Subject:
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Re: Suggestion for MLCad Plug-Ins
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.cad.mlcad
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Date:
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Wed, 12 Jan 2000 07:50:57 GMT
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Viewed:
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1944 times
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Sorry for the delayed reply.
I agree that plug-ins should have more functionallity than just playing the
roole of a format converter. What I could imagine is chaining the plug-in into
the read processing of a dat/mpd file, that allowing the plug-in to process
additional commands (lines) and return private data to MLCad.
Also should this plug-in be chained into the drawing routines to have the
possibility to draw onto the screen.
With this methodes the plug-in would be able to process private commands and
to display them on the screen.
But currently I have no idea on how to chain it into the editing process.
Release 1.8 is currently in a planing phase.
So far I plan to complete LDLite compatibility, enhance the new-part high-
lighting and some enhancements to the user-interface, like a function to
center the selection(s) in the panes ....
Also I'm evaluating what is necessary to provide a first basic support for
creating parts (which means to add lines, triangles ...). For the first phase
I won't support graphical modification of these elements, but at least people
have the possibility for viewing what they are creating, and a little bit of
help therefor.
Michael
In lugnet.cad.mlcad, Jack Gregory writes:
> Michael Lachmann <m.lachmann@xpoint.at> wrote in message
> news:FnyBpI.5HD@lugnet.com...
> > I must say, until now I never played around with plug-ins at all, so there
> > goes my expirence with such things :-(
>
> In my other life, I write what is essentially a plug-in for mechanical CAD
> systems. I also use plug-ins in other applications, like PageMaker. The
> common theme in all of these is a way to access some published API or data
> structure of the application. The better the API, the more powerful the
> plug-ins.
>
> I don't think that a standard plug-in format for many systems is
> appropriate, unless it is very limited. And I don't want to see them very
> limited, so I wouldn't want to vote for this (if it was a democracy, which
> it is not). However, I recognize the power of the common data file format
> (dat) that we have now. As has been discussed, if we lose that, we lose a
> lot of power of our efforts. So your initial suggestion, that plug-ins be
> limited to manipulating dat files, is certainly the lowest common
> denominator. But it limits plug-ins to being dat file filters.
>
> But I think to make this really sing, we will eventually be asking for:
>
> 1. Event-based notification. Things like opening, saving, etc. that allow
> the plug-in to take part in various processes.
> 2. Render pipeline. Allow plug-ins to participate in the render in some
> way. For example, a plug-in that allows dynamic 3D rotation of the part,
> like most CAD systems. Or allows plug-in "owned" stuff to be rendered in a
> unique way.
> 3. UI enhancement. Allow plug-ins to add to menus and toolbars. Allow
> plugs to add "right click" items on objects.
>
> Don't get me wrong, I am all for even the minimal file filter stuff. There
> are many things I can do even with that level of ability, and it certainly
> is a good first step. But while you are enhancing things, it sometimes
> helps to have ideas on what is down the road, so I mention them here.
>
> As an aside, your biggest problem will be keeping plug-ins out of each
> others hair -- plan for lots of plug-ins from the beginning.
>
> So. When do we get 1.8? ;-)
>
> --Jack Gregory
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Suggestion for MLCad Plug-Ins
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| Michael Lachmann <m.lachmann@xpoint.at> wrote in message news:FnyBpI.5HD@lugnet.com... (...) In my other life, I write what is essentially a plug-in for mechanical CAD systems. I also use plug-ins in other applications, like PageMaker. The common (...) (24 years ago, 7-Jan-00, to lugnet.cad.mlcad)
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