4 ms·

Has anyone used this? Would this be what people would suggest if choosing a new text-based visualization tool? I have been wanting to implement the C4 model, f

by bmitc 4y ago

Has anyone used this? Would this be what people would suggest if choosing a new text-based visualization tool? I have been wanting to implement the C4 model, for something, since recently learning about it but haven’t yet. And I generally have used Visio and PowerPoint for these things.

peter_retief 4y ago
I just tested it, really helpful for me to simply set my thoughts visually without using bloated apps like Visio and PowerPoint
jhoechtl 4y ago
Overall it works well. There are some rough edges though. Textual annotations do not work well and are nowhere visually pleasantly placed "near" where they should perceptually go. https://d2lang.com/tour/text#how-do-i-position-text https://d2lang.com/tour/text#how-do-i-position-text After creating a somewhat complex "systems diagram" I also have a mixed feeling if the more verbose syntax compared to Mermaid actually is an advantage.
- bmitc 4y ago
  Interesting, I see in your link that it supports MathJax, which is awesome and was a question I just had before following your link. I actually needed that recently. I was using Mermaid, but I am not aware of Mermaid supporting MathJax or KaTeX.
- alixanderwang 4y ago
  D2 offers 3 layout engines. 1 of them we made and 2 open source ones. Each have their limitations, and "near" is a keyword that's only supported in TALA right now. (it's there in the docs you linked) https://play.d2lang.com/?script=PJG7qsJAEIb7eYofTp0XSHFELMTaIqVMMqMb2GTDXlzF5N1lV7EZGP5vLvBxDi1eBFjHcunZ8jyoR_MPXkZCqaWRnja6DdYl-eCcovkF36RO5UCkj8XyzMVKi3USAv7QmSfEIStSUOy7846ABqcIwwGT84q0xHFSRMMzjoeysiKdwvBdcfWqGLzKGAOt9Y3ioK1HN3oHAAD__w%3D%3D&layout=tala https://play.d2lang.com/?script=PJG7qsJAEIb7eYofTp0XSHFELMTa...
ofrzeta 4y ago
You can use C4 with PlantUML. https://github.com/plantuml-stdlib/C4-PlantUML https://github.com/plantuml-stdlib/C4-PlantUML
- _ix 4y ago
  Thank you for sharing this.
sequence7 4y ago
Mermaid has experimental support for C4 - https://mermaid.js.org/syntax/c4c.html https://mermaid.js.org/syntax/c4c.html

by bmitc 4y ago

peter_retief 4y ago

I just tested it, really helpful for me to simply set my thoughts visually without using bloated apps like Visio and PowerPoint

jhoechtl 4y ago

Overall it works well. There are some rough edges though. Textual annotations do not work well and are nowhere visually pleasantly placed "near" where they should perceptually go. https://d2lang.com/tour/text#how-do-i-position-text https://d2lang.com/tour/text#how-do-i-position-text After creating a somewhat complex "systems diagram" I also have a mixed feeling if the more verbose syntax compared to Mermaid actually is an advantage.

bmitc 4y ago
Interesting, I see in your link that it supports MathJax, which is awesome and was a question I just had before following your link. I actually needed that recently. I was using Mermaid, but I am not aware of Mermaid supporting MathJax or KaTeX.
alixanderwang 4y ago
D2 offers 3 layout engines. 1 of them we made and 2 open source ones. Each have their limitations, and "near" is a keyword that's only supported in TALA right now. (it's there in the docs you linked) https://play.d2lang.com/?script=PJG7qsJAEIb7eYofTp0XSHFELMTaIqVMMqMb2GTDXlzF5N1lV7EZGP5vLvBxDi1eBFjHcunZ8jyoR_MPXkZCqaWRnja6DdYl-eCcovkF36RO5UCkj8XyzMVKi3USAv7QmSfEIStSUOy7846ABqcIwwGT84q0xHFSRMMzjoeysiKdwvBdcfWqGLzKGAOt9Y3ioK1HN3oHAAD__w%3D%3D&layout=tala https://play.d2lang.com/?script=PJG7qsJAEIb7eYofTp0XSHFELMTa...

ofrzeta 4y ago

You can use C4 with PlantUML. https://github.com/plantuml-stdlib/C4-PlantUML https://github.com/plantuml-stdlib/C4-PlantUML

_ix 4y ago
Thank you for sharing this.

sequence7 4y ago

Mermaid has experimental support for C4 - https://mermaid.js.org/syntax/c4c.html https://mermaid.js.org/syntax/c4c.html