FTST-L Archives

Archiver > FTST > 2001-12 > 1007879688


From: Bob Velke <>
Subject: Re: [FTST] I am about ready to scrap this program
Date: Sun, 09 Dec 2001 01:34:48 -0500
In-Reply-To: <18f.263a26.29444dc5@aol.com>


said:

>I can generate the chart okay. On a 12" x 12" canvas, apparently. Now, where
>would I get 12" square paper, except maybe a scrapbook store, and I don't
>think my printer will take 12" paper.

Whether the resulting fan chart is 4"x4" or 12"x12" or 100"x100" depends on
the number of generations that you choose, the size of the font that you
choose, and the shape of the chart (i.e., full circle, half circle, etc.),
among other things.

That is, it produces a chart with the data that you requested ... no matter
how much space it takes. If it takes up too much space then you can reduce
the number of generations, reduce the font, choose a different shape,
rescale the chart, etc.

In the worst case, create a chart that is bigger than you really want and
then rescale the chart (Tools > Diagram > Resize Drawing) to fit the
specific height or width that you want.

>Furthermore, I don't want the chart to take up 1/4 of a 12 " square,

It took a lot of experimenting but I think that I see the trouble that
you're having. It has to do with curved text generations. If you click
anywhere on a fan chart, you'll see the small squares or "handles" around
its outer edges. The total size of the chart accommodates what would be a
full circle for each curved text generation. That is, even though you've
only asked for a quarter wedge, it needs to (invisibly) draw a full circle
in order to position the text correctly on each curve. If you ask for
fewer of the generations to be curved, then it won't need as much of that
extra space below and to the left.

If you want four generations of curved text and you really need the chart
to be in the bottom-left corner of the page then this is what I'd suggest:
1) Turn on Page Bounds (on the Edit menu) so that you can see where the
pages break.
2) Increase the size of the entire diagram (Tools > Diagram > Diagram
Measurements) to say, 30"x30"
3) Drag the chart so that it is aligned the way that you want it on _Page_2_.
4) Print only Page 2.

>No one on this list seems to know how to do this.

Well, I'm the President of the company and it took me a long time to figure
out what you were doing <g> so it is no surprise that other users didn't
have a ready answer for you. A default fan chart doesn't have those
characteristics.

This is not a company list, however. If you have a question that other
users can't answer, then you should write to .

>I am telling everyone I know not to bother with this program. It sounds
>good, but I am not wasting any more time
>on it.

That would be a shame, of course, because while you may find a program that
does a better job of predicting what you want, I'm confident that you won't
find one that gives you as much flexibility.

I hope that you'll give it another try.

Bob Velke
Wholly Genes Software

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