Leader from selected text

dmitpon · November 28, 2021, 9:37am

Hi
I wrote a little script. It creates a leader from the selected text. Maybe it will be useful to someone.

LeaderFromText.zip (3.87 KB)

CVH · November 28, 2021, 10:46am

Hi,

Nice contribution. Perfect tool for the job.

Kind regards,
CVH

Husky · November 28, 2021, 10:54am

Nice idea! I could imagine it as a very helpful tool in QCAD. You’re open for propositions?

dmitpon · November 28, 2021, 11:04am

Yes, Husky, I’m open for propositions. But my English is so far from perfect. Make allowances for this.

John_Hyslop · November 28, 2021, 8:21pm

Hi dmitpon

Thanks, this will come in very useful.

Cheers

John

ryancousins · November 29, 2021, 1:35am

dmitpon,

Thank you for your contribution. This is very cool. I tried putting the LeaderFromText folder in scripts/misc/examples/DrawExamples but QCAD isn’t seeing it. I will have to keep playing around with that.

dmitpon · November 29, 2021, 3:47am

Hi ryancousins,
In my windows 10, the script is located in
“C:\Users\dmitpon\AppData\Local\QCAD\QCAD\scripts\Misc\LeaderFromText”

Since release 3.26.2 (2021/04/15)

Add local data location to search path for resources files (patterns, linetypes, fonts, postprocessors, etc.)
Windows: C:/Users/[Username]/AppData/Local/QCAD/QCAD
macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/QCAD/QCAD
Linux: ~/.local/share/QCAD/QCAD

and addend /scripts/Misc/LeaderFromText or /scripts/misc/LeaderFromText

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you exactly because I don’t use macOS. I can test in Linux Ubuntu within a week.

CVH · November 29, 2021, 4:56am

All,
With the basePath handled it doesn’t really matter in what subfolder of scripts that you store it.
That may even be a scripts folder under your local data location path.
See 3.26.2 (2021/04/15): QCAD - Changelog

Although, QCAD uses a fairly logical Script - Folder relationship to keep an overview.
The folder with the script file and related is always named the same way as the script.

Where it pops up in the QCAD GUI is handled by:

action.setWidgetNames(["DimensionMenu", "DimensionToolBar", "DimensionToolsPanel", "DimensionMatrixPanel"]);

The used path itself has no influence on that.

The group order and order in a menu/toolbar/… is governed by two other settings.
Here 160000/102 or after other 160000’s up to 101 would simply mean ‘way down’ … ‘as last’.
There 100000 is about the highest group order that I have encountered so far. (ExMinimal.js/ExMinimal2.js)

So far that I know of, the Misc folder is with capital ‘M’.

Regards,
CVH

Husky · November 29, 2021, 5:31am

I assume you’re looking for the tool in the wrong place.

BTW: Your path should work but less deep in the path hierarchy like …\qcad-xxx\scripts\Misc works too.

After installing the script check your Dimension tool collection for the new tool …

Husky · November 29, 2021, 6:50am

Great! No worry about your english skills - that will work just fine. If not you can ask me any time via PM.

Right now the script uses the following user input.
Select text,
launch T2L script,
select the created leader,
manipulate the arrow position.

T2L original.gif
I thought if you could change the order for each step it would be more efficient for the workflow. I’m not a coder - no idea what is possible and what not but I assume most of what is needed is already in your script …

Based on the already in QCAD existing leader I would appreciate this workflow:
Launch the T2L tool,
place the Arrow tip to the right position, leader line of the arrow is a Line from 2 point (rubber line),
select the text,
based on this information the tool will built the leader.

Something like this:

T2L proposition.gif
What do you think about this?

CVH · November 29, 2021, 7:26am

Sounds feasible, with states.
The script setup would look more like the original Leader script:

github.com/qcad/qcad

scripts/Draw/Dimension/Leader/Leader.js

master

/**
 * Copyright (c) 2011-2018 by Andrew Mustun. All rights reserved.
 * 
 * This file is part of the QCAD project.
 *
 * QCAD is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
 * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
 * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
 * (at your option) any later version.
 *
 * QCAD is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
 * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
 * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
 * GNU General Public License for more details.
 *
 * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 * along with QCAD.
 */

include("scripts/Draw/Dimension/Dimension.js");

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Choosing text entities in the second state.

Regards,
CVH

andrew · November 29, 2021, 7:28am

dmitpon: thank you for sharing this script. Can this be included in future QCAD packages under the GPLv3 license with exceptions as outlined at:

github.com/qcad/qcad

LICENSE.txt

master

The QCAD 3 source code is open source and distributed under GPL version 3
with optional exceptions.

See files:
- gpl-3.0.txt
- gpl-3.0-exceptions.txt (if available)

Hershey fonts are released under the terms described in fonts/hershey.readme.

The font osifont is released under GPL version 3 with optional 
exceptions as outlined in fonts/osifont_license.txt.

The font VL-Gothic-Regular is released under the terms of the license contained 
in file fonts/VL-Gothic-Regular_license.txt.

Other CXF fonts in directory 'fonts' are released as public domain (all copyright
is waived).

Fonts in directory fonts/qt are released under their respective licenses.
See fonts/qt/LICENSES.txt.

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dmitpon · November 29, 2021, 8:00am

Hello, Andrew! I agree to include this script in the next QCAD release under the GPLv3 license with exceptions. My real name is Dmitry Ponomarev.

andrew · November 29, 2021, 8:12am

Excellent, thanks!

dmitpon · November 29, 2021, 8:21am

Hello, Husky

You’re right. This tool needs to improve usability. It should reduce the number of clicks and mouse movements I will think about how to implement this in the next version

I’ll think about your propositions.

It looks like it’s time for me to create an account on GitHub

Husky · November 29, 2021, 9:24am

Great - thanks.

ryancousins · November 29, 2021, 2:15pm

Where it pops up in the QCAD GUI is handled by:
action.setWidgetNames(["DimensionMenu", "DimensionToolBar", "DimensionToolsPanel", "DimensionMatrixPanel"]);
The used path itself has no influence on that.

Yeah, I was looking in the MISC menu bar. I’m good now. Thanks guys.

CVH · November 29, 2021, 2:35pm

Andrew has adopted it under “MiscDrawMenu”.

Regards,
CVH