Using python for a CAD program

[George, Harry G]

I haven't followed up.   When I last looked, I found the problem space
is too large for one person (or project) to do it all.  So the job is to
glue together lots of good OSS tools -- which is a very pythonic task.
The absolute requirement for Knowledge-Based-Engineering is an API which
allows a script to do anything a human can do.   E.g.:

1. For 3D mechanical CAD, there is OpenCascade, with the pythonic
freecad frontend.
http://www.opencascade.org/
http://juergen-riegel.net/FreeCAD/Docu/index.php?title=Main_Page

OpenCascade requires registration and is big download.

2. For 2D mechanical CAD, there is PythonCAD  
http://www.pythoncad.org/
The explicit intent to provide full scriptability (anything a human can
do via the GUI, a script can do via the API).   

3. For EE schematics and simulation, there is OpenCollector and
specifically gEDA suite.   
http://opencollector.org/
http://www.geda.seul.org/
Not pythonic, but people have written glueware scripts in python to tie
the pieces together.

4. For fancy 3D objects and animations, Blender has the power and is
scriptable in python.   It comes from the world of animations, but the
math doesn't care if you do EE 3D models instead.
http://www.blender.org/

5. We should all be concerned over SGI selling the OpenGL patents to
Microsoft, so at least look to Mesa, and perhaps to alternative 3D
libraries.

6. I don't do GUIs much, but I understand form others that PyQT's
slot-and-signal architecture is well-respected, that *many* OSS projects
use PyGTK, and that folks who use wxPython are looking at "wax" as a
more pythonic layer.    I finesse the whole issue by claimintg "GUIs are
for humans to do the work.   I write code so computers can do the work."
:-).



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dan Fabrizio [mailto:dfabrizio at aviom.com] 
> Sent: Saturday, May 26, 2007 3:46 PM
> To: python-list at python.org; George, Harry G
> Subject: Using python for a CAD program
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I saw your post from last year about using python for a EE 
> CAD program. What were your conclusions?  I'm thinking about 
> converting a Java CAD program I developed to Python with 
> wxPython and C.  I want to use C for the database storage and 
> manipulation and wxPython for the GUI and user scriptable interface.
> 
> I have also done something like with Tcl/Tk and C but think 
> Python is much more modern and wxPython widgets look very 
> professional and OO programming is very important to me.
> 
> What did you decide to do?   What language and what GUI 
> libraries did you
> pick?  
> 
> I would appreciate any suggestions or advice.
> Regards,
>  
> 
> Dan Fabrizio
> ASIC Engineer
> Aviom Inc. 1157 Pheonixville Pike. 
> West Chester, Pa. 19380
> Phone 610 738 9005 ext. 292
> Fax   610 738 9950 
>  
> 
> 
>