NShape 1
Shape is an Open Source diagram designing framework for .NET WinForms.
NShape has been designed for complex industrial applications that require diagramming capabilities, e.g. for wiring schemes or flow charts. It therefore supports features that are specifically targeted towards advanced scenarios:
- Each shape has a template that defines the basic look and behavior of the shape. Modifications to the template are immediately valid for all its shapes.
- All presentation aspects of the shapes are encapsulated in styles like color, filling, font etc. Modifications to a style are immediately visible in all shapes using it.
- Sets of styles are collected in designs. You can switch the complete look of your diagrams by exchanging the design.
- Since diagrams usually use to present some actual program objects, NShape can attach shapes to domain model objects and map properties of those model objects to visual properties like color, fill pattern etc.
- NShape supports storing diagrams and models in XML files as a standard. However for larger applications, there is a customizable persistency mechanism to save to SQL databases or other stores.
- An integrated extensible access right management makes sure that editing operations like moving shapes, deleting shapes, changing styles etc. can be enabled for some users and disabled for others.
- NShape features well-conceived software design that enables modification and/or addition of own shape types, model object types, stores and user controls.
NShape is open source and has a dual license which allows it to be employed for free in open source projects and for a license fee in commercial projects.
