News

The bleeding edge

2010-01-24: dia 0.97.1 bug-fix release

2009-05-03: dia 0.97 - finally released

2009-04-13: dia-0.97-pre3 - may become dia-0.97

2009-02-15: 0.97-pre2 - get it while it is hot!

2009-01-09: 0.97 release coming soon?

2007-03-25: 0.96 final release is out!

2006-12-13: 0.96-pre1 - text rendering improvements

2006-05-25: 0.95.1 - bug fix only

2006-04-21: New release 0.95 ready!

Version 0.95 adds the following major features:

• New "mainpoint" system allows lines to be added by dragging from anywhere on one object to anywhere on another, and to always point towards the middle of an object even when that object is moved.
• Python plug-ins added to create DOT output, generate Python bindings by 'self reflection', and allow round-trip engineering plug-ins.
• The grid can now automatically change size depending on your zoom level.
• Text input now highlights the object that receives the input, and tabbing between text input areas on one or more objects is possible.
• Several security problems fixed in XFig import and Python plug-in.
• Many new shapes added, including automata, Gane & Sarson and AADL.
• Several new UML objects added as well as some extensions to existing objects.
• Full screen mode.
• Improved SVG import,
• Plug-in loading and unloading doesn't require restart of Dia.
• Many i18n problems have been fixed, particularly in export filters.
• Many bugs have been fixed, too many to mention here.
• Command line usage has improved to allow the selecting of individual layers and specific output filters.
• Uses the new GTK+ File Dialog.
• Experimental libgnomeprint and Cairo plug-ins.

2006-02-12: New release real soon now

2004-08-24: version 0.94

• Highlighting of objects when connecting to them makes it easier to connect.
• New shape sets include:
  • RDP (Petri Networks shapes)
  • KAOS (Goal-Directed Requirements Acquisition)
  • I* (Intentional STrategic Actor Relationships modelling)
  • Jackson (Jackson Diagrams)
  • ChemEng (chemical engineering)
• Hexagonal grid, for all you chemists out there.
• Allow selection between layers, selectable in layers dialog.
• Disparate persistence systems replaced by one combined system using XML, leaves unknown preferences alone.
• New renderer plug-in for Cairo rendering API.
• New renderer plug-in for WMF outside of Windows.
• New arrow head: Backslash.
• Rounded corners on zigzaglines and polylines.
• Automaticall open new diagram if now chosen at start.
• Diagram modified status now based on undo information.
• Wrapping operations arguments in UML objects.
• Better positioning of association texts.
• More persistence of toolbox selections and dialog entries.
• Better handling of dialogs when parent dialogs close.
• Changed from SGML to XML for docs, still DocBook.
• Fix shape background color compatibility problem.
• Many smaller bug fixes, leaks closed and stuff.

2004-05-04:New release, version 0.93

• the addition of font-config to the Win32 side, which unifies fonts and allow antialiased view and high-quality PNG output there.
• Text rendering, having slowed down somewhat with Gtk 2.0, is now cached and thus significantly faster.

• Standard Ellipse now has connection point and handle in center, and is resized around the center.
• Arrow head size selection now keeps aspect ratio by default.
• Line style and arrow head selectors now visual instead of textual in properties dialogs.
• Several sets of shapes added, including isometric map, cybernetics,
• Added navigation window in lower-right corner.
• UML objects can now have color.
• Dia can now convert objects without requiring X. PNG size can be specified with --size.
• Menus have been overhauled, more shortcuts added.
• Preedit text input much improved.
• Numerous improvements in metapost and xfig filters.
• Default arrow size now 0.5 cm.
• Minimum diagram size is very small now.
• Improvements to the Python plug-in.
• Shapes now support images.
• Greeked text replacing very small font rendering.
• Added XSLT sheets: Python, OWL, Mac, Component List
• Shapes can now have extra properties, shown only in the dialog.
• New arrows: Half-circle and Filled Dot And Triangle.

2003-10-19: New release, version 0.92

This release contains a number of various fixes and improvements, in particular in the user interface. Most importantly, zig-zag lines can now be automatically laid out by Dia, solving the old problem of making them horizontal/vertical to match the objects.

