PlantUML Q&A - Recent questions in Wanted features

How to pass raw latex code to the Tikz/LaTeX export

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 11:40:47 +0000

I really like the latex:nopreamble export feature, but to fully integrate it with my documents I would like to pass raw latex code to the exported file, i.e.

@startuml
A -> B: <raw> something \gls{glossary-entry} \autocite{cool-source} </raw>
@enduml

IDEF0 support

Wed, 27 May 2026 09:18:25 +0000

It would be great if PlantUML supported IDEF0 diagrams (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IDEF0).

Programming PlantUML in Rust

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:57:06 +0000

Wouldn't it be great if you no longer needed to install Java, but simply needed a directly executable file, e.g., Windows ".exe"?

Adding a note to start and end state

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:15:25 +0000

Hi!

How do I add a note to, say, "left of [*]"? And how would I specify which one (start or end) I mean?

The main problem I'm seeing is that I can't add anything to those states, no description and no notes.

I there any solution for this?

Cross functional process flow diagram

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 14:17:12 +0000

Using corporate IT we can create cross functional process flows with the Excel standard cross functional process flow template which uses a visio addin to visualise the diagram from a simple spreadsheet list. However the diagram is plain and not very easy to read or use.

Plantuml currently allows the creation of simple process flows but not true cross functional process flows (twin axis) like in excel and visio and BPMN2.0. I believe that creating this capability will grow plantumls audience to cover business analysts alongside architects like myself and will be of greatest value to businesses.

If you choose to act upon this I would be most willing to support in anyway I could

How to change printscale quarterly so Q1 starts on a February rather than January ?

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:33:43 +0000

we plan to quarters but those quarters are not based on the gregorian calendar.

They are based on when our fiscal year starts.

For us, thats always February so being able to set the date that the quarter starts on would allow us to enter actual dates rather than offset them so it shows correctly in the Gantt but then doesnt match the real dates.

Alternatively being able to set Starts at as a quarter e.g. "Starts At 2026Q2 and lasts one quarter" would be useful.

Is there a syntax where either of these already work or they would be feature requests ?

Thanks in advance

Is there an Open Feature / Issue to improve SVG Sprite handling - I've got an experiment would like to propose as a PR

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 01:04:25 +0000

I've had some time to work on another implementation of Sprite SVG Parsing.

I am wondering if there is an open feature / features on this already or if I should create one?

Have gone down the path of:
- Adding Batik library to parse SVG Sprite elements
- A new Interface ISvgParser extends Sprite
-- has method void drawU(UGraphic ug, double scale, HColor fontColor, HColor forcedColor)
- 2 SVG Sprite parsing implementations that implement the ISvgParser, SvgNanoParser (existing) and SvgDomParser (New)
- SvgDomParser uses Dom logic on SVGs vs. Text/Regex and have been able to add more SVG handling features (most common but not everything)

This discussion has some enhancments, if there is no specific Feature request yet I'll create a new one.
https://github.com/plantuml/plantuml/discussions/1066

Add task start date and finish date to GANTT label

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 02:52:12 +0000

Hello, I would like to propose a feature for the plantuml GANTT charts:

Add an option to show the calculated start and end date of every task in the task label.

This could optionally also be shown at the left ot the chart in addition to the current behaviour.

Final proposed behaviour:

There is a new section left of the main chart showing per task row: the task name, start date and end date. Optional: also the duration of a task can be shown in this left area.
Inside the main chart the task name is shown, and optionally again the start and/or end date, with start date shown left and finish date showing right of the task name label and the chart bar.

I prefer to present the date always in the format YYYY-MM-DD. This should be adjustable of course.

Rationale:

I work with multi-year project plans, and the daily print scale makes the chart very large. So I am primarily using a weekly or monthly print scale. But with this less detailed scale the information of exact start and end dates is lost and not shown in the current behaviour. To be very precise in project communication I always need exact start and end dates for every single task, shown on the same page like the chart, also in weekly or yearly print scales.

Thanks and best regards

Timing diagram constraints overlapping

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 10:11:53 +0000

Hello,

I encounter the same pb. Arrows of constraints are overlapping (not the names), and it make the diagram not clear. Is there a way to manage that correctly ?

