QCAD Bugtracker

It would be nice (and a time-saver!) to have an additional option in the alignment tool: Distribute entities / blocks equally.

Add support to draw revision clouds or convert polylines, ellipses, circles to revision clouds.

Hi,

from time to time I need to place a circle etc precisely between two entity’s - what is a lot of construction work to get it correct. With the new “Info tool “Distance Entity to Entity” we have already the base for a new snap tool which could help to get rid of the time consuming construction process in cases like this. I would appreciate to get a new snap tool which is able to figure out the shortest distance between to entity’s and then will snap to the middle of it.

Pic 1: Given situation
Pic 2: Result after using this new snap tool

Would it make also cense to have a second new snap tool which works opposite for the furthermost distance between two entity’s?

Add a tool to detect overlapping segments or lines and arcs.
Similar like the “overkill” command in other CAD systems.

My task: To hatch an area.

Right now, if I want to fill an area with a hatch pattern, I have to select all the enclosing objects (lines, arcs) and then I can select the hatch tool. That can be under some circumstances a tedious task.
To illustrate this, I created a simple example (see Attachment 1: Hatching.png).

Step 1: Create a rectangle.
Step 2: Draw four vertical lines.
Step 3: Select the four lines surrounding the first area. –> Problem! The horizontal lines are too long.
Step 4: Divide the long horizontal lines of the rectangle where the vertical lines touch. Now the lines surrounding the three areas can be selected.
Step 5: Hatch the selection. Done.

Just for fun try recreating my second example (see Attachment 2: Hatching2.png)

Therefore I would like to suggest a far more simple approach.

Step 1: Select the Hatch Tool.
Step 2: Click inside the area you would like to be hatched. Done.

Of course that would mean that the hatch style is already pre-defined and can be changed later, if needed.

In this way productivity can be increased by ... [fill in you own estimate] ... times.

Example 2 would need only 13 clicks to hatch all the areas (including the hatch tool button).

UCS support.

Support for external references (XREF)

Hi Andrew,

Creating G-code for cnc-laser, the laser-tool can not be correctly set at all.

Attached a laser tool proposal

Add SPx; with x being pen number from 1-8.

TODO:
- Which color corresponds to which pen number?
- What if there are more than 8 colors in a DXF files?

Hi Andrew

QCAD/CAM misses a hpgl.plt import. If gerber and G-code can, so should plt.

Hi Andrew

A request for adding some fields to the toolpath

Hallo Andrew,

I am still busy on the never ending G-code story. Doing so I wrote a small Post Processor Tutorial for all those nerds who wants to write their own. If you like it you might add it to QCAD. However, since English is not my native tongue I suggest checking it would be wise.

Meanwhile I have downloaded the source code, and could not find the CAM’s Drill-path-script. I am now using a negative Drill Cut Depth to set a Laser Dwell time, were as a field “Dwell Time (in seconds)” in the Drill-path would be more appropiate. Is this script open source available or is it part of ‘closed part’ of QCAD?

Hallo Andrew,

Still busy on the never ending G-code story. Urgently needed the very common Traverse Toolpath.

Example added as pdf.

Greetings

Hallo Andrew,

Still busy on the never ending G-code story. Urgently needed the very handy G-code Block Toolpath. This ‘toolpath’ also solves a lot of “editing requests”.

Hallo Andrew

It would be more than conveniant, defining the drilling locations of the drill toolpath, by selecting a circle’s center point.

Add a program description to the CAM configuration dialog and export to postprocessors as variable.

See also:
https://www.qcad.org/rsforum/posting.php?mode=quote&f=32&p=24649