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I need to programatically create Visio look-a-like diagrams as a drawing. Mostly we are going to create network layout diagrams similar to this one.

Is there a component that could speed-up the development or some technique we could use? Generally we could do this on our own via System.Drawing, but this might get tricky for more complex network diagrams as we would have to ensure there are no visual overlappings.

UPDATE: No Visio available. UPDATE 2: I would love if these could be eye candy

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5 Answers 5

Have you looked at the Visio API? It has a VBA feature. To recreate the Visio functionality using System.Drawing classes could get quite complex and need a herculean effort.

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The Visio API assumes @Anne has Visio available. –  ProfK Jan 3 '10 at 8:38
No Visio available. Sorry :( –  Anne Jan 3 '10 at 9:14
Not sure if this would be of much help, but the .NET charting controls provide some neat visualizations. See if you can mod these to your needs. microsoft.com/downloads/… –  Mikos Jan 3 '10 at 15:20
Yup, MS Charts are great but no Network diagram available best to my knowledge... –  Anne Jan 3 '10 at 18:36

ConceptDraw has an eye candy graphics, awesome if you need it for presentations. There is a rapid draw technique for network templates and you can modify diagrams as you need.

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Disclosure: I work for Nevron.

You can consider Nevron Diagram (http://www.nevron.com). This component can satisfy your requirements cause it supports the following:

  1. Programmable - this is a C# programmable diagramming library (I don't know if Concept Draw allows for easy code customization).
  2. Supports automatic layout - all network diagrams you create can be automatically arranged by the control.
  3. Supports build in network shapes (different computers, printers, laptops etc.) are all part of the package.
  4. Supports import from Visio stencils - some manufactures (like Cisco etc.) provide a Visio shape for most network equipment which you can use with Nevron diagram to visualize the network.
  5. Supports image filters (blur, emboss, bevel etc.) gradients, images etc. to be applied on shapes just like in Adobe.

Hope this is helpful.

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Graphviz may be of some use...

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Worked with before. Very powerful but not eye candy. –  Anne Jan 3 '10 at 12:07

Have a look at this WPF Diagram Designer on CodeProject. It looks like it provides a lot of what you need, and WPF has unlimited potential for eye candy.

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It does not look eye candy, and that is what customer needs :((( –  Anne Jan 3 '10 at 12:07
Then instill in the customer an appreciation of the need for Visio. :-) –  ProfK Jan 3 '10 at 13:44
Would love to do that, but we need it to build a redistributable product so Visio is no go. :(((( –  Anne Jan 3 '10 at 18:35
I've changed my answer completely. Have a look at the new diagram designer I've linked to - looks much better. –  ProfK Jan 3 '10 at 20:47

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