@startuml
robust "Tracker Board" as Track
concise "Article" as ART

ART is ""
Track is Idle

@118 as :T_critical_path_begin
@133 as :T_critical_path_end

@0
ART is "B pos."
@+10
ART is ""
@2
Track is "Trigger Acq"
@3
Track is "Idle"

@53
ART is "F pos."
@+10
ART is ""
@55
Track is "Trigger Acq"
@56
Track is Idle

@65
Track is "Consolidate verdict"
'163ms - 5ms
@68
ART is "D. pos" : "Reject decision position"
@+10
ART is ""
@71
Track is "Command reject valve"

@+2
Track is Idle

@Track
@2 <-> @3 : {T_trig_pos_B}
@2 <-> @65 : {T_trig_base_to_all_res_recv}
@55 <-> @56 : {T_trig_pos_F}

highlight :T_critical_path_begin to :T_critical_path_end #LightGoldenRodYellow : Critical path

@enduml

architectural and Detailed Design as per the requirements . Include any design constraints

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 07:03:07 +0000

Gantt: start dates as weeks?

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 08:44:31 +0000

Hi,
I know it's possible to print the gantt schedule in PlantUML as week numbers.

But is it possible possible to define project start or other activites as weeks instead of specific dates?
Since there are several dates in one week the assumption could be that this corresponds to first day in the week or something.

Todays syntax

Project starts 2024-07-01
[Activity] starts 2020-07-16

Wanted syntax

Project starts 2024w27
[Activity] starts 2024w29

BR/ Henrik

Allow empty branch in mindmap

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 22:41:07 +0000

An empty line in a mindmap currently creates a syntax error, so the following doesn't work:

@startmindmap
* Main Idea

right side
**_ Branch 1
**_ Branch 2
***_ The next branch is empty
***_  
@endmindmap

www.plantuml.com/plantuml/png/SoWkIImgoStCIybDBE3IKl1DpCnJy4n9JUJYAifCpoXHACvCIUNIqefNS2fAp4lEK314vXW1EK1UI4QgGbvgHOb24aGuirWXDRUWf18Yo-MGcfS2jG40

I would've expected it to create a new blank branch, as seen here where I used a nonbreaking space as a workaround:

www.plantuml.com/plantuml/png/SoWkIImgoStCIybDBE3IKl1DpCnJy4n9JUJYAifCpoXHACvCIUNIqefNS2fAp4lEK314vXW1EK1UI4QgGbvgHOb24aGuirWXDRUWf18Ygw2cR6XcOCtba9gN0hK80000

RSS for the top releases

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 19:08:57 +0000

Hey PlantUML team,

Was wondering if you will implement an RSS feed for the most recent release (maybe top 10)
https://plantuml.com/changes

Basically, I use RSS to get an idea when a new release will happen or be available

Thanks,

Dave

How about add a vertical line to indicate current date of Gantt

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 02:46:53 +0000

As the subject.

Text alignment in Activity Diagram

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 09:40:42 +0000

I have checked in the Language Reference Guide and I could not find any option to play with text alignment in the Activity box.

Let's say I have this simple diagram like below:

@startuml
:Hello world;
:This is defined on
several **lines**;
@enduml

By default it is aligned to the left.
It would be great to be able set the label alignment as 'centered'/'left' /'right'.

If you know any way to do it with the current version of plantUML please let me know.

Thanks

wireshark's pcap to planuml visualizer (pcap2uml)

Sat, 12 Jul 2025 10:44:31 +0000

Hi!

I have create tool to visualise protocols conversations like SIP, Diameter, GTP, CAMEL, etc. in pcap using PlantUML sequence diagrams. And optionally integration with Wireshark. Tool can be found in GitHub: https://github.com/dgudtsov/pcap2uml

May I ask to include link to this tool into running page? - https://plantuml.com/en/running

Found some Unix installation scripts

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 16:12:09 +0000

related to How to install new version on Unix, #398 · plantuml-stdlib/C4-PlantUML

SomeFrenchGuy found simple unix installation scripts. Maybe you want to update your current description with the link to metanorma/plantuml-install: Installation script for PlantUML

BR Helmut

Does PlantUML support UML Diagram Interchange specification?

