RAFT (Randy's ANSI Flowchart Text)

A language for writing standardized ANSI flow charts with simple text.

Objectives

RAFT's goal is to make an easy way to create flows within text based documentation without the use of images or visual editors.

Spec

• It needs to work alongside Markdown and not get compiled to HTML when markdown is converted
• It needs to use non-special characters everyone has access to
• It needs to follow a standard that would allow it to be rendered into a visual flow chart
• It needs to be as simple as possible
• It needs to be quickly read and understood by a human

Examples

( Server )  ->  Flowline Comment  ->  ] Handles Request [  ->  // prepares data for database insertion //  ->  ((( Database X )))

Symbols

Text representation of ANSI/ISO Standard Symbols taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowchart

Common Symbols

-> Flowline -> flowlines have two white spaces before and after the -> mark

( Terminal )

] Activity or Process or Operation [

< Decision >

// Input or Output //

-[ Annotation ]-

]] Predefined Process [[

( C ) An on-page connector that uses a single letter that is tied to a definition written in a legend

{ Off-page Connector }

Other Symbols

((( Datafile or Database )))

~ Document ~

== Parallel Mode ==

^/ Manual Operation ^/

[ Physical Movement ]=>