Re: nudge an object?

["Michael Ross" <michael e ross gmail com>]

I use a couple of graphic user interface programs.  In particular I
use LabVIEW and a couple of 3D CAD programs.  In LabVIEW nudging or
jogging is a great boon.  It can be on a pixel basis, or if grid and
snap are set then the jog is by grid distance.  It is a huge time
saver.  The application of LabVIEW is in writing the code (for data
acquisition and analysis) in a block diagram very much like some of
the work I do with Dia.  The BD for LabVIEW *IS* the code where DIa is
"simply" image.  I might have a functional block in LabVIEW with 10 to
20 lines connected.  If I had to reconnect the lines (data channels)
every time a nudged a block element the whole business would be
useless.  There are other limitations to LV that are not part of Dia,
for example there is no zoom function so all elements always have the
same size.  An individual block may have several representations of
different size, but these always have the same dimensions on screen.
They offer a "Bird's Eye View" as a navigation aid and a Hierarchical
Display.  Good coding practice builds the code into the screen rather
than increasing the extents of the diagram - the individual elements
can be double clicked and a new block diagram is spawned which has
further block elements that are "spawnable."  It is a very interesting
and effective coding paradigm.

In the CAD I currently use there is no jog function.  Lining up visual
elements on a mechanical drawing without a jog is not good.  They
offer alignment functions but they are too rudimentary.  They do
manage to handle rubberbanding of leader and arrows, however.

So Dia is the least functional drawing program I use.  I am not
knocking it, and I am grateful to have whatever you all cook up for
me, but I will say, give me a nudge of any sort.  If it doesn't drag
attached lines so be it.  I will reattach them.  But give me
something.  If you can figure out a way to rubberband the connection
lines that would be excellent also.  It would be well worth the
effort.

My main main use of Dia is for Functional Block Diagrams.  I use
zigzag lines because they stay attached somewhat.  It would be lots
better if I could get the same from splines, polylines, lines all of
them.

The jogging of LV is so addictive that I am always trying to use it in
other programs when I shouldn't.  Just as I use mouse driven spin, pan
and rotate from CAD on static images sometimes ;-)

Thanks for listening.

Mike Ross



On 5/22/06, Anthony Ettinger <aettinger sdsualumni org> wrote:
> On 5/22/06, Lars Clausen <lars raeder dk> wrote:
> > On Mon, 2006-05-22 at 10:22 -0700, Octavio Alvarez wrote:
> > > On Sun, 21 May 2006 01:08:20 -0700, Lars Clausen <lars raeder dk> wrote:
> > >
> > > >> > If you move a line that is connected to something, the connections >
> > > >> will be broken.
> > > >>
> > > >> If it is a direct line, yes, just like the mouse does.
> > > >>
> > > >> If it is a zigzagline, it depends on what segment the user moves, just
> > > >> like the mouse does.
> > > >
> > > > I see no good way to nudge a segment, since there's no way to select
> > > > less than a whole object.
> > >
> > > It could not be a selection, since you can't copy and paste a segment
> > > alone. How about More like a "last clicked part of the selection".
> >
> > Thing is, that's not information we're storing.  We'd have to keep that,
> > too, then.
> >
> > > I can adjust segments, so I guess mouse routines currently allow
> > > it.
> >
> > Yes, by grabbing a handle.  But with nudging, no
> >
> > > > unless the object they're connected to also moves.
> > >
> > > Nah. I would chose the object --instead of its lines-- if I'd like
> > > to move it.
> >
> > If the object alone is selected, yes, but if both the object and the
> > line is selected, they should be moved together and stay connected,
> > while if the line alone is moved, the connections should be broken.
> >
> > I'm not saying it's impossible to get a good nudge in, but it's not as
> > trivial as I hoped at first.
> >
> > -Lars
>
>
> I don't think it makes much sense to nudge an object(s), and not
> include it's attached lines.
>
> I was thinking behavior exactly when the mouse selects and object(s),
> only with pixel level accuracy using up/down/left/right arrows.
>
>
> --
> Anthony Ettinger
> Signature: http://chovy.dyndns.org/hcard.html
> _______________________________________________
> Dia-list mailing list
> Dia-list gnome org
> http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/dia-list
> FAQ at http://www.gnome.org/projects/dia/faq.html
> Main page at http://www.gnome.org/projects/dia


--
Michael Ross
=================================
Cycling in Central North Carolina
Schwinn Voyageur 11.8
Linear LWB, Greenspeed GTO, BikeE CT