Balsamiq Import creates blank frames

[justingeeslin]

There exists a case where importing a Balsamiq BMML file creates blank frames in CogTool.

Example BMML files

Frame 1

<mockup version="1.0" skin="sketch" fontFace="Balsamiq Sans" measuredW="328" measuredH="77" mockupW="278" mockupH="48">
  <controls>
    <control controlID="1" controlTypeID="com.balsamiq.mockups::TextInput" x="50" y="50" w="278" h="-1" measuredW="79" measuredH="27" zOrder="0" locked="false" isInGroup="-1"/>
    <control controlID="2" controlTypeID="com.balsamiq.mockups::Label" x="50" y="29" w="-1" h="-1" measuredW="61" measuredH="21" zOrder="1" locked="false" isInGroup="-1">
      <controlProperties>
        <href>Input%20and%20Label%20Warning%20Shown%26bm%3BInput%20and%20Label%20Warning%20Shown.bmml%26bm%3BInput%20and%20Label%20Warning%20Shown.bmml%26bm%3BInput%20and%20Label%20Warning%20Shown.bmml</href>
      </controlProperties>
    </control>
  </controls>
</mockup>

Frame 2

<mockup version="1.0" skin="sketch" fontFace="Balsamiq Sans" measuredW="392" measuredH="87" mockupW="342" mockupH="58">
  <controls>
    <control controlID="1" controlTypeID="com.balsamiq.mockups::TextInput" x="50" y="50" w="278" h="-1" measuredW="79" measuredH="27" zOrder="0" locked="false" isInGroup="-1"/>
    <control controlID="2" controlTypeID="com.balsamiq.mockups::Label" x="50" y="29" w="-1" h="-1" measuredW="61" measuredH="21" zOrder="1" locked="false" isInGroup="-1">
      <controlProperties>
        <href>Input%20and%20Label%26bm%3BInput%20and%20Label.bmml%26bm%3BInput%20and%20Label.bmml%26bm%3BInput%20and%20Label.bmml</href>
      </controlProperties>
    </control>
    <control controlID="3" controlTypeID="com.balsamiq.mockups::Icon" x="344" y="39" w="-1" h="-1" measuredW="48" measuredH="48" zOrder="2" locked="false" isInGroup="-1">
      <controlProperties>
        <icon>exclamation-triangle%7Clarge</icon>
      </controlProperties>
    </control>
  </controls>
</mockup>

Imported in to CogTool produces blank frames and the following empty CogTool XML

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<cogtoolimport version="1">
  <design name="JustinFun">
    <device>keyboard</device>
    <device>mouse</device>
    <frame name="Input and Label Warning Shown">
      <topLeftOrigin x="156.0" y="39.0"/>
    </frame>
    <frame name="Input and Label">
      <topLeftOrigin x="78.0" y="166.0"/>
    </frame>
  </design>
</cogtoolimport>

Expected

I expected that the frames in CogTool would contain the Label and the Text Input contained in both frames. The label in each frame contains a link to the opposite frame; I expected this link would also be replicated in CogTool.

[justingeeslin]

The class that powers the Balsamiq import is named BalsamiqButtonAPIConverter; this may be a clue that only Buttons can be imported.

[justingeeslin]

Links and buttons can be imported successfully, but not much else.

The BalsamiqButtonAPIConverter class lists other elements it is aware of, other than links and buttons...

	if ((widgetType == null)||
				widgetType.equalsIgnoreCase("com.balsamiq.mockups::Button"))
		{
			return BUTTON_WIDGETTYPE;
		}
		if (widgetType.equalsIgnoreCase("com.balsamiq.mockups::Link")) {
			return LINK_WIDGETTYPE;
		}
		if (widgetType.equalsIgnoreCase("com.balsamiq.mockups::CheckBox")) {
			return CHECKBOX_WIDGETTYPE;
		}
		if (widgetType.equalsIgnoreCase("com.balsamiq.mockups::RadioButton")) {
			return RADIO_WIDGETTYPE;
		}
		if (widgetType.equalsIgnoreCase("com.balsamiq.mockups::TextBox")) {
			return "text";
		}
		if (widgetType.equalsIgnoreCase("com.balsamiq.mockups::Breadcrumbs")) {
			return "breadcrumbs";
		}
		if (widgetType.equalsIgnoreCase("__group__")) {
			return "group";
		}

		if (widgetType.equalsIgnoreCase("com.balsamiq.mockups::LinkBar")) {
			return "linkbar";
		}

... but a quick tests reveals that only Buttons and Links are successfully imported into Cogtool frames.

[justingeeslin]

To be clear, the existing Balsamiq Import functionality only works on the previous Balsamiq Wireframe file format BMML.