[Qgis-developer] Re: Working on Symbology Improvement for the GSOC

[Alex Mandel]

On 03/31/2012 01:41 PM, Anita Graser wrote:
> On Sat, Mar 31, 2012 at 10:08 PM, aruntheguy at gmail.com <aruntheguy at gmail.com
>> wrote:
>>
>> + Create a new symbol designer, that can be summoned up from Menu rather
>> than from the properties
>>
> 
> I don't know how other people approach this but I experiment a lot with
> different renderers and symbols, tiny changes and how the affect. If I have
> to change between layer properties and a separate symbol designer all the
> time, I think I'd go crazy. It's already annoying me that I cannot interact
> with the map while the properties dialog is open.
> 
I could see this working it was somewhat like the Labelling(new) engine
dialog, where you could quickly change the current layer's symbol,
possibly opening it by clicking on the symbol in the legend. That way if
you have multiple symbols you can edit each quickly.

Not + for adding this direct symbol dialog opening but I would leave the
ability to reach it in the properties too.


> 
>> + The designer to perform following functions
>>     - Create new symbols/styles
>>     - Grouping and management of styles through a tree structure
>>
> 
> +1 for a tree structure.
> 
> 
>>     - Create and manage virtual groups (or themes) that would pull symbols
>> from various groups and a combination of renders to create a overall
>> cartographic stylesheet (almost same as present save/load style).
>>
> 
> Like the idea of symbol groups (aka themes). Not sure if it should be
> symbol groups or style groups though. Style groups could prove too
> inflexible.
> 

Both, though for the initial tree I suggest groups based on folders
(symbol sets), for symbols that are not part of sets but them into
general categories (this is the current approach on the osgeo svn for
symbology).

This is what the idea I proposed a while back of embedding tags in the
svg xml is all about. It would allow a symbol to belong to multiple at
the same time. Also I would encourage you but a box in the interface
that let's people type names of symbols, eventually this will be used to
search a local tag database or query a web interface to find matches.


> Regards,
> Anita
> 
> 
> 
>>     - Ability to save a retrieve such stylesheets (duplicates the present
>> save/load style)
>>
>> Apart from the above solution, the GSOC proposal to include,
>>
>> - Creating tree structure for managing the SVG symbols
>> - Creating a non-modal widget type editor to change symbols on the fly or
>> adding that capability to the Layers legend.
>>


Thanks,
Alex