Custom tool design

[kdwoll]

Hi guys, I am working on a project that requires me the generate a list of x-y coordinates based on a dxf file. We need to mark a spot on the truss where to place nails. (see photo). I'm used cad/cam pro and the output will be to a g-code file.

Trusspng.png (4.14 KiB) Viewed 14837 times

The idea is that I would select a line from the view and click generate. That script would generate a pattern of point along the axis with offset and spacing according to the settings. writing to code and the math isn't the problem. (Even though I will come back to you for help.) The issue is how to incorporate the tools into Qcad. Where do I start to build a plugin with required toolbar and dialog windows to set parameters.

[andrew]

A good starting point are the script tutorials at:
https://www.qcad.org/en/tutorial-script-programming

Since you are most likely interested in creating an interactive tool, this tutorial applies:
https://www.qcad.org/en/tutorial-intera ... pt-actions

Once you are familiar with the basics, I'd recommend to browse or search existing QCAD scripts to find similar use cases:
https://github.com/qcad/qcad/tree/master/scripts

For example, to learn how to let the user choose an entity, you might want to have a look at one of the many tools that do this, for example to draw a line with a relative angle to an existing line:
https://github.com/qcad/qcad/blob/maste ... veAngle.js

[kdwoll]

After a couple hours I was able to build this (see Zip) to add points to the drawing. I want to know best practices to have global settings. I have the menu structure the way I want it, but I want to menu items to show up as buttons on the toolbar too. Code is still messy to don't read to much into it.

TrusspngNails.png (8.98 KiB) Viewed 14504 times

steps.
Load File (80TRUSS_Import.dxf)
Init Truss (To make sure drawing is exploded)
Select Truss Top Chord and click button. (draw points along top chord.)
Select Truss Web and click button. (draw point along truss webs.)
deselect all.
click menu item Truss bottom Chord / Select left bottom point / move mouse along bottom line and add point as needed.

[CVH]

Hi,

I want to menu items to show up as buttons on the toolbar too.

What ToolBar, ToolsPanel and/or MatrixPanel?
This can be done by including the widgets names:

Code: Select all

action.setWidgetNames(["nTrussMenu"]);    // An Array of widgets names

However, I foresee issues because you don't follow the common QCAD orders for groups and items.

One could also include them in one of the two custom ToolBars.
See App.Prefs. > General > Tool Settings

I want to know best practices to have global settings.

The thing with gobals is that they may already exist.
nTrussBottom.State is an example of a global.

Init Truss (To make sure drawing is exploded)

Why is that required?
Altering a drawing to be able to run a tool is not best practice.
It is the same effort to retrieve Line segments from a nearby Polyline.

To verify that a document entity is a Line segment see Library.js:
isLineEntity(obj)

It is rather common to call EAction for messages:
EAction.handleUserMessage("Nothing Selected");

Regards,
CVH

[kdwoll]

Hey, Thanks for the feedback... I think I have the menu / toolbar thing figured out now, and everything works like I want it to. I wasn't aware that the setWidgetNames is a list.

On the Global Setting, Is it possible to use the option dialog to set some values? and they will be available when I use one of the other scripts in the same tree? Does the declared var have to be on the root like nTruss?


You referenced the library.js. I will have to look into using that....

Kevin

[CVH]

I wasn't aware that the setWidgetNames is a list.

The hint would be that it is in plural.
https://qcad.org/doc/qcad/3.0/developer ... db9d4e34b2

Is it possible to use the option dialog to set some values?

Yes

and they will be available when I use one of the other scripts in the same tree?

All depends ... Vars have block scope.
That ends at the function closing curly bracket.

For example:
var Corner1 in function nTrussBottom is not the same as
this.corner1 in nTrussBottom.prototype.coordinateEvent.
It would be different if there were this.corner1 = undefined; in nTrussBottom.
Remark here that Vars under QCAD start with a lower case.

So yes, Script Object Properties can be shared.
In your case nTruss would be the place to set/create the nTruss property(ies).
Everthing based on nTruss would then be able to access that.

Regards,
CVH

[kdwoll]

I finally got to the output of the points that I need. How do I sort this list to DrawOrder Column?

