Drawing a "field" as an IDE / editor function

Question

I have a modest code base (C ++), which is well documented, but nonetheless very complex. I participate in its maintenance and debugging, and I find that I draw the same pictures over and over again to check the back pointers and look for optimizations. Images help a lot, because inconsistencies from time to time crept into the code with seemingly logical optimization.

It may be too much to ask, but is there an editor that would allow me to draw fields, a la MS Paint, as auxiliary comments, and perhaps even to bind the image to a specific line? Just in case, such a thing exists, I would ideally want to use it with Vim.

Answer 1

Such an editor has undergone such a creep function that is contrary to the philosophy of vim (or at least vi). You will most likely be pleased with the addition of your own layer of indirection between vim and the external drawing application. As @Mats Petersson suggests, a URL is one way. Or a file name relative to some directory or XML tag.

A vim plugin that recognizes your layer can automatically display your scribbles. If Clippy can be implemented as a vim plugin, of course it is possible.

If ascii-art is enough, try the DrawIt plugin, http://www.vim.org/scripts/script.php?script_id=40 ; or use the web page search box.