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 20:15:20 +0000

The goal of this specification is to enable a smooth and seamless exchange of documents compliant to the UML standard (in the following referred to as UML models) between different software tools. About the UML Diagram Interchange Specification Version 1.0

Dedicated Description Block for PlantUML Diagrams

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 21:26:23 +0000

Dear PlantUML Team,

I would like to request a new feature that allows users to add a dedicated diagram description block at the top of a diagram, aligned to the left, without a border. This would serve as a clean, unobtrusive summary, improving readability and enhancing diagram documentation.

Why is this needed?

Currently, existing elements do not fully address this requirement:

Headers are unsuitable when the title is displayed below, causing layout inconsistencies.
Legends can be placed below the title, but they do not support multiple legends, making structured annotations challenging.
Adding a new dedicated description block would provide a clear, well-positioned summary below the title while maintaining proper alignment and readability.

Suggested Implementation:

The description block should be positioned below the title.
It should align left, providing a structured introductory section.
No visible border, ensuring it blends naturally with the diagram.
Should not interfere with other diagram elements, maintaining logical spacing and order.

Previous Attempts to Solve the Issue:

I have already explored possible solutions and shared suggestions in the following discussions:
https://forum.plantuml.net/20086/add-a-borderless-text-box-for-diagram-description
https://forum.plantuml.net/20085/how-to-add-a-diagram-description-at-the-top-without-a-border

However, these approaches do not fully satisfy the desired layout, as they either impact placement or introduce unwanted formatting constraints.

Conclusion:

Adding a dedicated description block would significantly improve diagram documentation by providing a structured, non-intrusive way to convey important context. This enhancement would be highly beneficial for users who require clear explanations without affecting existing diagram elements.

I appreciate your time and consideration, and I hope this feature can be incorporated into a future update. Looking forward to your thoughts on this!

Best regards,
Omar

Example applying suggested approach, which is not suitable:

@startuml
skinparam maxMessageSize 40

title
<font color=red>Notebook Selection using wxQueueEvent</font>
<font color=red>AddNoteBook_OnClickTreControl_Event</font>
end title

left header
This diagram illustrates the use of wxQueueEvent for creating a new notebook when the user double-clicks an item in the tree control.
It emphasizes asynchronous communication between the Tree Control and Notebook using event handling mechanisms.
endheader

actor Actor
participant wxApp
participant mTreeCtrlPtr as TreeCtrl_ElmFiles
participant mNotebookPtr as AuiNotebook

Actor -> wxApp : Tab Click/Selection
wxApp -> AuiNotebook : EVT_AUINOTEBOOK_PAGE_CHANGED
AuiNotebook -> AuiNotebook: OnPageChanged(event)
activate AuiNotebook
AuiNotebook -> AuiNotebook: selectedIndex = event->GetSelection()

opt selectedIndex != -1
AuiNotebook -> AuiNotebook: selectedPage = GetPage(selectedIndex)
opt selectedPage != nullptr
AuiNotebook -> AuiNotebook: customEventPtr = new EvNotebook2TreeControl(EVT_CUSTOM_NOTEBOOK_CHANGED, GetId())
opt customEventPtr != nullptr
AuiNotebook -> AuiNotebook: customEventPtr.SetTreeItemId(selectedPage.GetTreeItemId())
AuiNotebook -[#blue]> TreeCtrl_ElmFiles: <font color=blue> wxQueueEvent(mTreeCtrlPtr, customEventPtr)
deactivate AuiNotebook
activate TreeCtrl_ElmFiles
note over AuiNotebook, TreeCtrl_ElmFiles: QueueEvent posts the event\nasynchronously to the tree control
TreeCtrl_ElmFiles -> TreeCtrl_ElmFiles: OnCustomEvent_NotebookChanged(event)
note right of TreeCtrl_ElmFiles: Retrieve tree item ID from the event
TreeCtrl_ElmFiles -> TreeCtrl_ElmFiles: itemId = event->GetTreeItemId()
opt itemId.IsOk() == true
TreeCtrl_ElmFiles -> TreeCtrl_ElmFiles: SelectItem(itemId, true)
end
deactivate TreeCtrl_ElmFiles
end
end
end
@enduml