Additional improvements include:

• Parenting. Objects can now be set to be parents of others (so far, only the UML Large Package is set so by default). Objects created into these or explicitly added are moved with the parent and cannot be moved outside.
• Dynamic grid that changes with zoom scale.
• Grid now has thicker line every n lines (default 5). Stippled grid option removed.
• ESC and Enter now usable for exiting properties dialogs.
• Mouse wheel(s) can be used to scroll and zoom.
• When using menu bar, middle button pans the diagram.
• Documents now remember if they were compressed or not when loaded.
• Documents are always prettyprinted, to allow version control.
• More diagram properties can be set for existing diagrams, and are loaded and saved.
• UML Component features: Event sources and sinks.
• Improved undo of grouping and ungrouping.
• Ensure loading of fonts and (semi-)correct DPI setting for Pango.
• Use $PRINTER correctly in print dialog.
• Use Win32 PS font EPS rendering on Unix as well, to allow the various manipulation tools to work.
• Libart rendering is back on win32.
• Allow choosing the export format explicitly when multiple possibilities exist.
• Updates of the Python plugin:
  • groups, rgb, and images can be manipulated
  • better svg parsing
• XFig arrow head import and export, correct dash lengths, comment handling
• Now remembers the last selected sheet.
• Better Metapost output, with images.
• Gnome and Gnome HIG conformance better.
• Better text alignment in flowchart objects.
• Window positions are now remembered from run to run.
• Standardization of error messages and shape descriptions.
• Better SVG export.
• Better arrow head calculations.
• More tooltips.
• Snap to grid icon in status bar.
• Opens a new diagram if Dia is started with a non-existing file as argument.
• Updated man page.
• Change to CHM manual format for Windows.
• A number of various bugs fixed.

Warning This release introduces some binary compatibility changes that anyone with their own plugins should take note of. Old compiled plugins will no longer work. There's an interface change for objects, though most objects will just need to change their prototypes.

2003-09-02: Prerelease of version 0.92

The first prerelease of 0.92 is out, with autorouting of zig-zag lines and object parenting as the major new things.

2003-03-14: New release, version 0.91

Todays release of Dia 0.91 ends 9 months of work on converting Dia to Gtk 2.0. This change means that support for non-Latin scripts are no longer crude hacks, and the font handling is more consistent, both within diagrams and between the screen and printing.

In addition to the improvements associated with Gtk 2.0, a number of other improvements have been made along the way:

• The renderers are now proper GObjects and inherit default drawing routines when possible. Beside more maintainable source code this gives export fiters the ability to write e.g. bezier approximations without having to write a single line of code in the export filter.
• Most Dia objects now support setting some defaults. Simply double-click on the respective object button to change them.
• The Python plug-in is updated and tested. Some working examples are included. Note that the Python plug-in is not compiled in by default.
• Some effort has been made to follow the Gnome Human Interface Guidelines (HIG), which should make it more consistent with the Gnome desktop.
• Cursors styles have been changed to give better feedback.
• Dia now autosaves changed diagrams.
• Comments have been added to UML classes.
• Dynamic refresh of objects has been added, allowing animated objects (see the clock object in the Misc sheet).
• The object defaults system has been much improved, and most objects now allow defaults to be set by double-clicking the icons. Defaults changes are persistent.
• A number of bugs have been found and corrected, including a long-standing anti-aliasing bug.
• A number of new shapes have been added, including over 200 Cisco shapes.

Warning: Since the font handling is changed, some elements in old diagrams may change size. Since the font size was somewhat arbitrary in older versions of Dia, there is little we can do to fix this. Note: The Windows version of Dia doesn't support Freetype font rendering, due to font-config problems. This means that anti-aliasing (including high-quality PNG output) and EPS output cannot handle text at all under Windows.

2003-01-31: Prerelease of version 0.91

Today the first prerelease of version 0.91 was put on the gnome ftp servers. Please take it and bang on it. If no serious bugs are found within 10 days, it shall become 0.91. The main new features in this release are:

• Switch to Gtk-2.0. This took most of our time to get right, mostly because of font issues. Fonts on Unix are now handled entirely by FreeType2, ensuring WYSIWYG. Unfortunately, the Windows version of Pango doesn't allow getting outlines or bitmaps, so export to PNG and EPS, as well as antialiased text, is not working yet. Sorry.

2002-06-01: New release, version 0.90

After over a year of hacking, a new release of Dia is now ready. This version includes more changes than you can shake an inheritance arrow at. Most prominently:

• Full UTF-8 support internally.
• Diagram tree dialog.
• Sheets editor means you don't have to edit text files at all to make new shapes.
• Even more shapes and export filters.

This is also the first release with Cyrille Chepelov & Lars Clausen as joint maintainers. We thank James Henstridge for taking his turn at the wheel. An installer for the Windows port can be found here.

The next release is intended to move us to GTK2.0.

2001-05-21: dia-list moved to gnome.org

The dia mailing list has been moved to gnome.org. All subscribers to the previous list has been moved over to the new one. You can subscribe to the new list here.

