limitations

This area contains the messages from the old Yahoo cadintoshmac group after the port.
Ken Gillett
Posts: 0
Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2009 1:55 am

limitations

Post by Ken Gillett »

I’m coming across a number of areas where I think the Cadintosh interface could be improved:-Quick Layer It would be convenient to also be able to scroll up and down the layers one line at a time and also jump up and down by 100. Being able to enter the offset is also useful and still required, but sometimes you just want to click up and down. A couple of additional buttons should do it.Layer Filters This is driving me nuts. If I need to change the layers of a filter, currently I have to show the layers I want, then try to save it to the name I want, by typing it all in. Then find it won’t let me because that name already exists, so I have to back out and delete the original filter, try and save the current group again and have to again type in the same name as before because I forgot to copy it to the clipboard before backing out the last time. Then the same for the next one you want to change, until eventually you remember to delete the old layer first, but you cannot copy its name so you end up having to type every name, every time.Seems to me that when we save a filter, we need to be able to view all existing ones, be able to pick one to replace, just like a std File Save dialog box, or enter a new name. Also, it would be extremely useful to be able to view the layers of a filter and be able to edit them directly, so really easy to edit a filter to modify the list of layers it includes. It should be just a few simple clicks to e.g. add or delete a layer to or from an existing filter. Currently the potentially excellent Layer Filters feature is a nightmare to use and that really restricts its value.Adding Text Most of the time I want to just add a label, somewhere, anywhere. Absolute precision is simply not important. But before I can add any text label I HAVE to enter the co-ordinates of where it needs to go and usually I don’t know and don’t care. Just anywhere on screen and I’ll position it once I can see the label and how it fits into the drawing. I think we should be able to simply click on the drawing, type the text and have the label created there.Variables It would be so neat to be able to define a value as a variable and then be able to use the variable(s) later in e.g. calculations used in text labels. In particular I’d like to be able to ‘name' a defined and filled area and use that as a variable in a calculation to e.g. add several named areas and display the total area in a text label. Change the size of the area and the total would re-draw to reflect that change. Cadintosh already performs mathematical calculations in many places, all we need is to be able to associate a name with a value from an object and use those names in the mathematical calculations.Areas Having defined a complex area I so often need to modify it slightly. But currently I have to basically start from scratch again which can be very time consuming with complex areas. It would be very useful to be able to modify the defining outline of the area. I realise this could be tricky as the actual outline used to define the area need no longer exist, but there must be a way to be able to modify an area in this way to avoid having to always start again for even the most minor mods.A question about areas. When you click on the area, the information panel shows the size of the enclosed area, but is this dependent on the thickness of the lines used to define the area? Is the area considered to be contained within the defining lines, or are the boundaries point to point according to the intersections of the lines and independent of the lines’ thickness?Hopefully Thorsten can comment.Ken G i l l e t t_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
thorstenlemke
Posts: 0
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2016 12:00 pm

Re: limitations

Post by thorstenlemke »

Dear Ken,many thanks for your suggestions.We will check them.Thorsten I’m coming across a number of areas where I think the Cadintosh interface could be improved:-
Ken Gillett
Posts: 0
Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2009 1:55 am

Another question about layers

Post by Ken Gillett »

How are the layers ‘layered’. What’s the Z order of layers? What determines whether one layer is on top of, or underneath another layer?I thought it might be determined by the layer number, but that doesn’t match my observations. Should I be able to see black lines in a layer underneath another layer with e.g. 50% greyscale area over the lines? What are the rules that govern what layer is above or below any other layer and would that apply to all objects in the same layer? > On 17 Mar 2016, at 20:27, Thorsten Lemke lemke@lemkesoft.de [cadintoshmac] <cadintoshmac@yahoogroups.com> wrote:> > Dear Ken,> > > many thanks for your suggestions.> > We will check them.> > Thorsten>> >> >> I’m coming across a number of areas where I think the Cadintosh interface could be improved:-> Ken G i l l e t t_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
thorstenlemke
Posts: 0
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2016 12:00 pm

Re: Another question about layers

Post by thorstenlemke »

Hello Ken,the layers habe no order.But you can use the send to back option to send elements to the back.Thorsten How are the layers ‘layered’. What’s the Z order of layers? What determines whether one layer is on top of, or underneath another layer?I thought it might be determined by the layer number, but that doesn’t match my observations. Should I be able to see black lines in a layer underneath another layer with e.g. 50% greyscale area over the lines? What are the rules that govern what layer is above or below any other layer and would that apply to all objects in the same layer?> On 17 Mar 2016, at 20:27, Thorsten Lemke lemke@lemkesoft.de [cadintoshmac] <cadintoshmac@yahoogroups.com> wrote:> > Dear Ken,> > > many thanks for your suggestions.> > We will check them.> > Thorsten>> >> >> I’m coming across a number of areas where I think the Cadintosh interface could be improved:-> 
Ken Gillett
Posts: 0
Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2009 1:55 am

