Why isn't it possible to create canvas smaller than 48x48

[covoxer]

how do I achieve this without clipview or having to create a second 960x15 rectangle

What is the problem with creating second 960x15 rectangle?
Create it in a separate layer and think of it as it is your actual canvas.
This also has advantage as you can actually have many such "canvases" on a single page. May be useful considering miniature sizes you work with in this case.
What do you think?

[steve.ledger]

What do you think?

That this is off-topic so I have moved all posts related to Nuno's underlying question "why isn't it possible to create canvas smaller than 48x48" to it's own thread.

Thanks

[covoxer]

Ah yes, you're right. Tank you Steve.

[Nuno]

Thank you John and Steve.

Replying to your question John, there is no problem creating a second rectangle of the same background color in that situation (it was what I had to do), but imagine when you have to do that several, several times for the same image, each for what you need to slice? I end up with my original image full of false rectangles.
Of course your suggestion of using layers is a sound one, and I truly appreciate it. I usually find it quicker having several pages of different sizes within the same file, so that I can immediately see what part I need to change and export this time. Of course layers and creating faux canvas objects are a workaround, and ones I used in the past, it's just slower to me. If I want to export that slice number x, in a different page it takes me less than 10 seconds, but with layers or selecting all the objects I want to export it takes a bit more.
And if I have an element that I want split in two, within different pages I can just clone it and put it in the 2 positions I need, each in it's position. That is also possible with other techniques, I just found that it takes longer for me, maybe it's just my process I have to "de-learn"...

[covoxer]

You are talking about multiple slices of the same image. I don't quite understand how can you use a canvas for this purpose. After all you can have only one canvas underneath the image. Can you explain this in detail please?

[Nuno]

You can have multiple pages/canvas inside the same file, by going to Edit - Pages - New page, is that what you mean?
I usually design everything in the same page, and then separate it's parts in new pages below the original one, to have everything in the same file.
When I need to edit something I just go to that part and then export the whole page.

[covoxer]

What it you have intersecting elements so that they are copied in multiple pages? In case of any changes required do you have to update all the instances?
Using slice rectangles you may avoid duplicating the design or it's parts over numerous pages. Keeping all in one piece is usually useful for further editing.

[Nuno]

That happens, but usually I don't change the elements, only the background color of the page or of some "tables".
Sometimes I have a shadow on top of a small rectangle, but that shadow belongs to another element that I don't want to export, and creating lots of faux rectangles is a bit problematic.
With a separated canvas I just need to put the element I don't want to export outside the page, keeping only the shadow.
Until then I still need to use workarounds that make me spend more time :/

[jclements]

SUGGESTION:

It is too bad, that with these more complex or hard to explain situations, John, or someone at tech support, can't do a WebEx so they can see and hear the issues and take control of the user's screen and demonstrate alternative methods/work arounds, if necessary.

I think some issues (or even bugs) could be solved a lot quicker and without misinterpretation.

[Nuno]

I completely understood all John's suggestions and I already use them (creating false rectangles for example as I initially said). I've tried to avoid using layers and that is something that maybe I'll have to try again. Since moving from bitmap to vector apps that I haven't used them (except for Xara's flash to create animations and even a step by step tutorial).
For my day by day work I thrive to make things simple (for my taste and design process), but sometimes it isn't possible.
This isn't really a bug, just a canvas size limitation that I don't know if it would require many coding changes or why it exists in the first place (it must have a reason I guess).