2001-05-20: New release, version 0.88.1 New in this release:

• Input method support should work correctly now.
• SVG shape files now use namespace from final W3C recommendation. Addon shapes will have to be modified to use the http://www.w3.org/2000/SVG namespace for SVG. SVG export filter also uses correct doctype.
• menus should now work in both gtk+ and gnome builds and have no i18n related problems. Don't look in app/menus.c.
• pstricks renderer output should now work fine without modification now.
• gdk-pixbuf is now a requirement for building dia. It no longer falls back to imlib if it can't find gdk-pixbuf.
• handle "file not found" errors better in the image object type.
• Dia now has documentation thanks to the GDP. The help menu now has more than just an about menu item.
• Antialiased drawing mode probably won't crash dia anymore
• Dia has a splash screen now (which can be turned off with the --nosplash option).
• Updated bonobo support (when --enable-bonobo is used)
• added expose event compression for the dia canvas, which makes dia more usable over remote X connections.
• Many objects updated to use properties interface.
• experimental unicode print support (--enable-unicode)
• updates to the python plugin and now distribute it with dia (--with-python)
• many new shapes and export filter plugins.
• other bug fixes.

An installer for the Windows port can be found here.

2000-08-06: New release, version 0.86 New in this release:

• Dia is now an official GNU program.
• Bug fixes to polygon, so that undo/redo of adding a point works correctly, and added extra connection points to shape. (james)
• added unfinished DXF import filter (Steffen).
• XIM support added.
• added beziergon object. (james)
• The right click menu now behaves correctly when torn off. Actions will be performed on the last active display, which is defined as the last display to receive mouse clicks or keyboard input. (james)
• added little button to top left hand corner of display for bringing up the right click menu, as in gimp-1.1. (james)
• Layers dialog changes selected diagram when the active display changes. (james)
• fixed bug in custom shape code affecting drawing of ellipses/circles.
• WPG and HPGL export filters added (Hans)
• Updated gnome-print code so that it respects the settings in the page setup dialog. The gnome-print code is still not as good as the straight postscript code.
• Added a diagram properties dialog where you can manipulate the grid settings (which are now saved with the diagram) and background colour.
• many other bug fixes.

2000-05-18: New release, version 0.85 New in this release:

• Bug fix for bringing up properties window when a group of objects that don't implement the properties code are selected (james).
• New sheets: Pneumatic, Electric and Civil (from Cyrille and Steffen).
• New export filters: TeX PSTricks and DXF (from Jacek and Steffen respectively).
• New polygon object (Lars).
• You can now select between symmetric, smooth and cusp as the vertex style for the segments in a bezier line object (Lars, james).
• Some fixups to make sure preferences and save files are written with LC_NUMERIC set to C (james).
• dia will now use gdk-pixbuf in preference to imlib if it is found on the system when compiling.
• there is a simple (unfinished) bonobo component now. To build it, you must pass --enable-bonobo to configure (this will not affect whether the normal dia is built). (Alex)
• Bug fixes in FS objects by David Thompson.
• new plugin system, along with a plugin manager where you can prevent plugins from being loaded (james).
• Objects handled by the custom sheet code now have a better distance algorithm -- before it just used a bounding box (james).
• New select submenu in the right click menu that makes it easier to select groups of objects (Lars).

2000-02-29: New release, version 0.84. New in this release:

• Bug fixes in sheet loading and object initialisation code -- this fixes some of the seg faults in 0.83.
• Lots of new shapes (GRAFCET, SADT, chronogram and Contact from Cyrille)
• Fixed up fit to page so that it adjusts the scaling as you change the size of the diagram. Also allow fit to multiple pages.
• Show page breaks on diagram (this can be disabled in the preferences).
• CGM export filter fixes (most of this work was by Henk Jan Priester).
• SVG export filter fixes -- now it handles images as well.
• EPS filter now uses scaling factor set in page setup dialog. This was added because some apps do not allow scaling of an EPS file after importing it.
• High quality anti aliased libart based renderer (Alex).
• PNG export filter (requires libpng and libart).
• toolbox is resizable kind of like the gimp-1.1 toolbox.
• Win32 port by Hans Breuer -- see http://hans.breuer.org/dia/
• Start of support for properties code. THIS IS NOT FINISHED AND THE INTERFACES ARE LIKELY TO CHANGE IN THE NEXT RELEASE. DON'T WRITE NEW OBJECTS AGAINST THESE NEW INTERFACES UNLESS YOU ARE PREPARED FOR THEM TO BREAK WITH THE NEXT RELEASE. That said, this adds a number of nice features for users. You can now group a number of properties supporting objects (currently the `standard' objects, custom objects and the flowchart box), and change some of the properties as a group.

