Too many loops in Drawing App

Question

I have a method that has a lot of loops:

private void update(double depth)
        {

            Console.WriteLine("update with level " + depth);

            this.Dispatcher.Invoke(System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherPriority.Normal, new Action(delegate()
                {


            List<Grid> grids = new List<Grid>();

            Dependencies.Children.Clear();

            Grid g = new Grid();
            //Canvas.SetZIndex(g, 100);
            g.Width = 50;
            g.Height = 50;
            g.Tag = focus;

            Ellipse e = new Ellipse();
            e.Width = 50;
            e.Height = 50;
            e.Fill = Brushes.Red;
            if (depth == 1)
            {
                Canvas.SetTop(g, 163);
            }
            else if (depth == 2)
            {
                Canvas.SetTop(g, 108);
            }
            else if (depth == 3)
            {
                Canvas.SetTop(g, 81);
            }
            else if (depth == 4)
            {
                Canvas.SetTop(g, 65);
            }
            else if (depth == 5)
            {
                Canvas.SetTop(g, 54);
            }
            else if (depth == 6)
            {
                Canvas.SetTop(g, 46);
            }
            Canvas.SetLeft(g, 500);

            g.Children.Add(e);

            Viewbox box = new Viewbox();
            box.Width = e.Width;
            box.Height = e.Height;


            TextBox txt = new TextBox();
            txt.Text = focus.getName();
            box.Child = txt;
            txt.Background = Brushes.Transparent;
            txt.BorderBrush = Brushes.Transparent;

            g.Children.Add(box);



            grids.Add(g);

            List<SourceFile> list = new List<SourceFile>();

            list = focus.getInvocations();

            int counter = 1;
            foreach (SourceFile sf in list)
            {
                Grid g1 = new Grid();
                //Canvas.SetZIndex(g, 101);
                g1.Width = 50;
                g1.Height = 50;
                g1.Tag = sf;

                Ellipse e1 = new Ellipse();
                //Dependencies.Children.Add(e1);
                sf.setGrid(g1);
                e1.Width = 50;
                e1.Height = 50;
                e1.Fill = Brushes.Red;

                g1.Children.Add(e1);

                if (depth == 1)
                {
                    Canvas.SetTop(g1, 488);
                }
                else if (depth == 2)
                {
                    Canvas.SetTop(g1, 324);
                }
                else if (depth == 3)
                {
                    Canvas.SetTop(g1, 244);
                }
                else if (depth == 4)
                {
                    Canvas.SetTop(g1, 195);
                }
                else if (depth == 5)
                {
                    Canvas.SetTop(g1, 163);
                }
                else if (depth == 6)
                {
                    Canvas.SetTop(g1, 139);
                }
                Canvas.SetLeft(g1, counter * (1000 / (list.Count + 1) ));

                Viewbox box1 = new Viewbox();
                box1.Width = g1.Width;
                box1.Height = g1.Height;

                TextBox txt1 = new TextBox();
                txt1.Text = sf.getName();
                txt1.Background = Brushes.Transparent;
                txt1.BorderBrush = Brushes.Transparent;

                box1.Child = txt1;
                g1.Children.Add(box1);

                Line l = new Line();
                //Canvas.SetZIndex(l, 1);
                l.Stroke = Brushes.Green;
                l.StrokeThickness = 10;
                Binding x1 = new Binding(); x1.Path = new PropertyPath(Canvas.LeftProperty);
                x1.Converter = new MyConverter();
                x1.ConverterParameter = g;
                Binding y1 = new Binding(); y1.Path = new PropertyPath(Canvas.TopProperty);
                y1.Converter = new MyConverter();
                y1.ConverterParameter = g;
                Binding x2 = new Binding(); x2.Path = new PropertyPath(Canvas.LeftProperty);
                x2.Converter = new MyConverter();
                x2.ConverterParameter = g1;
                Binding y2 = new Binding(); y2.Path = new PropertyPath(Canvas.TopProperty);
                y2.Converter = new MyConverter();
                y2.ConverterParameter = g1;
                x1.Source = y1.Source = g;
                x2.Source = y2.Source = g1;
                l.SetBinding(Line.X1Property, x1);
                l.SetBinding(Line.Y1Property, y1);
                l.SetBinding(Line.X2Property, x2);
                l.SetBinding(Line.Y2Property, y2);
                Dependencies.Children.Add(l);
                l.Tag = new Call(focus, sf);
                Contacts.AddPreviewContactDownHandler(l, OnLineDown);
                counter++;

                grids.Add(g1);

