docs: add implementation plan for pipeline diagram editor
Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
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Ilya Ashikhmin
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docs/plan/plan.md
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docs/plan/plan.md
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# Pipeline Network Diagram Editor — Implementation Plan
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A Qt 6 desktop editor for drawing pipeline networks (water, power, gas, …) with
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grid-aligned routing, typed ports, grouped editable properties, styleable edges,
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and a mock flow-calculation with animated flow.
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## Tool selection (research summary)
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Candidates evaluated (web research, July 2026):
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| Option | Verdict |
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|---|---|
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| **QtNodes / paceholder nodeeditor** | Mature model-view node editor, but built for *dataflow* graphs: connections are cubic curves only (no orthogonal/Manhattan routing), port placement limited to horizontal/vertical in/out layouts, no per-side port docking, no intersection decorations. Its node/port model would fight the pipeline-schematic requirements. |
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| **QuickQanava (QML)** | Per-side port docks, but QML-centric; heavier stack, weaker fit for the widget-based property panel and offscreen unit testing. |
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| **yFiles** | Real orthogonal routing, but commercial. |
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| **Custom editor on QGraphicsView (Qt Widgets)** | Full control over orthogonal grid routing, arc jump-overs, SVG nodes with arbitrary port configs, relation-based connection rules. QGraphicsScene is battle-tested for exactly this (Elastic Nodes / Diagram Scene examples), integrates with QUndoStack, and tests run headless via the `offscreen` platform. |
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**Decision: custom QGraphicsView-based editor, C++20, Qt 6 Widgets + Qt SVG, CMake + Ninja, Qt Test.**
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Sources:
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- https://github.com/paceholder/nodeeditor
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- https://qtnodes.readthedocs.io/en/master/overview.html
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- https://qtnodes.readthedocs.io/en/stable/features.html
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- http://cneben.github.io/QuickQanava/nodes.html
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- https://doc.qt.io/qt-6/qtwidgets-graphicsview-elasticnodes-example.html
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- http://docs.yworks.com/yfiles/doc/developers-guide/orthogonal_edge_router.html
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## Architecture
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```
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src/
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core/ # Qt-Core-only, headless-testable
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NodeType, PortSpec, Relation # node/port/relation definitions
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Node, Edge, NetworkModel # document model, connection rules
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Property, PropertySpec, Catalogue# typed grouped properties
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EdgeStyle # line style + end decorations
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Router # orthogonal routing + intersection arcs
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FlowSolver # mock flow distribution
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JsonIo # save/load
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scene/ # QGraphicsScene layer
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DiagramScene, NodeItem, PortItem, EdgeItem, GridView (bg grid, zoom/pan)
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FlowAnimator # animated flow overlay
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Commands # QUndoCommand set
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app/ # widgets
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MainWindow, NodePalette, PropertyPanel, SettingsDialog
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resources/ # SVG node set, node-type & catalogue JSON
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tests/ # Qt Test suites
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```
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Model layer is pure Qt Core (no scene), so connection rules, routing, solver and
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serialization are unit-testable offscreen. Scene items observe the model; edits go
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through QUndoCommands.
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## Checklist
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### 1. Foundation
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- [ ] Install Qt 6 (base, svg), ninja; verify cmake configure
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- [ ] Project scaffold: CMakeLists (app + tests), .gitignore, README
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- [ ] This plan committed under docs/plan
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### 2. Core model
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- [ ] Relations (water, gas, power, control, …) with per-scheme colors
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- [ ] PortSpec: id, relation, direction (in/out/bidirectional), relative position on node
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- [ ] NodeType: id, group, label, SVG path, port list, default size, property specs
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- [ ] Node/Edge/NetworkModel: add/remove/move, connect with validation (relation match, direction, no self-port duplicates, occupancy)
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- [ ] Signals for model→view sync
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### 3. Property system
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- [ ] Property types: String, Int, Float, Enum, CatalogueItem, CatalogueItems, Color, ValueList
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- [ ] PropertySpec with group ("General", "Presentation", "Physics"), unit, limits, read-only flag
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- [ ] Catalogue store (e.g. pipe series DN/material) loaded from JSON
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- [ ] Default specs: node (title, color, rotation…), edge (title, length, diameter, flow rate, flow type, style props)
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### 4. Routing
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- [ ] Orthogonal (Manhattan) routing snapped to grid, port-direction-aware first segment
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- [ ] Config: grid step, `arcOnIntersection` — arc jump-over where an edge crosses another
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- [ ] Intersection computation between routed polylines
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- [ ] Painter-path builder producing arcs over crossings
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### 5. Scene / items
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- [ ] Grid background + snap-to-grid
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- [ ] NodeItem: shared QSvgRenderer per type, selection highlight, drag with snapping
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- [ ] PortItem: visible on node focus/hover, colored by relation, click-drag to start edge
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- [ ] Interactive edge creation with live preview, drop on compatible port only (highlight legal targets)
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- [ ] EdgeItem: styles — line (solid/dash/dot, width, color), head/tail decorations (none, arrow, circle, diamond, bar), title label
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- [ ] Color schemes: light / dark / high-contrast; per-relation edge & port colors
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### 6. Application UI
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- [ ] Node palette: grouped tree with SVG icons, drag & drop onto canvas (mime-encoded type id)
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- [ ] Property panel: grouped editors per selected node/edge — line edit, spin boxes, combo (enum), catalogue pickers (single/multi), color button, string-list editor
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- [ ] Settings dialog: grid size, snap, intersection arcs, color scheme
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- [ ] Toolbar/menus, status bar with cursor position & zoom
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### 7. Editing UX (added features beyond the brief)
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- [ ] Node dragging (multi-selection), rubber-band selection
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- [ ] Zoom with Ctrl+wheel (cursor-anchored), fit-to-view, pan with middle mouse / space
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- [ ] Undo/redo for all edits (add, delete, move, connect, property change)
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- [ ] Copy/paste/duplicate with offset; Delete removes nodes + attached edges
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- [ ] Context menus on canvas/node/edge
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- [ ] Save/load document as JSON; window state persistence
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- [ ] Keyboard shortcuts (standard set)
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### 8. Flow simulation mock
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- [ ] FlowSolver: sources/sinks from node types, conservation-based distribution splitting flow by pipe conductance (diameter-driven), per-edge signed flow rate
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- [ ] Animation: moving dashes along edge path; direction = flow sign, speed & density ∝ volume
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- [ ] Run/stop simulation from toolbar; solver results shown in edge properties
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### 9. Assets
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- [ ] SVG set: source, tank, pump, valve, consumer, junction, generator, transformer, switch
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- [ ] Node-type JSON with port configs; sample catalogues (pipe series, materials)
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- [ ] Sample document for demo
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### 10. Tests (Qt Test, offscreen)
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- [ ] Model: create/connect validation matrix, port occupancy, delete cascades
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- [ ] Properties: set/get, type safety, serialization round-trip
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- [ ] Router: orthogonality, grid alignment, intersection arcs on/off
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- [ ] Solver: conservation at junctions, distribution by diameter
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- [ ] Undo/redo scenarios
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- [ ] GUI: drop node from palette, drag node snapping, interactive connect, edge selection → property panel
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### 11. Delivery
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- [ ] All tests green in CI-able script (`ctest`)
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- [ ] README with build/run instructions and screenshots
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- [ ] Conventional atomic commits per module
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