Posted by Jim Carlock on 05/17/07 18:55

cmk128@hotmail.com wrote:
> I need to create a website, the function of the web should near
> microsoft visio. Please tell me what php library can let me to create
> a sharp on the web, and able to drag it and put a line to link two
> sharps (like the flow chart).
> thanks
> from Peter (cmk128@hotmail.com)
>

: Peter,
:
: Impossible in PHP. PHP is server side; it doesn't know what the
: client is doing until the click on a submit button, etc.
:
: You might be able to do it with Javascript and/or Ajax - I've never
: tried so have no idea what might be out there for libraries. But I
: think even that might be difficult.
:
: I think you need to find another option.

<g> The word impossible engrosses quite a bit. Visio is an image
creation tool for the most part, and PHP offers quite a bit as far
as image manipulation goes, so PHP probably offers a way to
accomplish the goals. My initial thoughts involved HTML and
using a <map> to specify links inside an image.

Some thoughts of Javascript crossed my mind as well.

http://us2.php.net/manual/en/ref.image.php

I'm not familiar with what a Visio sharp is (musical sharp # ?).
Flowcharts tend to use parallelograms, rectangles, circles and
some odd house - shapes, and a set of connecting lines.

He probably can create a set of functions to draw the images
upon a canvas (basically that's all Visio does, some folks tend
to create Visio specific VBA applications which do the same
thing that the PHP image functions do).

My own guess is that PHP can accomplish most anything Visio
can do, which kind of is the direct of opposite of impossible.
I'm just not an imaging expert and don't have the time nor
interest to dig into the topic.

Different versions of Visio offer different things. I personally like
Visio 2000.

--
Jim Carlock
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