Re: Multiple [named] textbox items in shape definition

[<bahnsch access4cheap com>]

On Mon, 25 Aug 2003 07:09 , Lars Clausen <lrclause cs uiuc edu> sent:

> On 23 Aug 2003, Christopher Bahns wrote:
> > Hello All,
> > I have read a number of postings on similar requests (see References),
> > and have looked at the latest code, but so far have not found any
> > definitive statements, or even recent discussions about it. I also
> > looked over the TWiki and saw nothing about this.
> >
> > 1. I want to be able to define, for a custom shape, multiple text
> > fields ("edit boxes"). The existing "textbox" is okay, but I'd like to
> > have an arbitrary number of them. I have tried this with v0.91 and it
> > only recognizes the last one in the shape file. 
>
> This is not a simple change with the current setup.  Text editing is rather
> hackish, and in particular it only really allows one editable text field
> per object (as you can see in e.g. the UML shapes, the programmed objects
> that should have more also only have one).  It cuts fairly deep into how
> text editing works, and while we could make some kludge to get around it, a
> number of problems remain (menu shortcuts most of all).  Once 0.92 is out,
> the next version will feature a totally different text edit system with a
> separate text edit mode that would allow for multiple editable fields in an
> object among other things.  I hope you can wait that long.  I'm looking at
> the last patches to go into 0.92 right now, and expect to send out a pre1
> maybe later this week, maybe next week.
>
> -Lars

Thanks Lars.
Do you mean to say that the next version *after* 0.92 will have it, or that 0.92
is this "next version" that will have it? That is, will the 0.92-pre1 coming in
the next couple weeks include the ability to have multiple edit boxes per shape?
I'd like to see the new shape DTD, example shape XML files, and/or the new
"custom-shapes" document, if it's not too much trouble. I think we can wait a
little while for the functionality, but we would like to know as soon as possible
how closely it will meet our needs.

I hope you don't mind me asking, but are there open-source or inexpensive
alternatives to Dia that I should consider? I have looked at Xfig, Sketch, and
Scribus, and none of them seem to support object "connections". I am doing ladder
logic work, and inter-object connections are required to be able to process the
diagram and build the equations. I don't mind spending some money, but we need to
get away from Visio and Microsoft's closed and bulky file format. My platform is
Win2k.

Thanks,
Chris

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