Defining new arrow styles (for database diagrams)

GazzaJ · Newbie Joined: 13 Jul 2004 Posts: 1

Is there a way of defining new arrow styles. I am drawing a database model so need the crow's feet arrow ending.

I see you can load arrowheads from an soe file. Has anyone created any custom arrow styles for OpenOffice Draw?

ftack · Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 2:39 am Post subject:

Help is obscure in this, but first draw an arrowhead the way you want it and make sure it is one single object. Orient the basis of the arrow horizontally to the bottom. Then select Format - Line and click "Add" on the Arrow styles tab.

machp · Newbie Joined: 11 Aug 2004 Posts: 1

The internal format of arrow styles is rather obscure. It seems that objects are always filled. Even a self-defined line arrow '>' becomes a solid triangle. The arrow end points are closed automatically. Closing the polygon by drawing a third segment over the second and a fourth over the first results in nothing at all. The segments are XOR-ed away by each other.

Draw is a splendid tool for making UML diagrams. However it lacks the UML arrow styles.

DannyB · Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 6:49 am Post subject:

I have had moderate success using an approach like this for "hollow" arrowhead shapes.

Draw fills your polygon. Your arrowhead must be a closed polygon, so that it can be filled.

Suppose, to represent a certian OOo Interface from some OOo service, you need the UML circle "arrowhead" symbol?

Draw will fill your circle.

But what if the shape wern't a circle? What if it were shaped, say, like the letter C, but with the gap so small that you don't really notice it? This is a closed polygon whose exterior traverses the outside curve of the C, and then backtraces the inside curve of the C to form a closed polygon.
_________________
Want to make OOo Drawings like the colored flower design to the left?

gizmo · Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 12:30 pm Post subject:

Hey folks,

mscscotch · Newbie Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Posts: 3

Just wanted to give more tips on how to get the symbol you want.

If you drop in a special text character,
Convert to polygon,
then draw a small rectangle across it where you want a hard to see gap.
Now select both object and right click - shapes ->subtract.
You know have an object thats a polygon but it won't fill.

Then follow the directions above to add the style.
Remember when you go to use the style if it isn't thick enough you can change the size per line end.

I successfully did this with an infiniti symbol.
But had to scale it to .20" from the default .12"

Alex

Cheakamus