index > Visual Studio Team System - Domain-Specific Language Tools > ZOrder

ZOrder

I am having problems setting the ZORder manually.

...
using (Transaction t = this.Store.TransactionManager.BeginTransaction("Setting ZOrder"))
{
try
{
shape.ZOrder = shapeParent.ZOrder + 1;
t.Commit();
}
catch (Exception xException)
{
t.Rollback();
System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine(xException);
}
}

The code works, but the shape doesn't change the visual arrangement in the diagram.
Is it working?

leovernazza

Hi:
Have you try to invoke invalidate at the end of your change to force a refreshment of the diagram?

shape.Invalidate();

Pedro J. Molina

Yes, I have tried shape.Invalidate()

leovernazza

Setting the Z-Order by itself doesn't fix things. You have to re-order the NestedChildShapes of the diagram.

Take a look at Example.Components that you'll find by opening the VS SDK Samples Browser and look in CustomCode\NestedShapes.cs. Search on FixZOrder.

Note lines like

LinkedElementCollection<ShapeElement> allShapes = movedShape.ParentShape.NestedChildShapes;

...

allShapes.Move(i, allShapes.Count - 1);

- Alan [Microsoft]

Alan Cameron Wills

Changing the ZOrder doesn't change the Z-Order! You need to rearrange the content of the diagram's NestedChildShapes, using the Move operation.

See the Example.Components sample that you'll find by opening the VS SDK Samples browser - it will be in somewhere like Program Files\VisualStudio 2005 SDK\2006.09\VisualStudioIntegration\Samples\DSLTools\Example.DesignerCustomizations\Example.Components

Open Dsl\CustomCode\NestedShapes.cs and search in FixZOrder.

Look particularly at lines like

LinkedElementCollection<ShapeElement> allShapes = movedShape.ParentShape.NestedChildShapes;

allShapes.Move(i, allShapes.Count - 1);

- Alan [Microsoft]

Alan Cameron Wills

Changing the ZOrder doesn't change the Z-Order! You need to rearrange the content of the diagram's NestedChildShapes, using the Move operation.

Open Dsl\CustomCode\NestedShapes.cs and search in FixZOrder.

Look particularly at lines like

LinkedElementCollection<ShapeElement> allShapes = movedShape.ParentShape.NestedChildShapes;

allShapes.Move(i, allShapes.Count - 1);

- Alan [Microsoft]

Alan Cameron Wills

Thanks for your answerS. :)

It's been a while since the last time I took the examples. They are far better in this version.

leovernazza

So another way to put Alan's answer is that at the current time, ZOrder is calculated rather than really stored. You cna play tricks by overriding the ZOrder proeprty and supplying your own implementation, but you cna get some other weird effects happenign if you do, so beware.

Gareth Jones - Developer - DSL Tools & Software Factories Platform [MSFT]

GarethJ - MSFT

reply 8