How to use a shape without using its tools?

[Elvis Stansvik]

2011/7/7 Inge Wallin <inge at lysator.liu.se>:
> On Thursday, July 07, 2011 10:21:34 Thorsten Zachmann wrote:
>> On Thursday, July 07, 2011 10:13:16 Inge Wallin wrote:
>> > > > When preparing this patch, Dan and I tried to integrate the picture
>> > > > shape and if that had gone well also the vector shape. However, that
>> > > > failed because we couldn't find a way to disable the picture tool. We
>> > > > do not want the user to be able to replace the preview image with
>> > > > something else.
>> > >
>> > > I think we should not limit this functionality. I feel it would be much
>> > > better to display a warning when the user edits the shape that it
>> > > contains e.g. additional information that will be lost when the
>> > > operation is done.
>> >
>> > Remember that it's not the shape data itself that the user would be
>> > manipulating.  That data cannot be edited per definitions, since if
>> > Calligra  understood it it wouldn't use the unavail shape to begin
>> > with.  A typical example is an embedded document, like a spreadsheet in
>> > an text document. Instead it's the image that is supposed to show the
>> > user what that data looks like. Since the user cannot edit the data, he
>> > shouldn't be able to edit the preview image.
>> >
>> > If we allow the user to change the preview image and then save the result
>> > back, we could end up with an absurd situation like an embedded
>> > spreadsheet  with a preview image of a flower.
>>
>> Sure the data can not be change but he can change the image which will
>> result in the KoUnavailShape getting replaced by the new PictureShape if
>> the user wants to do that. That is why I said that showing a message in
>> that case is helpfull for the user so that he undertands there is not in
>> the shape than the think he might see.
>> So when saving back only a image will be saved and nothing form the
>> KoUnavailShape.
>
> Ok, then I see what you mean.
>
> But I think this shouldn't be done by the tool of the picture shape.  There
> should perhaps be an Unavail tool that has a button "Convert to Image" or
> something.  But frankly, I suspect that this usecase is rare.

IMHO that's so rare that I think being able to just delete the
kounavail shape is enough, with a warning that you're removing
unsupported content. And if the user wants to replace it with an image
he/she will just insert a new image. Since the kounavail by its very
nature is unknown, how would you guess what the user wants to convert
it to? You'd need N number of "Convert to X" options where N is the
number of supported shapes.

Just my 2 öre.

Elvis