                SizeChangedEventHandler act = (Object s, SizeChangedEventArgs args) =>
                {
                    BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(l, Line.X1Property).UpdateTarget();
                    BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(l, Line.Y1Property).UpdateTarget();
                    BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(l, Line.X2Property).UpdateTarget();
                    BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(l, Line.Y2Property).UpdateTarget();
                };

                g.SizeChanged += act;
                g1.SizeChanged += act;
            }


            int counter2 = 1;
            if (depth >= 2)
            {

                int invocCount = 0;

                foreach (SourceFile s in list)
                {
                    foreach (SourceFile source in s.getInvocations())
                    {
                        invocCount = invocCount + s.getInvocations().Count;
                    }
                }

                Console.WriteLine(invocCount);

                foreach (SourceFile s in list)
                {
                    foreach (SourceFile source in s.getInvocations())
                    {

                        Console.WriteLine("`Found invocation of " + s.getName() + ": " + source.getName());

                        Grid g1 = new Grid();
                        g1.Width = 50;
                        g1.Height = 50;

                        Ellipse e1 = new Ellipse();
                       // Canvas.SetZIndex(g1, 102);
                        grids.Add(g1);
                        e1.Width = 50;
                        e1.Height = 50;
                        e1.Fill = Brushes.Red;
                        source.setGrid(g1);
                        g1.Tag = source;

                        g1.Children.Add(e1);

                        if (depth == 2)
                        {
                            Canvas.SetTop(g1, 540);
                        }
                        else if (depth == 3)
                        {
                            Canvas.SetTop(g1, 406);
                        }
                        else if (depth == 4)
                        {
                            Canvas.SetTop(g1, 325);
                        }
                        else if (depth == 5)
                        {
                            Canvas.SetTop(g1, 271);
                        }
                        else if (depth == 6)
                        {
                            Canvas.SetTop(g1, 232);
                        }

                        Canvas.SetLeft(g1, counter2 * (1000 / (invocCount + 1)));

                        Viewbox box1 = new Viewbox();
                        box1.Width = g1.Width;
                        box1.Height = g1.Height;

                        TextBox txt1 = new TextBox();
                        txt1.Text = source.getName();
                        txt1.Background = Brushes.Transparent;
                        txt1.BorderBrush = Brushes.Transparent;

                        box1.Child = txt1;
                        g1.Children.Add(box1);

                        Line l = new Line();
                        //Canvas.SetZIndex(l, 2);
                        l.Stroke = Brushes.Green;
                        l.StrokeThickness = 10;
                        Binding x1 = new Binding(); x1.Path = new PropertyPath(Canvas.LeftProperty);
                        x1.Converter = new MyConverter();
                        x1.ConverterParameter = s.getGrid();
                        Binding y1 = new Binding(); y1.Path = new PropertyPath(Canvas.TopProperty);
                        y1.Converter = new MyConverter();
                        y1.ConverterParameter = s.getGrid();
                        Binding x2 = new Binding(); x2.Path = new PropertyPath(Canvas.LeftProperty);
                        x2.Converter = new MyConverter();
                        x2.ConverterParameter = g1;
                        Binding y2 = new Binding(); y2.Path = new PropertyPath(Canvas.TopProperty);
                        y2.Converter = new MyConverter();
                        y2.ConverterParameter = g1;
                        x1.Source = y1.Source = findGrid(grids, s, source);
                        x2.Source = y2.Source = g1;
                        l.SetBinding(Line.X1Property, x1);
                        l.SetBinding(Line.Y1Property, y1);
                        l.SetBinding(Line.X2Property, x2);
                        l.SetBinding(Line.Y2Property, y2);
                        Dependencies.Children.Add(l);
                        l.Tag = new Call(s, source);
                        Contacts.AddPreviewContactDownHandler(l, OnLineDown);

