First of all, you can always enlarge the sheet format. However, this alone does not increase the free space between the already existing junctions and lines (clocked line groups).A scaling of the contents of the line map, which has been possible for a longer time, would also increase the distance between the associated clocked lines (of one line), which is rather unintentional.

Therefore, a new feature has been introduced in January 2012 (iPLAN1.2.1) specifically for the purpose of creating more space between interconnected lines. Two basic approaches are to be distinguished:

1. More freedom by retaining the sheet format, but reducing the size of the grid and the font sizes, and thus compressing the clocked lines,
2. More free space by increasing the sheet format and distributing the content, but retaining the previous screen and the previous font sizes.

The solution presented here aims at (a), since this approach has the advantage that freely arranged graphic elements and so on can be kept in their position or have to be displaced only slightly. Proceed as follows:

• Click on the free white background of the interval graphics and select Edit --> Properties (or right click --> Properties).
• In the Properties window of the interval graphics at grid you decrease the value of grids for interval lines at stations, for example from 6 to 4 mm. The value of the general raster can remain unchanged, for example, at 1 mm.
• Click the Adjust objects to grid option.
• In the Adjust objects to grid window, as Kind of adjustment, select Local adjustment (to nearest grid coordinates), as Objects to adjust, checkmark stations and interval lines --> Adjust stations to grid for interval lines and, if necessary, (optional, recommended) graphic elements and all font sizes.
• In both windows, click Ok. (If possible, do not change any other values, especially the sheet format, in the Properties window of the interval graphics).

If you want the above-mentioned approach (b) - an enlargement of the sheet format, as the font sizes may seem too small for you otherwise, proceed as described in (a), but without reducing the font size. Then reload the window Properties of interval graphic, resize the sheet, return the grid to its original value, open the window Adjust objects to grid and select Proportional adjustment (relative to coordinate origin). Include the checkmark Graphic elements in any case and do not adjust the font sizes again.

Since conventionally, for the grid, integer millimetres values are used while DIN-A values are used for the sheet sizes, it is not easy in case (b) to obtain exactly the same stretching factor for the sheet format and the contents. Increasing the sheet size by a DIN-A value means stretching by a factor of 1.41; an increase in the grid from 4 to 6 means stretching by a factor of 1.5 though, while increasing 5 to 6 mm means stretching by a factor of 1.2. In order to achieve approximately the DIN factor, you would have to set the intermittent grid value (in the case of an output and final grid of 6 mm) to approximately 4.24 mm. This is another reason why we do not recommend the approach (b).

The two approaches can, of course, also be used to create less space by increasing the size of the grid or decreasing the sheet format.

After aligning the objects to the (new) grid, some manual rework is probably always required. Typically, freestanding graphic elements (texts, logos) may be moved back to the clocked line points or nodes to which they refer. It may also be that clocked lines have received new "paragraphs" (intermediate lines) that you want to eliminate by reorienting the junctions. To do this, use in the mode found via Edit --> when moving line points --> Adjust support points to nodes

In order to make post-editing of line charts possible with as little (unexpected) effort as possible, you should note the following recommendations for the creation of interval graphics:

• Common grid values are approximately 1 mm for the general grid and 4..6 mm for the grid of clocked lines.
• Always set up nodes on the grid of the tact lines. This means that the coordinates of the upper left corner as well as the height and width of the junction points should be a multiple of the grid of the clock lines, that is, of 4..6 mm. When you normally move and zoom in / out, the program offers only such multiples; You should not use the Shift key to bypass this grid.

• Always align the support points on the grid of the clocked lines, that means the support point coordinates should be a multiple of the grid of the clocked lines (4..6 mm) and not just the general grid (about 1 mm). You can do this by pressing the Shift key when you move the points, that way you switch from the general grid to the clocked lines grid. This affects all support points with their own coordinates - that is, for example, marking or coupling and sharing points, but not points which are arranged centrally between the adjacent points by means of the adjustment.
• In order to label a line “leaving” the interval graphics with "from and to ...", you should use a label point and not a free text field. The label point belongs to the clocked line and would therefore always be moved relative to it, whereas the text field would not have any functional relation to the clock line. If you want a small space between the annotation text and the actual line, add an extra space before or after the text.
• Position the labels of the junctions (the names of the stations) so that they point "to the station". So, if the label is on the upper left of the station, the text should be right-aligned, beneath. Under no circumstances should labelling rectangle and station rectangle overlap. All texts (also the station inscriptions) are stretched out and pushed out of their alignment corner and cannot "move into the station" or "move out of it".

• Always drag the text boundary rectangles slightly larger than the actual text. Fonts can only be scaled in coarser steps than the rectangles. Text and rectangle are therefore not exactly proportional during stretching and upsetting, which should not lead to an unwanted break or to the cutting off of the text.