My proposal (Was: Shapes layout proposal)

[Andre Kloss <kloss rbg informatik tu-darmstadt de>]

Hi folks.

I think there are exactly 3 extensions for the custom XML shapes that
would be extremely useful when it comes to extending this shapes'
usability:

1. Abstract from textboxes. XMLshapes should be able to contain
multiple sub-shapes (As long as they're rectangle-shaped). One simple
shape could be a textbox.

2. Another quite simple shape could be an array of subshapes. This
could be horizontal or vertical. An array should save the order of
its contained shapes, and have always some room to enter another
shape.

3. Last, but not least: Every shape should be resizable (At least most
shapes. A textbox has it size and basta). If some shape is containd by
another shape, the containing shape should also be resized in this
process. This would need some pointer structure to let each shape know
it's "parents".
And the minimum size of a shape (in x as well as in y-axis) can be
determined by the maximum of the size minimum size of its subshapes
times the relation my:size/sub:size. This would also need some pointer
list to all "children".

As you can see, the first two proposed statements are about
containedness, the last is about the behaviour of shapes. If you do
not agree with me on this points, feel free to start another flamewar,
but I'll appreciate every help I can get since this features would
solve some of the nastier problems I have with my diploma thesis and I
still don't quite know where to start coding.

I'll be glad to write some DTDs if needed. And C-Code. And
documentation.

cu Andre
-- 
Tolerance rulez, everything else sux! -- Andre Kloss