Interactive diagrams inside your own .NET application
You have a WinForms or ASP.NET application, and your users need to draw, arrange and edit flowcharts, org charts or network maps. Writing that from scratch means building shapes, connectors, layouts and editing behavior yourself. Nevron Diagram for .NET is a fully managed diagramming framework that supplies those pieces so you can concentrate on your own application.
Quick facts
- Type: diagramming component for .NET developers
- Targets: WinForms, ASP.NET and MVC applications
- Licensing: sold as part of the Nevron Vision for .NET suite or separately as a stand-alone product
- Examples: 450+ examples with source code
- Status: the vendor says it continues to be supported, while new development goes to its successor, NOV Diagram for .NET
Key features
One diagram API for desktop and web
You use the same API to build diagram documents whether the target is a WinForms or an ASP.NET application. The Document Object Model covers drawing documents, masters, layers, shapes, groups, connectors and ports. You can subclass its elements to extend them.
Automatic layouts that arrange graphs and trees for you
The product includes automatic layouts that place shapes and route connectors for diagrams that represent graphs. These include Orthogonal, Layered, Symmetrical, Spring, Barycenter and Radial graph layouts, plus Layered, Compact Depth, Tip-Over and Balloon tree layouts.
Connector routing that avoids obstacles
Both Mesh and Grid connector routing are performed automatically, with built-in obstacle avoidance. Connectors can also show bridges (hops) where lines cross.
Thick-client and thin-client editing
For desktop applications you get built-in support for interactive thick-client diagramming. For the web there is support for thin-client applications, including a set of AJAX interactivity styles in ASP.NET.
Shapes, Visio compatibility and map import
The product ships with hundreds of shapes, including Visio shapes, and lets you build custom shapes from drawing primitives. The Diagram Enterprise edition adds Nevron Map, which supports the ESRI file format. Diagrams can be exported to raster and scalable graphics formats and serialized to XML, binary or SOAP.
Who it's for
It suits .NET developers who need to embed an editable diagram surface in a WinForms, ASP.NET or MVC application. Typical uses are flow charts, organizational charts, maps, process control diagrams and HMI interfaces. It also suits teams that want diagrams generated automatically from their own data.
Pros and cons
Pros
- The same API works across WinForms, ASP.NET and MVC.
- It has a wide set of automatic graph and tree layouts.
- Visual Studio design-time support and 450+ source examples help you get started.
- It is fully managed .NET code, and you can subclass the document elements.
Cons
- The vendor calls it superseded by NOV Diagram for .NET, so new development effort goes elsewhere.
- It is aimed at WinForms, ASP.NET and MVC, not newer targets such as Blazor, which the successor covers.
FAQs
Can I buy it on its own?
Yes. You can buy it separately as a stand-alone product or as part of the Nevron Vision for .NET suite.
Is it still supported?
Yes. The vendor says it will continue to be supported, though future development focuses on NOV Diagram for .NET.
Does it work in both desktop and web projects?
Yes. It covers WinForms and ASP.NET, including MVC, with a common API and document format.
Can it display maps?
Maps come with the Diagram Enterprise edition through Nevron Map, which supports the ESRI file format.