                        counter2++;

                        SizeChangedEventHandler act = (Object o, SizeChangedEventArgs args) =>
                        {
                            BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(l, Line.X1Property).UpdateTarget();
                            BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(l, Line.Y1Property).UpdateTarget();
                            BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(l, Line.X2Property).UpdateTarget();
                            BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(l, Line.Y2Property).UpdateTarget();
                        };

                        source.getGrid().SizeChanged += act;
                        g1.SizeChanged += act;
                    }
                }
            }


            int counter3 = 1;
            if (depth >= 3)
            {

                int invocCount = 0;

                foreach (SourceFile s in list)
                {
                    foreach (SourceFile source in s.getInvocations())
                    {
                        foreach (SourceFile s1 in source.getInvocations())
                        {
                            invocCount = invocCount + source.getInvocations().Count;
                        }
                    }
                }

                foreach (SourceFile s in list)
                {
                    foreach (SourceFile source in s.getInvocations())
                    {
                        foreach (SourceFile s1 in source.getInvocations())
                        {
                            Grid g1 = new Grid();
                            grids.Add(g1);
                            g1.Width = 50;
                            g1.Height = 50;
                            g1.Tag = s1;
                            Ellipse e1 = new Ellipse();

                            e1.Width = 50;
                            e1.Height = 50;
                            e1.Fill = Brushes.Red;
                            s1.setGrid(g1);
                            g1.Children.Add(e1);

                            if (depth == 3)
                            {
                                Canvas.SetTop(g1, 569);
                            }
                            else if (depth == 4)
                            {
                                Canvas.SetTop(g1, 455);
                            }
                            else if (depth == 5)
                            {
                                Canvas.SetTop(g1, 379);
                            }
                            else if (depth == 6)
                            {
                                Canvas.SetTop(g1, 325);
                            }
                            Canvas.SetLeft(g1, counter3 * (1000 / (invocCount + 1)));

                            Viewbox box1 = new Viewbox();
                            box1.Width = g1.Width;
                            box1.Height = g1.Height;

                            TextBox txt1 = new TextBox();
                            txt1.Background = Brushes.Transparent;
                            txt1.BorderBrush = Brushes.Transparent;
                            txt1.Text = s1.getName();
                            box1.Child = txt1;
                            g1.Children.Add(box1);

                            Line l = new Line();
                            //Canvas.SetZIndex(l, 2);
                            l.Stroke = Brushes.Green;
                            l.StrokeThickness = 10;
                            Binding x1 = new Binding(); x1.Path = new PropertyPath(Canvas.LeftProperty);
                            x1.Converter = new MyConverter();
                            x1.ConverterParameter = source.getGrid();
                            Binding y1 = new Binding(); y1.Path = new PropertyPath(Canvas.TopProperty);
                            y1.Converter = new MyConverter();
                            y1.ConverterParameter = source.getGrid();
                            Binding x2 = new Binding(); x2.Path = new PropertyPath(Canvas.LeftProperty);
                            x2.Converter = new MyConverter();
                            x2.ConverterParameter = g1;
                            Binding y2 = new Binding(); y2.Path = new PropertyPath(Canvas.TopProperty);
                            y2.Converter = new MyConverter();
                            y2.ConverterParameter = g1;
                            x1.Source = y1.Source = findGrid(grids, source, s1);
                            x2.Source = y2.Source = g1;
                            l.SetBinding(Line.X1Property, x1);
                            l.SetBinding(Line.Y1Property, y1);
                            l.SetBinding(Line.X2Property, x2);
                            l.SetBinding(Line.Y2Property, y2);
                            Dependencies.Children.Add(l);
                            l.Tag = new Call(source, s1);
                            Contacts.AddPreviewContactDownHandler(l, OnLineDown);

