[PyKDE] [ANNOUNCE] Tenth release of PythonCAD now available

[Art Haas]

I'd like to announce the tenth development release of PythonCAD,
a CAD package for open-source software users. As the name implies,
PythonCAD is written entirely in Python. The goal of this project is
to create a fully scriptable drafting program that will match and eventually
exceed features found in commercial CAD software. PythonCAD is released
under the GNU Public License (GPL).

PythonCAD requires Python 2.2 or Python 2.3. The interface is GTK 2.0
based, and uses the PyGTK module for interfacing to GTK. The design of
PythonCAD is built around the idea of separating the interface
from the back end as much as possible. By doing this, it is hoped
that both GNOME and KDE interfaces can be added to PythonCAD through
usage of the appropriate Python module. Addition of other interfaces
will depend on the availability of a Python module for that particular
interface and developer interest and action.

The tenth release contains many fixes for running PythonCAD on Python 2.3.
The latest Python release has a variety of internal changes, and various
bits of code in PythonCAD triggered deprecation warnings from Python.
All known warnings have been removed, so PythonCAD should run cleanly
on this new Python release, as well as the older 2.2 releases.

This release also includes the code for reading AutoCAD DWG files, though
PythonCAD still is unable to import the files. This code will be the basis
for importing DWG files into PythonCAD directly. A number of entity clipping
algorithms have been added for use in redrawing the screen and future use
in improving the internal entity storage and access. Radial dimensions
entities now can display the diameter value of a circle instead of just
the radius. This release also contains a number of other small bug fixes
and code improvements, though the redraw bug in release eight is still not
fixed.

The DWG file format information came from the OpenDWG group, so my
thanks to them for providing this information on the web. The
OpenDWG website is at http://www.opendwg.org

The mailing list for the development and use of PythonCAD is available.
Visit the following page for information about subscribing and viewing
the mailing list archive:

http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/pythoncad

Visit the PythonCAD web site for more information about what PythonCAD
does and aims to be:

http://www.pythoncad.org/

Come and join me in developing PythonCAD into a world class drafting
program!

Art Haas
-- 
Man once surrendering his reason, has no remaining guard against absurdities
the most monstrous, and like a ship without rudder, is the sport of every wind.

-Thomas Jefferson to James Smith, 1822