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8.35 flowchart ¶

This module provides routines for drawing flowcharts. The primary structure is a block, which represents a single block on the flowchart. The following eight functions return a position on the appropriate edge of the block, given picture transform t:

pair block.top(transform t=identity());
pair block.left(transform t=identity());
pair block.right(transform t=identity());
pair block.bottom(transform t=identity());
pair block.topleft(transform t=identity());
pair block.topright(transform t=identity());
pair block.bottomleft(transform t=identity());
pair block.bottomright(transform t=identity());

To obtain an arbitrary position along the boundary of the block in user coordinates, use:

pair block.position(real x, transform t=identity());

The center of the block in user coordinates is stored in block.center and the block size in PostScript coordinates is given by block.size.

A frame containing the block is returned by

frame block.draw(pen p=currentpen);

The following block generation routines accept a Label, string, or frame for their object argument:

rectangular block with an optional header (and padding dx around header and body): ¶

block rectangle(object header, object body, pair center=(0,0),
                pen headerpen=mediumgray, pen bodypen=invisible,
                pen drawpen=currentpen,
                real dx=3, real minheaderwidth=minblockwidth,
                real minheaderheight=minblockwidth,
                real minbodywidth=minblockheight,
                real minbodyheight=minblockheight);
block rectangle(object body, pair center=(0,0),
                pen fillpen=invisible, pen drawpen=currentpen,
                real dx=3, real minwidth=minblockwidth,
                real minheight=minblockheight);

parallelogram block: ¶

block parallelogram(object body, pair center=(0,0),
                    pen fillpen=invisible, pen drawpen=currentpen,
                    real dx=3, real slope=2,
                    real minwidth=minblockwidth,
                    real minheight=minblockheight);

diamond-shaped block: ¶

block diamond(object body, pair center=(0,0),
              pen fillpen=invisible, pen drawpen=currentpen,
              real ds=5, real dw=1,
              real height=20, real minwidth=minblockwidth,
              real minheight=minblockheight);

circular block: ¶

block circle(object body, pair center=(0,0), pen fillpen=invisible,
             pen drawpen=currentpen, real dr=3,
             real mindiameter=mincirclediameter);

rectangular block with rounded corners: ¶

block roundrectangle(object body, pair center=(0,0),
                     pen fillpen=invisible, pen drawpen=currentpen,
                     real ds=5, real dw=0, real minwidth=minblockwidth,
                     real minheight=minblockheight);

rectangular block with beveled edges: ¶

block bevel(object body, pair center=(0,0), pen fillpen=invisible,
            pen drawpen=currentpen, real dh=5, real dw=5,
            real minwidth=minblockwidth, real minheight=minblockheight);

To draw paths joining the pairs in point with right-angled lines, use the routine:

path path(pair point[] ... flowdir dir[]);

The entries in dir identify whether successive segments between the pairs specified by point should be drawn in the Horizontal or Vertical direction.

Here is a simple flowchart example (see also the example controlsystem.asy):

size(0,300);

import flowchart;

block block1=rectangle(Label("Example",magenta),
                       pack(Label("Start:",heavygreen),"",Label("$A:=0$",blue),
                            "$B:=1$"),(-0.5,3),palegreen,paleblue,red);
block block2=diamond(Label("Choice?",blue),(0,2),palegreen,red);
block block3=roundrectangle("Do something",(-1,1));
block block4=bevel("Don't do something",(1,1));
block block5=circle("End",(0,0));

draw(block1);
draw(block2);
draw(block3);
draw(block4);
draw(block5);

add(new void(picture pic, transform t) {
    blockconnector operator --=blockconnector(pic,t);
    //    draw(pic,block1.right(t)--block2.top(t));
    block1--Right--Down--Arrow--block2;
    block2--Label("Yes",0.5,NW)--Left--Down--Arrow--block3;
    block2--Right--Label("No",0.5,NE)--Down--Arrow--block4;
    block4--Down--Left--Arrow--block5;
    block3--Down--Right--Arrow--block5;
  });