Re: Business Process Mapping

[larsrc raeder dk]

>
>
> I am working for a government department that is interested in mapping
> (and
> managing) business processes (workflow). What we need is a customisable
> tool
> that allows us to draw the maps and save them as xml.

That does sound like what Dia does.

> Your product looks interesting. Can it do the following (or be easily
> extended)
> -
>
> a) Use svg gradients to fill the shapes

Cannot currently be done.  Adding it would require adding the interface to
control the gradients as well as extending the renderes to support it. 
While I don't believe there's anything deeply complicated about it, there
would be some amount of work involved.

> b) Stop users from changing the size of the shapes
> c) Hide the basic shapes toolbox
> d) Hide the basic properties grid

Are these three together intended to be a 'view-only' version, or a
version where you can examine the diagram and edit only a subset?  While
each change could probably be done fairly easily, knowing the intention
behind them would allow for better solutions.  And I'm not sure what you
refer to as the 'basic properties grid'.

> e) Display an optional extended properties grid e.g. label

Not sure what you mean here.

> f) Redraw the connections as shapes are repositioned

That is already there, that's one of Dia's main functionalities.

>
> PS I might be able to do some of the coding required

That would probably be necessary, us maintainers are already spending all
the time we can on other matters.  Unless we get a monetary compensation,
we will only scratch that which itches us:)

> A map looks like this
>
> (See attached file: viewer.svg)

I can only view this file partially.  Could you provide us with a PNG or
GIF version?

-Lars