another wanted feature will be just to allow sub-diagram ('{{',  '}}') on table.
Especially to be more generic and also manage vectorial SVG output...
But I do not know with which syntax?

With not another builtin functions: %subdiagram()?

legend
   | ""-[dotted]->"" | %subdiagram("...")> | blah3 |
endlegend

legend
   | ""-[dotted]->"" | %subdiagram("a1 -[dotted]> b1")> | blah3 |
endlegend

That is only a proposal... to discuss.

Regards,
Th.

---

Yes, %subdiagram() could be the better solution. But I wouldn’t limit it to tables.
If this is supported then it should reuse "outer definitions". E.g. if variables or skinparams are defined then it should be possible to reuse them in the sub diagrams (e.g. legends) too.

@startuml
skinparam arrowColor<<backup>> darkgray;text:darkgray;line.dashed

[api] -RIGHT->> [archive] <<backup>> : **Writes**\n//<size:12>[messages]</size>//

legend

| %subdiagram("[from] -RIGHT->> [to] <<backup>>")> | blah3 |
endlegend

@enduml