Re: dia svg export: how do adjust size?

[Zhang Weiwu <zhangweiwu realss com>]

Hans Breuer wrote:
> On 02.10.2007 13:20, Zhang Weiwu wrote:
>   
> > Dear all
> >
> > After made a graph in dia 0.96.1, I export it to svg by "File -> Export
> > -> change extension name to .svg and click save".
> >
> > Result file cannot be opened in firefox 2.0.0.6. Error:
> >         This XML file does not appear to have any style information
> > associated with it. The document tree is shown below.
> >
> >     
> http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=327037
>   
Strange, this bug is reported 21 months ago for 0.93 version, now I am
using 0.96, if it's fixed in CVS shouldn't it be reflected in later
versions?
>   
> > Then I export by repeating above operation while select "SVG Plain" as
> > export format, this time it works and created an SVG file open-able in
> > Firefox, but the graph is too big, and text is relatively bigger than
> > shapes, making many text in rectangles ends outside the rectangle.
> >
> >     
> Probably related to:
> http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=475978
>
>   
> > I got 3 problem here:
> >
> >    1. Why simply export by changing extension name doesn't work
> >       (resulted svg that doesn't work in Fx)? If it's not open-able in
> >       Fx people assume it's broken, then dia should by default use
> >       "Plain SVG" or whatever option that produce more compatible svg.
> >     
> There is more than one SVG exporter, the one choosen for "By extension" is
> more or less random. But you can disable two of three fia File/Plugins
>   
I have no problem living with the fact I need to choose a specific one
of the two SVG exporter every time, but this would be a usability
problem because other users get surprised by normal operation. I hope
such usability issue attract almost same attention to functionality
issues. For sure it's opensource so if I am not satisfied I can modify
it myself, but I am an software implementation engineer and software
user trainer, who don't know how to write or fix software but often
positioned in such way to see more problems than those who can:)

a) if the function is there but one more click away then expected or b)
if the function is not there, both are the same to most ordinary users.
Luckily most dia users are advanced users, but still it would be nicer
to be more usable:)
>   
> >    2. Why text is relatively bigger?
> >     
> http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=316590
>   
Oh, glad to see it's fixed. Thanks. I'll try it again after next release
to see if it's working then.
>   
> >    3. How can I reduce the size of exported svg? I have tried to find
> >       option for dpi (no such option) and I try to find option for
> >       exported svg size (no such option) and then I try to make the
> >       graph smaller (not possible, because after grouped all objects,
> >       the group is not resizeable).
> >
> >     
> File/Page Setup/Scale is your friend.
>   
But it doesn't work for "Plain SVG" exporter. I tried 50% and 20%, both
look the same as 100%.
Maybe it work with "Scalable Vector Graphics" exporter, but then that
exporter produce svg files without correct xmlns as described.
>   
> > Thanks! Note all of my 3 questions are probably bugs, let me know if I
> > should file them as bug please. Seriously, I consider proper export of
> > correct SVG is very important, DIA should have high quality control over
> > this particular part.
> >
> >     
> This is an interesting point. As noted elsewhere
> [ http://mail.gnome.org/archives/dia-list/2007-September/msg00023.html ]
> Firefox is not yet capable to do "Quality Control" on SVG. But sure Dia's
> SVG exporters could use some improvements. Patches accepted.
>
>   
Sorry, my contribution can only be limited to pick out problems and be
criticism as my job trained me to. But I think that sometimes is
contribution too. I'll see if I can some day manage to learn how to
writer exporters, but probably not.

anyway, can you please recommend me a proper SVG viewer that is capable
of some "Quality Control"? Just interested if next time I see another
SVG file that might be buggy.
> > For sizing: user can reasonably expect exported svg image opens in
> > firefox the same size as in dia when zoom is 100%. While this might not
> > be easy as screen dpi may vary, at least it shouldn't be too far away
> > from user expectation. 
> >     
> There is some default scaling in SVN which should lead to almost same
> screen size in Dia with 100% zoom and Firefox.
>
>   
Nice to see!
> > On a higher level of usability requirement, a
> > user might expect the diagram not exceeding the width of the screen
> > prints within the A4 page width (especially on XGA) unless a shape of A4
> > page is clearly placed as background, and even expect the same for svg
> > exported. This might not have to be satisfied but should be considered
> > at least.
> >
> >     
> The cairo based SVG exporter is the one the way geared to give you the best
> rendering results, currently to the price of lost editability. Note: as
> with other cairo backends the page size is not yet passed through the file.
> I don't even know from the top of my had if this is already possible with
> cairo.
>
>   
How can I select to use Cario SVG exporter? (Which one of the "Plain
SVG" and "Scalable Vector Graphics" is Cario based? Or is it still in
svn/cvs?)
> > For printing: just noticed user cannot select printer when printing in
> > dia. I hope this can be improved too:)
> >
> >     
> Works fine on win32 for a while, should become better if we use the cross
> platform GtkPrint recently introduced with gtk+.
>
> But as always: it is not going to happen if nobody volunteers to do the work.
:) I'd much like to see people getting interested in working for the
project coding too:)