Documentation

Table of Content

Installation

Package Installation

The recommended method to install Dot Render, is simply using your target website marketplace page. However, if you wish not to use concrete5 internal feature, you can follow the next instructions:

Download the zip archive
Uncompress the zip archive into your packages/ directory
Visit your Add Functionality page (located at http://yoursite.com/index.php/dashboard/extend/install )
Click on the Dot Render Install button

Graphviz dot Installation

This addon uses the PHP proc_open function to control the locally installed graphviz dot program.

To use this addon you must have graphviz dot installed on the server. This command may not be installed on your server, or may not be available due to security restrictions onto your server, check the documentation for more details.

Check the http://www.graphviz.org/to know how to install grahpviz dot program, but mainly :

Debian based servers (eg: ubuntu ...) run the command "apt-get install graphviz"
Other Linux based servers, check your packet system that should be straightforward
Windows/Mac based servers go to the download page, download it and install

If you don't have access to the server (say, you are not admin), you can still try to build a statically linked version of graphviz and install it somewhere on your website. Then configure the right path in the Dashboard Dot Render configuration page (see bellow).

Creating a Dot Diagram

To create a dot diagram (after installation and proper configuration), add the Dot Render block to a page, and enter your graphviz code.

NOTE: you don't have to enter the full code but instead only the digraph content in the block

For instance instead of this

digraph G { Hello -> World; }

Just enter this :

Hello -> World;

and that's it. You need to learn how to use Graphviz to do a proper diagram. To do so just google a bit for graphviz documentation, or try the next links :

Dot Render Configuration

This addon is fully configurable, to configure the template used, the command launched (including the path) or the options used to generate the graph, go to the Dot Render Configuration Page located in : Dashboard > System Settings > Environment > Dot Render Configuration Or simply at http://yoursite/index.php/dashboard/system/environment/dotrender

You can check the effects of the options you set by using the "Preview" button which will generate a default diagram in the preview section (see the screenshots)

Cache Configuration and Flush

Generated graphs can be cached to improve the rendering speed after the first access. (This is the default behaviour). Cache files are located in the default concrete5 cache folder.

Cache can be disabled in the Dot Render Cache Settings page located in Dashboard>System&Settings>Optimizations>Dot Render Cache or simply at : http://yoursite/index.php/dashboard/system/optimization/dotrender/ This page allows you to customize the cache location, enable or disable the cache, and enventually clear the cache.

By default, (if you did not change the cache location), the dot cache is automatically cleared when concrete5 clears its own cache.

It is strongly recommended to activate the Dot Cache System since rendering complex diagrams can take some time.

The Dot Render cache system is completely independent of the Concrete5 cache system (besides the location files are stored to).

Support

This addon is a free addon, and does not come with free support. If you have a problem, just post a support request, we will reply when we have some time to do so.