CAD Framework

[qtoptus]

Hi,

I would like to know if anyone would be interested in a generic CAD application framework. The framework provides basic services common to all CAD applications:

-- GUI
-- Viewports
-- Editable Graphics View Elements
-- Graphics System
-- Model-view architecture
-- Generic document model
-- Standard tools such as Save/Load/Undo/Redo/Copy/Paste/...etc.

The system is extensible (vs. customizable) through plugins. The project is still in-development, and screenshots are coming soon. I'm open to features, suggestions, and use-cases if possible.

Thanks

[john_god]

Hi
I would be interested, looking forward to see your screenshots.
Are you using OpenGL, what kind of file formats are you planning on supporting ?
I had started to developed a autocad alike project for desktop, sometime a go, I had it on gitorious, but then I stopped the development.
I find theese kind of projects very interesting, since I'm a cad user myself.
Cheers

[qtoptus]

Hi,

Well the graphics system is abstracted and can be implemented as a plugin using any graphics API or even in software. Currently it's using OpenGL, once the project is ready for demoing, I may provide Direct3D 9 and 11 drivers.

Since it's a generic framework not specific to one kind of CAD software, the format should be specified by the developers depending on what kind of CAD they are creating. This is another challenge how to make the users create their own file formats. Maybe file-format scripts? XML?

The framework will support scripting for higher level customization. I'm thinking of Lua!

The GUI and graphics systems are almost finished. Currently I'm working on the document/model architecture. This is really challenging for me, designing generic document and entity systems that can be used for 3D modeling, circuit schematic/PCB tool, or a physical simulation program, or even a word processor :)

[qtoptus]

Hello everyone

I just want to update you with the CAD framework project progress.
So far I was able to create the basic GUI infrastructure and viewports. The graphics system supports OpenGL, Direct3D 9 and 11, with possibility to implement your own driver.
The plugin architecture is almost finished. It enables extending the functionality of the main system by adding tools and commands which can be invoked by script from a script window or by tool buttons.
I'm currently working on the application model architecture. Although the GUI is meant to be standarized, the model is something application specific and this is provided by the clients of the framework. The frameworks only provides the model-document interaction layer, and the clients follow some rules when implement their model.

Screenshots will be posted soon. I'm open to all suggestions.

Thanks

[qtoptus]

This is a screenshot of the work in progress...

12002

[martinestradamejia]

I am new to Qt, and very interested in your project.

Could you help me with a starting point to something similar o identical of what you have.

Thank you
MEM

[kaufenpreis]

I find theese kind of projects very interesting, since I'm a cad user myself.

[PierreA]

I've been working for over nine years on a CAD program for land surveying. I only recently put the start of a GUI on it. Would it be possible to put your work and my work together?

[john_god]

@PierreA Whats your ideia ? Develop a opensource program, or a comercial one ? How are you developing your program, using Qt & c++ ? Is your target a desktop program or a mobile / tablet application for work on land field ? I'm asking these because some years ago I had started a similar project.

Initially I has developing a cad clone for desktop with Qt widget, but I soon change it to a mobile application (qml & opengl). My main goal was to develop something with a decent touch interface that could be used especifically for land surveying, or cad editing in meetings outside office. I figured that there's already to much cad clones for desktop, where there's a great gap for good touch applications for work outside the office. Problem is that I'm eletronic engineer, I know my ways in eletric plants projects but I dont have knoledge of land surveys.

[PierreA]

It's free software, and I'm developing it for desktop, but I picked Qt5 for the GUI so that it could also be run on mobile. I don't know how to adapt it to mobile. If you'd like to see it, look at http://bezitopo.org/.

[marcio.barcellos]

This is a screenshot of the work in progress...

12002

Seems great! Was that somehow released?