Re: Margins

[Maciej Jaros <egil wp pl>]

Tech Support Department (2011-07-21 18:16):
> Actually, the user can most certainly draw outside the margins as 
well as the page borders.  That's the whole problem.
>
> If on the other hand, one cannot draw outside margins, as was pointed 
out, because they don't exist on the canvas, that would be entirely 
different.  In that case, one might like to see such a simple sentence 
in the help section.  Maybe something like "It is impossible to draw 
outside margins because they do not exist on the canvas".  And maybe 
"Only page breaks are shown".  Of course that leaves the odd behavior of 
minus so many units of measure to the left and top.  That is where it is 
useless regardless of any of the rest of it.
>
> The program cannot properly show "full page", zoom to margin width, 
zoom to page width or zoom to two page view, based upon the chosen page 
size and type.  Remember that one's ability to zoom in Dia is restricted 
by the viewer's expectations of what they are seeing on the canvas.  If 
the canvas has no relationship to standard practices, it remains 
counter-productive to the process.  One can possibly learn to work 
around it, but it isn't easy.
>
> Also, I could find no directions on how to set the rulers to inches.  
Most things I've read say that is not possible.
>
> Further, what is a "segmented plot"?  I don't have a plotter, so does 
that help me on my printer?
>
> The fact remains that Dia, although very useful, has a non-standard 
way of addressing pages.  It forces users into doing things in a manner 
different from thirty years of practice.


Seriously? You can draw through pages in most vector programs I know (if 
not all) as a page is only a physical concept. In Inkscape page is only 
a suggestion as is in Adobe Flash (things might get cut out of view but 
they are still there). In diagramming programs like MS Visio, MS SQL 
Server (DB diagram designer), Rational Rose and EA Sparx pages are not 
even shown (or at least not by default). The page concept is more 
appropraite for printing the diagram only. Even in MS Word and OOo 
Writer you can use Web layout.

You've used the word "canvas". Maybe this is problem. You seem to be 
expecting behaviour of raster picture programs as the canvas is a 
concept used in those programs. You should probably read more about 
vector graphics and maybe then you will be more accustomed with the 
concepts used in Dia.

Regards,
Nux.