[scribus] scribus Digest, Vol 23, Issue 51

[Gregory Pittman]

On 02/28/2010 10:52 AM, Gregory Pittman wrote:
> On 02/28/2010 10:02 AM, Gregory Pittman wrote:
>> On 02/28/2010 06:25 AM, Christoph Bloch wrote:
>>>
>>>> For reasons best known to others, the word Custom does not appear in
>>>> my drop down box when accessing "Type of Line" via the edit styles
>>>> (line) menu item
>>> Yes, that's exactly my problem. There's a special line type that's not
>>> predefined, so I have to create it myself using the custom line type. I
>>> use it a lot, so I'd like to define it as a style.
>>> Maybe there's a way to define a style from an existing line?
>>
>> Yes, I was noticing this myself as I was working on documentation for
>> Lines and Line Styles.
>> Also, there is only one Custom style when can exist at any one time.
>>
>> There is quite an array of predefined styles, maybe even too many. It
>> might make more sense to have fewer of these, then allow for a number of
>> customized styles, maybe even starting with one of the predefined,
>> editing it, then saving as a custom style with a name.
>>
>> Meanwhile, I'll have a look at how this is coded in the SLA files. Maybe
>> there is some trick that could be used.
>
> Ok, some further information gleaned from the SLA files.
>
> 1. You can have more than one Custom line, since the coding for this is
> inside the <PAGEOBJECT...> tag.
>
> 2. The built-in list of line styles are denoted by the PLINEART
> variable, with the solid line at the top being "1", and so on down the
> list. Line Styles also use a PLINEART="1", with that type being
> overridden by the NAMEDLST="" variable, where your line style name goes
> in those quotes.
>
> 3. For Custom lines, there are 2 variables, NUMDASH and DASHS, where
> NUMDASH refers to the number of colored and transparent spaces you have
> specified -- you would have to have at least 2, for the dash and then
> the aftercoming space.
> Example: I made a 2-dash, 2-space pattern that came out NUMDASH="4"
> DASHS="8 4 8.2 9.6 "
>
> 4. The Style is denoted by the following pattern:
> <Multiline Name="YourStyleName">
> <Subline............../>
> </Multiline>
> but unfortunately there is only a Dash variable, presumably denoting one
> of the built-in styles.
>
> 5. Now comes the workaround, which you may not like:
>
> a. make your Custom line for one line.
> b. make the rest of your lines using the No Style (or some other) style
> -- match the color and thickness of your custom line.
> c. save, then go to the SLA file, replace 'NUMDASH="" DASHS=""' with
> your custom parameters, such as 'NUMDASH="4" DASHS="8 4 8.2 9.6 "' if
> you were using my line example, for each line you wish to have this
> pattern.

But wait! There's more!

6. You can also use this to apply your custom line to the border of 
frames, shapes, etc. If needed, you can go to the Line tab and adjust 
the Offset for each object you apply this Custom style to.

Greg