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Author: Didier Kryn
Date:  
To: dng@lists.dyne.org
Subject: Re: [DNG] OT"? Wanted a simple 2d plan drafting/sketching/plotting program
Le 12/03/2021 à 07:09, Dr. Nikolaus Klepp a écrit :
> Hi!
>
> Anno domini 2021 Fri, 12 Mar 16:45:07 +1100
> terryc scripsit:
>> Suggestions wanted.
>>
>> I need to sketch a plan of a land plot for an erection by a
>> contractor. the 'erection' can be described as three to five rectangles
>> with ramps between them. Ancillary data to be plotted/drawn is building
>> sides, pathway and drive way. placement of shrubbery is optional. I'm
>> really after a vector based program.
>>
>> Rant/Long story: Similar simple tasks I need to do irregularly.
>> Sadly, "linux" has never had a program that provides that functionality
>> and I've always had to fulfill the need from the MS world.
>>
>> I come from the world of drafting where first you define your scale,
>> then draw up your plan to scale. the problem there is I've spent the
>> last three days intermittently looking at eight CAD/sketching programs.
>>
>> Bummer, as nothing 'sets a scale' any more. Apparently the 'modern'
>> approach is to describe it in 'elements' of real world dimensions and
>> then scale the result. Reasonable, good idea, BUT, nothing has a simple
>> 'element' creation module.
>>
>> I believe it isn't my webfu that is failing, but any of my searches for
>> 'element creation in XYZ' at the best turned up a response to a
>> similar question that was ignored.
>>
>> Hence I'm looking for suggestions.of a program that might work in a
>> timely manner.
>>
>> In a practical sense, I could pick up my A4 drafting board, draw
>> it, scan the result and send it. Changes are expected and hence a
>> digital version would be better.
> Depending on what you realy need you can use e.g.:
>
> FreeCAD
> LibreCAD
> Inkscape
> OpenSCAD
> dia
> libredraw
> Povray
> Gimp
> ....


    I do a lot of 2d drawings using mostly two tools because I like to
produce SVG drawings. The tools are Inkscape and Gnu Emacs. If you like
giving your objects exact dimensions, I suggest reading some SVG manual
and drawing directly in Gnu Emacs (If you don't dislike this editor). In
Emacs to can toggle display from graphics to source code by hitting
twice Crl-C; this is very convenient because you can quickly check for
errors at every step. You better specify convenient dimensions for your
drawing because Emacs has no zoom function. Later you can change the
dimensions easily.

    When translating pixel graphics I often use Gimp to break down
images  into different slides, then Inkscape which has powerfull
functions and later clean up the result with Emacs. Inkscape tends to
insert a lot of junk metadata in the source.

    The advantages of SVG is it can be intermixed with text in HTML
documents, allowing a document to be made of a single file. SVG can be
converted to PostScript without being pixelized (use print-to-file in
Inkscape) or PDF, provided it does not contain transparent objects or
gradients. I have developped a few tools written in C to perform some
operations on SVG files. If you want to mix SVG and LaTex, then you need
to go convert SVG files to EPS.

    If you want to produce fancy multipage documents containing text and
images, then create them directly in Scribus. Scribus produces its
results in SVG or Postscript but is not good at importing SVG, therefore
draw directly in Scribus it has exactly the same figures as SVG.

    Hth

--     Didier