# Populating with data This article will demonstrate how to define shapes and connections programmatically and how to load predefined layout by XML. ## Adding items in code behind Below you can find a code snippet which creates three shapes and connections between them: ```C# RadDiagramShape shape1 = new RadDiagramShape() { Text = "Second Level Domain", ElementShape = new RoundRectShape(4), BackColor = Color.LimeGreen }; shape1.Position = new Telerik.Windows.Diagrams.Core.Point(100, 100); radDiagram1.Items.Add(shape1); RadDiagramShape shape2 = new RadDiagramShape() { Text = "Top Level Domain", ElementShape = new RoundRectShape(50), BackColor = Color.Cyan }; shape2.Position = new Telerik.Windows.Diagrams.Core.Point(400, 100); radDiagram1.Items.Add(shape2); RadDiagramShape shape3 = new RadDiagramShape() { Text = "Organization Domain", ElementShape = new RoundRectShape(20), BackColor = Color.Yellow }; shape3.Position = new Telerik.Windows.Diagrams.Core.Point(400, 400); radDiagram1.Items.Add(shape3); RadDiagramConnection connection1 = new RadDiagramConnection() { Name = "connection1" }; connection1.Source = shape1; connection1.Target = shape2; radDiagram1.Items.Add(connection1); RadDiagramConnection connection2 = new RadDiagramConnection() { Name = "connection2" }; connection2.Source = shape1; connection2.Target = shape3; radDiagram1.Items.Add(connection2); ``` ```VB.NET Dim shape1 As New RadDiagramShape() With { _ .Text = "Second Level Domain", _ .ElementShape = New RoundRectShape(4), _ .BackColor = Color.LimeGreen _ } shape1.Position = New Telerik.Windows.Diagrams.Core.Point(100, 100) RadDiagram1.Items.Add(shape1) Dim shape2 As New RadDiagramShape() With { _ .Text = "Top Level Domain", _ .ElementShape = New RoundRectShape(50), _ .BackColor = Color.Cyan _ } shape2.Position = New Telerik.Windows.Diagrams.Core.Point(400, 100) RadDiagram1.Items.Add(shape2) Dim shape3 As New RadDiagramShape() With { _ .Text = "Organization Domain", _ .ElementShape = New RoundRectShape(20), _ .BackColor = Color.Yellow _ } shape3.Position = New Telerik.Windows.Diagrams.Core.Point(400, 400) RadDiagram1.Items.Add(shape3) Dim connection1 As New RadDiagramConnection() With { _ .Name = "connection1" _ } connection1.Source = shape1 connection1.Target = shape2 RadDiagram1.Items.Add(connection1) Dim connection2 As New RadDiagramConnection() With { _ .Name = "connection2" _ } connection2.Source = shape1 connection2.Target = shape3 RadDiagram1.Items.Add(connection2) ``` ![WinForms RadDiagram Adding Items in Code Behind](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/e828442226a1bffe2fe1de3d9c65f367/diagram-populating-with-data001.png) ## Load items from XML You can load items in **RadDiagram** from XML. Here is a sample code snippet: ```C# OpenFileDialog openFileDialog1 = new OpenFileDialog(); openFileDialog1.InitialDirectory = "c:\\"; openFileDialog1.Filter = "xml files (*.xml)|*.xml|All files (*.*)|*.*"; openFileDialog1.RestoreDirectory = true; if (openFileDialog1.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK) { string filename = openFileDialog1.FileName; string filelines = File.ReadAllText(filename); try { radDiagram1.DiagramElement.Items.Clear(); radDiagram1.DiagramElement.Load(filelines); } catch (Exception ex) { MessageBox.Show("Unable to load " + filename + "\nError: " + ex.Message); } } ``` ```VB.NET Dim openFileDialog1 As New OpenFileDialog() openFileDialog1.InitialDirectory = "c:\" openFileDialog1.Filter = "xml files (*.xml)|*.xml|All files (*.*)|*.*" openFileDialog1.RestoreDirectory = True If openFileDialog1.ShowDialog() = DialogResult.OK Then Dim filename As String = openFileDialog1.FileName Dim filelines As String = File.ReadAllText(filename) Try RadDiagram1.DiagramElement.Items.Clear() RadDiagram1.DiagramElement.Load(filelines) Catch ex As Exception MessageBox.Show((Convert.ToString("Unable to load ") & filename) + vbLf & "Error: " + ex.Message) End Try End If ``` > note **RadDiagramRibbonBar** introduces UI for save to XML and load from XML functionality. In the code behind you can use the DiagramElement. **Load** and DiagramElement. **Save** methods. Here is a sample xml file for storing two shapes and a connection between them: ```XML Diagram [4/6/2015 4:30:25 PM] ``` ## See Also * [DataBinding](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/diagram/data-binding/data-binding-basics)