Review from the passing scene

In this article, I'll be reviewing all the interesting posts I've published where the set up of the VLO framework is involved. From working with the canvas to using a Force-directed graph layout I'll show you the vast amount of information I've posted, and this will help me to think "Where the project is?" and "Where the project is going to?".

The first approximation of the project was "Playing with TCanvas, linking objects". These four posts were an attempt to playing with the TImage canvas and inserting different TImage extended components with different properties and methods to draw lines for each image. In part III and IV I introduced the building an arrow (with the equations) and the managing of the flickering inside the canvas.

• Playing with TCanvas, Linking objects in Delphi Part I.
• Playing with TCanvas, Linking objects in Delphi Part II.
• Playing with TCanvas, Linking objects in Delphi Part III.
• Playing with TCanvas, Linking objects in Delphi Part IV.
• Drawing Polygons with Delphi (TCanvas).
• Display the text in the orientation we want in a TCanvas.
• Playing with Ellipses.
• Drawing lines to show a chart with Delphi.
• Lenght of a text in Pixels.

Afterwards, I wrote about a little implementation of the persistence using XML. With this piece of code, I can store my objects into XML files and recover them when I want. The new project is based on this functionality, but with the help of Delphi 2010 and JSON.

• Implementation of Object persistence using Delphi.

After implementing different solutions with the canvas and the storage of the information, I started to play with different algorithms for working with graphs.

• Convex Hull (explanation).
• Implementing the Convex Hull with Delphi.
• Minimum Spanning tree with Delphi part I.
• Minimum Spanning tree with Delphi part II.
• Smallest Enclosing System with Delphi.
• Implementing an AVL tree with Delphi.
• Implementing A* pathfinding with Delphi.
• Implementing Voronoi Diagrams with Delphi.

Next, I started working in a small project called "Automated linked objects with Delphi". This program was built to show the difficulties of drawing lines to connect boxes. Working with some PLC programs, I was amazed by the algorithm they used to draw lines from one component to another, and I was trying to do the same, but in the end, was very difficult to do it.

• Implementing Automated Linked Objects with Delphi Part I.
• Implementing Automated Linked Objects with Delphi Part II.
• Implementing Automated Linked Objects with Delphi Part III.

Then, I introduced the different patterns I used for building the different parts of the application:

• Implementing an Abstract Factory.
• Implementing a Facade Pattern.
• Implementing Prototype Pattern.
• Implementing Composite Pattern.
• Implementing memento Pattern.

From here, with all the information that I had, I started the project that now VLO framework is. I was applying different solutions to different problems like mouse movement, selecting objects, resize objects, etc.

• Implementing a canvas to modify objects in Delphi part I.
• Implementing a canvas to modify objects in Delphi part II.
• Implementing a canvas to modify objects in Delphi part III.

In the middle of the development, I had an idea of merging the application with a Vijeo Citect Automation Library for calculating transport routes. Now, after getting the idea, the project was aimed to scan a Citect screen, get all the information and display all of it in the VLO framework.

• Automation Object Library for Vijeo Citect with Delphi part I.
• Automation Object Library for Vijeo Citect with Delphi part II.
• Automation Object Library for Vijeo Citect with Delphi part III.

I was struggling with different problems in the application, but I managed to solve all of them:

• Implementing a canvas to modify objects in Delphi part IV.
• Implementing a canvas to modify objects in Delphi part V.
• Implementing a canvas to modify objects in Delphi part VI.
• Implementing a canvas to modify objects in Delphi part VII.
• Implementing a canvas to modify objects in Delphi part VIII.
• Implementing a canvas to modify objects in Delphi part IX.
• Implementing a canvas to modify objects in Delphi part X.
• Implementing a canvas to modify objects in Delphi part XI.

When I had all the system built, I began to correct so aesthetic problems improving the design of the arrow and drawing the text correctly using true type fonts.

• Improving the desing of an Arrow Part I.
• Improving the desing of an Arrow Part II.
• Point which belongs to a segment.
• Showing orientated readable text in a Canvas.
• Fixing aliasing on rotated text.

Then I released the Thundax Box Manager application, which contained all the previous information.

• Thundax Box Manager 2.0.
• Thundax Box Manager 2.1.
• Thundax Box Manager 2.2.
• Thundax Box Manager 2.3.
• First Application with Thundax Box Manager Part I.
• First Application with Thundax Box Manager Part II.
• First Application with Thundax Box Manager Part III.

and presto!, the VLO framework was released and uploaded to SourceForge.

• Development platform VLO Framework Part I.
• Development platform VLO Framework Part II.
• Development platform VLO Framework Part III.
• Installing VLO Framework.
• VLO Framework on SourceForge.

After all of this, I was focused on calculating transport routes using my framework. With that, I could draw the nodes and the edges visually and try to calculate the different ways.

• Calculating transport routes part I.
• Calculating transport routes part II.
• Calculating transport routes part III.
• Calculating transport routes part IV.
• Calculating transport routes part V.

Then I learned how to use the Camtasia Studio and I uploaded some videos.

• Playing with VLO Framework.
• New Features VLO Framework Part I.
• New Features VLO Framework Part II.
• New Features VLO Framework Part III.
• New Features VLO Framework Part IV.
• New Features VLO Framework Part V.

Finally, the last posts about using a Force-Directed graph layout:

• Force-Directed graph layout approximation Part I.
• Force-Directed graph layout approximation Part II.
• Force-Directed graph layout approximation Part III.
• Force-Directed graph layout approximation Part IV.

There are more than 70 articles describing every part of the application. Notice that I developed the system from scratch and when I had all the pieces that I needed I joined all of them successfully. The project is still at an early stage and I need to develop more things because I want to release a new application very soon. This new program will use the platform and it will have al the algorithms to work with graphs.

If you have any suggestion about the program, they are all welcome!.

Here you can download the latest revision of the application:

• TestFramework v2.0.0 build 567.rar

I hope you enjoy!.