Re: [PyX-devel] Re: [PyX-checkins] pyx/test/experimental brace.py,NONE,1.1

[Joerg L. <jo...@us...>]

On 31.08.05, Andre Wobst wrote:
> On 31.08.05, Michael Schindler wrote:
> > This is worth to be considered. But the geometry elements like line,
> > circle, rect,... are far more basic than a brace. A brace makes no
> > sense to me without aligning things to it. We have a similar problem
> > as with the boxes and the connectors:
> > 
> > Two points + orientation sign are sufficient to orient a brace.
> > Next, the brace yields one point + orientation vector for aligning
> > something to the brace (some text, some connectors, another brace?)
> > It should also be possible to align a brace the other way round:
> > one point + orientation vector --> Two points + orientation sign
> 
> Well, isn't this whole discussion about *using* braces for example as
> decorators to lines or connectors between boxes.

Exactly: using.

> > The boxes, when I have understood André right, should orient
> > themselves relative to other boxes, too. Their orientation relative to
> > one point + orientation vector is already there.
> > 
> > The connectors, on the other hand, need more information than just
> > points. They only work if they also have some distance information
> > (for cuts at their ends), so I have chosen boxes (point + outline
> > path) to be the alignment base for the connectors.
> > 
> > So, when introducing braces in a geometry package we certainly should
> > derive them from a class that can align (boxes?)
> > 
> > When seen from their path capability the braces are rather like
> > decorators. One decorates something (a path, a box, ...) with a brace,
> > similar to the arrow heads.
> 
> Basically braces are decorators for me. But they can decorate straight
> lines only. 

If they can only do this, then they are neither deformers nor
decorators.

> They could also be used to decorate connection lines
> between boxes. 

In this sense they are connectors. So one alternative option would
be to put them in the connectors module.

> Something like this ... but I'm not sure. However, a
> brace decorator would basically place some text (or different canvas,
> say a box) as a description text (or whatever). There might be cases,
> where you want to use braces directly without constructing a
> connection line to be decorated. I'm not that sure either, but I think
> so.

You can certainly do more stuff, but the basic thing is a highly
parametrized path.

        Jörg