Re: [libreoffice-users] Re: How to arrange figures on page (table?)

On 09/27/2012 04:36 AM, Agustin Lobo wrote:
> Dan,
>
> Sorry for confusing you. But please note that
>
> On Wed, Sep 26, 2012 at 12:59 PM, Dan Lewis <elderdanlewis@gmail.com> wrote:
> >       You are confusing me. You first complain about the figures getting
> > distorted by the cell you place them in. Now you mention that with my
> > suggestion the figures are not automatically resized to match the
> > arrangement in the frame. What is it that you really want?
> automatically resizing is not equal to automatically distorting.
> What I want is, either using a table, a frame or a several columns page format
> (don't know which way would be most efficient), to define first the arrangement
> of the figures and then paste them, so that figures adjust themselves to
> the predefined arrangement but keeping their ratio, so that they do
> not get distorted.
> Very seldom the user wants the figures to match a predefined geometry
> at the expense of getting distorted, I do not understand why "keep ratio" is
> unselected by default in Picture/Type.
>
> I think the example I provided, 4 figures arranged in a 2 x 2 scheme,
> is good enough.
> Regarding formats, I think that it should not matter, as any figure
> should be pasted
> without distortion by default.
>
> I've got closer to what I want using a 2 columns page format, but I
> had to define the style
> and then have to select paste special/Bitmap. And in this way I cannot
> make more complex
> arrangements, as for example 2 rows with 3 small square figures in the
> first row and one
> single rectangular figure in the second row.
>
> I think the easiest way would be defining a table, defining the sizes
> of the cells and then pasting
> the images within the table, getting the images appropriately resized
> but without distortion.
>
> Hopefully this clarifies my question.
>
> Thanks for your help,
>
> Agus
     You have figures that you want to place on a page. This seems like 
a very simple request, but it is not. What is the size of the page? What 
are the sizes of the figures that belong on this page? (e.g., 4 figures 
which are 6"x8" each will not fit on a page that is 8"x11".) If using a 
table, what are the height and width of the cells? Is the ratio of the 
height to width of the cell the same as the the figure's ratio? (If no, 
then distortion is very likely.) If the figure is larger than the cell, 
will it have to be reduced enough that it is no longer the quality you 
want? In other words, you have to define in great detail the entire 
outline. Writer provides you with a blank page. You have to tell it 
exactly sometimes in very minute detail what to put where. Nothing is 
automatic in doing this. If you want things to be automatic, then you 
need to create a macro to do this. But even then, you would have to 
define in minute detail what the macro should do.
     I have not included all the possible questions that you need to 
answer to reveal the steps you need to take. I leave that to you. You 
begin with the general layout: pictures arranged on a page. Ask what are 
possible ways to create this layout. Write down the questions and 
potential answers. If there are problems with the answers, ask what 
changes can be made to solve these problems. What properties of the 
figures or table cells or frames are causing the problems? Write all of 
this down as well.
     This is called breaking the problem down into smaller and smaller 
problems. Solve the simplest problems will lead to solving bigger 
problems until the main problem is solved.
     Tables can be used to do what you want to do, but you have to do 
something with the size of the figures as well as the height and width 
of the cells of the table. There is a considerate amount of learning 
that you need to do before you can use this though.
figure dimensions are controlled by the Position and Size dialog Graphic 
files are controlled by the Picture dialog. Row heights are controlled 
by the Row Height dialog. (Right click a cell of the row to be changed. 
Select Row -> Height.) Other table properties are controlled by the 
Table Format dialog. All of these dialogs are opened by right clicking 
the cell or figure and selecting from the pop up menu.

--Dan

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