Automatic Layout of Data Flow Diagrams in KIELER and Ptolemy II

Abstract

Data flow diagrams are successfully applied in the area of model-based design of complex embedded systems. However, their creation and maintenance can be very time-consuming, because many tools offer little support for the editing and visualization of graphical models. The KIELER project explores new concepts for the pragmatics of graphical modeling and develops algorithms for automatic layout of specific classes of diagrams. These concepts and algorithms are implemented as extensions of the Eclipse framework, which offers generic approaches to create IDEs for graphical modeling. We have developed a specialized layout algorithm for data flow diagrams. In addition to the embedding in KIELER, we applied this algorithm to Ptolemy, a framework for research on models of computation for use in embedded systems. The results show that our algorithm is well suited for the actor oriented diagrams of Ptolemy, and it can serve as a basis to facilitate the editing of Ptolemy diagrams