Topic: Open Source Survey Package?

[Mark]

I recommend we keep the point DB in simple ascii form, cvs type maybe.

[TR]

And of the graphical interface?

wxWidgets?

AutoCAD supports Python?

WxWidgets is for C++. WxPython is a python wrapper to the WxWidgets library. Sort of like how PyGTK is a python wrapper to the GTK library.

[MP]

Is the project going to include both intellicad and autocad? Is that "set in stone"?

It doesn't have to be. It might be easier if we concentrated on Autocad now and bring Intellicad in later or vise-versa.

That. Right there. That's a serious design flaw in my opinion. If you don't design for your target from the get go you're asking for inevitable problems down the road that inevitably get "fixed" with some cludgy patchwork, ad hoc fixes I've come to refer to as duct tape, popsickle sticks and binder twine. Either it's designed from the bottom up to work exclusively for one platform or for multiple platforms.

Sorry, you've stepped on a nerve, I have seen this movie TOO many times and have been the unhappy participant in those ill fated kinds of efforts. If I don't raise a stink it's my fault, so I've no choice -- I have to say this is plain wrong.

In my opinion of course.

/rant.

[Swift]

The only thing I have against plain text files is speed when working with large points sets, but it'll take a little test to see how much of a difference it makes.

[Chuck Gabriel]

Could the functions in the API's for IntelliCAD be accurately described as a subset of the functions in the corresponding API's for AutoCAD?

In other words, would it be fair to say, for example, that a lisp program designed for IntelliCAD will work in AutoCAD, but not vice versa, or am I oversimplifying?

[Swift]

Is the project going to include both intellicad and autocad? Is that "set in stone"?

It doesn't have to be. It might be easier if we concentrated on Autocad now and bring Intellicad in later or vise-versa.

That. Right there. That's a serious design flaw in my opinion. If you don't design for your target from the get go you're asking for inevitable problems down the road that inevitably get "fixed" with some cludgy patchwork, ad hoc fixes I've come to refer to as duct tape, popsickle sticks and binder twine. Either it's designed from the bottom up to work exclusively for one platform or for multiple platforms.

Sorry, you've stepped on a nerve, I have seen this movie TOO many times and have been the unhappy participant in those ill fated kinds of efforts. If I don't raise a stink it's my fault, so I've no choice -- I have to say this is plain wrong.

In my opinion of course.

/rant.

Thats very true MP, I'll start a poll for a little feed back.

Chuck, I'm not very lispy but I THINK intellicad supports all the Autocad functions but none of the vlisp functions.

[Mark]

The only thing I have against plain text files is speed when working with large points sets, but it'll take a little test to see how much of a difference it makes.

Really!! I would have thought reading/writing to an ascii file would be the fastest method. Guess you would have to store the entire file in memory though.

[MP]

The only thing I have against plain text files is speed when working with large points sets, but it'll take a little test to see how much of a difference it makes.

Really!! I would have thought reading/writing to an ascii file would be the fastest method. Guess you would have to store the entire file in memory though.

You can gulp a text stream in one swipe and it's near instantaneous, even on 'large' files. Reading a file sequentially is sloth like in comparison.

But to step back a moment, is the intent to establish a proprietary ascii based file format or, (preferred in my opinion), identify an established industry standard, use that as the basis, and then write plugins as required to translate to said file format *before* the application greater uses the data?

[Chuck Gabriel]

If an industry standard format does indeed exist, I vote for using that format.

[JohnK]

I agree with MP on the design from the get-go issue. We need to develop for one or for all.

And that brings me to... Has anyone talked to someone from Intellicad to see if we can get some info about what native AutoLisp functions are not included or included. Does anyone have Intellacad installed? Who can Beta test this package for us? If we start to establish some intentions and when we contact them they will actualy loan us a version for testing, or libs or even some source to work with as a base ...ohhh, or even the lisp intrip to include our own dll--now that would be saweeet!--. (Cant hurt to ask.)

On the topic of Format i say develop our own or use an existing standard as a starting point for our own. (Faster that way.)

[Mark]

An "industry standard format" would be comma delimited values ( .csv ) would it not? Just about every survey package I've ever used could read/write a comma delimited ascii file. Simple and clean, something everyone knows.

[TR]

For data storage you'll have a tough time finding a better format than JSON.

[MP]

There's csv and then there's csv as used by the industry.

For example, is it dumb x, y, z data or is it adorned with point descriptors (eg: BM #27), run descripters (eg: BC [Beginning of Curve], EC [End of Curve]) etc.

There must be an existing standard established that is used by the all the total station manufactures etc. as standard export from said machines and that is what existing software from the Shreiber and Carlsons of the world accept as input. I'm suggesting that is a pragmatic avenue to take rather than inventing our own standard that is based on csv.

Clearer?

[Troy Williams]

How about x3d as a file format. The specifications might be overkill, but it is capable of holding 2d, 3d and most other cad data.

If size is an issue, what about compressing the file when not in use?

I am considering using it for a project that I might be working on the near future.

[Chuck Gabriel]

Whatever format most surveying instruments spit out is the format we need to support for input files.

Once the point data is imported, I think the dwg format should be able to accommodate all of our needs.