                            counter3++;

                            SizeChangedEventHandler act = (Object o, SizeChangedEventArgs args) =>
                            {
                                BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(l, Line.X1Property).UpdateTarget();
                                BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(l, Line.Y1Property).UpdateTarget();
                                BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(l, Line.X2Property).UpdateTarget();
                                BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(l, Line.Y2Property).UpdateTarget();
                            };

                            s1.getGrid().SizeChanged += act;
                            g1.SizeChanged += act;
                        }
                    }
                }
            }


         int counter4 = 1;
         if (depth >= 4)
         {

             int invoCount = 0;
             foreach (SourceFile s in list)
             {
                 foreach (SourceFile source in s.getInvocations())
                 {
                     foreach (SourceFile s1 in source.getInvocations())
                     {
                         foreach (SourceFile s2 in s1.getInvocations())
                         {
                             invoCount = invoCount + s1.getInvocations().Count;
                         }
                     }
                 }
             }

             foreach (SourceFile s in list)
             {
                 foreach (SourceFile source in s.getInvocations())
                 {
                     foreach (SourceFile s1 in source.getInvocations())
                     {
                         foreach (SourceFile s2 in s1.getInvocations())
                         {

                             Grid g1 = new Grid();
                             grids.Add(g1);
                             g1.Width = 50;
                             g1.Height = 50;
                             g1.Tag = s2;
                             Ellipse e1 = new Ellipse();

                             e1.Width = 50;
                             e1.Height = 50;
                             e1.Fill = Brushes.Red;
                             s2.setGrid(g1);

                             g1.Children.Add(e1);

                             if (depth == 4)
                             {
                                 Canvas.SetTop(g1, 585);
                             }
                             else if (depth == 5)
                             {
                                 Canvas.SetTop(g1, 488);
                             }
                             else if (depth == 6)
                             {
                                 Canvas.SetTop(g1, 418);
                             }
                             Canvas.SetLeft(g1, counter4 * (1000 / (invoCount + 1)));

                             Viewbox box1 = new Viewbox();
                             box1.Width = g1.Width;
                             box1.Height = g1.Height;

                             TextBox txt1 = new TextBox();
                             txt1.Background = Brushes.Transparent;
                             txt1.BorderBrush = Brushes.Transparent;
                             txt1.Text = s2.getName();
                             box1.Child = txt1;
                             g1.Children.Add(box1);

                             Line l = new Line();
                             //Canvas.SetZIndex(l, 2);
                             l.Stroke = Brushes.Green;
                             l.StrokeThickness = 10;
                             Binding x1 = new Binding(); x1.Path = new PropertyPath(Canvas.LeftProperty);
                             x1.Converter = new MyConverter();
                             x1.ConverterParameter = s1.getGrid();
                             Binding y1 = new Binding(); y1.Path = new PropertyPath(Canvas.TopProperty);
                             y1.Converter = new MyConverter();
                             y1.ConverterParameter = s1.getGrid();
                             Binding x2 = new Binding(); x2.Path = new PropertyPath(Canvas.LeftProperty);
                             x2.Converter = new MyConverter();
                             x2.ConverterParameter = g1;
                             Binding y2 = new Binding(); y2.Path = new PropertyPath(Canvas.TopProperty);
                             y2.Converter = new MyConverter();
                             y2.ConverterParameter = g1;
                             x1.Source = y1.Source = findGrid(grids, s1, s2);
                             x2.Source = y2.Source = g1;
                             l.SetBinding(Line.X1Property, x1);
                             l.SetBinding(Line.Y1Property, y1);
                             l.SetBinding(Line.X2Property, x2);
                             l.SetBinding(Line.Y2Property, y2);
                             Dependencies.Children.Add(l);
                             l.Tag = new Call(s1, s2);
                             Contacts.AddPreviewContactDownHandler(l, OnLineDown);
                             counter4++;

