PlantUML Neovim Plugin

A Neovim plugin for creating, rendering, and previewing UML diagrams directly from .puml files. This plugin integrates with PlantUML and provides an efficient workflow for working with UML diagrams.

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Features

• Seamless UML Rendering: Automatically render UML diagrams from .puml files.
• Auto-Refresh: Render diagrams on file save (optional).
• Cross-Platform Compatibility: Works on macOS, Linux, and Windows (planned future enhancements for non-macOS systems).
• Simple Workflow: Write UML in .puml files and preview the rendered diagrams with a single command.

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Installation

Prerequisites

1. PlantUML:

   • Install PlantUML:

     brew install plantuml # macOS
     sudo apt install plantuml # Ubuntu
   • Ensure plantuml is available in your PATH.

2. Java:

   • Install Java (required by PlantUML):

     brew install openjdk # macOS
     sudo apt install default-jre # Ubuntu

3. Neovim:

   • Requires Neovim 0.8+ with Lua support.

Plugin Installation

Using packer.nvim:

use {
    'Maduki-tech/nvim-plantuml',
    config = function()
        require('plantuml').setup({
            output_dir = '/tmp',
            viewer = 'open',
            auto_refresh = true,
        })
    end
}

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Configuration

The plugin can be configured by calling the setup function with the following options:

require('plantuml').setup({
    output_dir = '/tmp',                   -- Directory to store rendered diagrams
    viewer = 'open',                       -- Command to open rendered diagrams (e.g., `open` for macOS)
    auto_refresh = true,                   -- Enable or disable auto-refresh on save
})

Default Configuration

If no configuration is provided, the following defaults are used:

{
    output_dir = '/tmp',
    viewer = 'open',
    auto_refresh = false,
}

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Usage

Commands

Command	Description
:PlantUMLPreview	Render and preview the current .puml file.

Workflow

1. Open or create a .puml file in Neovim:

   @startuml
   Alice -> Bob: Hello Bob
   Bob --> Alice: Hi Alice
   @enduml
   

2. Run the :PlantUMLPreview command to render and preview the diagram.

3. Save the file (:w) to trigger auto-refresh (if enabled).

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Roadmap

Short-Term Goals

• Basic rendering of .puml files using PlantUML.
• Auto-refresh support.
• Cross-platform compatibility for macOS.
• Improve error handling and diagnostics.

Medium-Term Goals

• Add support for opening rendered diagrams in platform-specific viewers (e.g., Windows Photo Viewer).
• Allow rendering to multiple formats (SVG, PDF).
• Add inline ASCII diagram previews in Neovim.

Long-Term Goals

• Interactive UML editing directly within Neovim.
• Real-time rendering as you type.
• Syntax highlighting for .puml files.
• Integration with external diagram storage services.

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Troubleshooting

PlantUML Not Found

Ensure that plantuml is installed and available in your PATH. Test it by running:

plantuml -version

Java Not Installed

Install Java and ensure it is available in your PATH. Test it by running:

java -version

Diagrams Not Opening

Ensure the configured viewer command works. Test it manually:

open /path/to/diagram.png # macOS

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Contributing

Contributions are welcome! If you encounter bugs or have feature suggestions, feel free to open an issue or submit a pull request.

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License

This plugin is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

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Acknowledgments

• PlantUML
• Neovim