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Nodes & Edges

In Jjodel’s graphical editor, model elements are rendered as nodes (shapes) and edges (connections). Understanding how nodes and edges work is essential for creating effective visual representations of your models.

Nodes

Section titled “Nodes”

A node is the visual representation of a model element on the canvas. Nodes are defined by the active viewpoint and can take various forms: rectangles, ellipses, diamonds, compartmentalized boxes, or custom SVG shapes.

Node Properties

Section titled “Node Properties”

Each node has configurable visual properties:

  • Position (x, y) — location on the canvas
  • Size (width, height) — dimensions of the shape
  • Shape — the geometric form used to render the element
  • Label — text content, typically bound to an attribute of the model element
  • Fill color and border — visual styling
  • Compartments — internal subdivisions for displaying child elements (e.g., attributes inside a class box)

Interacting with Nodes

Section titled “Interacting with Nodes”

You can interact with nodes in the graphical editor by:

  • Clicking — select the node and display its properties in the Properties Panel
  • Double-clicking — enter edit mode (e.g., to rename the element)
  • Dragging — move the node on the canvas
  • Resizing — drag the resize handles to change dimensions
  • Right-clicking — access the context menu for additional actions (delete, duplicate, add children)

Edges

Section titled “Edges”

An edge is a visual connection between two nodes, typically representing a reference or association in the metamodel.

Edge Properties

Section titled “Edge Properties”
  • Source and target — the two nodes connected by the edge
  • Line style — solid, dashed, dotted
  • Arrow type — none, open, closed, diamond (for composition/aggregation)
  • Routing — direct (straight line) or Manhattan (orthogonal segments)
  • Labels — text displayed on the edge (e.g., role name, multiplicity)
  • Bend points — intermediate points that control the edge path

Edge Routing

Section titled “Edge Routing”

Jjodel supports two routing modes:

  • Direct routing — a straight line from source to target
  • Manhattan routing — the edge follows horizontal and vertical segments, creating clean right-angle paths typical of UML diagrams

Layout

Section titled “Layout”

Jjodel provides layout options to automatically arrange nodes and edges on the canvas. Layout algorithms can be applied globally to the entire diagram or locally to selected elements.