                             SizeChangedEventHandler act = (Object o, SizeChangedEventArgs args) =>
                             {
                                 BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(l, Line.X1Property).UpdateTarget();
                                 BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(l, Line.Y1Property).UpdateTarget();
                                 BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(l, Line.X2Property).UpdateTarget();
                                 BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(l, Line.Y2Property).UpdateTarget();
                             };

                             s2.getGrid().SizeChanged += act;
                             g1.SizeChanged += act;
                         }
                     }
                 }
             }
         }



      int counter5 = 1;
      if (depth >= 5)
      {

          int invoCount = 0;

          foreach (SourceFile s in list)
          {
              foreach (SourceFile source in s.getInvocations())
              {
                  foreach (SourceFile s1 in source.getInvocations())
                  {
                      foreach (SourceFile s2 in s1.getInvocations())
                      {
                          foreach (SourceFile s3 in s2.getInvocations())
                          {
                              invoCount = invoCount + s2.getInvocations().Count;
                          }
                      }
                  }
              }
          }

          foreach (SourceFile s in list)
          {
              foreach (SourceFile source in s.getInvocations())
              {
                  foreach (SourceFile s1 in source.getInvocations())
                  {
                      foreach (SourceFile s2 in s1.getInvocations())
                      {
                          foreach (SourceFile s3 in s2.getInvocations())
                          {
                              Grid g1 = new Grid();
                              g1.Width = 50;
                              g1.Height = 50;
                              grids.Add(g1);
                              g1.Tag = s3;
                              Ellipse e1 = new Ellipse();
                              //Dependencies.Children.Add(e1);
                              e1.Width = 50;
                              e1.Height = 50;
                              e1.Fill = Brushes.Red;
                              s3.setGrid(g1);

                              g1.Children.Add(e1);

                              if (depth == 5)
                              {
                                  Canvas.SetTop(g1, 596);
                              }
                              else if (depth == 6)
                              {
                                  Canvas.SetTop(g1, 511);
                              }
                              Canvas.SetLeft(g1, counter5 * (1000 / (invoCount + 1)));

                              Viewbox box1 = new Viewbox();
                              box1.Width = g1.Width;
                              box1.Height = g1.Height;

                              TextBox txt1 = new TextBox();
                              txt1.Background = Brushes.Transparent;
                              txt1.BorderBrush = Brushes.Transparent;
                              txt1.Text = s3.getName();
                              box1.Child = txt1;
                              g1.Children.Add(box1);

                              Line l = new Line();
                              //Canvas.SetZIndex(l, 2);
                              l.Stroke = Brushes.Green;
                              l.StrokeThickness = 10;
                              Binding x1 = new Binding(); x1.Path = new PropertyPath(Canvas.LeftProperty);
                              x1.Converter = new MyConverter();
                              x1.ConverterParameter = s2.getGrid();
                              Binding y1 = new Binding(); y1.Path = new PropertyPath(Canvas.TopProperty);
                              y1.Converter = new MyConverter();
                              y1.ConverterParameter = s2.getGrid();
                              Binding x2 = new Binding(); x2.Path = new PropertyPath(Canvas.LeftProperty);
                              x2.Converter = new MyConverter();
                              x2.ConverterParameter = g1;
                              Binding y2 = new Binding(); y2.Path = new PropertyPath(Canvas.TopProperty);
                              y2.Converter = new MyConverter();
                              y2.ConverterParameter = g1;
                              x1.Source = y1.Source = findGrid(grids, s2, s3);
                              x2.Source = y2.Source = g1;
                              l.SetBinding(Line.X1Property, x1);
                              l.SetBinding(Line.Y1Property, y1);
                              l.SetBinding(Line.X2Property, x2);
                              l.SetBinding(Line.Y2Property, y2);
                              l.Tag = new Call(s2, s3);
                              Contacts.AddPreviewContactDownHandler(l, OnLineDown);
                              Dependencies.Children.Add(l);

                              counter5++;