http://www.plantuml.com/plantuml/png/bLHHRzis47xdhxXXBpOGErqtx268ZRgkcnf3ucnnzx8D0YsT9S8KAP0d9-cm_xwZQBLIPHJDWmr9_Exxlljuv1jFqb5TQk4FobJIoH9A-NIBtiiS7zGdX5zU2K6AD8hhlJK4gTNMpHncypjBkBFs00-eCILb3THUcHmUdtwliSRL4GrTNuQg-Q1uaMMX_YtN9nkpr2ezR1qk6UIiJdgbQ3A83eIuzlIiSIuAb1aw-5Tyi4vzOfZK2wroKt8TQDoJUCyVcmPU_zeyBuCqxBHC3-9MkbmP-FcL-4zSNvueHIY3I2osXVAGAPc7H9JMjISd2JrGWTmbWjttseGzawSE9OK091Xy1DFcyrYWQGiTPBRUQPoaeMKFqe0YP8s888S8QKnX2c9DW6LLIC-DCDO_cxHmrjZQCwWiQwDIsGI_Gth4ayesS9oIPFuCseqwRGysXWjUqU6rn9IVbI_zD4Hz2a08cHBtj0Z_WYU3LAegQOZRNbHLxqiP59Vaz3qvDWdjQxBIvNkbqVVHhPqJUb6hzeiGZHnCvb45hc0hTz1Cn-NdAHDnZK6TKeQk_jmcYu_hkyrszNQp-IsvNzoiakM7nTtDwfteGlkLLx0nzpB79QUGOpPguXc7zjLH4lP4ladZ6uEOhKs6Jp2BEK_cDqYVhO_6GjYAleB-C8F9JmBWUyY3K-Pcql0qwX6DcOFP-rWcDxNM5JbU_RP6MdkoPJFFOMzcpHIlZYtWTRElSQv68UpbnuVjvZPf0s-plWZkrjbe7Fn4HttclgUNkPe-80KVQyAIDRgjJczwIq5-IFxNZpjTup_puP1UGVUE2gXvxuYFkcD-yPMjLYl3ytCJLzkreVW9OBW0x15Tj_hYdDVErLDPJ_5Yml3-j-dU4_ePo0wkbYWtv8N9sM3uWlxIRTBwwX-ORWTEvGM1tP_Z-WF9AJn6F_7kMx-3lRFbbnPUQ4yr6zuvSVqvOBPs3YDoklQRmsWCincRg97NNwONZtEW7qN2YuQd5KAJ3QTXkECjDFw7tnl-gqlzFm00

Add a Borderless Text Box for Diagram Description

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 18:09:22 +0000

Hello PlantUML Team,

I would like to request a feature that allows adding a standalone text box at the top of a diagram to serve as a description or summary. The key requirements for this feature would be:

The text should appear as a separate block, positioned freely (preferably at the top).
It should not have a visible border, making it look like a natural part of the diagram rather than a framed note.
It should not interfere with the layout of participants or other elements.
Existing options like note and title do not fully meet this need—note does not allow proper placement, and title is too restrictive in formatting.

Would it be possible to introduce a new syntax or an enhancement to existing elements to support this functionality? I believe this would be a valuable addition for users who need to annotate diagrams with a clean, unobtrusive description.

Thank you for considering this request!

Best regards,
Omar

Enhance the drawing of complex json objects

Fri, 30 May 2025 13:39:06 +0000

Having a json object in a class diagram like this

@startuml
json "<b>JSON basic element" as J {
"JSON_Array" : [
[],
[true, false],
[-1, 1],
["a", "b", "c"],
["mix", null, true, 1, {"k": "v"}],
{"k": "v"},
{"k": "v"},
   {
    "{}": {},
    "k_int": 123,
    "k_str": "abc",
    "k_obj": {"k": "v"}
    },
   {
    "{}": {},
    "k_int": 123,
    "k_str": "abc",
    "k_obj": {"k": "v"}
    }
]
}
@enduml

It is hard to understand which of the elements in the array are real lines, and which are record elements.

I would suggest if the element is an record and has more then one element add an small empty column before the elements of the record. This would make it much more readable.

Could other diagram types, like component, state, etc. support dynamic color notation?

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 08:59:31 +0000

in https://plantuml.com/ru/color - Automatic Font Color seems to be applicable only to sequences. It would be really cool to support it also for other diagram types.

Please provide a way to change background and border color of connectors in activity diagrams

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 19:59:07 +0000

Hi there! I was trying to set the background color and border color of connectors in activity diagrams. Apparently, there is not a "skinparam connector". I also tried with HTML styling, but no success.

