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Author Topic: unstable connection lines  (Read 6838 times)

Don Wilde

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unstable connection lines
« on: January 04, 2012, 06:43:38 am »
Hello, all -

I'd like to raise a cosmetic issue that drives me nuts. I use the orthogonal-rounded lines to group inheritance subclasses and I find it to be difficult to a) line up the connectors consistently and b) have them stay put between sessions.

It is disheartening to set up diagram nicely and come back to find all my lines overlapping my elements or reshaped randomly. I've tried various grid options but none of them seem to work for the connectors. The dragger is fairly effective and its heuristics are good, but that's not all of it.

TIA!
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Thelonius

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Re: unstable connection lines
« Reply #1 on: January 04, 2012, 07:00:51 am »
I have had the same problem for years now. Reported but doesn't seem as though it will ever be fixed. Text on connector lines move around and does not stay where I've put it after saving the diagram. Frustrating. Makes diagrams look tatty. :(
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skiwi

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Re: unstable connection lines
« Reply #2 on: January 04, 2012, 11:48:14 am »
snap

I also find it disconcerting to move one end of a connector and find the other end moves too (it should not), or the line snap from one place to another.
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Orthogonality rules
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Paolo F Cantoni

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Re: unstable connection lines
« Reply #3 on: January 04, 2012, 01:58:04 pm »
Quote
snap

I also find it disconcerting to move one end of a connector and find the other end moves too (it should not), or the line snap from one place to another.
Is this even after fixing the ends?

Paolo
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skiwi

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Re: unstable connection lines
« Reply #4 on: January 04, 2012, 02:41:59 pm »
No, but when I move one end (rather than the line) that is all I want to move, and IMHO the other end should remain (temporarily) fixed.
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Orthogonality rules
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Don Wilde

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Re: unstable connection lines
« Reply #5 on: January 06, 2012, 08:51:28 am »
I would note that the amount of time it takes to fix the diagrams each time I come in is both depressing and noted by Those Above.

I like the features of this tool but I and Those Above do NOT like the cosmetic problems because one of the usages for the tool is communicating up the management chain.

Fair warning: my Manager is about to buy a copy (if he hasdn't already) and he will raise holy heck about issues like this.  :P
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qwerty

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Re: unstable connection lines
« Reply #6 on: January 06, 2012, 09:07:18 am »
After many years using EA I finally got used to it. Also I have a couple of add-ins assisting me. But whenever it comes to teaching others layout in EA I have to admit: not possible. The number of prefetches you have to do in your brain stack is simply too large for average users. User friendliness was not one of the non-funcional requirements when Mr. Sparx designed his tool. And it has never been in the focus of the people developing it further. I see they tried their way. But it's not my way. Maybe their understanding of user friendliness is just different as they come from planet Sparx.

q.
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Don Wilde

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Re: unstable connection lines
« Reply #7 on: January 06, 2012, 09:15:13 am »
For me the most aggravating problem is that things move between usages. I can live with the rest of it.  ;)
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Paolo F Cantoni

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Re: unstable connection lines
« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2012, 03:48:55 pm »
Quote
For me the most aggravating problem is that things move between usages. I can live with the rest of it.  ;)
You only THINK you CAN...

For the present I MUST live with it...  but I really CAN'T / WON'T.

Paolo
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Don Wilde

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Re: unstable connection lines
« Reply #9 on: January 07, 2012, 02:00:25 am »
I choose to adapt, so I can get my work done. However, adaptation may eventually include discovering a better tool.

Nonetheless, if it will leave my connectors where I put them, that last adaptation may be postponed a while.
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