Re: [RFR] templates://tgif/{tgif.templates}
On Sun, 2 Jan 2011, Justin B Rye wrote:
Carlo Segre wrote:
I think there might be value in allowing the user to select a measurement
which differs from the locale. As a scientist, I prefer working in
metric on my drawings even though I live in en_US.utf8 locale. For the
papersize, I could see making the selection based on LC_PAPER once I
figure out how to do it...
If you want to use US spellings and US dollars but prefer metric
units, set LC_MEASUREMENT. If you insist on using centimetres for
some apps (such as OpenOffice and The GIMP) and inches in others
(such as Emacs and Tgif), it seems to me you'd be prepared to edit
the config-files appropriately. After all, none of those others ask
questions like this on install, do they?
Probably not but other drawing packages most likely allow for a unit
switch from the GUI as the user wishes. At this point tgif is not letting
that be done (probably a "classic" behavior).
Tgif (originally the "Tangram Graphic Interface Facility") is a
classic drawing program for 2D vector graphics which supports
hierarchical construction of drawings and easy navigation between
sets of drawings.
"Hierarchical construction" doesn't really convey whatever it was
they were hoping to tell me. I suppose it's talking about the way
(following what's now standard operating procedure for vector
editors) it works by creating hierarchically grouped "objects". But
are the "sets of drawings" all on one grid, or in separate .obj
files, or what? And what less easy navigation mechanism do its
competitors use?
I think it is because it has some kind of hyperlinking scheme but I have
not personally used it so I cannot really describe what it it provides
compared to other programs. It can be dropped as far as I am concerned.
Maybe just boil the first three paragraphs down to:
Tgif (originally the "Tangram Graphic Interface Facility") is a
classic drawing program for 2D vector graphics. Image objects
can be hierarchically constructed out of primitives such as
polygons, text, and splines (though the splines Tgif draws are
not Bézier curves).
.
Tgif natively supports PostScript formats suitable for LaTeX, and
basic X11 bitmap/pixmap formats. Other vector and raster image
formats such as SVG and PNG can be handled via filters.
X11 bitmap files, X11 pixmap files (version 1.0 only) and
Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) files can be imported into tgif and be
represented as tgif primitive objects. Files in other raster formats
(e.g, JPEG, TIFF, etc.) can also be imported through the use of
external tools which convert them into X11 pixmap files.
Or to summarise, "and the same goes for importing". So if we just
make sure we use vague terms like "handle" instead of "export" the
first time round we can drop this whole paragraph.
OK with me.
Except maybe it should state more clearly that its .xpm *output*
format is also (presumably) a stupendously obsolete version?
Suggested wording is appreciated. I tried to convey this with the version
number.
Tgif stores drawings as a list of objects in a text file with a
.obj extension and individual building block objects in a symbol
file with a .sym extension. Both types of files are stored in the
form of Prolog facts. Prolog code can be written to interpret the
drawings.
Summarising:
.
Tgif stores drawings as .obj files and individual building-block
objects as .sym files, both in Prolog-compatible factfile format.
But if this is anything more than an amusing quirk, shouldn't tgif
suggest gprolog or something?
Whatever is suggested would be fine with me. I'll wait for the final
patch.
Carlo
--
Carlo U. Segre -- Professor of Physics
Associate Dean for Graduate Admissions, Graduate College
Illinois Institute of Technology
Voice: 312.567.3498 Fax: 312.567.3494
segre@iit.edu http://www.iit.edu/~segre segre@debian.org
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