Still, it is possible to change the background color inline, like this:

' #white:(A)

but it is not possible to set its border color. I tried several things and couldn't make it work. Would it be possible?

Ability to spotlight a participant so that only activity to/from that participant remains

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 20:12:42 +0000

I have a comprehensive MSD showing every interaction between 10 participants but many of the participants in the MSD do not interact with one another. I want to show a view of the process from one participant's perspective. The feature would spotlight a participant and all activity to/from that participant:

spotlight participant Bob as B

Consider allowing multiple participants to be spotlighted. All spotlighted participants and their related activity and co-participants are included. All unlinked participants and their activity are excluded.

Class association roles

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 07:07:58 +0000

For class associations multiplicity can be provided by -- "0..1"for example. This string field can be used for association role name alternatively. However, seperating the fields for both does not seem to be supported

Feature Request: Support for remote style sheets

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 20:40:23 +0000

Feature Request: Support for remote style sheets

I request that plantuml diagrams support both remote(url) and local style sheets.

An example of a remote style sheet might be https://www.advdelphisys.com/PlantUML/maley20250123.css.

Dick Maley

Enum vs Entity distinction

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 15:27:33 +0000

Hi,

Thank you for providing this amazing tool to the entire humanity ! :P

I usually use PlanUml for every design I have to do, easy maintenability, nice design, very practical !

I simply can't deal without it !

I'm looking for a way to distinguish an enum from an entity in a class diagram, both are abbreviated by a "E" do you know if it's actually possible.

Regards !

replace string via builtin function

Sat, 25 Jan 2025 19:17:40 +0000

I would like to replace the first x. findings in a string with another value like
!$replaced = %replacestr("ABXYABAB", "AB", "abc", 2)
' $replaced should be "abcXYabcAB"

but I didn't found it in the documentation.
Did I oversee it?

BR
Helmut

Mindmap: How can I add anchor between nodes?

Sat, 25 Jan 2025 18:57:31 +0000

I can define anchors in sequence diagrams (details see Sequence Diagram syntax and features)

@startuml
!pragma teoz true

{start} Alice -> Bob : start doing things during duration
Bob -> Max : something
Max -> Bob : something else
{end} Bob -> Alice : finish

{start} <-> {end} : some time

@enduml

Wouldn't it be a nice feature for the mindmaps too?

@startmindmap
* root node
{start} * some first level node
* second level node
* another second level node
* another first level node
{end} * another first level node
{start} <-> {end} : an additional relation
@endmindmap

BR Helmut

Gantt highlight resources that is off not only in footbox but also on task itself

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 22:43:23 +0000

Hi,

Imagine a gantt diagram with a lot of tasks : the footbox goes deep down and is almost out of sight.
It would be nice to have the tasks rectangles to change aspect on the days where the resource is off.
Maybe having dotted borders on those days and having a pink inner color as on the closed days.

Here below I don't understand looking at the tasks only that :

A is off from the 17th to the 24th of Dec.
B is off on the 24th and on the 30th and 31st of Dec

To see this I need to go down to the footbox to see it.

And the footbox might be hidden or far away.

Could we change the aspect of tasks on resource off days ?

Wrapping for arrow text

Sat, 28 Dec 2024 06:57:58 +0000

I would like the WordWrap style to work for arrow label text. Or any other option to wrap arrow labels automatically. This example is of state-diagram, but would be useful for other diagrams also.

```

@startuml

left to right direction

<style>
arrow {
     WordWrap 150
     fontcolor #green
}
</style>

state a
state b

 [*] -> a

 a -> b : very long status transition description that I want to be wrapped but it won't despite I try to use styling for arrow and it affects the arrow label font color

b -> [*]

@enduml

```

rectangular connections in class digramm

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 15:04:03 +0000

Hello,

I build up a huge class diagramm for a complex software structure. Unfortunally, I have multiple connections between the classes. These connections are now all over the whole diaramm and it looks very messy. Is there a way/ feature to specifiy the connections in more detail to make it look more clean?

I would really appreciate it, when there is such a feature.

Regards,

David

Adding Links to Object Qualified Associations

Sat, 16 Nov 2024 10:54:48 +0000

Hello!

