PlantUML integration on Mac OS

PlantUML is a tool that can generate various types of diagrams from textual definitions. The TAG Neuron® can be integrated with PlantUML, if it is installed on the same machine. This article outlines how to install PlantUML on your MAC so that it will work with the TAG Neuron® installed on the same MAC machine.

1. First, make sure you have installed Java on your machine. You can easily do this from a terminal window by typing:

   java -version
   

   If not available, make sure to install it first.

2. Download the plantuml.jar file, using the license that suits your requirements. This contains the compiled Java program that converts PlantUML text files into image diagram files.

3. The downloaded file will contain version information included in the file name. For the file to be found by the TAG Neuron®, you need to rename the downloaded file, to just plantuml.jar.

4. Check what folders are in your system PATH. You can do this from the terminal window by executing:

   echo $PATH
   

5. Copy the plantuml.jar file downloaded earlier into one of the folders in defined in PATH, for example /opt/local/bin. As long as it is located in a folder defined in PATH, the TAG Neuron® will find it when it restarts.

6. Restart the Neuron®

After restarting the Neuron®, you should se an event logged, that confirms that PlantUML and Java has been found on the machine, and that the PlantUML Markdown integration is active:

PlantUML found. Integration with Markdown added.
  Timestamp=01-06-2024 12:08:35PM, Level=Minor, Path=/opt/local/bin/plantuml.jar, Java=/usr/bin/java

You can later update PlantUML by simply downloading a new plantuml.jar file, replacing the previous file. You do not need to restart the Neuron® after updating PlantUML.

To test the PlantUML integration, you can open the PlantUML Lab from the Admin menu by pressing:

A page opens with two panes. In the left one you can edit PlantUML text. In the right one you’ll see the rendering of the text (or any errors found):

You can also check the PlantUML integration section in the Markdown documentation to see that the integration works.

#documentation, #tutorial, #neuron, #plantuml, #mac

Graphviz integration on Mac OS

The TAG Neuron® can integrate with GraphViz, permitting automatic generation of diagrams from GraphViz definitions in Markdown. The integration requires GraphViz to be installed by the operator of the Neuron®. Follow these steps to install GraphViz:

1. On Mac OS, GraphViz can be installed using MacPorts. It is an application that simplifies the installation of open source projects on your Mac via the terminal window. The MacPorts project provides multiple installers for different versions of Mac OS.

2. Once MacPort is installed, install GraphViz from the terminal window, using the following command-line (as described in the GraphViz MAC installation documentation).

   sudo port install graphviz
   

   If the terminal session cannot find port, use the full path of the MacPort application as follows:

   sudo /opt/local/bin/port install graphviz
   

3. Similarly, you can install a GUI tool for viewing GraphViz documents:

   sudo port install graphviz-gui
   

   Or:

   sudo /opt/local/bin/port install graphviz-gui
   

Once GraphViz has been installed on the Mac, you need to restart the Neuron®. Once restarted, you should see a log entry during startup confirming the Neuron® has found GraphViz, and that the integration is in effect:

GraphViz found. Integration with Markdown added.
  Timestamp=31-05-2024 8:17:17PM, Level=Minor, Installation Folder=/opt/local/bin, Binary Folder=/opt/local/bin, dot=True, neato=True, fdp=True, sfdp=True, twopi=True
  circo=True

From the Admin-menu, you can now open the GraphViz Lab:

Once open, you can edit your diagrams in the left pane, and view the corresponding output in the right pane:

Integration into existing Markdown pages will also show that the integration works.

#tutorial, #documentation, #neuron, #graphviz, #mac