Advice/Help wanted

[Kevin Gill <kevin focussed com>]

Hi,

I have used DIA to draw a few diagrams, and find it excellent for visual 
representation of the concepts. I now want to take this approach further, but 
as I have no experience in developing dia, I could do with some advice.

I am exploring the possibility of using DIA as a configuration tool for my 
application. My application is designed to allow administrators to extend the 
program flow. The idea is that I will produce a system with basic flows of 
logic (run in a rudimentary interpreter), and the user will add new steps, 
e.g. database stored procedures, calls to C functions and some limited 
branching, iterators and possibly loops (repeat until).

My idea is to of provide the administrator with a Jackson (JSD) style process 
structured diagram (or some other form of structured flow chart). The 
administrator can then add a box into the flow to perform their new step and 
configure it, e.g. name a stored procedure, input and output variables.

I believe that DIA provides a possible tool for editing this style of diagram. 
I see from the UML class objects the ability to edit and store complex 
properties, so DIA should have no difficulty in configuring the individual 
steps. However, I see problems in how to place a strict control of the 
integrity of the diagram itself, i.e. how would I stop someone putting a UML 
class object on a flow diagram, or ensure that all diagram elements are 
connected.

My questions are:

        1.      Has anyone produced (or failed to produce) a set of
                diagrams/sheets/symbols for a process structured diagram, or 
                any other form of highly structured flow chart, and can they 
                give me the source or the benefit of their experience (or both).

        2.      Has anyone produced a diagram which has a diagram level integrity
                beyond visual, e.g. a validated flow chart and how did they validate the
                diagram. 

        3.      I would prefer, if possible, to prototype using Python. Has anyone 
                examples of a diagram/symbols developed using python as the
                development language (as opposed to C).

        4.      I see several examples of generation of database schemas from
                diagrams. I also see some indications of generation of database stubs
                from class diagrams. Has anyone attempted to generate sequential code
                from a diagram, i.e. code which executes sequential steps based on 
                symbols on the diagram. If so, what was your experience.

Thanks in advance,

Kevin