[Kst] Changes to curve points between 2.0.4 and 2.0.5

[David McMinn]

Hi Nicolas,

>> Was there any changes to how points on curves were drawn between
>> 2.0.4 and 2.0.5 (on Windows)?
>
> I changed something in that part of the code. See log message below:
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> r1286206 | brisset | 2012-03-18 18:34:08 +0100 (dim. 18 mars 2012) | 3 lignes
> 
> Rework CurveAppearance::enableSettings() to make sure it does what we
> want. Previously the point density widget was not always enabled when
> we needed it.
> When using points only, density is forced to "All", I think we had
> already discussed that and decided something else does not make
> sense.

OK, thanks.

>> I ask because in 2.0.4 when the "Lines" option in the appearance for
>> a curve was unchecked then the "Weight" option was still available and
>> would control the overall size of the point as well as the line
>> thickness.
>>
>> In 2.0.5 when the "Lines" option is unchecked then the "Weight"
>> option is not available (and neither is the colour). If I temporarily enable
>> lines and then adjust the weight then turn off the lines the point
>> will be drawn with the new weight but the overall size of the point cannot
>> be controlled.
>>
>> Has anyone else seen this or is there another way to control curve
>> point sizes in 2.0.5?

> OK, I have just tried it and I get your point. Since we currently use
> width and color both for the line and the point, it is a bit
> awkward.
> I have a small local patch which changes this behavior and leaves the
> color and width controls active all the time. But before committing
> this, I'd like some feedback on the following questions:
>
> - is it OK if the color and width controls active all the time (even
> when nothing is drawn)

I think the colour and width controls need to be active whenever
something that uses it is checked (lines, points or bargraph).

> - I think there has never been a way in Kst 2.x to define the point
> size independently from the width (same for line and point). I
> understand you'd like to have an option to set point size
> independently, is that right? Currently is is computed automatically
> and should be OK. Are there cases where it's not working properly?

Sorry for not being clear, all I'd like to have is the colour and width
controls enabled when you are drawing points regardless of whether lines
are being drawn or not.

Point size is a side issue but it was because of that I found the issue
with the controls being enabled differently, and assumed it was because
a change made to the drawing of points had an associated change in UI
behaviour.

Point size computed automatically is OK. What is it computed from? Seems
to be a constant plus the line thickness, so the smallest point I can
get is 13 pixels whereas before it was 7 pixels (width = 1).

The points on a curve I have are larger (19 pixels) than the same plot
in kst 2.0.4 (11 pixels) for the same width (3). It is a small change
but it was noticable probably because these points are overlaid on
another curve in the same plot.

I also noticed that the point that is drawn in the "preview" of the
appearance is smaller than the point that appears in the plot area.

> - similarly, there is currently no way to define a different color
> for points than for curves. Should we consider changing that and
> making it possible to use different colors for points and lines?

I think having points and lines the same colour would be the most common
situation as at least then the points resemble the line they are
associated with and would be less confusing for anyone looking at the
plot (even if there was a legend showing the mixed colours).

Thanks.