Msc-generator v4.4.0

This manual is for Msc-generator (version v4.4.0, 3 October 2014), a tool to draw message sequence charts from textual description.

Msc-generator heavily borrows in concept from the 0.8 version of Michael C McTernan’s mscgen. However, it has been completely rewritten from scratch and has a much more extensive (and only partially backwards compatible) language. The command-line interface is fully backwards compatible with mscgen, which enables using Msc-generator’s commandline tool everywhere where you can use mscgen, but with the richer syntax. This includes the many tools integrated with mscgen, such as Doxygen, Sphinx and Msctexen. See the official mscgen site.

Since version 2.2 Msc-generator also contains a Windows GUI implementing signalling charts as OLE embedded objects. This allows inclusion of both chart source and the rendered graphics together in a Word or Powerpoint document.

Copyright © 2008-2014 Zoltan Turanyi

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation.


Table of Contents

1. What’s new in Msc-generator 4.4
2. Getting started
2.1. Working with Charts
2.2. The Ribbon
2.3. Zooming
2.4. Tracking Mode
2.5. Auto Split
2.6. Collapsing and Expanding
2.7. Embedding a Chart in a Document
2.8. Command-line Tool
3. Language Tutorial
3.1. Defining Arrows
3.2. Defining Entities
3.3. Dividers
3.4. Drawing Boxes
3.5. Drawing Things in Parallel
3.6. Annotating the Chart
3.7. Other Features
4. Usage Reference
4.1. Design Library
4.2. External Editor
4.3. Smart Indent
4.4. Color Syntax Highlighting
4.5. Typing Hints and Autocompletion
4.6. Options
4.7. Working with Multi-page Charts
4.8. Scaling Options
4.9. Advanced OLE Considerations
4.9.1. Graphics of Embedded Charts
4.9.2. Linking
4.10. Command-Line Referece
4.10.1. Label Maps
5. Language Reference
5.1. Titles
5.2. Specifying Entities
5.2.1. Entity Positioning
5.2.2. Group Entities
5.2.3. Entity Attributes
5.2.4. Implicit Entity Definition
5.2.5. Entity Headings
5.2.6. Entity Shapes
5.3. Specifying Arrows
5.3.1. Lost Messages
5.3.2. Arrow Attributes
5.3.3. Block Arrows
5.4. Boxes
5.4.1. Box Series
5.4.2. Box Tags
5.5. Pipes
5.6. Verticals
5.7. Dividers
5.8. Notes and Comments
5.8.1. Notes
5.8.2. Comments and Endnotes
5.9. Links
5.10. Common Attributes
5.10.1. Styles
5.10.2. Labels
5.10.3. Numbering
5.10.4. Compression and Vertical Spacing
5.11. Specifying Colors
5.12. Text Formatting
5.12.1. Word Wrapping
5.12.2. Long Labels
5.13. Parallel Blocks
5.13.1. Parallel Keyword
5.13.2. Overlap Keyword
5.14. Chart Options
5.15. Multiple Pages
5.16. Free Drawing
5.16.1. Spacing
5.16.2. Symbols
5.16.3. Inline text
5.17. Commands
5.18. Scoping
5.19. Defining Styles
5.19.1. Default Styles
5.20. Chart Designs
5.21. Defining Shapes