Xfig questions

[Howard Gibson]

On Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:49:47 -0500
David J Patrick <djp-tnsZcVQxgqO2dHQpreyxbg at public.gmane.org> wrote:

> Howard Gibson wrote:
> > 
> >    I just tried entering -90, and it worked fine.  I am on version 3.2 here. 
> and how does -35 work for you ?

   Xfig ignores the minus sign.  Note though that there are two rotate icons, CW and CCW.

> >>>> If I want to use fig to create (low-accuracy) scale floorplans, by 
> >>>> tracing over a CAD image, what's the best way to set up the scale ?
> >> I designed most of the caffe, including all of the "cabinetry", using 
> >> Qcad; good but overkill for the job at hand. The current mission is to 
> >> provide simple graphics and illustrations for a .. book.
> > 
> >    Save your QCAD image as PNG.  Load the PNG image into Xfig, and trace over that.  
> oh, you mean do it twice in two different drawing packages ... ?
> not if I can help it.
> 
> With regards to scaling floorplans, if I can make a canvas that is 
> (theoretically) 60ft wide by 30ft high, I can bring in a .png output of 
> the architectural drawing and scale it until it's close. Then tracing 
> over that should give me an approximately scaled master.
> 
> Another example is in trying to sketch out a planogram (retail display 
> map) for a given area, let's say it's 5ft x 2ft, if I can make a canvas 
> big enough, I should be able to create a master .fig and work in rough 
> scale.

   If I were doing this, I would use QCAD.  You can draw accurately to draw to scale and apply dimensions.  You can create blocks that accurately represent the objects that will be deployed in your retail display.  Consider modeling everything that will go into your display, possibly including someone's hands. 

   I am a mechanical designer, and I go all the way back to drafting boards.  I even have one in my computer room here.  There is a reason designers design stuff using scale drawings.  

-- 
Howard Gibson 
hgibson-MwcKTmeKVNQ at public.gmane.org
howardg-PadmjKOQAFn3fQ9qLvQP4Q at public.gmane.org 
http://home.eol.ca/~hgibson
--
The Toronto Linux Users Group.      Meetings: http://gtalug.org/
TLUG requests: Linux topics, No HTML, wrap text below 80 columns
How to UNSUBSCRIBE: http://gtalug.org/wiki/Mailing_lists