                              SizeChangedEventHandler act = (Object o, SizeChangedEventArgs args) =>
                              {
                                  BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(l, Line.X1Property).UpdateTarget();
                                  BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(l, Line.Y1Property).UpdateTarget();
                                  BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(l, Line.X2Property).UpdateTarget();
                                  BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(l, Line.Y2Property).UpdateTarget();
                              };

                              s3.getGrid().SizeChanged += act;
                              g1.SizeChanged += act;
                          }
                      }
                  }
              }
          }
      }



            foreach (Grid grid in grids)
            {
                Dependencies.Children.Add(grid);
                Contacts.AddPreviewContactDownHandler(grid, DownOnSourceFile);
            }
                }
  ));
        }

Is there any easy way to improve that? And to make it working not only for 6 steps but also for n steps?

Answer 1

Break this down into several methods - it's very long, meaning it's not easy to read.

Answer 2

This code...

if (depth == 1)
{
    Canvas.SetTop(g1, 163);
}
else if (depth == 2)
{
    Canvas.SetTop(g1, 108);
}
else if (depth == 3)
{
    Canvas.SetTop(g1, 81);
}
else if (depth == 4)
{
    Canvas.SetTop(g1, 65);
}
else if (depth == 5)
{
    Canvas.SetTop(g1, 54);
}
else if (depth == 6)
{
    Canvas.SetTop(g1, 46);
}

Could be better implemented using an array...

int[] values = new [] { 0, 163, 108, 81, 65, 54, 46  }

Or Dictionary...

var values = new Dictionary<int,int>() { { 1, 163 }, { 2, 108 }, { 3, 81 }, { 4, 65 }, { 5, 54 }, { 6, 46} };

This way you could simple say

Canvas.SetTop(g1, values[depth])

Answer 3

There are a couple of immediately obvious things that havent been mentioned yet:

You have a lot of magic numbers in your code. Try to define them as consts with meaningful names.

For example

g.Width = 50;

becomes

private const int DefaultGridWidth = 50;
...
g.Width = DefaultGridWidth;

It seems like a trivial change but it makes a big difference to someone who is reading your code. It gives an indication of why the value is 50, not just that it is 50.

---

You should use more meaningful names for your identifiers. Names like g and g1 do not tell me a lot about what the object is, but mainGrid and innerGrid contain more information for the reader.

Answer 4

Give some thought to abstracting the decisions around setting the top of the canvas (cf. all those if statements) out into a set of classes - or perhaps a single class with different suitable parameters in the constructor. A lot of this code differs only in the numbers being applied.

A simple rule is "Abstract the concept that varies".

Answer 5

Since you're using C#, you can make your initializers a bit nicer:

Grid g = new Grid()
{
    Width = 50,
    Height = 50,
    Tag = focus,
}
//Canvas.SetZIndex(g, 100);

The last part of your code (or rather, the second half) does very similar things multiple times: code duplication is a sign your code can be made clearer. For instance (note that your code almost surely contains a bug! The statement inside all the loops invokes s2 and not s3):

foreach (SourceFile s in list)
{
    foreach (SourceFile source in s.getInvocations())
    {
        foreach (SourceFile s1 in source.getInvocations())
        {
            foreach (SourceFile s2 in s1.getInvocations())
            {
                foreach (SourceFile s3 in s2.getInvocations())
                {
                    invoCount = invoCount + s2.getInvocations().Count;
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

can be changed into

list.CountRecursive(t => t.getInvocations(), t => t.getInvocations().Count, 5);

(...)

public static int CountRecursive<T>(this IEnumerable<T> x, Func<T, IEnumerable<T>> f, Func<T, int> c, int depth)
{
    int counter = 0;
    foreach (T t in x)
    {
        if (depth > 1)
        {
            counter += f(t).CountRecursive(f, c, depth - 1);
        }
        else
        {
            counter += c(t);
        }
    }
    return counter;
}

which also makes it a lot easier to do it for different recursion levels.

Answer 6

I might recommend the use of switch statements and white space along with LRE's suggestion of breaking this into multiple methods. It also looks like you have quite a bit of repeated code maybe try to break that out for sure it its own methods.

