Graphics Editors- which program?

[throbscottle]

I'd never heard of TGIF. Can't say I'm in a rush to try it...

 

[Grossel]

I started using Inkscape somewhere around 2008, and I stuck with it

When getting used to layers and stuff, it's pretty easy to insert an image (schematic) - add another layer to hide what parts to remove (put a white figure over it to make it gone) and adding a third layer to add new/modified components onto the image. I've used that method to provide help.

And - my avatare is made entirely in Inkscape.

 

[RadioRon]

I used to use Visio a lot but was not willing to buy it for myself after leaving the last job. So, after checking out a few others, which I didn't like, I settled on Open Office Draw and found it familar and easy to use, similar to visio.

 

[spec]

I started using Inkscape somewhere around 2008, and I stuck with it

When getting used to layers and stuff, it's pretty easy to insert an image (schematic) - add another layer to hide what parts to remove (put a white figure over it to make it gone) and adding a third layer to add new/modified components onto the image. I've used that method to provide help.

And - my avatare is made entirely in Inkscape.

Hi Grossel,

Thanks for info on Inkscape. I am particularly interested in that package because it gets positive reviews and, of course, it is free. It is good to know that you have been using it since 2008 as that means it must be pretty good. I haven't tried InkScape yet- still wrestling with Illustrator, on and off that is.

spec

 

[spec]

I used to use Visio a lot but was not willing to buy it for myself after leaving the last job. So, after checking out a few others, which I didn't like, I settled on Open Office Draw and found it familar and easy to use, similar to visio.

Thanks RR,

You are the third person who uses Open Office Draw, so that is another package worth taking for a spin.

spec

 

[RadioRon]

Coming from Visio, there is one thing that bugs me about OODraw that I haven't taken the time to figure out yet. To draw a straight line, you choose the Line tool by clicking it. After you have drawn the line, the tool selection automatically reverts to the Select arrow. I want the selection to stay the Line tool so that I can draw more lines. I can get it to stay a bit longer by selecting the Line tool with a double click instead of a single click, in which case it does not automatically revert, but it will revert as soon as you do anything besides draw another line. I am used to Visio where it would stay with that tool until you choose a different one. Wish I could get the automatic revert-to-arrow to be OFF.
The double click seems to make sense, but coming from Visio where you tended to be more locked in to the last selected tool, it is a bit different and can irritate.

After you try it, tell us if you agree with me, or am I missing something.

 

[Ian Rogers]

If you use the line tool this happens... However if you select the line tool from the "Lines and Arrows" a bit further along the toolbar, the selection is maintained..

 

[throbscottle]

I just tried drawing lots of lines with Libre Office Draw (forked from OOo with a different license). So I double click the line tool, draw some lines, double click the rectangle tool, draws some rectangles. Ok, do something else I take it you mean apart from selecting another drawing tool. Ok back to the line tool. So now I try changing paragraph and font formatting - still keeps the line tool. I can paste text - still keeps the line tool so long as I don't click the text. Actually if I just click the page and don't draw anything, it loses the tool.
Line tool is staying on whatever kind of ending I set. I can change a line I've drawn and the tool is still on what I was just using.
Ok Ron, it does exactly what I think it should and what I think you mean you think it should. Maybe you should try Libre Office...

 

[RadioRon]

If you use the line tool this happens... However if you select the line tool from the "Lines and Arrows" a bit further along the toolbar, the selection is maintained..

I tried it again and do not find it as you suggest. In my case, choosing from the Lines and Arrows has the same behavior as choosing the Line tool.

 

[RadioRon]

I just tried drawing lots of lines with Libre Office Draw (forked from OOo with a different license). So I double click the line tool, draw some lines, double click the rectangle tool, draws some rectangles. Ok, do something else I take it you mean apart from selecting another drawing tool. Ok back to the line tool. So now I try changing paragraph and font formatting - still keeps the line tool. I can paste text - still keeps the line tool so long as I don't click the text. Actually if I just click the page and don't draw anything, it loses the tool.
Line tool is staying on whatever kind of ending I set. I can change a line I've drawn and the tool is still on what I was just using.
Ok Ron, it does exactly what I think it should and what I think you mean you think it should. Maybe you should try Libre Office...

With Visio, I got into the habit of clicking out in empty space to de-select the current line segment. It is that habit that is causing the problem. When you do that with Visio, the tool selection does not revert to anything else. I think I got into this habit because my method was to draw a line or two and then select them and adjust them. My memory is a bit hazy on this.

