Welcome to BDP

BDP (Block Diagrams in Python) aims to become a Python fronted for TikZ when it comes to drawing block diagrams in order to facilitate the process. BDP wraps the TikZ statements into the Python objects so that users can describe diagrams in pure Python. However, inserting raw TikZ in BDP is also possible. Figure below shows an BDP example image which represents the BDP compilation process.

_images/compile_process.png

Figure can be rendered with the Python code provided below, which is also available in repository inside compile_process.py BDP diagram. It can be rendered into the PNG with BDP via command line:

# bdp compile_process.py -p

For a complete list of command line options please take a look at Command line chapter.

Why BDP?

BDP brings following benefits:

  • Diagram description in Python which should render it more readable
  • Step-by-step debugging of the diagram description
  • Use the tools and design environments available for Python development (debugging, code completion, refactoring, documentation utilities...)
  • Use vast Python library of packages

BDP features

BDP package comprises:

  • Python classes that wrap the Tikz statements
  • Class for rendering PDF and PNG images from the Python description
  • Shell entry point for rendering BDP images from command line
  • Sphinx extensions for embedding BDP images into the Sphinx documents

Image below is a more complex example, which shows how power of Python programming can be used to generate diagrams with BDP. Image shows an UML-like diagram of few major BDP templates.

_images/uml.png

Figure can be rendered with the Python code provided below.

Where to start?

Installation

Install BDP using pip:

pip install bdp

Install BDP using easy_install:

easy_install bdp

Install BDP from source:

python setup.py install

BDP requires TeX Live, which could be installed on a Debian or a Debian-derived systems, with:

# sudo apt-get install texlive

For converting PDF to PNG, pdftoppm, pnmcrop and pnmtopng are needed, which could be installed on a Debian or a Debian-derived systems, with:

# sudo apt-get install poppler-utils
# sudo apt-get install netpbm

Read the documentation

Start with the short tutorial BDP short tutorial

Checkout the examples

BDP images used in documentation are located in the images repository documentation folder.

Get involved

Pull your copy from github repository

Source codes for the examples

BDP description of the compilation process diagram.
from bdp import *

block.size=(6,3)
block.nodesep=(3,3)

BDP = block(r"BDP", alignment='nw', group='tight', group_margin=p(1,1.5), dashed=True)
fig << block(r"Python \\ Description")
BDP['tikz'] = prev(r"TikZ \\ Renderer").right()
BDP['pdf'] = prev(r"PDF \\ Renderer").below()
BDP['png'] = prev(r"PNG \\ Renderer").below()
fig << prev(r"TeX Live", size=(6,9)).right(BDP['tikz'])
fig << block(r"pdftoppm \\ pnmtopng").below(fig['Te*'])

fig << BDP

cap.length = 1
cap.width = 1
path.line_width = 0.5
path.double = True

fig << path(fig['Pyt*'].e(0.5), BDP['tikz'].w(0.5), style=('',cap))
fig << path(fig['Tik*'].s(0.5), fig['PDF*'].n(0.5), style=('',cap))
fig << text('TeX').align(fig[-1].pos(0.5), prev().w(0.5, -0.1))

fig << path(fig['PDF*'].s(0.5), fig['PNG*'].n(0.5), style=('',cap))
fig << text('PDF').align(fig[-1].pos(0.5), prev().w(0.5, -0.1))

fig << path(fig['PNG*'].s(0.5), poffy(3), style=('',cap))
fig << text('PNG').align(fig[-1].pos(0.9), prev().w(0.5, -0.1))
        
fig << path(BDP['tikz'].e(0.5), poffx(3), style=(cap,cap))
fig << path(fig['PDF*'].e(0.5), poffx(3), style=(cap,cap))
fig << path(fig['PNG*'].e(0.5), poffx(3), style=(cap,cap))
UML-like diagram of few major BDP templates.
from bdp import *
import inspect

def fill_group(group, fields, template):
    for name,text in fields:
        text = text.replace('_', '\_') 
        try:
            group[name] = template(text).align(group.at(-1).s())
        except IndexError:
            group[name] = template(text).align(group.n())
    
def uml_for_obj(obj, parent=object):
    
    # extract methods and attributes for diagram
    attrs = [(k, '+' + k) for k in sorted(obj.__dict__) if (k[0] != '_') and (not hasattr(parent, k))]
    methods = [(k, '+' + k[0] + '()')
                    for k in inspect.getmembers(obj, predicate=inspect.ismethod)
                        if (k[0][0] != '_') and (not hasattr(parent, k[0]))]
    
    # populate BDP blocks
    uml = block(r'\textbf{' + obj.__class__.__name__ + '}', alignment='tc', border=False, group='tight')
    field = block(size=(7,None), alignment='cw', border=False, text_margin=(0.2,0.1))

    uml['attrs'] = block(group='tight').align(uml.n())
    fill_group(uml['attrs'], attrs, field)
    
    uml['methods'] = block(group='tight').align(uml['attrs'].s())
    fill_group(uml['methods'], methods, field)

    return uml

block.nodesep = (4,2)

# generate UML components
element_uml = uml_for_obj(Element(), Node)
shape_uml = uml_for_obj(shape, Element())
block_uml = uml_for_obj(block, shape)
text_uml = uml_for_obj(text, Element())

# organize components in the diagram 
shape_uml.right(element_uml)
text_uml.below(shape_uml)
block_uml.right(text_uml).aligny(midy(text_uml.n(), shape_uml.n()))

# render the components
fig << element_uml << shape_uml << block_uml << text_uml

# generate and render the wiring
fig << path(text_uml.w(0.5), element_uml.e(0.6), style='-open triangle 45')
fig << path(shape_uml.w(0.5), element_uml.e(0.4), style='-open triangle 45')
fig << path(block_uml.w(0.5), shape_uml.e(0.4), style='-open triangle 45')
fig << path(block_uml['attrs']['text'].e(0.5), poff(1,0), text_uml.e(0.5), style='open diamond-', routedef='|-')