Non-linear Symbol Scaling for Business Process Modeling
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for resizing symbols in business process modeling tools often result in distortion due to linear scaling, which fails to maintain the shape and integrity of symbols containing graphics, text, and polygons.
Innovation Solution
Implementing non-linear scaling methods that allow specific elements of a symbol to be tagged as non-scalable, enabling precise control over scaling factors and maintaining the original shape by using anchor points for relative scaling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If linear scaling coordinate transformation is used to resize symbols, then the resizing operation is simple and fast, but the symbol shape becomes distorted and loses its original form
Solution Approach 1:
The symbol is divided into multiple elements (graphics, text, polygons, etc.), and each element is tagged with scalability information. The rendering system processes each element separately according to its scalability tag, allowing selective scaling that preserves the overall symbol shape while enabling size adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
Different elements within the symbol are assigned different scaling properties through tags. Some elements are marked as scalable while others are marked as non-scalable, allowing the rendering system to apply scaling selectively to specific parts of the symbol rather than uniformly to the entire symbol, thus maintaining shape integrity.
2Ease of operation
If uniform scaling is applied to all elements in a symbol, then the resizing operation is straightforward, but elements such as text and graphics become distorted
Solution Approach 1:
The rendering system dynamically determines which elements to scale based on their scalability tags. Elements marked as non-scalable (such as text and certain graphics) are excluded from scaling operations, while only scalable elements are resized. This dynamic selection process maintains element integrity while still achieving the desired size change.
Solution Approach 2:
The scalability tag acts as a parameter that changes the behavior of each element during rendering. By setting the scalability parameter to true or false for different elements, the system controls whether each element undergoes scaling transformation, thereby preventing distortion of critical elements while allowing flexible resizing of the symbol.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for rendering a symbol with non-linear scaling, the symbol comprising one or more elements. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided for rendering a symbol and may comprise the steps of receiving a scaling instruction to scale the symbol, the scaling instruction including at least one scaling factor, determining whether to exclude one or more elements of the symbol from the scaling factor to be applied to the symbol, wherein a determination to exclude one or more elements is based on whether an element is tagged as being non-scalable, and rendering the symbol on a canvas with non-linear scaling, such that the elements of the symbol that are determined to be tagged are not scaled according to the scaling factor.