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Lack of functionalities

ptc-2816458
1-Newbie

Lack of functionalities

As a new user of MATHCAD, I was expecting much more! 1 -How come MATHCAD doesn't provide a grid and snap system ? 2- Why can't we lock down an image ? 3- When you insert an image, why do I have to put the whole path, have you heard about a BROWSE BUTTON ? 4- If I delete the image from my hard drive, I'm loosing it in MATHCAD, is it normal ? 5- Its hard to have a professional look for our sheet calculation. I would like to have my company logo in the header Maybe its very powerful on the math side, but on the graphic, editing it should have at least those features: -Grid (with snap) - Align- distribution (vertical/horizontal) - Lock zones - Insert images (browse)
4 REPLIES 4

Mathcad is a calculator, not a graphics package. If you want to draw pretty pictures do so in a graphics application and include the result in the Mathcad sheet. There are varius ways to include a picture in a Mathcad sheet. Some put the actual picture in the sheet, some just have a link to the image file. Your comments suggest that you are using the insert picture from the insert menu. That inserts a picture viewer. That is a component that takes a string parameter (a file name) and displays the contents of that file. As such there is only a link to the file in the Mathcad sheet, the file is read whenever the picture viewer is evaluated. If the file is lost, there is no picture. Because the input to the picture viewer is just a string expression, there is no browse within the viwer itself. If you want a browse capability Xavier posted, some time ago in the collaboratory, some scripted components for general file browsing. That can be used with the picture viewer to select a file to be viewed. For including diagrams in a sheet I would suggest embedding the pictures. Simplest is to just paste the picture into the sheet. For normal line diagrams, built using some form of vector graphics package, pasting as a picture (metafile) is best. You can also insert a picture file as an object (insert object from the insert menu). The usefulness of this construct may depend on the availability of the application constructing the picture. There is also a bug in that one type of picture object (not sure eactly which) does not maintain its correct position on the sheet if some Windows parameters are changed.
RichardJ
19-Tanzanite
(To:TomGutman)

1) A better grid system is a long standing request, but you do have one now. If you move an object and look carefully you will see that it does in fact snap to a very fine grid. 2) What do you mean by "lock down"? What's a "lock zone"? If you look up "protecting your worksheet", would that do what you want? 3) You can have a browse button. It's something that should ship with Mathcad but doesn't, but there are several kicking around. The best is one written by someone at PTC: see the attached file. 4) You are not embedding the image, you are linking to the file. So yes. What do you want to do with the image? Are you trying to manipulate it, or do you just want to display it? The picture viewer you are using is meant to be used when you want to manipulate images. 5) You can. Make sure the logo is a .bmp file at no more than 72dpi. There is a much better forum here: http://collab.mathsoft.com/~mathcad2000 In future, if you can't figure out how to do something the best thing would be to go there and ask, rather than assuming it can't be done. Richard

"A better grid system is a long standing request.." So are you telling me that the MATHCAD devellopment team do not consider what peoples wants? I do understand that the major target is to do math. But I would appreciate more flexibility in the editing. I mean to be able to copy paste an image from Photoshop or Illustrator directly the Mathcad. At the moment I'm evaluation MAPLE 13 and MATHCAD, and I can say that MAPLE is easier and much more flexible. But I'm not yet in a position to tell if its better or not. I guess they both have their pros/cons. But for the editing, copy/paste images, MAPLE is winning. Anyway, I will still do the evaluation. Our business needs to be sure which one will be used.
RichardJ
19-Tanzanite
(To:ptc-2816458)

"Adi Sapner" wrote:

"A better grid system is a long standing request.." So are you telling me that the MATHCAD devellopment team do not consider what peoples wants?

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