Quoting Juergen Bohnert <juergen.bohnert@uni-tuebingen.de>:
Anyway, I think it is time to say thank you for the wonderful program that you guys have created!
I think it is really a revolution in drafting of cave surveys!
Thanks a lot!
Therefore my question is: have you ever considered implementing a filter or even a standalone program that could import vector graphics from other CAD software?
Yes, but it was very low on the TODO list until now. But you are not the only one who is interested in it, so may be it is time to try something.
I understand that due to the special scrap structure and hierarchy of Therion maps this might not be an easy task but I feel that it might be doable by simply converting svg files (which can be easily generated by almost all CAD software available) to some sort of intermediate Therion format that could than be manually adjusted to the personal needs.
Well, I see solutions possible. 1. Create "File->Import" function in therion map editor, that will import vector drawing into map editor lines, points and area objects. I can imagine importing any text file (SVG or DXF). The only problem is, how to effectively organize this mess of lines and points after import. At least, there can be some simple import filter, that will assign correct line types/subtypes/options according to symbol XML tags in SVG or LAYER or other properties in DXF. But there will be definitely also needed some interface to manage multiple objects at one time in xtherion (multi selection or something like that). 2. Support importing of SVG or DXF directly into therion data structure using import command (with some filter, that will again assign correct options to therion objects). This solution will never produce perfect results, but may help... 3. Support for bitmaps in scraps. OK - it is not a vector graphics, but it will allow you to receive a complete map very fast, even your existing maps are in the "paper-only" form. And this is already more or less possible using scrap -sketch option. Well, I think we will soon (within a month) start working on #1 and #3. I am not sure about #2. Do you have some concrete project, where you would like to start? Do you have some concrete SVG files you would like to convert to therion? Or does anybody have another idea, how to solve this problem? Regards, S.