Plot Elements

Overview

In .duc, a Plot Element (DucPlotElement with type: "plot") defines a finite paper space boundary within the infinite canvas.

While drawings and geometry span across continuous canvas space, physical deliverables require explicit boundaries. A Plot Element establishes defined page dimensions, margins, and clipping bounds for printing, plotter outputs, and multi-page PDF generation.

Plot Element vs. Frame Element

Both Plot Elements and Frame Elements inherit from a shared container foundation (_DucStackElementBase), but serve distinct roles:

Export Integration with the PDF Adapter (ducpdf)

The Plot Element functions as the primary export target when compiling .duc documents into external files.

When a document is exported via the ducpdf adapter:

1. Page Mapping: Each Plot Element defined on the canvas compiles into an individual page within the generated PDF deliverable.
2. Boundary Capture: Enclosed canvas elements positioned within a Plot Element’s spatial region are captured, clipped to the defined paper margins, and rendered onto that plot’s PDF page.
3. Multi-Page Deliverables: A single .duc canvas containing multiple Plot Elements exports directly into a structured multi-page PDF document set.

Plot Layout and Paper Margins (PlotLayout)

The spatial paper composition of a Plot Element is governed by its layout attribute:

export type PlotLayout = {
  margins: {
    top: PrecisionValue;
    right: PrecisionValue;
    bottom: PrecisionValue;
    left: PrecisionValue;
  };
};
 
export type DucPlotElement = _DucStackElementBase & {
  type: "plot";
  layout: PlotLayout;
};

• Paper Dimensions: The element’s canvas width and height correspond directly to physical paper size dimensions.
• Margin Insets (margins): Specifies explicit top, right, bottom, and left margin insets (PrecisionValue), defining printable boundary limits for enclosed elements.