"RVector(14.134990, 42.932505, 0.000000, 1)" Draworder: 1006
"RVector(-28.797516, 64.398758, 0.000000, 1)" Draworder: 1009
"RVector(-14.486680, 57.243340, 0.000000, 1)" Draworder: 1008
"RVector(-57.419186, 78.709593, 0.000000, 1)" Draworder: 1011

First Column is X
Second Column is Y
Third Column is DrawOrder

184 - 0, 1001
104 - 0, 1006
88 - 0, 1007
136 - 0, 1004
120 - 0, 1005
40 - 0, 1010
24 - 0, 1011
72 - 0, 1008
56 - 0, 1009

[CVH]

Hi,

The code in your initial scripts did not export anything.
Can you explain what the source is and how it is exported.

The use of the Drawing Order is perhaps not a good idea.
This can become renumbered on save & reload.

Lists, or better arrays, can be sorted before exporting them and that can be based on a function:
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/doc ... Array/sort
https://www.w3schools.com/jsref/jsref_sort.asp

The compare function is evaluated on this element 'a' and the next element 'b' and that until no change occurs anymore.
If each element of the array is an array itself then you need a function on 'a' & 'b' that returns the order (-, + or 0) depending a certain value in the sub-arrays. In a similar way we can sort an array of objects but then on property values.

Regards,
CVH

[kdwoll]

Hi, thanks for the reply. but first things first.... Is it possible to add a custom property to each entity I could use to sort?

Kevin.

[CVH]

Is it possible to add a custom property to each entity I could use to sort?

Object based or entity based?
The first exist in runtime, the second is stored with the entity in dxf.

Regards,
CVH

[kdwoll]

Stored with the entity in dxf... If the customer saves the file the values will reload correctly.

Kevin

[CVH]

Stored with the entity in dxf

For that you create a document entity.
Add a custom property before adding it to an operation.

Code: Select all

var point = new RPointEntity(this.getDocument(),new RPointData(new RVector(this.corner1.x + (j * 48) + 2 , this.corner1.y + 2 )));
point.setCustomProperty("QCAD", "nameTag", anyValue);
op.addObject(point);

Your entity will have the custom property listed in the Property Editor.

Reading is as easy as this:

Code: Select all

var point = doc.queryEntity(entityId);
var anyValue = point.getCustomProperty("QCAD", "nameTag", undefined);

Best is to verify if that returned a valid value.
If you change the queried value you need to store it back in the document with an operation.

But first things first....

Here I would like to suggest to first read the forum rules above.

Regards,
CVH

[kdwoll]

So, Thanks for your help on creating this tool. I forgot has much fun it is to write code. Anyways, I will be sending this to the customer to find bugs. (trust me they will) But it should get the job done. Overall I'd say it's a great platform for custom dxf based tools.

So if anyone wants to test it, I included a dxf file from the said customer, 495_test.dxf.

Step one. Open the file.
Step two. Click the INIT button to create nails layer and hide / lock others.
Step three. Add nails to bottom chords with Chord buttons... mirrored works great. (adds custom property for sort order.)
Step four. Add webs nails with web tools. (mirrored tool has to make one line down to middle and then mirrors out from there.
Step five. Set the Zero point and export to CVS file.

TrussNailed.png (20.38 KiB) Viewed 13871 times

Kevin

[Husky]

Hi,
may I ask you a few questions?
1. If I place this script below C:\Program Files\qcad-3.27.8-pro-win64\scripts QCAD will not start anymore. What is the reason to locate it higher up in the QCAD paths hierarchy?

2.

Step two. Click the INIT button to create nails layer and hide / lock others.

What is and where is to find this "INIT button"?

3. The drawing has 1294 duplicates and 152 Zero-length entities. Is that on purpose?

[kdwoll]

1. I have Qcad/cam version 3.27.8.0 (3.27. and I have the nTruss Folder in the scripts folder.....

QCAD-debug.png (23.45 KiB) Viewed 13858 times

if you run debug you will see the problem.


2. You have to unhide the nTruss toolbar....

3. The drawing came that way from the supplier..... I will have to work with it the way it is....
(Is a point zero length?)

Kevin.