[PythonCAD] DWG R2004 SUPPORT IN PYTHONCAD

[Eric Wilhelm]

# from Art Haas
# on Thursday 03 August 2006 01:25 pm:

>I'd like to be able to support the AC1018 format, but I don't have a
>timeline as to when that will happen. My work over the last couple of
>months has been concentrated on improving the GUI responsiveness,
> fixing bugs, and adding an occasional new feature. I regret that
> still the code needed for directly importing older DWG/DXF files is
> not written as well as the lack of code for newer version of these
> files.

We had a start on implementing DXF -> pythoncad conversion in 
vectorsection.  The trouble with DWG is that it is as convoluted as DXF 
but also in a very bit-juggly binary format (e.g. some values take 2-3 
bits and various other not-8 widths.)  The first issue makes it 
difficult because of the conceptual mapping of entities.  The second is 
just really hard to code and debug.

It's difficult, but not impossible.  If anyone is interested in working 
on it, I'm more than happy to help you get started.  The first goal for 
vectorsection would be a standalone dxf<->pythoncad conversion.  From 
there, we would handle dwg<->pythoncad (where the conceptual mapping 
stuff would be done and we would basically only need a working DWG 
class to drop-in as a replacement for the DXF stuff.)  After that, 
pythoncad could use the standalone converters directly or steal some 
code.

--Eric
-- 
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