[Xy-pic] Arrow with filled head

[Ross Moore]

> 
> Thanks for your comprehensive answer.
> 
> Let me add the following. In my (very) humble opinion, filled arrow heads
> would be a nice addition not because of elegance but because sometimes they
> are the required notation. In my case it was to draw UML activity diagrams.
> UML class diagrams are another case. In this last case, filled arrows even
> have a different associated semantics than empty triangle heads (which are
> also used) or simple arrows (also used).

OK; in that case, it sounds like it would be nice to have 2 new fonts
for Xy-pic; one of one triangular aeeow-heads, and another of filled
triangular arrowheads.

These fonts would need to be constructed along similar to XYATIP10, etc.
(preferably as Type 1) so that they could be used with any Xy-pic driver
setup. 

When Kris and I were writing Xy-pic (many years ago) we disussed the
possibility of extra fonts of rotated characters; e.g. zig-zags, coils, etc.
It was never followed-up as neither of us had a pressing need for these.

Perhaps there is someone on the Xy-pic list who would like to take
up the challenge. 
Designing with Metafont, and/or MetaPost would be a good way to start
on such a project.  Adding hinting to the Type 1 fonts is the hardest aspect.


Cheers,

	Ross Moore

 
> Best regards
> 
> Joao Paulo Barros
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ross Moore" <ross@ics.mq.edu.au>
> To: "Joao Paulo Barros" <jpb@netvisao.pt>
> Sent: Thursday, September 19, 2002 11:31 AM
> Subject: Re: [Xy-pic] Arrow with filled head
> 
> 
> Hello Joao,
> 
> >
> > I am just starting to use xy-pic and would like to know how to draw an
> arrow
> > with a filled triangle as head.
> 
> You cannot do this easily, unless you define PostScript code for the
> arrow-head,
> or pick some character from a font to use, and rotate it appropriately.
> 
> Xy-pic provides its own arrowheads which (the authors believe) are far more
> elegant than using filled triangles.
> 
> There are 2 varieties:  the standard Xy-pic sharp arrows-heads,
>  and the  CM wide tipped arrows-heads, which are similar in design
> to other arrow-heads in TeX fonts;
> e.g. as given by \to , \rightarrow, \downarrow, etc.
> 
> You can make the arrow-heads to be "fatter", but still rounded,
> using a PostScript back-end, and the  [thicker]  modifier;
> see the Xy-pic reference manual for an example of this.
> 
> Indeed, you should consult the section in this manual devoted to use of
> alternate arrow-tips.
> There is also an example of rotating font-characters to use as tips,
> in the section about rotations (implemented in PostScript).
> 
> 
> > Thanks a lot in advance
> 
> Hope this helps,
> 
> Ross Moore
> 
> >
> > Joao Paulo Barros
> > jpb@netvisao.pt
> >
> >
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