99-12-25: New release, version 0.83. New in this release:

• Copying/pasting of bezier and image objects should work correctly.
• New export filter interface, which allows export filters to be loaded from plugins rather than being integrated into the application.
• New CGM export plugin. It currently doesn't handle beziers yet, but it does handle all other aspects of rendering.
• Fixed rendering of logo in about dialog.
• Don't reencode the symbol font in latin1, as this stops it working.
• Renamed the --export-to-ps option to --export (the short form is still -e). It now works out which filter to use based on the file extension.
• Portability fixes.

99-12-14: New release, version 0.82. New in this release:

• Dia has a new maintainer now.
• It is now possible to rearange the icons in the toolbox by editing simple XML files. You can also create new sheets composed of your favourite shapes. This feature is the work of Cyrille Chepelov
• New bezierline object. This object is by Lars Clausen and me (James).
• Better integration with the gnome file manager -- dia files now have an icon, and you can double click on a file to launch dia.
• more memory leak fixes based on purify runs by Bruce Mitchener.
• By holding down shift when using the zoom tool, you can zoom out. This feature was from Patrick Reynolds.
• By holding shift when using the move tool, it changes its behaviour to the `grab' type scrolling as seen in acrobat, eog and other programs.
• More circuit shapes from Andreas Scherf.
• Other bug fixes I haven't mentioned above (see ChangeLog for details).

99-11-30: New maintainer, James Henstridge (james@daa.com.au)

99-10-31: New release, version 0.81. New in this release:

• New printing dialog with "Fit to page" and landscape printing
• New Circuit objects
• Fixed loading saving of flowcharts and custom object. This would make dia crash when loading saved files.
• Portability fixes
• Added undo support for some missing operations
• Fixed some memory leaks
• Fixed crashing bugs

99-10-18: RPMs for 0.80 added. Done by Miles Lott (milos@insync.net)

99-10-17: New major release, version 0.80. New in this release:

• Undo capabilities
• Printing support
• Possibilities to create new objects in XML
• Export to SVG capability
• Objects can have menus
• New objects:
  • UML state object
  • Some new Network objects
  • Flowchart sheet
  • Sybase sheet
  • Electric circuit sheet
• Uses g_module for dll loading (Dia should work on most unixes now).
• Somewhat better EPS files created
• More preferences
• Ctrl-drag handles restricts movement to horizontal/vertical.
• New logos.
• Heaps of new stuff i forgot
• Lots of bugfixes and cleanups.

99-06-10: RPMs added. Done by Keith Amidon (camalot@picnicpark.org).

99-04-08: Bugfix release 0.41. This fixes some bugs in the internationalization code.

99-03-29: New major release, version 0.40. New in this release:

• Internationalization
• Preferences handling
• Image objects
• New standard objects: polyline
• New UML objects: lifeline, object, message, class icon
• New network object: printer
• Better standard objects
• Better gnome compatibility
• Statusbar in diagram window
• Default properties for objects
• Various new features
• Asorted bugfixes

99-01-24: Major release, version 0.30. New in this release:

• Layer system
• XML file-format (needs libxml, read INSTALL)
• New objects including ER-modeling.
• bugfixes and small changes
• Internal cleanup
• and lots more... Read the ChangeLog.

I've also noticed that snapshots of the cvs archive can be found at: ftp://ftp.jimpick.com/pub/gnome/snap/dia/

98-12-07: I've done some major updated to the CVS version of Dia.
Now the file format is XML, which means you have to install gnome-xml before Dia. I've found some bugs in gnome-xml which the author has fixed. Make sure you got at least version 1.19 of tree.c.

I also updated all code to Gtk 1.1.5, in preparation for the soon upcoming Gtk+ 1.2 release.

I've also created a mailinglist for Dia, where people can discuss the design, development and usage of Dia. I was starting to get mail from so many people it was hard to coordinate and cooperate. To subscribe, just send a mail to dia-list-request@lysator.liu.se with the word subscribe in the subject. For more info about the mailinglist see the developers page.

98-11-15: Update to the Dia homepage, design mostly done by Toussaint frédéric (ftoussin@club-internet.fr).
Note: I have worked on Dia since the last news-entry, but i don't update this page often. If you're interested in the development of Dia, look at the ChangeLog in the Gnome CVS tree.

98-09-01: Dia is in the Gnome CVS tree now.

98-08-30: Updated to V0.20, new in this release:

• Internal cleanup
• bugfixes and small changes
• support for gtk 1.1
• new scroll tool
• full UML support (association, templates, packages)

98-08-19: Updated to V0.12, some small fixes. Now really works on Solaris.

98-08-15: Updated to V0.11, fixes stupid segfault bug. Works on Solaris.