Re: Using DIA for block simulation

["W. Borgert" <debacle debian org>]

On Mon, Dec 22, 2003 at 12:40:55PM -0200, Bruno Barberi Gnecco wrote:
> use Dia as a sort of GUI. I don't require much of the GUI: in fact, all I want
> is a graphical tool to connect the blocks. I'd then convert it to a format of
> my own and simulate it --- pretty much what spice GUIs do. 
>       Anyway, my question is: is it doable? What I need is someway to create
> new blocks in the GUI. They need to have input and output nodes (connection 
> points), and the user must be able to select the number and name of these nodes.
> The UML shapes are pretty close to what I need, except for the input/output nodes.

I suggest you to use the UML "component" object and pairs of
"facet/receptacle" or "event source/event sink" to connect
the components.  The number of connection points is only ten
or so, but this is no problem: You can connect as many
facets, receptacles, etc. to one connection point of a
component as you like.  The dia file is an XML file (either
compressed using gzip or not compressed) which can easily
be parsed by stand-alone scripts.  I prefer Python for XML
scripting and everything else, but YMMV.  There are a lot
of scripts available, that produce "something" from dia
files, see http://www.lysator.liu.se/~alla/dia/links.html:
"Tools that generates something from Dia diagrams".  Note,
that Facet/Recetacle/Event Source/Event Sink are only in the
latest Dia release, not in older version.

Cheers,
-- 
W. Borgert <debacle debian org>