Is there a library for editing program flow?

Question

Hello,

I was wondering if there is a library for editing program flow. I refer to conditions if, loops (do, while, for) and other elements that can exist inside a program.

What I would like to have is some sort of a CAD application (similar to an UML editor) from where I can take some elements and edit their properties, make connections between them.

Do you know similar software that does this, or resembles a little what I'm trying to achieve?

Thanks,

Iulian

PS: It is something that should resemble this image.

PS2: I want to write code for doing this, I was wondering if such things exist.

Answer 1

You might consider LabView.

Answer 2

Not quite the right thing, so I'm doubtful you will accept this answer, but there is JBPM for Java which has a graphical editor. It's more for editing business processes than anything else, but it might be precisely what you're looking for.

Answer 3

Is this the sort of thing you are looking for? Flowchart4j looks like something that can convert Java into flowcharts, and I think it even has an Eclipse plugin.

Disclaimer: I found these in about 3 minutes searching Google. I haven't actually used them so I can't speak from user experience. I have used PL/SQL Developer which has a feature called "Code Outline" which displays a hierarchical tree based on program pieces in the current code editor: branch statements (if, else, case, when, etc...), loops, exceptions, and high level structures such as procedures and functions, cursors, types. For non-trivial files (large > 200 lines, with structures nested more than 2 or 3 levels deep) this feature is pretty worthless.

Answer 4

A short advice.

Programming languages were actually invented to describe program flows...

It is possible to draw flows, but as the notation is much less powerfull, you will find that it will become easy to design trivial or simple flows, and impossible to design even moderatly complex flows.

Phrased in another way; A complex* problem will not become less complex because you are using a tool with limited functionality.

(Which is exactly the wishful thinking thats makes BPEL [JBMP et al] utter boulderdash.)