Specify nested rectangles to be created in vertical order

Question

Hello,

Hopefully this is the 3rd and final question from me related to rectangles today:

I have the code:

@startuml
rectangle a {
  rectangle b
  rectangle c
  rectangle d
}
@enduml

Demo: http://www.plantuml.com/plantuml/uml/06qe004Jdrb_IKoHL16O1WfFaX0quvvXZIdK0EWV3KeRBLEA4NUsTGUK3gIlQSdn8j4yb

Is there a way to specify rectangles b, c, d to appear one below another in the exact specified order?

Thanks.

---

Here is a real example where I'd like to have all those nested blocks sit one below the other: http://www.plantuml.com/plantuml/uml/06_440CJ_rp_tBDCjzCKIApVd9Ay0_jflWTUV8esG6MfX7H6FebKVkvX52KayrRj5F0SWSI_ugWVyvxxViGk96pyiTuIeegnqOikACZuK-Fu5RskRgr0zZikEkrGsZ7SSw8-2Nx4YnA1VuSi0k7yx7H0xNiHgBJ5Y0A0e9vtydAAmbDnbmO98p17PSnoDldg2daDGXbTszZFAW0b3fDtlTY49YwXrr--NNLRhqcNFzQCQfGzD9mm39JcRDCiyOoPLWEHiJfIQF16ba8oM9NdJDKLf8INTZ44f6Ay2dUE7ENlD89fgrvj_d3EjM_RCrXdQVjxoXdtT2YsB0MpWKmXOl0AucI23C8KFeICkpu0_Twdhsz84aqB8ZbTUmjC0czWunOqO_2Nr-V7FaMI0-27KQrneLzf6rI9d0PgRiolp5LwpownbqrDKTW4DdaCHlIgbtgSGd7DEpu1cWOL4TyYbmx-iiv0HFNOsSMWaQ01ZJP3k_0Q1csrl8HsD6lz4nuQCA0I4QMF-RNH58HJZA7Z9moAGjePygM4N_MmpxFrooPmEQvqC0FIKTyfbuofxgtIGz_qE

in the exact same order as in the plantuml code.

Comments

It would be even better if there's a way to specify all the nested rectangles to have the exact same width, regardless of the content in those.

Eventually, if possible, I'd like the nested rectangles to show up like this: https://i.imgur.com/IhuXs9F.jpg

Answer 1

You can use

@startuml
rectangle a {
  rectangle b
  rectangle c
  rectangle d
  b -[hidden]-> c
  c -[hidden]-> d
}
@enduml

http://www.plantuml.com/plantuml/uml/SoWkIImgAStDuIfAJIv9p4lFILL8LAZcKb10y9DGUCael1GWBqb1DpeZCoKbDIzMrmuidumi0bHJo-MGcfS2j0K0

But this is really a hack, and you should not abuse of hidden arrows.

Comments

Thank you!

Now only one minor thing.. this is the real plantuml code that I am working on:

http://www.plantuml.com/plantuml/uml/06-m509m5TiFrPbfm4Wl3DWmqFaKeGO22h5pJnwYT-mAmwzIYuqnoJrX0oCNv2mu7tG998mgmR96ZkrhJXEqh6HUXCoyZJPP3L4B7mk3TR0bbAXIwgewlCErYNWDVSw1s9tG2-Cyzy4NAwYP3osUGApPXDoi-XXtUlj1Uxcjqtlsu0lVQeb6lE72K83FO38Fw6tm1kd-BGnXHodOq3W1GgSJ4NwbOr7IJXMIHg14TUKwo7YDrY6cZ-d540awmIkxtgY6hrl7XtUStksjE0-aXRxAN2HsKjOW0Sxqk6mciDMYfRDGdEYRNI8FzXhxkBv47UzwDf1prju5Lz9RExMP6pV_np1ZbTulrj1ULdNtt9-dzqgzds6eHe0mX8M7SY7MAP67L48mdx6VWh-D2zeuwKzNCNPjf7w85ocAWsXKQ_C3w2lzbrW9mH4XOylbmhxaeLYGEmBHCKe-ESXQxtamxNfn4wSV8z2aPU572AT8nOBfaZ318q5XymB6I_eA_AfJIkA1H4bQSyPIlyniJv8o_x3z4ITJuXJhkAXl4I9oxrC-fQvqvg5PfhxbKK1_kfLLpYD_r3BC5npwp-xS9Q8veZhiMseX3pARrmrUpsAaltEy0zUztIcWJWLKN98pK5m9xOiXnd8cGdba4o8O3z7rM0c15WQo-AVwqPrlV0ny0

Is it possible to left align all the rectangles and packages?

---

Added this tip of using hidden arrows to my notes: https://scripter.co/notes/plantuml/#forcing-vertical-ordering-of-rectangles