Bug 72830 - Connectors do not snap to grid and do not react on <Shift> key
Summary: Connectors do not snap to grid and do not react on <Shift> key
Status: NEW
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Draw (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
Inherited From OOo
Hardware: Other All
: medium normal
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks: Connectors
  Show dependency treegraph
 
Reported: 2013-12-18 10:58 UTC by Norbert X
Modified: 2024-03-29 13:22 UTC (History)
5 users (show)

See Also:
Crash report or crash signature:


Attachments
ODG file with demonstration of the problem with Straight Connectors (11.27 KB, application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.graphics)
2013-12-18 10:58 UTC, Norbert X
Details
dirty hack for Straight Connector Line (9.61 KB, application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.graphics)
2016-11-20 18:50 UTC, Norbert X
Details

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Description Norbert X 2013-12-18 10:58:47 UTC
Created attachment 90919 [details]
ODG file with demonstration of the problem with Straight Connectors

As far I can understand - Arrows from Lines and Arrows sub-panel of Drawing toolbar can:
1. be straight (horizontal or vertical = rotated by 45/90/135/180/225/270/315/360) if I press <Shift> key;
2. snap to grid.


I use LibreOffice Draw for diagram creating. So I use elements from Drawing sub-panels Connectors, Glue Points and Basic Shapes.
It was a surprise for me, that Straight Connectors do not snap to grid and do not react on <Shift> key. It is very difficult do connect Connector line to some object without these two options if one of line ends is not connected.
The example is in attachment.

It demonstrates, that:
1. «Straight Connector ends with Arrow» line does not snap to grid and does not react to <Shift> key,  so it is difficult to keep it horizontal or vertical.
2. «Line Ends with Arrow» line snaps to grid and react to <Shift> key, but it does not connect to another object (does not have glue-point, it is not a connector).

Please, if it possible, allow Connector line to act as other lines (add snap to grid and a reaction on <Shift> key). Without this changes it will be very difficult to use LO Draw as diagram editor for real life tasks.

I see this behaviour on LO Version: 4.1.3.2 Build ID: 410m0(Build:2) and LO 3.5.7.2 Build ID: 350m1(Build:2). May be other versions are affected too.
Comment 1 Norbert X 2013-12-18 11:12:39 UTC
This bug exists in AOO 4.0.1 AOO401m5(Build:9714) too.
Comment 2 Jorendc 2013-12-28 18:22:32 UTC
(In reply to comment #1)
> This bug exists in AOO 4.0.1 AOO401m5(Build:9714) too.

So, inherit from AOO.

Reproducible, tested using Windows 8.1 with LibreOffice 4.1.4.2.

Kind regards,
Joren
Comment 3 QA Administrators 2015-04-19 03:20:40 UTC Comment hidden (obsolete)
Comment 4 Norbert X 2015-04-21 20:55:30 UTC
Bug exists in Version: 4.4.2.2
Build ID: 40m0(Build:2)
Locale: en_US.
(Ubuntu 12.04.5 amd64, libreoffice PPA).
Comment 5 Norbert X 2015-08-05 15:26:59 UTC
Bug exists in LibreOffice 5.0 (Ubuntu 12.04.5 with PPA, 1:5.0.0~rc5-0ubuntu1~precise1).
Comment 6 Norbert X 2015-08-31 18:45:10 UTC
Bug exists in LibreOffice 5.0.1.2 (Ubuntu 12.04.5 with PPA, 1:5.0.1~rc2-0ubuntu1~precise1.1).
Comment 7 Heiko Tietze 2016-04-29 11:47:53 UTC
Why do you expect connectors to snap to grid when it is supposed to connect two objects? Lines and connectors are different things, other programs do not even allow free floating connectors. 

I'd rather remove a connector when it is not connected at both ends. Removing an object should kill the connector too.

Please set the status to RESOLVED and NOTABUG if you agree.
Comment 8 Gerhard Weydt 2016-11-20 12:54:36 UTC
I totally agree with Heiko. The geometry of connectors depends of the glue points. If they have the same Y coordinate, the connector is horizontal, and if these don't, the connector *cannot* be horizontal (if it's not a connector with turns, who will be horizontal in parts, if possible).
Since Norbert X hasn't responded for five months, I set the status to RESOLVED and NOTABUG.
Comment 9 Norbert X 2016-11-20 18:50:56 UTC
Created attachment 128891 [details]
dirty hack for Straight Connector Line

Bug exists in LibreOffice 5.0.6-0ubuntu1~precise1.

And how I can draw horizontal or vertical Straight Connector Line without glue point on the left line-end?

It is real world example, not fiction.
Closing bug is not a solution if you plan to make LibO Draw better.

As temporary dirty hack I cloned right rectangle, moved it to the left, set its line style to none and then connect left line-end to it. Are you seriously think that it is a good solution?
Comment 10 Xisco Faulí 2017-07-13 10:06:03 UTC
Setting Assignee back to default. Please assign it back to yourself if you're still working on this issue
Comment 11 Norbert X 2017-09-01 16:54:13 UTC
Bug exists in 
Version: 5.4.1.2
Build ID: 1:5.4.1~rc2-0ubuntu0.16.04.1~lo0
CPU threads: 4; OS: Linux 4.4; UI render: default; VCL: gtk2; 
Locale: en-US (en_US.UTF-8); Calc: group

Ubuntu 16.04 LTS with PPA.
Comment 12 QA Administrators 2019-01-18 03:59:15 UTC Comment hidden (obsolete)
Comment 13 QA Administrators 2021-01-18 04:08:17 UTC Comment hidden (obsolete)
Comment 14 Barney 2021-03-16 06:04:22 UTC
Still appears to be a problem.

Version: 7.0.4.2
Build ID: dcf040e67528d9187c66b2379df5ea4407429775
CPU threads: 12; OS: Linux 5.8; UI render: default; VCL: kf5
Locale: en-AU (en_AU.UTF-8); UI: en-US
Calc: threaded

mY USE CASE IS i HAVE A CERTICAL CONNECTOR
I'm trying to draw a line where the starting point is free but the end point is 
I'm using a connector because one end is connected to a shape 

+----+
|    |
+----+
  |
  +---------+
  |         |
+----+   +----+
|    |   |    |
+----+   +----+
Comment 15 Barney 2021-03-16 06:09:54 UTC
Sorry - previous comment posted too early - if anyone can delete it that would be good.

Still appears to be a problem.

Version: 7.0.4.2
Build ID: dcf040e67528d9187c66b2379df5ea4407429775
CPU threads: 12; OS: Linux 5.8; UI render: default; VCL: kf5
Locale: en-AU (en_AU.UTF-8); UI: en-US
Calc: threaded

My use case is I'm trying to draw a connector branching off another connector. I need the second connector to start halfway along the first one so I can use a circle start style to show the branching point clearly. It is really hard to position this properly without being able to snap the unattached starting point to the grid.

+----+
|    |
+----+
  |
  +---------+
  |         |
+----+   +----+
|    |   |    |
+----+   +----+
Comment 16 QA Administrators 2023-04-28 03:25:01 UTC Comment hidden (obsolete)
Comment 17 sundman 2024-03-29 13:22:32 UTC
It's near impossible to draw complex connector lines accurately without the ability to snap to a grid. At the very least snap when holding a modifier, like Shift.