Adding new shapes.

[Michael Ross <michael e ross gmail com>]

Hello,

New guy here. Not a programmer. But would like to contribute.

I came to Dia because Visio is no fun and I couldn't see how to add to
the stencils.  I am a convert and I would like to learn what I can
about the creation of shapes.  The docs that are available on shape
creation are skimpy, and that might be a place where I can help out. 
Since I can't program I am probably a good person to produce
instructions that a "lay user" could follow.

But I need to get a really good grip on the creation and management of shapes. 

In looking at the shape files and sheet files themselves I can see how
to add and delete connection points and similar things.  But if the is
a more organised way to learn about the format and syntax for these
files I would like to know about it.  I have tried a number of changes
that seemed like they should work and gotten crashes to the system at
start up.  That tells me right away that trial and error in learning
to make shapes could be arduous and not time efficient.

I started looking in the archives and that is too much.  I did notice
that Alan Horkan has been working the shapes beat for years (that is
why I copied you Alan).  Alan, et al, are there some notes, mailing
list threads, tutorials, etc. that you all can steer me towards?

I thought I would start out slow and try to make a rectangle with a
text box in it (like the Jackson Domain shape).  I wasn't successful. 
That seems like something anyone trying to make a new shape should be
able to do.

Once that is accomplished it would be good to know how to manipulate
the line style and thickness.  How does one manipulate the location of
the text and generally how does one handle the Cartesian coordinates
of entities and connection points.  How is the shape properties dialog
box put together?  How does one make a proper .png file and control
the size of it for display in the palettes?  And so on...

If you all will spend time with me to figuring this out, I am willing
to try and capture the experience for posterity.  I

It is also, possible that I have no business trying to do this at all.
 You all can let me know about that - I can take it.


Michael Ross
=================================
Cycling in Central North Carolina
Linear LWB, Greenspeed GTO, BikeE CT