LDCad 1.6 Beta 1 (win+linux)

[Milan Vančura]

I've completed these basic functions and will keep them for 1.6 but like you say the rest is best kept for the next version (ether 2.0 or 1.7) as it really needs more gui access and extended snap info.

Good! Also thanks for your explanation about accessing the snap objects of the part. But yes, you are right this scripting interface is not so usable until there is a GUI allowing the user to select the wanted snap point manually - and then Lua function to get the part this snap point is in will be also needed. So I hope for a release of 1.7 soon, in usual time since 1.6 as you released previous versions. That "2.0" makes me nervous a little bit, it looks like years of development before anything is ready to use

* for future, it would be nice to have a function connected_snaps() returning a list of snap objects "snapped" to this one

That would be very nice indeed Currently no 'connected' information is used at all, this is something I very much would like for 2.0 though.

I think there are two slightly different problems: one is to have a complete graph of connected parts in the model, as SR3D knew, including a type of a connection (hinges, axles in holes, gears...). This is really complicated, I can imagine. However, just asking "which snap point is 'snapped' to this specific ONE" is much easier problem and you already have a (very fast) function in LDCad, it is used every time you place new piece to the model or move so part(s) in the model. I mean to use that in the scripts. For example to find the bend point automatically.

Which is way I'm considering going the blender way and make all high level editing stuff script based while keeping the LDCad (2.0) binary limited to low level operations and rendering only. That's just something I'm considering though, nothing is set in stone

It's a nice idea. I cannot estimate how much work it is (see my fear at the beginning of this post ) but it is definitely promising. Every time I see these ideas of yours my dreams start, from simple macros up to the instructions maker integrated in LDCad.