Re: Wishlist

[Lars Clausen <lrclause cs uiuc edu>]

On 22 Jan 2002, Gérard Milmeister wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> First, thanks for the great software!

Thank you!

> I have a few issues:
> 1. Zigzaglines (for example the UML inheritance lines) only work
> in one direction, that is arrows point only upwards or downwards.
> However I would like to be able to connect sideways to class objects.

This is a known problem, but with no simple solution.  There is a
work-around in the FAQ (http://www.lysator.liu.se/~alla/dia/faq.html).

> 2. There are not enough anchor points on class objects. It is sometimes
> clearer if one could connect to different points on the bottom of class
> objects.

This is also answered in the FAQ.

> 3. Properties in class objects are always in Courier font. Frankly I
> detest Courier, and I would like to set fonts globally.

That's a problem in the implementation of the Class object.  It's one of
the most complicated objects in Dia, and therefore hasn't been updated as
much as the other objects.

> 4. The alignment operations seem to be broken. When I select several
> objects stacked one above the other and do Align Vertical Equal
> Distance, this is done, but the order of the objects change. 

I know this problem, and it has irked me in the past.  Basically, the
ordering becomes the reverse of the order of selection.  Rather silly,
really.  I shall take a look at this.

> Also when I do Align Center on two objects, this also works, but BOTH
> objects change position. I would rather like that e.g. the first object
> is fixed, and the second object changes position relative to the first
> one.

Selecting the right place to align them around isn't an obvious decision.
You may want them centered around their common center (as it is now),
around their topmost/leftmost member (for align horizontal/vertical) as you
suggest, or even around the first object selected.  All three make sense.

> 5. How do I export a diagram e.g. to ps such that I know that fonts will
> be e.g. 12pt.

There isn't really any way to do that now.  We are severely missing a
better measurement unit selection scheme.

You've pointed out a number of known problems in Dia, that we'd love to
fix.  If you can help, that would be heartily welcome.

-Lars

-- 
Lars Clausen (http://shasta.cs.uiuc.edu/~lrclause)| Hårdgrim of Numenor
"I do not agree with a word that you say, but I   |----------------------------
will defend to the death your right to say it."   | Where are we going, and
    --Evelyn Beatrice Hall paraphrasing Voltaire  | what's with the handbasket?