Can't create draw.io diagram in confluence template

[Tak S.]

I would like to create a certain confluence template with embedded flowchart sample drawn by draw.io.

But though I try to do it, I can't embedded any draw.io sample diagram in the confluence template.

Could anyone kindly give me an advice?

[My operation]

 1. Push [+] button and choose "draw.io Diagram" from "Visuals & images" category

 2. Choose any template such as "Flowchart" and press [Create] button.

[Expected result]

 Chosen template shall be displayed, and I can edit it and prepare a sample flowchart.

[Actual result]

 Only "draw.io Diagram" string in "Draw.io Diagram" frame is displayed.

 (Please see the attached image below.)

 I can't edit it, so I can't prepare any sample to my users consequently.

Best regard.

[Mohamed Mohamedin · Accepted solution]

Hi Takuro,

draw.io diagrams are stored as page attachments, since Confluence templates don't provide attachments. We limit draw.io diagrams to our standard templates or custom templates only.

In addition, you can embed diagrams from other pages.

In details:

1. Go to Confluence Settings -> draw.io Configuration -> Custom Templates -> click Templates page link

2. In that page, add your custom templates (which are regular draw.io diagram macros)

3. In the template, add a draw.io diagram and select your custom template

Or,

You can select Recent or Search in the above dialog to insert a diagram form another page

Or,

Create your diagrams in any regular page, then in the Confluence template use "Embed draw.io diagram" macro instead of draw.io diagram. Then select the diagram you created in the other page.

[Tak S.]

Dear Mohamed,

Thank you for your information that Confluence template doesn't support page attachment ant then draw.io diagram can't be embedded in it.

It is not exactly what I expected, so I hope Atlassian will improve Confluence template functionality to support page attachment.

But I found that I might be able to embed a sample draw.io diagram in Confluence template by following steps as workaround.

  1. Create a certain confluence page and insert a certain draw.io diagram.

  2. Create a Confluence template.

  3. Copy the attached draw.io diagram from the page created in step 1, and paste it into the Confluence template drafted in step 2.

I did it just as experiment so I'm not sure if it works well in any cases, but at least I think I can consider the most appropriate way.

Thank you!

Takuro.

[Mohamed Mohamedin]

Hi Takuro,

Actually, we DO support diagrams in templates. It's just an extra step of creating the diagram as a draw.io custom template first as described in my previous reply.

We highly discourage copy/pasting of diagrams and it sometimes behave in an unexpected manner.

To summarize, you can add diagrams to Confluence templates in one of 3 techniques

1. Create a draw.io custom template then insert it in a Confluence template

2. Insert a diagram from another page (using Recent or Search)

3. Embed a diagram from another page.

The difference between (2) and (3) is with (2), the diagram is saved as an independent copy from the original one when edited. With (3) the diagram always refer to the source diagram and is updated when the source is updated.

[Mohamed Mohamedin]

Please also note that the diagram preview won't work in templates but it will show correctly when the template is used

This is another Confluence limitation

When used

[Tak S.]

Dear Mohamed,

Thank you for confirming my comment and informing that copy/pasting is not recommended.
Your comment makes me understand deeper.

1st and 2nd technique seem to be preferable for me because the diagrams in different pages should be independent from each other.
(I understand that 3rd technique is the way to share same draw.io diagram among several pages, is my understanding correct?)

And regarding 1st technique, though I created a sample draw.io diagram in "Templates" page in "draw.io Configration" space, that diagram doesn't seem to appear as "Custom template" in "draw.io Diagram" dialog.
Hopefully you kindly give me advice again.

Thank you in advance.
Takuro

[Mohamed Mohamedin]

(I understand that 3rd technique is the way to share same draw.io diagram among several pages, is my understanding correct?)

Yes, exactly

And regarding 1st technique, though I created a sample draw.io diagram in "Templates" page in "draw.io Configration" space, that diagram doesn't seem to appear as "Custom template" in "draw.io Diagram" dialog.
Hopefully you kindly give me advice again.

Sorry, I forgot to tell you that the custom templates must be in child pages of the "Templates" page. The child page title is the custom template category (you can have multiple categories). Also, it takes some time to show up in the dialog (until Confluence index the new page, usually a few minutes)

[Tak S.]

Dear Mohamed,

Thank you for your confirmation and additional instruction.

Thanks to your comment, I could confirm about the difference between "2" and "3".
And based on your instruction, I could create draw.io template successfully.

I will prepare Confluence templates with embedded draw.io diagram for my team members based on your information.

Thank you very much!
Takuro

[Marija Radovic · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I'm not able to reproduce this. Could you tell me:

* Is it draw.io for Confluence Server or Cloud? If it's for Server, what the Server version and draw.io versions are

* browser version

* Are you using other plugins on that page? Could you create a test Confluence page and repeat all the steps? Is it working? 

Thanks,

Marija

[Tak S.]

Hi, Marija

Thank you for your help.

Regarding the confluence environment, I'm using Cloud version Confluence.

And regarding browser, I'm using Chrome 91.0.4472.106 on Windows10.

Regarding plugins, I installed Gliffy plugin also but not embedded Gliffy object in the page.

When I create new blank page - not template, I can embedded a draw.io object in the page without any problem.

The phenomenon seems to occur only when I try to embed draw.io object in template.

And let me tell you that a certain draw.io object does seem to be embedded in template.

When I try to create a new page from the template with such draw.io object, a draw.io frame is displayed in the new page, and I can create new diagram by clicking pencil icon of the draw.io object.

(But error message "図面ファイルではありません" (means "This is not diagram file") is displayed in draw.io window...)

The only and most serious problem is that I can't embed any sample diagram in template.

If further information is required, please let me know.

Sincerely.

Takuro

[Tak S.]

Hi,

I found that similar phenomenon is observed when I try to embed Gliffy diagram in template.

To be exact, detail behavior is different.

When I try to embed draw.io diagram in template, even drawing screen of draw.io doesn't seem to appear.

On the other hand, when I try to embed Gliffy diagram in template, drawing screen of Gliffy seems to be displayed correctly. But when I try to save it, error dialog is displayed as below and the drawn diagram won't be saved.

It might be better to investigate this phenomenon from Confluence side, not only from draw.io side...

Hopefully some expert of Confluence check this message and give me any advice.

Best regard, Takuro