Mail Archives: geda-user/2014/05/17/11:06:58
http://www.opencascade.org/getocc/license/
This doesn't have a very prominent position on their site, but:
"Since the version 6.7.0 Open CASCADE Technology is available under GNU
Lesser General Public License (LGPL) version 2.1 with additional
exception. Previous OCCT releases are licensed under Open CASCADE
Technology Public License."
The news of the 6.7.0 release was dated 2013-12-18, with 6.7.1 released
2014-04-30.
This potentially gives us a route to incorporate better 3D object
support, including STEP model import in the future.
I had at one point planned writing an external (non-GPL / GPL + linking
exception) program that used OpenCacsade to handle converting STEP files
into a more manageable format for internal digestion.
This may still be a sensible route (rather than tying PCB to a huge
monster like the OpenCascade kernel), but the license change is a really
positive step to make this solution feel more "right". OpenCascade does
look like a bit of a beast to program with, but I think writing a direct
STEP importer would probably be too massive an undertaking for our
current resource level. To do so would certainly exceed my availability
and expertise.
I have, however, been playing over the last couple of days with the
quad-edge spatial data-structure, trying to get my head around it. I'm
looking at using this as an intermediate internal stage in the STEP
exporter I was playing with a while ago. We "probably" don't need to
invoke a CAD kernel to export the sort of geometry we use for PCBs and
tracking.
Kind regards,
--
Peter Clifton <peter DOT clifton AT clifton-electronics DOT co DOT uk>
Clifton Electronics
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