[Scribus] Suggestion for Frames

[Louis Desjardins]

>On Thursday 03 August 2006 4:58, avox wrote:
>>  Thomas Zastrow-4 wrote:
>>  > I often have to produce documents where a lot of frames (text or -
>>  > mostly - images) have the same size. So, I can put one frame on the doc,
>>  > resize it to the correct size and then copy & paste it.
>>
>>  Or check out the Scrapbook.
>
>You'd still have to manually set the x and y postition for the frame though.

The idea is interesting.

The actual way in many if not all DTP apps afaik is to use the mouse 
to draw a frame (text or image). Only then is it possible to give 
that frame all sorts of parameters through a dialog box or a palette.

Typical everyday move in Quark:
1. Select the text box tool.
2. Draw a frame
3. Hit Command-M (Modify menu) and enter the precise values for that 
text box OR
3a. Go to the floating palette and enter the precise values...

This is similar in Scribus and in other DTP apps.

This is how it's been going for years.

I remember from the early days of Quark, when the machines where 
really slow, that even showing up the Modify dialog on an existing 
text box was a pain. Now that computers are fast and respond quickly, 
it seems the issue went away. But is this so true? I also find we 
have to make lots of mouse clicks to do repetitive tasks, when the 
computer could do it.

What I think would be great is to be able to set the default 
text/image frame (and edit that default at will) and connect it to a 
keyboard shortcut. Better still, but I think it is already on the 
to-do list, to have Frame Styles and give them keyboard shortcuts... 
This would be super fast and super efficient, imo. How it would work 
is simple: when nothing is selected on the page, just hit that 
keyboard shortcut and the corresponding frame appears, all set.

Imagine that you script this once your frame styles are defined... 
And of course all those frames could be edited one by one or via the 
frame style...

Among all the options for Frames in the dialog, we could add this one 
for positionning : either user-defined or at mouse position.

>I agree that the way to go is to wait on MP's getting some more refinement,
>though the double-clicking idea is intriguing.
>
>I've also often wondered if there might be a good way to get "automatic text
>frames" to automatically give room for headers and footers.  Dunno, just a
>thought...

Exactly. Set a Frame Style for headers or anything you can think of 
and simple hit that key, done.

Curious to see what others think!

Louis

>
>Wes
>
>>
>  > /Andreas