Tinderbox Forum

Which Vector drawing program do you use?

Q & A - getting started with Tinderbox
#1

I am struggling to draw this program within Tinderbox to keep the file size small and efficient. Map dividers are great for simple divider lines, but for more complex shapes I am thinking of using a simple vector program.

Here is the shape I am trying to draw…

image
image1260×524 32.2 KB

I tried using map dividers but I was spending too much time with lining the shapes up etc.
I was thinking of just dropping and pasting the jpg image on the map, but I would rather use vector shapes as they are so much smaller.

Which vector program do you use?

Tom

#2

Have you considered treemap view. I say that as this looks like a treemap.

What cool about the (Tinderbox) treemap is the size of the ‘box’ can be set with an attribute. Don’t just go by the screengrab for the article above. Ben Shniederman kicked this odff in the eraly '90s. Yes, info vis from before the Web. See more here.

Slightly off topic, but if interested by tree-based diagrams or more, check out Mnual Lima’s “Book of Trees”. His other info vis books are also interesting. See here.

1 Like
#3

Good suggestion Mark. My apologies for not clarifying further. Unfortunately, this is a jpeg image I am planning to use as a template for an adornment view.

I wanted to create a vector image, place in map view then place notes over it. I am hesitant to use the most obvious answer, placing an image on the map due to the size and I plan to use this image several times. I wanted to avoid file size creep.

Thanks
Tom

#4

For simple (and not so simple) diagrams Numbers (and Keynote) are surprisingly capable. In Numbers delete any tables on a sheet, leaving the bare canvas. Then go the Shape and insert a rectangle. Set the fill to transparent and border to a line, and then replicate, size, and position, until you have something like this:

Screen Shot 2022-05-13 at 9.53.57 PM
Screen Shot 2022-05-13 at 9.53.57 PM1916×1056 146 KB

Then select the shapes, command-c, and command-v to paste wherever.

Haven’t tested for size once pasted into Tinderbox, though.

3 Likes
#5

No worries. I don’t do this sort of thing a lot but for a pic of a treemap I’ve found RAWGraphs goos (and free!): see here.

#6

BTW, I did wonder about using the splendid Omnigraffle tool . But a quick Google got me a ‘no’ on that but an OmniGraffle forum post suggesting using … Tinderbox. :rofl:

#7

This is wonderful. I did not know this little drawing hack. Works beautifully side by side with Tinderbox!

Shapes are simple to draw with a quick magnetic effect to make sure edges align correctly.

Once you have the image you want, copy and paste into map view. Add notes as you wish.

The copied drawing is in svg format which keeps the Tbx file small and is perfectly scalable. Most importantly, it keeps Tinderbox happy. Magnificent!

Tom

#8

I’ve used OmniGraffle for many things like this. But for $10, Shapes is a cracking tool with no Omni bloat. Lots of auto-alignment and guides for doing what you want.

http://shapesapp.com

2 Likes
#9

Hi Tom

Looks like a business model canvas – there are loads of ready made vector specimens of this if you search;maybe you could use one of those off the sehlef ones

#10

Good eye Andreas! I did not think of looking for pre-made vector shapes.
Thanks for the idea.

Tom

#11

Some great ideas here, so I’d like to add my thanks to those who provided them. There would appear to be simpler solutions for this particular project, but another free app which would do the job is LibreOffice Draw.