Microflow and Nanoflow Layout

mxcli layout flows re-arranges existing microflows and nanoflows on their canvas. It is the flow counterpart of mxcli layout, and it is how you “reset the layout” of a flow: there is no clause on CREATE MICROFLOW for that, because layout is not part of what a flow does.

mxcli layout flows -p app.mpr Sales.ACT_Order_Submit        # one flow
mxcli layout flows -p app.mpr --module Sales --dry-run      # list what would move
mxcli layout flows -p app.mpr --module Sales                # every flow in a module

The same layout as `CREATE`

There is one layout engine for flows, and this command uses it. A flow laid out here ends up exactly where the same flow would be if you created it from MDL with no @position: main path left to right, guard branches in the lane below, long rows wrapped, loops sized to their bodies. See Microflow Structure for the rules.

The flow is described to MDL, every layout annotation (@position, @anchor, @curve, @merge, @start, and the placement of @annotation notes) is dropped, and it is built again as CREATE would build it. Only the geometry of that build is kept.

Only positions change

The result is patched onto the stored flow rather than written in its place, so nothing but layout changes:

positions and sizes of activities, events, splits, merges and loops;
positions of parameters and notes (a note keeps its size);
the connection sides and curves of sequence flows.

Element IDs, captions, expressions and every property MDL cannot express are left exactly as stored. That is also why this works on flows drawn in Studio Pro.

Flows it will not touch

The rebuilt flow has to match the stored one object for object. If it does not — the flow uses something MDL cannot yet express the same way, such as several branches sharing one merge — the flow is skipped with the reason, and the rest of the batch carries on:

FeedbackModule.VAL_Feedback: skipped — its ExclusiveMerge came back as a
ValidationFeedbackAction activity after a rebuild, so it does not round-trip
through MDL

A merge with one flow in and one flow out joins nothing, so it is not a reason to skip: it is placed on the edge it sits on.

It replaces positions you set by hand

Every flow it touches is re-arranged, including any you arranged yourself. Use --dry-run first. Marketplace modules and System are never touched unless you pass --include-marketplace, whether you name a module or a single flow.

Running it again changes nothing: a second run reports already laid out and writes nothing.

Flags

Flag	Meaning
`Module.Flow ...`	Lay out these microflows or nanoflows.
`--module <name>`	Lay out every microflow and nanoflow in this module (repeatable).
`--dry-run`	Report what would move, write nothing.
`--include-marketplace`	Also lay out flows in Marketplace modules. A module update replaces them, so this is normally pointless.

Either name flows or pass --module; laying out every flow in a project is too broad to do by default.

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