Using the Node View Panel

Returning to the workspace, our next goal is to graphically display the Java nodes and relationships.
Hello World Node List in Analyzes

The presentation of the nodes is very flexible, with nodes grouped into user defined sections and various details available in user defined columns. The structure and nesting of nodes is defined by your selection of interesting relationships.

Opening A Node View Panel

The Node View editor provides powerful display mechanisms for a system’s nodes and relationships. The display mechanisms use OpenGL to render high quality diagrams of the nodes and their dependencies. With various zoom and direction controls, it is possible to “fly” through the code as you examine its structure.

In order to open the Node View editor, activate the Workspace tab.

Right click on the Hello World yyyyMMddhhmm.dgi file to open the context menu, and select the Open As Node View menu item.
Open Hello World Node View

The initial view is a bit too close to the nodes.
Hello World Node View Initial Panel

With the mouse wheel (or '-'), we can zoom in and out for a more comfortable view.

When zoomed out, the Java components are shown in a radial tree. This layout optimizes for screen space. Hello World Node View Zoomed Out

Due to the setup for edge visibility configuration, membership relationships use straight arrows of various widths and colors, and uses relationships are indicated by curved arrows. These rendering choices can all be configured through the edge visibility side window.

Similarly, the shape, size and color to the nodes are based on a built in configuration for Java dependency graphs. These choices can all be configured through the node visibility side window.

Grabbing A Screenshot

The ability to export data from DepanFX allows it to contribute to the larger engineering effort. Diagrams are most useful if they can be shared with others. Visual information has a compelling power to display unseen structure and to communicate complex relationships.

From the context menu on the Node View tab, select the Take Screenshot menu option.
Hello World Node View Take Screenshot

This brings up the save screenshot dialog using the local system's file chooser.
Hello World Node View Take Save Screenshot
The saved .png from the take screenshot command can be used as any image file.

Since a primary goal of screenshots is to share information outside of DepanFX, screenshots should not be saved within a project.

Save The View

PENDING

Other Things To Explore

The Node View panel provides many tools to control the selection, visibility, rendering, and placement of nodes and edges.