[artworks] Ideas for new version

  • From: Richard Underwood <Artworks@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: artworks@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2007 10:47:13 +0000 (GMT)

On 10 Jan, Gavin Crawford <gav@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> In article <4ea219c7fdArtworks@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
>    Richard Underwood <Artworks@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> > You have mentioned multi-page layout. This would be
> > very welcome.  If it were implemented I feel that it would be best to
> > have the pages scrollable like Impression pages so that objects can be
> > freely dragged around between pages, not like an "workbook" arrangement
> > where you can only have one page showing at a time.

> I don't feel that multipage handling is particularly an important
> feature, as any ArtWorks document can be imported into Impression or
> Ovation Pro to create a multipage layout. But if ArtWorks does receive
> multipage capabilities I would NOT want to see it done as scrollable
> pages in one view as the ability to use the scroll bars to navigate
> around one page becomes more difficult when the vertical scrollbar
> becomes small and it's sensitivity in relation to the page increases.
> All this means is that you end up having to use the 'Move page' hand
> tool which is generally less sensitive than the scrollbar is when
> viewing a single page as is currently the case.

The reason I would prefer a multipage layout using scrollbars is because
if the multipages were in a "workbook" format then there seems little
advantage in having a multipage layout at all as opposed to simply having
a group of AW files stored in a directory.
In a spreadsheet type programme (such as excel) distinctly separate pages
of different dimensions connected mathematically within one file forming a
"workbook" seems to be an ideal solution.
In a drawing programme the requirements are different and there is most
likely going to be a requirement to juggle bits around between pages.
I guess the most likely use of multipage files is to produce consecutively
printed pages of the same dimension, for duplex or pamphlet printing
either directly or via pdf creation. I feel that these "DTP" type
operations would be best presented on screen in a familiar DTP fashion,
i.e using scroll bars.

> > Artworks file import by drag and drop 
> > [Snip]
> > This problem is exacerbated by the
> > presence of the newer Artworks objects which cannot be preserved in
> > Draw Files.

> I wouldn't say that cut and paste is that difficult to use, and the use
> of 'Paste in place' ctrl+Shift+V makes it easy enough to place things in
> the correct position from one document into another.
> But I don't understand your reference to draw files, are you exporting
> ArtWorks objects to draw files just to transfer them to other
> documents?

I use artworks commercially -as I presume you do- and much of the work I
do involves the constant use and re-use of a set images and text blocks
created / assembled in Artworks.  Many other drawing programmes have built
in libraries to store such frequently used 'clips', sadly Artworks does
not have such a library system (I forgot to mention that on my wish list!).

In the absence of a built in library the next best thing would be to store
the clips in a third party clip art programme, but they all work using the
familiar riscos drag and drop fashion....and !Artworks doesn't, that is if
the file is an !Artworks file.

I am sure you appreciate that in a commercial environment software choices
cannot simply be limited to "can it be done" but have to include "done
more easily/better/quicker than".  My experience is that if too many AW
operations involve several steps then employees, not familiar with RISCOS
tend to simply write off RISCOS/Artworks as being
"too cumbersome/difficult to learn", and edge their way across the bench
to Mac os/Win pc.

BTW, I find the PDF export facility in !Artworks to be excellent, fast and
reliable -far superior to any pdf creation I have encountered via
!printers, well done Martin for that, but I only wish it could produce
more than one page! 

Cheers,
Richard

-- 
Richard E. Underwood - Oakberry Farm

    

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