Question

I need to create UML-like block diagram with connected components dynamically in Silverlight. How to do this? What controls should be used for this? It is required to add show/hide toggle for some items in the blocks.

Answer 1

You can use an ItemsControl with a Canvas.

namespace SlBug1
{
    using System.Collections.Generic;
    using System.Windows.Controls;
    using System.Windows.Media;
    using System.Windows.Shapes;

    public partial class UML : UserControl
    {
        public UML()
        {
            InitializeComponent();

            SetupData();

            this.DataContext = this;
        }

        public object Classes { get; set; }
        public object Arrows { get; set; }

        #region Set up data

        public void SetupData()
        {

            var arrows = new List<Arrow>(

                new Arrow[] {
                    new Arrow(50, 250, 200, 250),
                    new Arrow(50, 50, 200, 220)
                }
            );

            this.Arrows = arrows;

            var classes = new List<Class>(
                new Class[]
                {
                    new Class { Name = "Line", Methods= new string[] { "Draw", "setColor"} , X=10, Y=11, IsExpanded=true},
                    new Class { Name = "Rectangle", Methods = new string[] { "Draw", "setColor", "setFill"}, X=200, Y=200, IsExpanded=true},
                    new Class { Name = "Circle", Methods = new string[] {"Draw", "setColor", "setFill", "setRadius"}, X=10, Y=200, IsExpanded=false},
                });

            this.Classes = classes;

        }

        #endregion

    }

    public class Class
    {
        public string Name { get; set; }
        public IEnumerable<string> Methods { get; set; }

        public double X { get; set; }
        public double Y { get; set; }
        public bool IsExpanded { get; set; }
    }

    public class Arrow
    {
        public Arrow(double X1, double Y1, double X2, double Y2)
        {
            this.X1 = X1; this.Y1 = Y1;
            this.X2 = X2; this.Y2 = Y2;
        }

        public double X1 { get; set; }
        public double Y1 { get; set; }
        public double X2 { get; set; }
        public double Y2 { get; set; }
        public double LX1 { get { return (14 * X2 + X1) / 15; } }
        public double RX1 { get { return (14 * X2 + X1) / 15; } }
        public double LY1 { get { return (14 * Y2 + Y1) / 15 - 10; } }
        public double RY1 { get { return (14 * Y2 + Y1) / 15 + 10; } }
    }
}

    <UserControl x:Class="SlBug1.UML"
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
    xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
    xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
    mc:Ignorable="d"
    d:DesignHeight="300" d:DesignWidth="400">

    <Grid x:Name="LayoutRoot" Background="White">

        <Canvas>
            <ItemsControl x:Name="ArrowsCanvas" ItemsSource="{Binding Arrows}">
                <ItemsControl.ItemTemplate>
                    <DataTemplate>
                        <Canvas>
                            <Line X1="{Binding X1}" X2="{Binding X2}"
                                  Y1="{Binding Y1}" Y2="{Binding Y2}" Stroke="Black" />
                            <Line X1="{Binding LX1}" X2="{Binding X2}"
                                  Y1="{Binding LY1}" Y2="{Binding Y2}" Stroke="Black" />
                            <Line X1="{Binding RX1}" X2="{Binding X2}"
                                  Y1="{Binding RY1}" Y2="{Binding Y2}" Stroke="Black" />
                        </Canvas>
                    </DataTemplate>
                </ItemsControl.ItemTemplate>
            </ItemsControl>
            <ItemsControl x:Name="UmlCanvas" ItemsSource="{Binding Classes}">
                <ItemsControl.ItemTemplate>
                    <DataTemplate>
                        <!-- Hack: http://forums.silverlight.net/post/370493.aspx -->
                        <Canvas>
                            <Border Background="LightBlue"
                            Canvas.Left="{Binding X}"
                            Canvas.Top="{Binding Y}"
                            BorderBrush="Black" BorderThickness="2" >
                                <StackPanel>
                                    <TextBlock Text="{Binding Name}" FontSize="16" />
                                    <ItemsControl 
                                        ItemsSource="{Binding Methods}" 
                                        Margin="10,10,0,0"/>
                                </StackPanel>
                            </Border>
                        </Canvas>
                    </DataTemplate>
                </ItemsControl.ItemTemplate>
            </ItemsControl>
        </Canvas>
    </Grid>
</UserControl>

The end result looks something like this: