Diagram Tool

[spikemesq]

In many posts, it is useful to show figure positions.

ASCII art is worthless.

I notice that many people include some nice images with basic shapes to show positions.

What software works for this? I hope that it is something much simpler and readily available than a CAD program. Perhaps even something available over the web that could be linked here.

Any ideas?

The artist currently known as Spike

[philqw78]

MS word, ppt or similar. Save as bit map, upload to photobucket. Hammy has written on the Modelling page sticky about this.

[MarkSieber]

Starting with what's free: For Windows, Paint will do what you need. If you want a bit more choice Gimp is free for Windows or Mac:
http://www.gimp.org/about/introduction.html http://www.gimp.org/

I use Photoshop--because I have it and am familiar with it. Photoshop Elements will do, and costs much less, but you can do just as well with the free programs.

If you're using a Mac, Pages has a very nice shape editor.

I second Phil: definitely check out Hammy's post about how to post photos/diagrams, once you have them made-- it's here: viewtopic.php?t=5426

[peterrjohnston]

Paint.NET is also free and about ten times better than Paint. Also OpenOffice Draw.

If you're on a Mac, OmniGraffle.


But there are many others. Search for diagramming program or vector graphics editor.

[lawrenceg]

Or just lay out your bases on the table and take a digital photo.

[spikemesq]

Thanks for the replies.

I will fiddle around with MS Paint.

A useful resource for the forum might be to make a basic MS Paint file with various BGs already drawn out (e.g., a 4xCv, a 6xMF, etc.) and some pre-scaled and labeled line segments (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, MU).

That way people could use it as a basic pallet and just drag/rotate the items to a new MS Paint file to create an image for posting.

I can take a stab at it, but my skillz are weak . . . MLMP.

Spike