WinForms DiagramControl - Register FactoryItemTools for Regular and Custom Shapes

This example registers FactoryItemTools for regular shapes and shapes created from SVG images/ShapeTemplates. The FactoryItemTool allows you to add pre-configured or customized shapes and their descendants to stencils. The DiagramControl displays shapes specified by registered FactoryItemTools in the Shapes Panel.

Implementation Details

To register a FactoryItemTool for a regular shape, you must:

1. Create a stencil or use an existing stencil:

   void RegisterStencil() {
       var stencil = new DiagramStencil("CustomStencil", "Custom Shapes");
       RegularFactoryItemTool(stencil);
       FactoryItemToolForCustomShape(stencil);
       DiagramToolboxRegistrator.RegisterStencil(stencil);
       diagramControl1.OptionsBehavior.SelectedStencils = new StencilCollection() { "CustomStencil" };
   }

2. Create a FactoryItemTool that specifies a diagram shape.

3. Pass your FactoryItemTool instance to the DiagramStencil.RegisterTool method:

   public void RegularFactoryItemTool(DiagramStencil stencil) {
       var itemTool = new FactoryItemTool("CustomShape1",
           () => "Custom Shape 1",
           diagram => new DiagramShape() { Content = "Predefined text" },
           new System.Windows.Size(200, 200), 
           false
       );
   
       stencil.RegisterTool(itemTool);
   }

You should create two stencils to register a FactoryItemTool for a custom shape:

1. Create an invisible stencil that contains your custom shape.

2. Create a visible stencil that contains the custom tool. This tool should access your custom shape by its ID from the invisible stencil:

   public void FactoryItemToolForCustomShape(DiagramStencil stencil) {
       DiagramControl.ItemTypeRegistrator.Register(typeof(DiagramShapeEx));
       var stream = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetManifestResourceStream("WindowsFormsApp4.CustomShapes.xml");
       var invisibleStencil = DiagramStencil.Create("InvisibleStencil", "Invisible Stencil", stream, shapeName => shapeName, false);
       DiagramToolboxRegistrator.RegisterStencil(invisibleStencil);
   
       var itemTool = new FactoryItemTool("CustomShape2",
           () => "Custom Shape 2",
           diagram => new DiagramShapeEx() { 
               Shape = DiagramToolboxRegistrator.GetStencil("InvisibleStencil").GetShape("Shape1"), 
               CustomProperty = "Some value" 
           },
           new System.Windows.Size(200, 200), 
           false
       );
   
       stencil.RegisterTool(itemTool);
   }

Files to Review

• Form1.cs (VB: Form1.vb)
• CustomShapes.xml

Documentation

• Use Shape Templates to Create Shapes and Containers
• SVG Shapes
• FactoryItemTool

More Examples

• WinForms DiagramControl - Create Custom Shapes Based on Diagram Containers
• Diagram Control for WinForms - Create Custom Shapes with Connection Points