More features (was: Re: thanks for nothing)

[Hans Breuer <hans breuer org>]

At 30.01.2014 20:39, Slavko wrote:
> Dňa Thu, 30 Jan 2014 06:41:34 -0800 Octavio Alvarez
[...]
> > This could be great feedback on usability for the project, either to
> > improve documentation or to improve the interface itself.
>
> For me, the most missing GUI parts are:
>
> + toolbar with my common task (best is customization) - properties
>    (colors, etc), bring to front/back, align...
Placing actions already available in the menu should be an easy task given 
the right selection. Customization would require some deeper knowledge of 
GTK. The hardest part would probaly be to put some of Dia's custom property 
widgets into the toolbar and en/dis-able them based on the current object 
selection.

> + there is not a cursor change, when it is above the object resize
>    point, the GUI feedback is missing
Available with Dia master by 
https://git.gnome.org/browse/dia/commit/?id=24feeaac0d9cb7e906f734bea1b7593acca8e8c9

> + snap to objects around, see below
>
> There is a simple interface to select the line width and colors (below
> the shape list), but this affect only new shapes, not existing. And the
> recently colors in this interface is not corresponding with the recent
> colors from object's properties...
Not sure if you are asking for the Palette preset in the Select color 
dialog. That's just the standard dialog from GTK. The color menu in the 
Object properties dialog is specific to Dia including it's recent entries 
management. But given that the latter again uses the former (More 
colors...) I prefer to not duplicate the recent entries in the Select color 
dialog.

> When i try similar software, i see as really useful the snap to
> neighboring (or another at all) shapes directly while putting, moving or
> resizing the object. There was simple (temporary) snap lines drew, when
> the object's borders are near another object.
Dynamic guides would certainly be a nice addtion to Dia. I have no plans to 
implment them myself, though ;)

> The snapping is missing for me, e.g. for flowcharts. I want to have
> flowchart shapes aligned to center. But it is terrible to center them
> while moving the object. Yes, i know about snap to grid, but when the
> objects takes different width, it is terrible and i must to use menu
> for this. Yes, i can set the same width for shapes, but writing into
> the shape sometime resize it - there is not a text wrap option?
Most of these issue are adressed in the development version by:
https://git.gnome.org/browse/dia/log/?id=4e73db4ad9ab4b9f84a86e8091e40be93688b262&qt=range&q=35771b06ef30e669ae450d21137ed77ff8bf5e15..7820801e0f8ec4359b2d8098f92528d567482149

> Recently i used some UML shapes for another purpose (the class is nice
> shape with big title - then i used it to describe Raspberry Pi IO
> pins), but the auto-width was very tiresome for me :-( I solved it by
> adding some spaces in property names, but have a option to allow set the
> exact dimensions (e.g. by mouse) would be super.
Implemented on Dia master:
https://git.gnome.org/browse/dia/commit/?id=4e73db4ad9ab4b9f84a86e8091e40be93688b262

> Allowing to hide (enable/disable, not delete) whole shape lists is
> missing too. Now i have a lot of shapes (Debian's package with extra
> shapes). When i am searching some shape, the list of lists is growing,
> but i cannot remove individual items from it, only clear whole list.
I was thinking about this one as well, but did not come up with a good UI 
idea. Maybe replace the current approach with some autocompleting, 
read-only combobox of all the shape names?

> In this list of shape lists i have three shape lists separated by line
> and they are not deleted with others. But i cannot remember how i add
> them here :-) Then i cannot change add nor delete these special
> items now...
These are not added by you, but the preset is hardcoded in app/toolbox.c

> I can create the custom shapes list, by moving shapes from another
> lists, or enable/disable individual shapes in list. But adding new line
> from GUI is not preserved.
That's apparently a bug still available with the current development 
version. Best to be rported with bugzilla to not be forgotten again.

> Better SVG support can drastically improve the shapes (and then whole
> diagram) look too. IMO the most missing part are the color transitions
> (eh my poor English - set the two /or more/ colors to transition from
> one to another) and transparency.
SVG import got vastly improved recently. There even is some radial and 
linear gradient support. See 
https://git.gnome.org/browse/dia/log/?qt=grep&q=gradient and 
https://git.gnome.org/browse/dia/log/?qt=grep&q=svg%3A for the details. A 
basic gradient editor and gradient support for shapes is still missing.

> End for now :-) It can seem, that i can tell only bad things about dia,
> but i exactly mention what i feel as missing and i do not waste time
> with writing what is cool ;-) Perhaps i forgot to mention something,
> and perhaps i don't know how to do some things only.
Thanks for the exhaustive list although - to me - it mostly does not seem 
to be geared towards beginners problems ;-)

Regards,
        Hans

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