Adding new shapes [Re: Dia]

[Alan Horkan <horkana maths tcd ie>]

On Sat, 25 Jan 2003 foo@cape.com wrote:

> >Alex isn't working on Dia anymore, he's gone on to deeper things (GTK).
> >I'm CC:ing Alan Horkan, though, as he's our shape maintainer and he may
> >have other ideas for what you could do.


> >> I work for an ISP in Massachhusetts, us.
> >> I started using dia about two weeks ago to draw a few
> >> network diagrams(linux version). I origianlly downloaded dia a
> >> long time ago and played with it for a few hours, but now I'm
> >> actually using it. It's excellent. I'm attempting to train
> >> someone on how to setup wans and the like with t1's, broadband,
> >> static ips et all. My Q is: is there anything I migfht be able to help
> >> with on the Dia project? I'm not a coder, just a network geek,
> >> so I can't help code anything. I see on the website that
> >> there no examples listed. I'd be happy to send you some network
> >> examples in .dia and .png format. If you can think of anything
> >> I might be able to help with, let me know.

> I have never read the documentation, I just wing it. I'll read over the docos though
> and see where they can use some updating.

I would quite like to get the Dia Manual converted from SGML DocBook to
XML DocBook.

> >Also, as you are network users, we'd like to hear what could be improved in
> >the network shapes.  We have a release coming up soon, after that we plan
> >to work on the user interface for a while.  Ideas on what could be done are
> >most welcome.
> >

> I'll in the doco somewhere I assume find how to make shapes.

look at exisiting examples,
as much as possible draw the shape in Dia then export as .shape
read this
http://www.lysator.liu.se/~alla/dia/faq.html
specifically
http://www.lysator.liu.se/~alla/dia/faq.html#AddingShapes
and
http://www.lysator.liu.se/~alla/dia/custom-shapes

Dia has been written about in several linux books, i think i found a new
source not mentioned on the website yet but i need to read it more
carefully as it might just be a duplicate of exisiting material.

http://www.lysator.liu.se/~alla/dia/custom-shapes
While trying to find out what SADT stands for i found this:
http://datamining.csiro.au/debian/book/SADT.html

which may or not be a HTML version of this chapter from The Gnome Desktop,
which is mentioned on the Dia website.
http://www.togaware.com/linuxbook/dia.html

> There are certain netowrk devices that are often used (specifically
> cisco routers, watchguard firewall boxes and the like). An idea I had

I think that some one (possibly Ian Redfern) made up a Cisco sheet.
I should hunt through the archives for it and file a bug report about
getting it added to the distribution.

> for my own use was to make shapes specifically for specific devices that
> I throw into diagrams over and over. This would save time labelling them
> after they've been inserted.

I have previously read on the list about people who keep a template file
and then they copy and paste from there.

> I only use it for network diagrams but I could make examples for
> dias otehr uses too as time permits.

Sincerely

Alan Horkan
http://advogato.org/person/AlanHorkan/