Dave Neary (dave.neary@xxxxxxxxxx) wrote about his current project.
I think I should do the same too, despite the fact that there is no
real code yet.
I am currently thinking about a new infrastructure in Gimp for vector
image data. Originated from frustration about the current path tool
(both - useability and things that are possible with it) I implemented
ages ago a new path tool which had some cool features - except one
thing: It is not useable to create image content with it.
It is still in CVS (some things are missing though) but I think it has
to be rewritten for the following reasons:
1) it is constructed arount path and path-like things, and thats a limitation
2) it is not nicely integrated in the imagedata,
3) since we now have the idea of tool objects it probably should evolve
in a bunch of tools (no clear ideas on this front).
As I said, this stuff is vapourware since ages. I am sorry about this,
but currently I am trying to finish my studies and this is a task that
is sometimes kind of blocking me from other things :-)
Another blocking issue for me is, that this can be deeply involved with
all gimp core stuff. I am kind of scared about that. So here are some
rough ideas about this stuff:
We need a Object-structure to be able to store and handle vector imagedata.
I am not sure about how far we should go in this way, or where is the
point to leave this stuff to other programs like sketch or sodipodi.
We have to be able to handle at least bezier paths, grids, basic geometric
objects. These should be derived from a GimpVectors Object, that has some
ideas about anchors and controlpoints and lines connecting them.
The path tool (or vector tool) just asks for the control points and anchors,
can render them on the image window and draw lines according to information
from the GimpVector object. It could also provide information about
restrictions in the freedom of the control points. So the vector tool
does not have to know too much about the specifics of the vector data
itself. It could even work on Text.
The next logical step is, to make these vector objects full featured
elements of the image (assign a color to them, fill them with some
other color). But at that point it makes no real sense to have these
Objects in a separate list (the path tab or so), they should be integrated
in the Layers Dialog then. Maybe as a kind of "pixel provider".
Ideas and comments are highly appreciated. As I said above this is
(unfortunately) vapour ware yet and it does not look as if it would
become non-vapour in the next time.
Bye,
Simon
--
Simon.Budig@xxxxxxxxxxx http://www.home.unix-ag.org/simon/
