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IndexHow do I create a flow that travels from an object back to itself?
How do I create a flow that connects two bus objects together?
You must define at least two vertices for a looping flow, and at least one vertex for a flow between two busses. Create vertices while drawing a new flow by pressing the Space bar without releasing the middle mouse button.
How can I add a title?
To add text not associated with an object or flow, create a "phantom"
object (dotted box - any undefined shape entry), and
enter the text as that object's label. You can automatically include
the current page number, level number, level name (parent object label), or date/time
in a title by using the special symbols .PAGE., .NPAGES., .LEVEL., .PARENT., or .DATE. in the label text.
Phantom objects are displayed but not printed. You can also use
an "invisible" object (any object with border type and fill color
set to None).
(If you misplace one of these invisible
objects on your screen, use Select All from the Edit menu, or use the Show
Page window, to find it.)
How can I add lines not connected to any objects?
Create two "phantom" or "invisible" objects (see previous question), one for each end of the line. Then create the appropriate flow type between these objects. Adjust the phantoms' positions to change the length and position of the line. For horizontal or vertical lines, you can also use the bus object (or a rectangle resized to have zero height or width).
I changed/deleted an object/flow, but the diagram didn't change.
You may have accidentally created objects or flows that exactly overlap on the screen. Try moving the object or flow to another position temporarily, and see if there's a duplicate object or flow underneath it. Delete the undesired duplicates.
How can I remove gaps in the object numbering sequence?
Robochart keeps object numbering constant while you delete objects, so that the numbers associated with a particular level of the diagram stay the same. If you want to renumber a diagram level to remove any gaps left by deleted objects, choose the Renumber option from the Edit menu, and indicate on the submenu how much of the diagram should be renumbered.
How can I redraw the screen?
Robochart avoids excessive screen redrawing to save time. To force a screen redraw, press Meta/R.
How can I make existing objects the same size as each other?
First adjust one object to the desired size, by selecting it and dragging one of the grab handles. (If you already have an object of the desired size, just move it.) This updates the default size. To copy this size to other objects of the same type, display their pop-up menus, and choose their existing type from the Shape submenu to change each one to this default size. Or, select the objects and Meta/click on the appropriate shape icon in the object palette or Shape Library.
How can I select an object (or flow) instead of its label text?
How can I move an object handle or flow vertex that's underneath label text?
Why can't I select this object's (or flow's) label?
Because objects or flows and their labels can overlap, you may have trouble selecting the right thing at first. To select text, make sure the object or flow is not selected (e.g. by left-clicking over background), then click or drag on the label text. In Motif, you can also click the middle button on the label, which also stuffs a copy of the primary selection, if any. To select an object and not its label, left-click with the pointer over the object, but not the label - clicking just inside the outline works best. To select a flow and not its label, left-click with the pointer somewhere along the flow line away from the label. Or, for OPEN LOOK, make sure the label is not selected, then click the middle button with the pointer anywhere over the object or flow. For Motif, left-clicking with the Control key down while the pointer is anywhere over the object or flow toggles object/flow selection (and clears the text selection).
Also, dragging the middle button inside an object always creates a new flow, rather than selecting text.
Where is the file I just exported to?
Since there is no reliable method for putting multiple images into the same HPGL, EPSF, or MIF file, Robochart adds a sequence number to your export filename for these formats, and creates a separate file for each level. For example, when you export all or part of your diagram to "flowcht.plt", Robochart creates files flowcht.001.plt, flowcht.002.plt, etc. A message in the main window shows each filename as it's created.
Is there an easy way to change the font (or color, type, etc.) of all the objects/ flows?
Choose Select All in the Edit menu and use the Font or Selection Options window.
Can I speed up screen redraws?
Drawing is fastest with thin solid-color flow and object border lines, and no object fill (except that image objects draw faster with white fill). You can also force monochrome graphics on a color display on the command line or in your configuration file. Some display devices draw curves very slowly; you might avoid using curved shapes during initial editing by using a different shape, then converting the shapes with the Selection Options window (or Meta/clicking on the palette or Shape Library icons) before printing.
How can I avoid color flashing when using Robochart?
Color flashing when you move the pointer between Robochart and other
windows is a result of the limited number of colors available at one time
on an 8-bit color display. You can avoid this by
not running (so many) other color-intensive applications at the same
time - exit one before starting the next one. Also, you can use
program options to reduce colormap requirements of certain programs.
Netscape is a particularly aggressive color user; you can use its
-install or -ncols nnn options to
limit its use of color (try netscape -ncols 135). If you
don't need to modify the color set in Robochart, try running rchart
with the -stcolor command line option.
If you don't need color at all in Robochart, try running it with the
-mono command line option.
With the OPEN LOOK window manager, if you still end up with a separate colormap, and would prefer manual control of colormap switching, try using Control/L2 (Control/Again) to lock the current colormap and Control/L4 (Control/Undo) to unlock it.
Why can't my machine get a floating license?
Make sure the license manager
(dlmgr) is running on the license server, and your
rchart script sets the correct server's hostname in environment variable RCHT_SERVER. Run the dlactive program to verify communication with the license server
and check how many licenses are active. If the license manager prints the message
dlmgr: all licenses in use, you may need to order more licenses. If it prints
the message dlmgr: err 2, your machine's time-of-day clock is too far off from the
server's - have your system administrator fix your system's time.
Why is most of my HPGL plot off the page?
Robochart assumes your plotter defines its coordinate origin at the center of the page. Some HPGL devices (particularly small-format plotters) define the origin at the corner of the page instead. You can correct this by adding the following line to your configuration file:
print hpgl corner
Why don't my objects have shadows?
Check the Shadow option selection in the Print window. Objects with fill color set to "none" are not shadowed if the setting is "Opaque objects" only. Shadows are not shown on the screen, nor available in HPGL or image output formats.
Why do pop-up menus lock my screen?
What are all these "Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym"
messages?
If you're using OpenWindows, there are some things you should do to run Motif applications properly. See the README file for details. Oh, and about that screen lockup: you can press the Escape key to get back.
My keyboard doesn't have a Meta key
Dragging with the Meta/Alt key down moves the whole window instead
of performing a constrained object move
Please see the README file for suggestions if you have problems with Meta or Alt keys.
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