drawio-visio-workflow

name

drawio-visio-workflow

description

Create flowcharts, framework diagrams, and process diagrams from a user description, image description, or existing draw.io file, then deliver both editable draw.io (.drawio) and Microsoft Visio (.vsdx) outputs through a repeatable workflow. Use when Codex needs to design a diagram, restyle a diagram for thesis or presentation use, reconstruct a draw.io file in Visio, or automate draw.io-to-Visio delivery with draw.io MCP, Visio tools, and PowerShell plus Visio COM.

Drawio Visio Workflow

Use this skill when the input is:

• a text description of a flowchart
• a framework or pipeline description
• an image or image description that needs to become a structured diagram
• an existing .drawio file

and the output needs to include both:

• an editable .drawio
• an editable .vsdx

Workflow

1. Run a preflight pass on the input:
   • optimize the raw input into a diagram brief
   • extract likely nodes, stages, and edge verbs
   • generate search queries for similar diagrams
   • retrieve similar reference images before drawing
2. Generate a draft .drawio when starting from description.
3. Normalize the input into a diagram plan:
   • identify nodes
   • identify groups or stages
   • identify directed edges
   • identify the intended visual style
4. Create or edit the diagram in draw.io first.
5. Export or save the .drawio file.
6. Generate a Visio reconstruction script from the brief when helpful.
7. Rebuild the same structure in Visio.
8. Save the .vsdx next to the .drawio unless the user asks for another path.
9. Verify both output files and report the generated paths.

Required Tooling

Prefer this tool order:

1. input refinement plus image search
   • scripts/run_diagram_pipeline.py
   • scripts/run_diagram_preflight.py
   • scripts/optimize_diagram_prompt.py
   • scripts/generate_drawio_draft.py
   • scripts/generate_visio_script_from_brief.py
   • web.image_query for similar diagram references
2. mcp__drawio__
   • start_session
   • create_new_diagram
   • get_diagram
   • edit_diagram
   • export_diagram
3. mcp__visio__ when the diagram is simple enough for shape-by-shape reconstruction
4. PowerShell + Visio COM when the Visio tool surface is too limited for the target diagram

Use web image retrieval before the first real layout pass when the input begins as description rather than as an existing diagram.

Preflight Rules

• Do not draw from a vague user description directly.
• First convert the input into a tighter diagram prompt with:
  • diagram type
  • target audience
  • node list
  • edge list
  • stage grouping
  • style target
• Then derive 3 to 6 image-search queries for similar figures.
• Then generate a first-pass .drawio draft when the input is still only descriptive.
• Then generate a first-pass Visio PowerShell script when the diagram is regular enough to automate.
• For local automation, prefer scripts/run_diagram_preflight.py to produce all three artifacts in one pass.
• For full local artifact generation, prefer scripts/run_diagram_pipeline.py to produce the brief, draft .drawio, Visio script, and final .vsdx.
• Review similar diagrams to decide:
  • left-to-right vs top-to-bottom flow
  • density level
  • grouping strategy
  • connector style
• Let Huashu-Design judgment shape the visual direction after reference search, not before it.

Use draw.io as the primary authoring surface. Use Visio as the delivery reconstruction surface.

Operating Rules

• When starting from description instead of an existing file, define the diagram structure explicitly before drawing.
• Treat the .drawio file as the structural source whenever one already exists. Do not guess labels or topology when the file already defines them.
• Apply Huashu-Design discipline to the visual result:
  • design from the content, not from decoration
  • keep information hierarchy clearer than ornament
  • prefer clean grouping, spacing, and alignment over effects
• Prefer restrained styling for thesis and paper figures: light background, limited palette, consistent line weights, and explicit stage grouping.
• Keep reusable Visio drawing helpers in scripts/visio_helpers.ps1 and create per-diagram scripts that call those helpers.
• If the console shows garbled Chinese text, re-read the file as UTF-8 or write scripts back with UTF-8 BOM before executing them in Windows PowerShell.
• When a diagram is too bespoke for full automation, still automate structure extraction and helper functions, then script the final placement manually.

Files To Read

• Read references/workflow.md for the end-to-end procedure and decision points.
• Read references/input-refinement.md before starting from a text or image description.
• Read references/style-guidelines.md when the user asks for academic, presentation, or neutral visual treatment.
• Read references/mcp-tools.md for the exact MCP responsibilities and tool ordering.
• Use scripts/optimize_diagram_prompt.py to turn rough input into a structured brief and search-query set.
• Use scripts/run_diagram_preflight.py when you want a one-command local preflight that writes the brief, draft .drawio, and first-pass Visio script together.
• Use scripts/run_diagram_pipeline.py when you want the local pipeline to also execute the generated Visio script and write the final .vsdx.
• Use scripts/generate_drawio_draft.py to create a first draft .drawio from the structured brief.
• Use scripts/generate_visio_script_from_brief.py to create a first-pass Visio reconstruction script from the same brief.
• Use scripts/extract_drawio_cells.py to inspect the .drawio structure.
• Reuse scripts/visio_helpers.ps1 when creating a Visio reconstruction script.

Typical Requests

• "Create a flowchart from this process description and export both draw.io and Visio."
• "Take this rough process description, optimize it into a clearer diagram brief, find similar reference images, then create draw.io and Visio outputs."
• "Turn this framework description into a thesis-style diagram."
• "Use this image description to draw a structured pipeline figure."
• "Convert this draw.io diagram to Visio."
• "Redraw this draw.io flowchart in academic paper style and export .vsdx."
• "Analyze the draw.io structure first, then generate an editable Visio file."
• "Turn this existing draw.io figure into an editable Visio version."

Output Pattern

For each task, produce:

1. The generated .drawio file.
2. The generated .vsdx file.
3. Any diagram-specific PowerShell reconstruction script when custom Visio drawing logic was needed.
4. A short summary of the source input, structure decisions, style decisions, and any remaining manual limitations.