I find a few different posts here and there asking about background shapes, and the replies mention that internally everything is represented as a rectangle, which is why all the background shapes are essentially rectangular.
As much as I think Scapple is a good tool for brainstorming, I’m a big fan of dropping things into Venn-diagrams and would love to have a circle shape to use for that purpose. It doesn’t even have to “collapse” or be hierarchical. I’d just like to be able to put things in the left circle, the right circle, the intersection, or other circles as well.
So if a circular background shape is out of the question, how about “adornments” or just plain “shapes” or something like that? If it’s not out of the question, how is the work already proceeding?
The rectangular approach is certainly part of it, but I would say it has less to do with that being the limitation, and more to do with the fact that notes exist only to serve blocks or lines of text, and shapes only exist to visually group notes. Since rectangles are without question the most efficient shape to serve lines or blocks of text, then the design of the software blossoms out from that simple point in a way that does not compromise that simplicity: rectangles are without question the most efficient way to package smaller rectangles.
It is also not designed to be a tool for creating diagrams or illustrations of any sort. As I say, the primary purpose is to serve text (and optionally images, but those are also fundamentally rectangular in nature). The refrain has always been that if you’re trying to make a visual diagramme with Scapple you’re probably better off using a tool designed for that purpose. Surely there are a 101 Venn Diagram generators out there?
Or maybe break out of the traditional circular mode for this form of expression? After all, Scapple natively handles the concept of this-and-that expression in that notes can overlap multiple shapes. You just need to think in the box.
Hi , I also want to be able to show some kind of “overlap” in my diagrams and would much appreciate if there were
a) round background shapes available (not only square ones) and
b) if they could overlap in various ways, e.g. being transparent, so that you can see the lines crossing, or with one background shape overlapping the other ( so you can’t see the lines of the background shape in the background).
So far, only the latter will happen (automatically), which is obviously far off from a Venn diagram style illustration (even if you try doing a “square” Venn diagram). Or am I getting something wrong ? Any help would be much appreciated.
I’m sorry, I don’t quite understand what you are asking for that was not already addressed in my previous response (namely, that this isn’t a program intended for diagramming of any sort).
It’s a shame there’s no intention to add a bit more utility. A few extra shapes and the ability to draw lines would greatly enhance Scapple’s attraction. It’s great for brainstorming and rough sorting ideas but you’ve then got to switch to another application in order to present ideas. I don’t think anyone wants a new drawing app, just something to help present the ideas generated.
Diagramming apps are often jacks of all trades and fail to be a master of anything beyond presenting pictures. For example, many people use apps like Visio for flow charting - but specialist process mapping programs are far better (you don’t have quite the flexibility to draw everything in corporate colours, etc. but you stand a much better chance of producing useful flowcharts).
So for Scapple, good for laying down and arranging ideas (preferable to mind-mapping apps in my view) but the absence of almost any presentation ability means it’s necessary to export - or start cutting and pasting into other apps.
Hello. Would it be possible to add a draw shapes feature? Even if it’s just the ability to draw a line the user can then connect to make a shape. Currently there’s only the background note to help visually organize / separate the notes and it only comes as a rectangle. I wonder if it would be possible to add the ability to draw shapes? Or have the background note come in different shapes, like a triangle or a real circle?