I use object qualified associations as a workaround to put text inside of ports, by adding a port, making it invisible, and using the association to occur at the location of the port (with allowmixing so that associations work for things other than objects, like rectangles)

@startuml

!pragma svginteractive true
allowmixing
left to right direction

rectangle B {
portin " " as p2 <<invisible>>
}
p1 [a] -- [b] p2

@enduml

https://ibb.co/bWK1HCK

I was wondering if it would be doable to make links work inside of these associations? As far as I know they currently do not

p1 [[[https://www.example.com a]]] -- [b] p2

Thank you!

gantt two pre task as start condition for the next task

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 07:45:28 +0000

Hello,

I want to use two task as start condition for the next task.

The next task should take the end of the longest task.

for Milestones I can use the following code:

     [MaxTaskEnd] happens at [Task1.1]'s end
     [MaxTaskEnd] happens at [Task1.2]'s end
     [MaxTaskEnd] happens at [Task2.1]'s end

How does it work for task?

thx for reply.

Martin

Change diamond style to HIDDEN

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 10:48:31 +0000

Current diagram

@startuml
object parent
<>helper
parent <|-- helper
helper -- child1
helper -- child2
helper -- child3
@enduml

I need to make the diamond invisible, or replace it with a dot

see also:
https://github.com/plantuml/plantuml/issues/1623
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/42550901/plantuml-script-for-inheritance
https://github.com/mermaid-js/mermaid/issues/5894

When using OpenIconic icons in hyperlinks in SVG diagrams, the background is not hot.

Sun, 03 Nov 2024 13:51:13 +0000

Love using OpenIconic to put links to relevant docs in diagrams SVG diagrams, but the whole icon isn't a link; just the foreground color.

Example:

@startuml

state PLANTUML as "PlantUML" : OpenIconic [[https://plantuml.com/creole#041a1eb0031c373d <&external-link>]] is awesome!\nBut the blue is hot - and the\nbackground is not.

@enduml

This requires me to explain to everyone I give the diagram to that they have to be very careful about where they click on those icons. Love PlantUML, and its support of OpenIconic, but fixing this would make it perfect.

Is it possible to contain an object in multiple objects?

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 16:03:06 +0000

Hi Team,

I want to achieve creating a diagram where an object is contained in multiple objects.

At the image below a Public subnet should be in both Availability Zone A and in Virtual Private Cloud (green rectangle).
(It is problematic because Availability Zone A is not simply contained in Virtual Private Cloud.)

A representation of the syntax error I got try to render the code is found below. (The error is thrown because of referring subnetA and subnetB in vpc.)

@startuml

actor user as "User"

rectangle cloud as "AWS Cloud" {
  rectangle route53 as "Route 53"
  rectangle region as "us-east-1" {
    rectangle zoneA as "Availability Zone A" {
      rectangle subnetA as "Public Subnet" {
        rectangle securityGroupA as "Security Group"
      }
    }
    rectangle zoneB as "Availability Zone B" {
      rectangle subnetB as "Public Subnet" {
        rectangle securityGroupB as "Security Group"
      }
    }
    rectangle vpc as "Virtual Private Cloud" {
      rectangle loadBalancer as "Application Load Balancer"
      subnetA
      subnetB
    }
  }
}

user --> route53
route53 --> loadBalancer
loadBalancer --> securityGroupA
loadBalancer --> securityGroupB

@enduml

Thanks in advance,
Logan

Suggestion - Sequence diagram simplified

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 23:23:43 +0000

Hello,

I often find that sequence diagrams become quickly complex and less readable if we have many participiants and levels of indentation..

In my sequence diagram, I often reproduce a callstack so it is important to be able to fold/unfold easily in the editor. There are certainly editors which help with indentation but I think this is not really friendly.

So I use a python which interprets this kind of format:

participants = ["Participant1 as P1", "Participant2 as P2", "Participant3 as P3"]
stack = [
    "f1->ret", [
        "f2->x", [
            "f3", [
                "alt true", [
                    "P2.f4->ret",
  "P2.f5->ret"
                ],
                "else", [
                    "P3.f6->ret"
                ]
            ]
        ]
    ]
]

It wil generate this diagram

A few comments about the syntax:

When we switch participant the syntax is "Participant.function"
When we reamin on the same participant; then just write "function"
if you want to show the return value then : Participant.function -> ret
When we remain on the same participant but there are several lifelines, then Iit uses different colors.

What do you think ?

