Exploding splines

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tukuyomi
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Exploding splines

Post by tukuyomi » Fri Sep 28, 2012 9:20 pm

Hello all!
I use splines to draw things on my computer. But I need to send these drawings as lines entities to a CN machine.
So I use the explode command to pass from splines to polylines.
But on Qcad 3.0 (final release), splines have very few entities, and as a result, the CN machine is lacking precision for the cutting.
On Qcad 3.0RC releases, as well as Qcad 2, splines had far more entities when exploding splines.
As an example, try this:
- Draw a rectangle starting from origin to @140,70
- Draw Spline (Control Points, shortcut SP), degree 2, closed using control points upper-left, upper-right, lower-right, lower-left then right-click to valid.
- Select that curve and explode (shortcut XP).
See how many entities there are? Do the same with 3.0RC5 and compare.
I already searched how to tweak the spline tool script but no avail :/
My question is : Is there a way to add a setting to configure the number of segments for splines, as there was on Qcad 2?
Thank you for reading :)

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Clive
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Re: Exploding splines

Post by Clive » Fri Sep 28, 2012 11:07 pm

Feature request added:
http://www.ribbonsoft.com/bugtracker/in ... ask_id=697

For now a 'workaround' may be?

1. Draw spline.
2. Explode spline to Polyline.
3. From Polyline tool-set, use 'Insert Node (OA) and insert extra nodes where you need them - you can insert to the middle between existing nodes!
4. Then select all and explode again to break down into line segments or keep as a polyline with added nodes.

* This is obviously a long way/manual way of doing things but it may help for now.

tukuyomi
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Re: Exploding splines

Post by tukuyomi » Sat Sep 29, 2012 12:18 pm

Thank you clive for your reply and the opened feature request :D
I understand your point about adding more segments between existing EndPoints.
But please consider this drawing : tukuyomi.kuro-hitsuji.net/stuff/1.dxf.xz
Splitting magenta segments is not enough, you have to somehow move the new point to match the red or green form.
I searched a bit inside the dxf file; it seems that $SPLINESEGS is ignored from the Qcad 3.0 line

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Clive
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Re: Exploding splines

Post by Clive » Sat Sep 29, 2012 1:50 pm

Yes I completely understand, I do a lot of laser cutting and the importance of absolute accuracy is vital in most/all jobs.
Agreed there is a very big difference between the number of segments using version 2 and version 3 final (see snapshot).

I`m sure Andrew will 'pick' up on this and provide an answer/solution regarding the feature request:
Attachments
Spline test.png
Spline test.png (4.49 KiB) Viewed 17700 times

tukuyomi
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Re: Exploding splines

Post by tukuyomi » Tue Oct 02, 2012 10:41 am

clive wrote:Feature request added:
http://www.ribbonsoft.com/bugtracker/in ... ask_id=697
Closed by Andrew (andrew)
Monday, 01 October 2012, 20:52 GMT+2
Reason for closing: Implemented
Additional comments about closing: Splines are no longer visualized as interpolation in the current development version but as 'real' splines.
The number of segments for exploding is now configurable. The same applies for ellipses.
Thanks Andrew :D Looking forward to see the feature :D

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andrew
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Re: Exploding splines

Post by andrew » Mon Nov 05, 2012 8:26 pm

A QCAD development snapshot with a configurable number of spline segments used when exploding splines has just been released.
The number of line segments per spline segment when exploding a spline can be configured in the application preferences unter Modify - Explode.
The number of arc segments per full ellipse when exploding ellipses can also be configured.

tukuyomi
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Re: Exploding splines

Post by tukuyomi » Tue Nov 06, 2012 7:01 pm

Excellent ! Thanks for adding this, very useful :D

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