Answer 7

I refactored it for you. I did all of this without testing, so there's likely a bunch of bugs and off-by-one errors. I also made some assumptions about the code that you didn't include. Now that the code's a lot smaller, it should be easier for you to find those bugs.

A couple of important points:

1. Recursion is a fundamental concept in programming. If you are a professional programmer, you absolutely must be comfortable with it, or you will never be able to deal with nested structures effectively.

2. If you copy and paste, you're doing it wrong. Every time you hit Ctrl+C, a kitten dies. No no no.

3. If you have variables named something1, something2, something3, etc. you're doing it wrong. At the very least, those should be an array.

4. You had depth as a double but were comparing it to literal values other than zero. That's bad.

Here you go:

private void update(int depth)
{
    Console.WriteLine("update with level " + depth);

    Dispatcher.Invoke(System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherPriority.Normal, new Action(delegate()
    {
        List<Grid> grids = new List<Grid>();

        Dependencies.Children.Clear();

        Grid grid = MakeOuterGrid(grids, focus, e.Width, e.Height, depth);

        List<SourceFile> list = focus.getInvocations();

        for (int i = 1; i <= depth; i++)
        {
            int invocCount = CountInvocations(focus, i + 1);
            int counter = 0;
            MakeRecursiveGrids(grids, null, focus, i, invocCount, i, ref counter);
        }

        foreach (Grid grid in grids)
        {
            Dependencies.Children.Add(grid);
            Contacts.AddPreviewContactDownHandler(grid, DownOnSourceFile);
        }
    }));
}

void AdjustTop(int depth, int table) {
    int[][] depthTable = new int[][] {
        new int[] { 163, 108,  81,  65,  54,  46 },
        new int[] { 488, 324, 244, 195, 163, 139 },
        new int[] {  -1, 540, 406, 325, 271, 232 },
        new int[] {  -1,  -1, 569, 455, 379, 325 },
        new int[] {  -1,  -1,  -1, 585, 488, 418 },
        new int[] {  -1,  -1,  -1,  -1, 596, 511 },
    }

    int[] depths = depthTable[table];
    if ((depth < depths.Length) && (depths[depth - 1] != -1)) {
        Canvas.SetTop(depths[depth - 1]);
    }
}

SizeChangedEventHandler UpdateBindings(Line line) {
    SizeChangedEventHandler act = (Object o, SizeChangedEventArgs args) =>
    {
        BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(line, Line.X1Property).UpdateTarget();
        BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(line, Line.Y1Property).UpdateTarget();
        BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(line, Line.X2Property).UpdateTarget();
        BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(line, Line.Y2Property).UpdateTarget();
    };

    return act;
}

int CountInvocations(SourceFile source, int depth)
{
    int count = 0;

    if (depth > 0)
    {
        foreach (SourceFile inner in source.getInvocations())
        {
            count = count + CountInvocations(inner, depth - 1);
        }
    }
    else
    {
        count = source.Count;
    }

    return count;
}

Grid MakeGrid(List<Grid> grids, SourceFile source)
{
    Grid grid = new Grid();
    grid.Width = 50;
    grid.Height = 50;
    grid.Tag = source;
    source.setGrid(grid);
    grids.Add(grid);

    Ellipse ellipse = new Ellipse();
    ellipse.Width = 50;
    ellipse.Height = 50;
    ellipse.Fill = Brushes.Red;

    grid.Children.Add(ellipse);

    return grids;
}

void MakeRecursiveGrids(List<Grid> grids, SourceFile outer, SourceFile source,
    int maxDepth, int invocCount, int recurseDepth, ref int counter)
{
    if (recurseDepth > 0)
    {
        foreach (SourceFile inner in source)
        {
            MakeRecursiveGrids(grids, source, inner, maxDepth, invocCount,
                recurseDepth - 1, ref counter);
        }
    }
    else
    {
        MakeGrid(grids, outer, inner, depth, maxDepth, invocCount, counter);
        counter++;
    }
}

