[PythonCAD] New patches to PythonCAD . . . .

[Stuart Brorson]

Wilbert --

> On Saturday 10 December 2005 08:09, Stuart Brorson wrote:
> 
> > I have modified only the "modify -> move -> move horizontal" action
> > to work in my preferred way. 
> <snip>
> > Note that I had to make one architectural change to make "select
> > first, then act" work for text objects: 
> <snip>
> > Please find my patches attached here.
> 
> The patch applied perfectly against the already patched 27th release.
> I had a play with it, and it works well. A couple of comments:
> 
> 1. The 'classic PythonCAD way' (similar to AutoCAD if I remember)  
> involves one less menu pull-down operation: the 'select' mode is 
> entered into automatically (once the move distance has been defined).
> 
> This could be achieved with Stuart's method if PythonCAD defaulted to 
> 'select' mode if idle: draw a box around objects, then go to 
> MOVE->MODIFY->HORIZONTAL.

This would be easy to do.  Art, are you interested in this type of
behavior?  If so, I would be happy to implement this.  Just lemme
know!

> Admittedly, the classic way is less inuitive to people used to drag & 
> drop GUIs, and consistency in select, operation or operation, select 
> is a good point.

Although I am not a mechanical CAD expert, I can say that I don't know
of any real CAD program with a Windoze-like point-and-drool
interface.  Due to teh complex nature of the data being handled, the
ones I am aware of require a little more mouse clicking and key
pressing than most office-level programs.

That being said, I prefer CAD programs which operate using a strict
"first select, then act" paradigm.  The gEDA project's gschem works
like this, and once you get used to it (after 15 minutes), you can
enter schematics at lightening speed.

> 2. I am wondering whether the architectural change mentioned above has 
> missed something out. When I move a circle with a radial dimension in 
> it, one side of the dim. line gets left behind.

I noticed similar behavior with dimensions.  They are apparently not
GraphicObjects.  I need to investigate PythonCAD's internal workings
more, and/or Art can explain how dimensions work.

Stuart