Re: Another question about layers

Post by Ken Gillett »

So what determines the default order of all objects displayed? Is it e.g. the order in which they were created? > On 19 Mar 2016, at 07:11, Thorsten Lemke lemke@lemkesoft.de [cadintoshmac] <cadintoshmac@yahoogroups.com> wrote:> > Hello Ken,> > > the layers habe no order.> > But you can use the send to back option to send elements to the back.> > Thorsten> >> >> How are the layers ‘layered’. What’s the Z order of layers? What determines whether one layer is on top of, or underneath another layer?>> >> I thought it might be determined by the layer number, but that doesn’t match my observations. Should I be able to see black lines in a layer underneath another layer with e.g. 50% greyscale area over the lines? >> >> What are the rules that govern what layer is above or below any other layer and would that apply to all objects in the same layer?>> >> > On 17 Mar 2016, at 20:27, Thorsten Lemke lemke@lemkesoft.de [cadintoshmac] <cadintoshmac@yahoogroups.com> wrote:>> > >> > Dear Ken,>> > >> > >> > many thanks for your suggestions.>> > >> > We will check them.>> > >> > Thorsten>> >> >> >> >> >> I’m coming across a number of areas where I think the Cadintosh interface could be improved:->> > >> > > Ken G i l l e t t_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
thorstenlemke
Posts: 0
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2016 12:00 pm

Re: Another question about layers

Post by thorstenlemke »

Yes, correct.Thorsten So what determines the default order of all objects displayed? Is it e.g. the order in which they were created?
Ken Gillett
Posts: 0
Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2009 1:55 am

Re: Another question about layers

Post by Ken Gillett »

Ok, understand that. But another couple of points:-Is there any way to copy the layer names in bulk? E.g. I have named layers 0-99. That took long enough, but I want to apply those same names to layers from 100-199. And 200-299 etc. Is there not a way to simply select all 100 names and paste them onto another group of layers. It really is too time consuming to have to manually enter over 1000 names.Also, I think I may have asked this before, but I would REALLY like to be able to copy objects from one layer to another. I know I can ‘move’ objects between layers, individually and/or in a group and that works great, but so often I actually want to duplicate those objects, i.e. ‘copy’ them to a different layer without having to duplicate the entire layer which is usually entirely inappropriate and not possible. Could we not be able to specify when setting up the layer tool, that any selected objects are to be ‘copied’ and not ‘moved’. Many tools require the input of a 0 or 1 to specify whether an object be moved or copied, could we not have that same facility with the layer tool? I know I would find that immensely useful. > On 19 Mar 2016, at 07:31, Thorsten Lemke lemke@lemkesoft.de [cadintoshmac] <cadintoshmac@yahoogroups.com> wrote:> > Yes, correct.> > > Thorsten>> >> >> So what determines the default order of all objects displayed? Is it e.g. the order in which they were created?> > Ken G i l l e t t_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
RowlandCarson
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2016 10:56 am

Re: Another question about layers

Post by RowlandCarson »

On 2016-03-19, at 12:59, Ken Gillett kengroups@ukgb.net [cadintoshmac] <cadintoshmac@yahoogroups.com> wrote: > I would REALLY like to be able to copy objects from one layer to another I second that proposal!in friendshipRowland: Rowland Carson ... that's Rowland with a 'w' ...: <rowlandcarson@gmail.com> http://www.rowlandcarson.org.uk: Skype, Twitter: rowland_carson Facebook: Rowland Carson: pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/rowlandcarson
thorstenlemke
Posts: 0
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2016 12:00 pm

Re: Another question about layers

Post by thorstenlemke »

Attachments :Dear Rowland,you can transfer the content from one layer to another with the transfer function in the layer menu.Thorsten On 2016-03-19, at 12:59, Ken Gillett kengroups@ukgb.net [cadintoshmac] <cadintoshmac@yahoogroups.com> wrote:> I would REALLY like to be able to copy objects from one layer to anotherI second that proposal!in friendshipRowland
RowlandCarson
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2016 10:56 am

Re: Another question about layers

Post by RowlandCarson »

On 2016-03-19, at 15:07, Thorsten Lemke lemke@lemkesoft.de [cadintoshmac] <cadintoshmac@yahoogroups.com> wrote: > you can transfer the content from one layer to another with the transfer function in the layer menu. Thorsten - I have done that, but what Ken & I would like to see is the possibility of selecting one object from among many in layer A and copying that object only to layer B. Perhaps I have misunderstood, and there is already an easy way to do that, but I have not been able to find it!in friendshipRowland: Rowland Carson ... that's Rowland with a 'w' ...: <rowlandcarson@gmail.com> http://www.rowlandcarson.org.uk: Skype, Twitter: rowland_carson Facebook: Rowland Carson: pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/rowlandcarson
Post Reply