Hello Landon, if i understand the MRI xml file well, it regroups the three functional blocs of the wiki diagram (Styling, Output and Layout) in a single file.<div><br></div><div>The map described by this file seems to be very precisely designed, or its layout described.</div>
<div><br></div><div>It may be theoretical, but can't we think about a more flexible layout definition ? For example the inner frames could be positioned relatively to the sides of the document and dimensioned proportionally (like it's done in the flexbuilder design tool, or netbeans java editor). On the wiki page i read the possibility of a "Graphical Style & Layout Editor".</div>
<div><br></div><div>What i propose is to leave the possibility to help the user to design the map, by letting him or her place and dimension the elements without going into the details. Perhaps it's better done upstream, into the mapping application / designing, than into the "better print" step ? In other words is the layout to be precisely fixed before the map rendering engine enter into action ?</div>
<div><br></div><div>Another idea, perhaps more useful : can we imagine levels of transparency applied to the frames ? It's useful when legends are in several frames and not embedded into the map layers frame, and when the user wants to add textual frames above the map. (There are several types of transparency and merging types, think about photoshop blending modes).</div>
<div><br></div><div>The "stripped down" MRI file seems ok to me, but on the other hand the specifications should be developped.</div><div><br></div><div>Thanks,</div><div><br><div><div>-- <br>Laurent Jégou<br>Cartographe et enseignant<br>
UTM - Dépt. Géographie<br>31058 TOULOUSE Cedex 9 - 05.61.50.43.89<br><a href="http://www.univ-tlse2.fr/geoprdc" target="_blank">http://www.univ-tlse2.fr/geoprdc</a><br>
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