Service Map 2.0: Layout Management - Part I

This is a cool feature I love while designing ServiceMap 2.0 designer.

There were discussions around how to manage position and sequence of the shapes while creating / editing a service map using the designer.  As net result, we thought about providing end-user both the options -

  either allow designer to manage layout by itself

  (or)

  manually manage layout by the end-user themself.

Use 'Settings' command either from main menu or from the tool bar.  This pops-up a window to choose the layout option.  For a complex and big sized map, where end-user prefers to postion, group and sequence streams and values based on the way they want to; its much achievable.  Selecting option 'I will manage layout for this service map' will alter layout from automatic to manual.  By this, designer will not provide any layout capability; instead will allow user to completely manage the layout.

Note here: In a manual layout mode, if end user clicks on 'Auto arrange' command - all positioning, sequencing done on manual mode will not be preserved.  A confirmation message on the same will be displayed to end user upon Auto arrange click.  This is to allow end user to get designer's inbuilt support to re-layout in case user still wants to continue manual layouting and get some help out of designer to re-layout the shapes inside the canvas.

By default, automatic layout is applied to new service map.