I'm going to download but another thing I would need to switch away from OpenSCAD - the ability to use an external editor, where the 3d model reloads correctly every time I save the program. Maybe your already has it, I'm going to check it out :)
No editor included I see, that tripped me up for a second but it's IMO better than wasting your time on including one, once I got that it was fine.
I tried to enter the smallest program I could think of:
cube(x=10, y=10, z=10);
3d navigation seems wonky but maybe that's because there is no object yet? Sketchup has the same, it's no big deal, but I won't know until I can get something to render.
Some quick wins:
- draw axes in different colors and put a label on them - show scale markers on axes - add a minimal sample program, or some way to select a 'template' when doing 'new' that will provide a few samples - one minimal sample with a cube and a cylinder, one slightly more developed like the table in your screenshot, one that shows off each keyword/object. Maybe split across one for 2d, one for 3d. Or more as the library of functionality grows.
More work:
- Add a 3d navigation marker/tool like Blender has, that'll show where I'm looking at, and has 'zoom to all' function
All of these would have helped in terms of 'getting started'.
Apart from that - I'd first need to be able to at least render something to be able to say something useful :)
Have you tried rendering any of the examples in the repo? I know its not ideal but just to see what is going on. Please add an issue on the repo so I can try to fix the issue you are experiencing.
I can open an issue but there isn't anything more than 'doesn't work' I can add. If you can describe some way for me to get information that's useful to debug, I can write that up.
In AutoCAD and Fusion 360 it's bound to double-click middle mouse because of how often it's used, though between users of 10 different 3D software packages you'll find 10 different but strongly held opinions on how the viewport navigation should work.
It's using egui for the UI so adding an editor (w. syntax highlighting for the custom language) should be very easy[1].
[1] https://github.com/emilk/egui/blob/530e9f667c0969b09edb68f77...
I cant wait to hear about how it turns out for you.
Does it contain facilities for export into non-parametric mesh formats? (.obj / .fbx / collada..) np if not.
Feel free to add a ticket requesting your favorite and I can look into moving to that format in the future.
I can still have fun with it in the meantime, if blender fails to export meshlab should succeed :p
Very cool project
OBJ is also the easiest to implement, too. Assuming whatever geometry library you're using is using _real_ geometry and not using any sort of weird volumetric rendering, etc. then it should be 'trivial' to export to OBJ.