Delta Flow Charts

The Delta Flow Charts extend the visualization provided by Imagix 4D's normal Flow Charts to provide insight into changes to the program logic between the two versions of a function in your software. While you can view the actual software changes in the Diff Tool, the Delta Flow Charts provide perspective on how the changes fit within, and impact, the internal logic of the function.

Flow Chart Appearance

The layout of the Delta Flow Charts is an extension of the logic layout available for standard Flow Charts. The difference is that the Delta Flow Chart represents not only decision points and blocks of in-line code for the current version of a function, but also those decision points and blocks of code that exist only in the revision version of the function. In addition, the control flow between the decisions and blocks of code is represented for both versions of the function.

The Delta Flow Charts use color to indicate the differences between the current program logic and the revision. Green indicates decisions, blocks of code, and flow of control that exist only in the current project. Red is used similarly to indicate items that exist only in the revision. Note that red and green dots are also used at the beginning of a flow of control line, to indicate which branch it represents.

Decisions and blocks of code that exist in both versions are colored blue, while flow of control that exists in both is drawn in grey. And if a decision or block of code fills the same part of the logic between the two versions, but has changed, it is colored yellow.

Tool Integration

As with the normal Flow Charts, the Delta Flow Charts are tied closely to displays of the source code. In Delta Analysis, the focus is on changes in your software, so the Delta Flow Charts are integrated with the Diff Tool as well as the Imagix 4D's standard File Editors. You're able to examine changes to the program logic and source code side-by-side, scroll to a certain point in one, and immediately see where the corresponding point exists in the other. In this way, you can speed your understanding and review of the changes in your software.

Shortcut: The Diff Tool can be opened and scrolled to a point in the Delta Flow Chart by Control-left clicking on a point in the Delta Flow Chart. The exception occurs when clicking on a function listed inside an in-line rectangle, in which case Imagix 4D behaves the same as anywhere else when you click on a function name / symbol.

Shortcut: The Delta Flow Chart can be opened and scrolled to a point in the Diff Tool by Control-left clicking on any point inside a function definition in the current version side of the Diff Tool.