Grid MakeGrid(List<Grid> grids, SourceFile outer, SourceFile inner,
    int depth, int[] depths, int invocCount, int counter)
{
    Grid grid = MakeGrid(grids, inner);

    MakeViewbox(grid, grid.Width, grid.Height, inner.getName());

    AdjustTop(depth, depths);
    Canvas.SetLeft(grid, counter * (1000 / (invocCount + 1)));

    MakeLine(grids, grid, outer, inner);

    return grid;
}

Grid MakeOuterGrid(List<Grid> grids, SourceFile inner, int width, int height,
    int depth)
{
    Grid grid = MakeGrid(grids, inner);

    MakeViewbox(grid, width, height, inner.getName());

    AdjustTop(depth, 0);
    Canvas.SetLeft(grid, 500);

    return grid;
}

Binding MakeBinding(Object parameter, Grid grid)
{
    Binding binding = new Binding();
    binding.Path = new PropertyPath(parameter);
    binding.Converter = new MyConverter();
    binding.ConverterParameter = grid;
}

void MakeLine(List<Grid> grids, Grid grid, SourceFile outer, SourceFile inner)
{
    Grid g2 = outer.getGrid();

    Line line = new Line();
    line.Stroke = Brushes.Green;
    line.StrokeThickness = 10;

    Binding x1 = MakeBinding(Canvas.LeftProperty, g2);
    Binding y1 = MakeBinding(Canvas.TopProperty, g2);
    Binding x2 = MakeBinding(Canvas.LeftProperty, grid);
    Binding y2 = MakeBinding(Canvas.TopProperty, grid);

    Grid g = findGrid(grids, outer, inner);
    x1.Source = g;
    y1.Source = g;
    x2.Source = grid;
    y2.Source = grid;

    line.SetBinding(Line.X1Property, x1);
    line.SetBinding(Line.Y1Property, y1);
    line.SetBinding(Line.X2Property, x2);
    line.SetBinding(Line.Y2Property, y2);

    Dependencies.Children.Add(line);

    Contacts.AddPreviewContactDownHandler(line, OnLineDown);

    line.Tag = new Call(outer, inner);

    SizeChangedEventHandler act = UpdateBindings(line);
    inner.getGrid().SizeChanged += act;
    g1.SizeChanged += act;
}

void MakeViewBox(Grid grid, int width, int height, string text)
{
    Viewbox box = new Viewbox();
    box.Width = width;
    box.Height = height;

    TextBox textBox = new TextBox();
    textBox.Text = text;

    box.Child = textBox;

    grid.Children.Add(box);
}

Answer 8

This should simplify the looping assuming that you can generalize the positioning code like mention in several of the other answers

        //Get the initial set of sourcefiles
        var sourceFiles = from file in list
              from invocation in file.getInvocations()
              group invocation by (SourceFile)null into groupedByInvoker
              select groupedByInvoker;

        for (var currentDepth = 0; currentDepth <= depth; currentDepth++)
        {
            foreach (var currentGroup in sourceFiles)
            {
                int sourceFileCount = currentGroup.Count();
                int counter = 0;

                foreach (var invocation in currentGroup)
                {
                    /*
                     * Generalized grid code goes here
                     */
                    counter++;
                }
            }

            //Select the current sub source files
         sourceFiles = from invokerGroup in sourceFiles
              from file in invokerGroup
              from invocation in file.getInvocations()
              group invocation by file into groupedByInvoker
              select groupedByInvoker;

        }

This is not an exact mapping to the above code in that this goes over the getInvocations tree breadth first instead of depth first.

Updated with imput from Update grid from source hierarchy

Answer 9

For the n steps bit, consider using recursion - but tread carefully.

Answer 10

Instead of Grid g and Ellipse e, use Grid grid and Ellipse ellipse. A loc with e.size= says less than ellipse.Size=.

Answer 11

Break your code into its own methods definitely, there are other ways, but that will probably be the easiest and less time consuming way to make it easier read and debug down the track for a start.