Creating line fan outs impossible (#463)
I just started using Software Ideas Modeler. It may be my noobness but I'm trying to create a fan out between nodes(one node connected to many other nodes).
Creating all the association lines is a PIB because the interface is awkward, the lines anchor points tend to jump around to different points if one doesn't carefully pay attention to where they drop the point on the item. Also, I can't easily move a group of connected lines, say, if I want to make more room. The programming logic for the line handling seems awkard and definitely how other apps deal with it.
I spend about 30 mins trying to tweak lines to get them to look right and figure out why things are jumping around like they are(sometimes the initial anchor points attaches itself to the edge of the window. It seems like it's hard for anchor points to be "free". They have to be attached to an object. This is probably why the interaction feels clunky. The snapping logic should take into account distance and if the anchor points are too far from anything to snap too, they should float.
Big Johnson 30 December 2015 21:35:23
Thanks. I haven't used the software since, but other then the connectors, the everything looked good.
A side problem was that I wasn't able to duplicate the connectors in any meaningful way.
Essentially when building complex recursive like diagrams it's nice to be able to copy and paste connectors so one doesn't have to draw them again and to keep the same visual form(so it looks consistent). Since the connectors have to be connected to objects, the copy and paste doesn't work well(ends up connecting the lines to random objects ruining the "form").
Big Johnson 1 January 2016 0:05:18
I started using Viso and it's connectors are very easy and natural to deal with.
Also, in Software Ideas Modeler, The connectors labels made it difficult to select the connector. There were so many labels and so tightly overlapping it was difficult for the clicks to penetrate to the underlying line.
Dusan Rodina - softwareideas.net 1 January 2016 23:20:17
The connectors will be handled better in the next version.
Dusan Rodina - softwareideas.net 29 December 2015 23:46:53
Thank you for your feedback. Another point of view is always appreciated.
The basic concept of connectors in Software Ideas Modeler is that they always have to be connected to objects. This design decision may lead in unexpected behavior in some scenarios.
Some smaller improvements will be implemented soon.
Later, at least an option to allow unconnected connectors will be added.
Anyway the connector handling will be re-analyzed in depth.