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Draw.io: Online Diagramming Website

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Re: Draw.io: Online Diagramming Website

#82

I've tried drawing diagrams with these tools and it seems so much harder for quick drafting than just using pen and paper and also a lot of work to get anything even remotely good looking (like aligning things or making boxes of the same size, ie performing mass operations). I would like to use a tool where I first describe the relations in text/code and the layouting and formatting is done separately, and formatting…

I primarilly use Gliffy cause it is built into confluence, but whenever it is not available, I go right to draw.io. Its a pretty cool tool for this.

Well, they're not "built in" to Confluence, but are plugins. So can draw.io.

Re: Draw.io: Online Diagramming Website

#83
post #77
post #41

I really like that you can export as PNGs and embed the diagram information inside. Being able send around PNGs that everyone can view, but can still be edited with draw.io makes sharing and updating much simpler.

This is really interesting, is this (or similar to) steganography? Poked around the repo but haven't yet found where this is implemented (on either end). From a user perspective that sounds like a super useful feature, though perhaps unexpected unless you were directly informed of it.

I'm guessing you can just append arbitrary data to a png file since it has eof markers in its file structure.

Re: Draw.io: Online Diagramming Website

#84

I've tried drawing diagrams with these tools and it seems so much harder for quick drafting than just using pen and paper and also a lot of work to get anything even remotely good looking (like aligning things or making boxes of the same size, ie performing mass operations). I would like to use a tool where I first describe the relations in text/code and the layouting and formatting is done separately, and formatting…

> like aligning things or making boxes of the same size

Did you actually try this tool? it makes mass aligning/resizing extremely easy. For instance, to change dimensions of multiple elements you just select them and then type desired width/height. It is also has pretty standard arrange and distribute controls.

Re: Draw.io: Online Diagramming Website

#85

> draw.io is a client-side, static web application. There is no user authenication or data storage concept in this repo. The online version stores data in mainstream cloud storage options, currently Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Github, Gitlab or Trello. I love this about Draw.io. This is how I want to build my applications. I don't want to deal with storing any user data and rather let them handle it how they see…

> mainstream cloud storage options, currently Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Github, Gitlab or Trello.

Anybody know of a library of service (preferably open source) that offers an easy API to interact with all these in such a way?

Re: Draw.io: Online Diagramming Website

#86

I've tried drawing diagrams with these tools and it seems so much harder for quick drafting than just using pen and paper and also a lot of work to get anything even remotely good looking (like aligning things or making boxes of the same size, ie performing mass operations). I would like to use a tool where I first describe the relations in text/code and the layouting and formatting is done separately, and formatting…

> it seems so much harder for quick drafting than just using pen and paper I don’t consider that a reasonable criticism. Of course using pen and paper is quicker and easier. The advantage of any digital format is that it is distributable, universally readable and persistent.

Not to mention changeable! The ability to erase items, or to rearrange your diagram (and to have the lines between items automatically reflow) is another key reason to use a digital format.

Re: Draw.io: Online Diagramming Website

#87

I've tried drawing diagrams with these tools and it seems so much harder for quick drafting than just using pen and paper and also a lot of work to get anything even remotely good looking (like aligning things or making boxes of the same size, ie performing mass operations). I would like to use a tool where I first describe the relations in text/code and the layouting and formatting is done separately, and formatting…

Mermaid.js[1] can be used within some markdown parsers. I use it all the time for recording sequence diagrams, logic flows, architecture charts.

I use it all off-line, in vscode with various plugins, though mermaid was made for web.

[1]https://mermaidjs.github.io/

Re: Draw.io: Online Diagramming Website

#88
post #45

I used to use Draw.io a lot more than I do now, and it is a wonderful tool, the only reason I use it less now is because I've been using: PlantUML ( http://plantuml.com/ ) with demo at ( http://planttext.com ). Creating most diagrams through a simple markup language that can be version controlled and rendered on demand has been really nice for me, and sometimes I would spent SO MUCH TIME in draw.io making sure my arr…

Is there any way to change the rendering style? Or are you stuck with red and yellow?

[deleted]

Re: Draw.io: Online Diagramming Website

#89

I've tried drawing diagrams with these tools and it seems so much harder for quick drafting than just using pen and paper and also a lot of work to get anything even remotely good looking (like aligning things or making boxes of the same size, ie performing mass operations). I would like to use a tool where I first describe the relations in text/code and the layouting and formatting is done separately, and formatting…

it's very nice if you have to, e.g. for university courses. draw.io is a much nicer than let's say, Visual Paradigm

Fun fact, Visual Paradigm Online is draw.io under the hood, https://online.visual-paradigm.com/diagrams/
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