I just loaded LibreOffice and tried it. On first glance, it behaves exactly as OO Draw does, so still a bit irritating. But for others, it would not be unless they have the same habit that I do. Thanks for suggesting Libre Office, I like the layout of it better than Open Office and will make it my main office tool.

edit: Perhaps we need a separate thread for this, but....now I've played with LibreOffice a bit and I see why it bugs me. I often want to draw shapes with multiple line segments. These are not closed polygons, just random stuff. Let's say I put down the first line by double clicking the line tool and drawing it. The line is displayed with little squares at the ends. Now, if I try to begin my next line at the end of the first line I can't do it because as long as those little squares are there, the program only lets me move the end point of the first line, not to add to it. To draw another line, I have to click out in empty space and then double click the line tool again. How do I add my next line segment without doing all this clicking. In Visio, I can draw my first line, then immediately draw my second line starting at the end of the first. I can't do that in Draw.

second edit: I decided to seek help from the OpenOffice forum about this problem that I have, and got a quick resolution. The way to do what I want to do turns out to be not difficult. I have to start with the polygon tool instead of the line tool, draw my lines one after the other, and then with the polygon selected, right click and then select "Break". This turns all the line segments into individual objects, which is what I want. Not quite as intuitive as visio, but better than what I was doing up till now.

In summary, it seems that OpenOffice Draw or Libre Office Draw probably give you the functionality of Visio, but you will have to relearn a few things, as did I .

 

[Ian Rogers]

Ah... You want polygon.... Draw line then draw line then draw line.. Select curve ( next to text ) in there you will find polygon and filled polygon...

Whoops!! I see you already have the answer from OO...

The "Curve" menu should be renamed "free form"...

 

[spec]

...Perhaps we need a separate thread for this...

Hi RR,

Your posts, and the other posts, are very interesting and informative and are about vector drawing packages, so it would be much appreciated if all posts, however detailed, could be kept here.

spec

 

[Ian Rogers]

In summary, it seems that OpenOffice Draw or Libre Office Draw probably give you the functionality of Visio, but you will have to relearn a few things, as did I .

Actually... The whole OO suite is more complex than Microsoft's office... I can do more with OO but, as you said, finding the functionality is the issue...

 

[ronsimpson]

OO suite

Right now I am playing with OO Draw on the Raspberry Pi III. I see there is a grid and buttons to snap to grid. I just don't know how to make it work.
The good news it has snap to grid. (VIEW/GRID) & (VIEW/SNAP LINES) The bad is I don't know how. lol

Very good news. VISIO has a function where you can connect objects.
Example: Draw a square with text. "Function 1" Draw a circle "Do step two". Now connect with a line. When you move the circle the connecting line stays connected. Good for flow charts.
OO Draw has that function. And it took only seconds to make it work.

 

[spec]

Right now I am playing with OO Draw on the Raspberry Pi III. I see there is a grid and buttons to snap to grid. I just don't know how to make it work.
The good news it has snap to grid. (VIEW/GRID) & (VIEW/SNAP LINES) The bad is I don't know how. lol

Very good news. VISIO has a function where you can connect objects.
Example: Draw a square with text. "Function 1" Draw a circle "Do step two". Now connect with a line. When you move the circle the connecting line stays connected. Good for flow charts.
OO Draw has that function. And it took only seconds to make it work.

Sounds good Ron,

What is the response time like with the Pi3?

spec

 

[ronsimpson]

What is the response time like with the Pi3?

It is (+/-) about what my lap top is doing.

I am about to mount it to the back side of my monitor.
I have a wireless mouse and wireless keyboard from the junk pile working.
It is connected via 2.4ghz and not plugged in to the wall.
I have used them on any HDMI monitor or HDMI TV.

I don't have a program that works it hard (yet).
The single core ARM board had problems with youtube.com but this quad core runs video just fine. I almost never see the CPU usage meter above 25%.
----edited----
I think there is a version of Eagle CAD that will run on the Pi. At that point I might move away from Windows. (Tax program is windows only....) Most of what I do can be done on the Pi. (LTSpice...... thought of another)

I now use OO on the PC so seeing it on the Pi seems right.

 

[atferrari]

I have been using Corel Draw for more than 15 years now. Still today with Corel Draw 11, I managed to do all I wanted. All my schematics I draw them in CD and then "print" them in .pdf.

Sincerely I cannot recall the steepness of the learning curve but by doing things I needed it was the smooth climbing of a long ladder. Easier? Hard? When you become familiar you tend to feel OK with it.

 

[spec]

I have been using Corel Draw for more than 15 years now. Still today with Corel Draw 11, I managed to do all I wanted. All my schematics I draw them in CD and then "print" them in .pdf.

Sincerely I cannot recall the steepness of the learning curve but by doing things I needed it was the smooth climbing of a long ladder. Easier? Hard? When you become familiar you tend to feel OK with it.

Ah yes Corel Draw. That was the first killer graphics program. For some reason it was never used at work so I never got to give it a whirl.

So you draw schematics with CD- is that using your own library of symbols or does CD have a schematics capture facility?

spec