Maybe such a tool already exist ? Now I can generate complex diagrams without being lost...

Of course it works fine with callstacks but the syntax can be adapted, I just showed an example to get the idea.

PlantUML-server: Clean outdated image urls via 'curl -X PURGE https://www.plantuml.com/plantuml/png/...'

Sun, 20 Oct 2024 15:50:57 +0000

Some of my diagrams includes another *.puml file (in my case ex. ../C4.puml)* and based on changes in the include file the generated images should be changed too (details see https://forum.plantuml.net/13923/how-can-i-clean-cached-include-files-on-plantuml-server). But the main diagram file itself is unchanged and therefore the cached imaged is returned.
(this can be simulated with simpler sudoku document too, details see https://forum.plantuml.net/13978/dynamic-content-changed-include-calculated-cached-for-days).

Therefore it would be handy that I can clean the outdated images from the cache via
'curl -X PURGE <imageUrl>',
eg. for the sudoku sample
'curl -X PURGE //www.plantuml.com/plantuml/png/9Smn3e8n24VnlQVuRnx0k7-tS4PAR2E5f42ylarStlJoko9fPorjDpnd3h2l9PO1SvXy4TNzKvW19cKjfPIE5yMf6-uFyA0D9XxJtks_jqki7_G7'

The Github's Camo cache supports same pattern, details see https://forum.plantuml.net/7163/githubs-aggressive-caching-prevent-diagrams-updated-markdown.

I would extend the pattern, that a purge deletes automatically all cached formats (png, svg, ...)

Add "parent task" feature to Gantt diagram

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 15:32:42 +0000

Would it be possible to add a "parent task" feature on the Gantt feature of PlantUML please?

It seems now quite popular in Gantt diagram to be able to configure a "parent" / "master" / "epic" / "story" task above others to define a "logical relation" between several tasks. To say it otherwize, all the other tasks are to be done to accomplish this "parent task".

Common rendering example: https://jsganttimproved.github.io/jsgantt-improved/

Proposed syntax:

[Parent] starts 2024-07-17 and ends 2024-07-29
[T1] is a child of [Parent]

The children tasks shall use the whole duration of their parent task in case no start/end is defined.

What do you think about this idea? If it makes sense, and if it can be useful, I can continue thinking about this and make a better proposal.

Is it possible to get rackdiag and packetdiag by integrated into plantuml?

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 19:28:57 +0000

http://blockdiag.com/en/nwdiag/rackdiag-examples.html

Sequence diagrams: Sending messages while slanted arrow is in progress.

Sun, 06 Oct 2024 06:32:26 +0000

Hello,

I'm rather new in the PlantUML forum, but after exploring the Sequence Diagram syntax, I've come to conclusion that there is no such option to send messages while current slanted arrow is in progress.

I'm working with kind of message queue framework(*) and sometimes commands are not "dequeued" immediately because of current assignment which is still in progress. In such case, the command will be dequeued only when current one is done.

But this doesn't mean new messages cannot be sent meanwhile. Take a look at the following image:

I understand my issue solving might mess with the diagram timing, but this may be solved if slanted arrows degree is based on time steps rather than plain pixels.

Either way, I'm sure it will be pretty useful.

Cheers,
Ran

(*) A message queue framework is best explained as a system made of multiple independent state machines, each is designated for specific set of actions. The communication between state machines is made by queueing commands between one and other and a new queue command is processed only after completing the last one. Any state machine can send queues (Enqueueing) to any other, but for any "communication channel" there is only one target state machine - dequeuer.
I guess the implementation may vary between software languages, but believe the core idea is the same. I'm using LabView programming language to implement it.

Support interrupt region and action type (especially accept time event action)

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 04:15:17 +0000

In the UML2.5 document, for activity diagram there is a description of Interruptible Activity Regions in section 15.6.4.2 and section 16 has a description for classifying actions. However, with the latest plantUML version I have not seen these features. I really hope that the library will support these syntaxes in the near future to solve our problem.

How do I limit a timing diagram's time span to a specific duration?

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 18:52:48 +0000

I have a process that involves several sequences of events that are synchronized by a clock pulse. I'd like to diagram that using a clock "clk" as C with period 100 pulse 1 offset 0 to display the synchronizing clock, and with a few repeats of the period with actions at specific times or a representation of an analog signal.

For clarity, I'd like the figure to display an integer number of clock periods.

