Re: Why do I always get warning pop-up after adding a shape?

[Hans Breuer <hans breuer org>]

At 11.01.2011 19:23, Chris G wrote:
> After I export a diagram as a .shape file and then add it into one of
> my collections of shapes (using the Sheets and Objects window) then
> whenever I open dia I get an warning pop-up box saying:-
>
>      Several object-types were named diagrams - xw.
>      Only first one will be used.
>      Some things might not work as expected.
>
> (of course the xw changes according to what I have called the shape)
>
> Am I doing something wrong when I export the shape or is there something
> wrong with dia's handling of shape export?
Probably the former, i.e. if you export your shape file to Dia's standard 
shape search path and again "import" it to Dia via Shapes and Object dialog 
you'll end up with two version leading to the above message.

> While I'm at it I have yet to be able to export a shape that actually
> works as intended, the .png file doesn't show the shape properly and the
> shape often seems to lose its colour properties and so on.  It all seems
> a bit flakey.
Sounds like you are expecting too much.

1) with any non trivial shape it is usually necessary to edit the created 
PNG to make it detectable with 22x22 pixels.

2) you are expected to edit the generated shape file for best results.
E.g. if by "losing it's color properties" you mean losing the ability to 
modify the shape colors in the diagram you should adapt the concrete colors 
in the shape file with symbolic names, see:

http://git.gnome.org/browse/dia/tree/doc/custom-shapes#n143

-------- Hans "at" Breuer "dot" Org -----------
Tell me what you need, and I'll tell you how to
get along without it.                -- Dilbert