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How to insert a Family tree in order to EDIT it in LO draw

Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2018 3:13 am
by Mensana
Hello,

I made a very lengtly Family tree using an app called DrawExpress Lite but unfortunately, as I worked, I reached the limit of the in-app canvas.

I need a bigger workspace (infinite canvas woud be perfect) because my boxes are getting to close to each others and I lack space to add new elements.

So I just installed LibreOffice to continue my work on this Family tree but the way I imported/inserted it, I can't edit anything (it's basically a picture).
I need to be able to [/b] move text boxes, pictures and connectors. [/b]

Can you help me and tell me what format I should save my Family tree in (or any other instructions to help me regarding this), in order to open it in LibreOffice Draw ?

Thank you,

M.

Re: How to save flowchart in a file that I can import into W

Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2018 4:19 am
by robleyd
Question also cross posted at AskLibreOffice

Re: How to save flowchart in a file that I can import into W

Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 10:31 am
by keme
@Mensana, some clarifications:
As mentioned, "Export" option often indicates that there are limited subsequent edit options for the exported file, but in principle this goes for the originating app only. You can edit the file with other software specifically designed for editing that file type. However, structure will often be lost (text converted to graphic, connection between text and container is lost, connectors come loose from their connections, etc.). The level of such loss depends on limitations in the export format, as well as the level of support the exporting software provides for said format.

Draw does not provide "infinite canvas". Max sheet size allowed is 3 m (around 10') squared. Objects may reside in the workspace outside of the sheet area, but displaying or exporting content outside that area is not reliable or straightforward, and also some tools will not allow working on "outside" objects.

DrawExpress only supports its own proprietary format fully, it seems, and I would not expect other applications to support that format. As Drew Jensen commented in the LO forum, SVG export (which was also for me the most likely candidate) converts everything (including text) to vectorized graphical objects.

I believe that there is no way to avoid doing the work again if you want to change software. If you want to change to Draw, I'd export the current layout to a PNG file and use that for background (put it on a new layer, lock that layer), then draw everything anew on top of that. (Shift-click on the layer tab will hide/unhide the layer, which is useful in the redraw process.) Take a look at your options in the Wikipedia page about context/concept/mind mapping software.
I often use Freemind, which is great for fast mindmapping (lecture notes and such) but is a bit clumsy when you need connections "out of hierarchy", and the design options are very basic. Also, freemind is a Java application, and due to the current plans for Java this may cause problems in the near future.

Re: How to insert a Family tree in order to EDIT it in LO dr

Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2018 9:18 am
by Hagar Delest
Have you tried GenoPro?
There is a beta version that works pretty well and that is still available for free. Works with wine under GNU/Linux, not sure about Mac.