However, PlantUML seems to always draw one more period of the clock than I want, filling in the other signals with the last values they had specified.

If it were possible to set the exact width of the diagram, that would be ideal.

Structured Anamysis and Design Technique - SADT

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 14:29:31 +0000

Hi,

Will PlantUML produce SADT diagrams one day?

Thanks

Can we customize the export and import options with third party web applications ?

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 07:28:00 +0000

Hello, We want to import and export the diagrams from our web application polarion to plantUML. Please let us know how to directly integrate the polarion to plantUML.

Venn diagrams

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:26:52 +0000

Vote for Venn diagrams: https://github.com/plantuml/plantuml/issues/1862

Request: Add support for displaying lost and found messages (filled black circle)

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 10:53:27 +0000

Hey,

currently I'm using the following code to display a found and lost message. Only open circles are rendered, but UML demands for a filled circle.

@startuml
hide footbox
skinparam style strictuml
participant ": A" as a
[o-> a ++ : method(key : char)
[o<<-- a : method(dir : String) : ret
@enduml

It is also somewhat discussed in this question.

It would be great if there was a possiblity to make the circles filled. Maybe there is some workaround?
Thank you!

[Digram beta]: Can I Do This ? if (A) then (yes)

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 09:44:33 +0000

I Want to Chose the direction of my condition in "Diagram Beta" like this:

if (A) then (<direction:right>yes)

Is it possible to add this kind of feature ?

[mindmap] Please add the possibility to assign an ID and/or a class to the generated element for the SVG export

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 16:40:29 +0000

Hi,

In Graphviz, we have 3 important attributes for the SVG export :

class : Classnames to attach to the node, edge, graph, or cluster's SVG element
id : identifiers for graph objects
stylesheet : A URL or pathname specifying an XML style sheet, used in SVG output

These attributes are important if we want to add with javascript some interactivity to the diagram.

What are the possibilities in Plantuml today ? I checked a bit the documentation but I did not see anything linked to that topic.

If we focus on mindmap, the generated node is a rect followed by a text

for example in the mindmap diagram if we have : + Some Node

it will produce

<rect ...attributes></rect> // shape for the node

<text ...attributes >Some Node</text> // the text of the node

(it's the simplest case, if links are added then anchors will appear...)

I would love to have the ability to produce :

<rect id="myID" class="myClass" ...></rect> // shape for the node

<text ...>Some Node</text> // the text of the node

Today we can reference classname like so :

Class

+ Some Node<<myClass>>

we could then add in the corresponding element this class name (<rect class="myClass" ...></rect>)
Why the element rect instead of the element text ? I don't really care the important part is to have some infos that helps us to know where we are.

of course I understand the problem... for plantuml point of view <<myClass>> is used to apply the style defined by

<style>

.myClass{

}

</style>

and we could have FontSize and BackGroundColor inside it.

FontSize will impact the text element,
BackGroundColor will impact the rect element

so we indeed have a problem of consistency here...because "one plantuml statement" produces multiple svg elements... so I don't know how we could resolve that.

+ Some Node<<#myID>> ( to keep things close to the web )

we can then add in the corresponding element this id (<rect id="myID" ...></rect>)

Here the issue is why target rect element rather than the text element ?

Class and ID

+ Some Node<<#myID myClass>>

we can then add in the corresponding element both (<rect id="myID" class="myClass" ...></rect>)

This is just a straightforward first draft to present the request

Thanks

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Is it possible to contain an object in multiple objects?

Suggestion - Sequence diagram simplified

PlantUML-server: Clean outdated image urls via 'curl -X PURGE https://www.plantuml.com/plantuml/png/...'

Add "parent task" feature to Gantt diagram

Is it possible to get rackdiag and packetdiag by integrated into plantuml?

Sequence diagrams: Sending messages while slanted arrow is in progress.

Support interrupt region and action type (especially accept time event action)

How do I limit a timing diagram's time span to a specific duration?

Structured Anamysis and Design Technique - SADT

Can we customize the export and import options with third party web applications ?

Venn diagrams

Request: Add support for displaying lost and found messages (filled black circle)

[Digram beta]: Can I Do This ? if (A) then (yes)

[mindmap] Please add the possibility to assign an ID and/or a class to the generated element for the SVG export

id : identifiers for graph objects