Xfig/C2/Simple-block-diagram/English-timed

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Time Narration
00:00 Welcome to the spoken tutorial on block diagram creation using Xfig.
00:07 In this tutorial, we will explain how to create block diagrams of the type given below.
00:17 We will see the tools required for this purpose:
00:19 I shall use Xfig, a block diagram manipulation tool.
00:24 I am using version 3.2, patch level 5.
00:29 I will also use the terminal and a 'pdf' browser.
00:37 I am creating this tutorial on Mac OS X.
00:41 Xfig works on Linux and Windows also.
00:45 Installation on Linux is the easiest of all.
00:50 The procedure to use Xfig is the same in all three.
00:56 It is recommended to use a three button mouse for Xfig.
01:00 But one or two button mouse can also be configured to work.
01:07 The user manual for Xfig is available on the web.
01:16 Let us see it. We can see the introduction to Xfig in this page.
01:23 We can see the Table of Contents of this manual, here.
01:28 Let us click on it.
01:31 We can see the details of the people who created Xfig, here.
01:36 Let us see this page.
01:40 I will now explain the screen configuration for this tutorial.
01:46 It has the slides, Xfig, internet browser – Firefox and the terminal.
01:58 This is the command I used to invoke Xfig on Mac.
02:04 These are arranged in an overlapping fashion, for easy switch from one to the other.
02:10 The listener can easily see the switch happening – no need for guess work.
02:17 Let us start with Xfig.
02:20 The left hand side of Xfig worksheet has the drawing mode panel.
02:26 The buttons on top half of this panel can be used to create different objects.
02:33 The ones in the bottom are used to work with them.
02:39 Using the buttons at the top, one can carry out File and Edit operations.
02:46 The space in the centre is known as the canvas.
02:50 This is where the figure will be created.
02:53 Let us now get started with drawing.
02:55 The first thing I will do is to put the grids on the canvas.
03:01 I do this by clicking on the Grid Mode button, at the bottom.
03:05 We can choose different grid sizes. I will choose the middle one.
03:11 Grids help align the different objects that we would place.
03:16 In this tutorial, by clicking I mean clicking the left mouse button and releasing it.
03:21 Similarly, selecting or choosing a button would mean that you have to click it with the left mouse.
03:29 If a different action is required, I will state it explicitly.
03:34 As our diagram should have a box, let us choose the Box symbol with sharp corners, from the left hand side panel.
03:43 We will go to the place where we want to place the box.
03:50 We will click the mouse at this point.
03:53 This selects the north west corner of the box.
03:57 Move the mouse to the opposite end until the box is of the size we want.
04:12 Once the box is of right size, we can click the mouse once again.
04:16 The box is now created.
04:18 We will now explain how to use the Edit feature of Xfig. Using this, we will increase the thickness of the box.
04:26 Let us press the Edit button in the left hand panel.
04:31 We see that all the key points of the box are displayed.
04:36 Let us click on any one of these points and thus select the box.
04:41 A dialog-box opens.
04:43 We will take the mouse to the Width box.
04:47 Make sure that the mouse pointer stays within the box.
04:51 Let us delete the default value of 1.
04:55 The contents of this box cannot be changed if the mouse is not inside the box.
05:01 If the mouse moves away at any time of entry in the box, please bring it inside and continue typing.
05:07 Let us now enter 2.
05:13 We click the Done. Let me show you this.
05:17 Click the Done and leave the dialog-box.
05:20 We see that the thickness of the box has increased.
05:24 We would now want to enter lines with arrows.
05:28 Let us choose the POLYLINE button from the left hand side panel.
05:34 The panel at the bottom is known as the Attributes panel.
05:40 Using the buttons present in this panel, the parameters of each object may be changed.
05:45 The number of buttons change depending on the chosen object.
05:52 Let us select the Arrow Mode button from the attributes panel.
05:57 Let us choose the second option in the dialog-box as this would give an arrow at the end point.
06:04 Let us click the Arrow Type button.
06:08 In the window that appears, we select the arrow head of our choice.
06:14 Let us click at the point where we want the line to start.
06:23 Let us move the mouse to the end point of the desired line.
06:31 Let us now click there with middle mouse button
06:36 The line is created with an arrow.
06:39 Remember, you have to press the middle button to complete the arrow.
06:43 Not the left or right button.
06:45 If you make a mistake, please click the Edit and press Undo.
06:52 Let us draw another line, at the output of the box, by copying.
06:59 Choose the COPY button from the left hand side panel.
07:05 Choose the line.
07:09 Move the mouse to the destination and click.
07:15 The line is copied.
07:18 Let us put some text now.
07:21 Let us click the Text box, indicated by T, from the left hand side panel.
07:29 Let us choose the font-size of the text.
07:35 Let us click the Text Size button from the attributes panel and obtain a dialog window.
07:41 Let us move the mouse to the value-box and keep the mouse there.
07:46 Let us delete the default value of 12 and enter 16.
07:52 Let us choose the button Set.
07:56 The dialog-box gets closed and the Text Size is now shown as 16 in the attributes panel.
08:05 We will centre align the text.
08:08 Let us click the Text Just button in the attributes panel.
08:13 A dialog-box opens.
08:15 Let us choose the middle one for centre alignment.
08:21 Let us click at the centre of the box.
08:29 I will type Plant and click the mouse.
08:36 The text is created.
08:38 I can move the text with the Move key on the left hand side panel, if required.
08:50 Let us now save this figure.
08:52 Let us click the File button at the top left hand corner of Xfig, hold and drag the mouse to Save and release.
09:04 As this is the first time, Xfig asks for the file name.
09:09 We can choose the directory and then the file name.
09:12 Let us type the name as "block" and choose Save.
09:27 The file gets saved as "block.fig".
09:30 You can see that name at the top.
09:34 Let us now export the file.
09:36 Let us click the File button once again, hold and drag the mouse to Export.
09:47 Click the box next to Language, hold and drag the mouse to PDF and release the key to select the PDF Format.
09:59 Now click the Export button. We get the file "block.pdf".
10:05 Let us open this file through the command open block.pdf from the terminal.
10:18 We now have the block diagram that we wanted.
10:21 We have completed our objective. We have the figure we want.
10:30 We have an assignment for you.
10:33 Substitute the box with different objects.
10:36 Create a rectangle using Polyline. Change the size and the direction of the arrows in the figure.
10:43 Move the text, line and box to different locations.
10:48 Export the file in 'eps' format and view it.
10:51 View the file "block.fig" in an editor and identify different components.
10:58 Create entirely different block diagrams.
11:02 We have now come to the end of this tutorial.
11:06 Spoken Tutorial is a part of the Talk to a Teacherproject, supported by the National Mission on Education through ICT (NMEICT),MHRD,Government of India.
11:18 More information on this mission is available at:http://spoken-tutorial.org/NMEICT-Intro
11:28 I have downloaded a few more web pages.
11:38 The website for the spoken tutorial project is: http://spoken-tutorial.org/.
11:48 This project is explained by the video available at this link: "What is a Spoken Tutorial".
11:57 At this spoken-tutorial.org/wiki, we have listed the FOSS tools supported by our projects.
12:12 Let us also see the page devoted to Xfig.
12:27 We welcome your participation and also your feedback. This is Kannan Moudgalya, signing off. Thanks for joining. Goodbye.

Contributors and Content Editors

Nancyvarkey, PoojaMoolya