Using an Eclipse Plugin to Generate Graphs
I've worked with projects that, in some cases, imported dozens of other models, making it quite challenging to follow a sequence of events. About a year ago I had the idea of generating a graph showing how models are imported into each other, but quickly got lost in the details of graphing within eclipse.
I recently stumbled on an open source application named Graphviz, and when I saw the simplicity of using a DOT file to describe a graph, I was able to quickly develop a plugin to inspect a WEF model and produce a graph of it.
An easy candidate for a graph is tracing how models import other models. The plugin does this by recursively traversing the import builders in each model, producing a graph similar to this example.
Once I figured that out, I was able to add some more to the plugin, producing a graph of service consumer operation calls like the one below. This graph indicates that model_4 contains an action list builder named alTest that invokes the doSomeOperation operation exposed by the service consumer builder named svcConsumer.
After the plugin is installed by following these instructions, you will see the following submenu when right clicking on a model.
Just select the graph you wish to generate and it will appear in an eclipse browser window. Although I developed this tool for my own use, I'm making it available free of charge to anyone.
If the tool doesn't work for you, then please leave me a message on this blog (or email me).
References: Download plugin from http://www.dsixe.com/eclipse
This looks cool. Do you use the built in Model Reporting? There is a project menu item or project context menu to Build Model Report.
ReplyDeleteModel reporting does provide some amount of information for documenting, but it seems more targeted at analysis/recommendation. Graphs work for me, it's the way I visualize things in my mind.
DeleteThe plugin also provides back tracing of actions, I don't think model reporting does that.
This Plugin is not working for me. I installed Plugin and Graphviz and restart my computer. When I right click on any Model, it is showing me WEF Graphs menu and respective sub menu items. However, after clicking any sub-menu item it is not showing me graph. Could you please help me.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
The plugin works by invoking a script which contains the path to graphviz. Since the graphviz install path contains a version number, it is likely that the bat file needs to be corrected.
DeleteThe script can be tested manually by invoking from the command line:
C:\IBM\Web Experience Factory\Eclipse\plugins\com.dsixe.wef.designer.graphing_1.3.10713\windows\transform.bat graph.dot "c:\test.png"
graph.dot is a test file that I added for the purpose of testing.
Thanks for your help. It is working now. :)
ReplyDelete