Objects

Diagram Designer	Objects

Diagram Designer implements and uses a variety of objects, each with its own set of properties (see separate page for more information).  Objects are available to the user

• on the toolbar,
• on the standard template (loaded automatically at startup) - see diagram following,
• through some menu items (ie. GroupObject, InheritedLayer) which convert other objects and
• by importing into Diagram Designer (ie. BitmapObject).

Objects fall into 2 distinct categories:

 

Diagram Designer's graphics objects are:

NAME	TYPE	COMMENTS
StraightLine	Atomic	This is a straight line, as implemented both in the toolbar and on the standard template.  Arrows are a subset of straight lines; only the end styles are changed.
ConnectorLine	Atomic	This object appears on the toolbar (referred to as a Connector), and on the standard template (as Connector or AxisLine).  It is a collection of 3 intimately joined lines, automatically adjusting lengths and position as a single endpoint is moved.  Endpoints may have a variety of styles; this is only a property and not a separate object.
CurveLine	Atomic	This object is a genuine curve, with multiple deflection points as needed.  It appears only on the toolbar.
TextObject	Atomic	This object is a generic container for text only.  Properties for this object are only designed to manipulate text; only the text is visible.  Text objects appears on the standard template.
RectangleObject	Atomic	Rectangles are available on the toolbar and on the standard template.  Rectangles are simple 4 sided figures as per the geometric definition.
EllipseObject	Atomic	Ellipse objects are available from the toolbar and on the standard template.  Note that circles are only a subset of ellipses, with the horizontal and vertical axes of equal length.
GroupObject	Composite	Group objects are created from other objects, using a menu item (Object/Group or right-click context menu).  Group objects can be disassembled using Ungroup, making them unique in the collection of composite objects.  Group objects cannot be resized.
PolygonObject	Composite	Polygons are available on the standard template (4 sided only), but may also be created from a collection of lines.  They can be edited to create new vertices (or link points).  Polygons cannot be disassembled.
BitmapObject	Composite	Bitmap objects can only be created by inserting a pre-made graphics image (see Edit/Insert_picture), converted automatically to a bitmap by Diagram Designer.  Once inserted, they have simple changeable properties but may only be edited using Image Analyzer, another Meesoft product, which integrates with the object's properties menu.  Bitmap objects may, of course, be edited prior to insertion with any graphics editor.  Bitmaps do not support transparent colors (as do GIFs, for example); importing a bitmap will eliminate any transparent qualities.
MetafileObject	Composite	This is a standard Windows® metafile object for representing graphics images.  While its properties are limited, it can be rotated to any angle.  Metafile objects can be imported directly (Edit/Insert_picture) or created from other objects.  Metafile objects cannot be disassembled.
FlowchartObject	Atomic	Flowchart objects appear in the standard template, and are essentially one object.  Each flowchart object has a property to change it into another flowchart object (ie. shape), as well as other simple properties.  Flowchart objects can also adopt any of the following layouts: Side bars Rounded 1 (not shown on standard template at startup) Rounded 2 Rounded 3 (not shown on standard template at startup) Slant right Slant left Odd rounded 1 Odd rounded 2
InheritedLayer	Atomic	Inherited layers are created as an object only from a menu item - Edit/Insert_inherited_layer.  Inherited layers are a type of viewport - inserted onto a layer - which accesses a view of a different layer on any page.  For a more detailed discussion of inherited layers, see Using Layers.