[GRASS5] all the DXF modules...

[Roger S. Miller]

Markus Neteler wrote:

> But first: I have added DXF layer output to v.in.dxf.
[snip]
> I think that's useful.

I think that's a great addition, Markus.
 
[snip]
> Maybe it would make sense to merge v.in.dxf and v.in.dxf3d with
> an optional flag for the Z value. And what about v.cadlabel...?
> 
> Comments and volunteers would be welcome.

I think combining the v.in.dxf* files is a good idea.  v.cadlabel
performs a pretty unique function.  I don't have a use for it and
wouldn't expend any effort supporting it.  v.import and v.export have
DXF functions and I think those should probably be removed.  The reason
is that the DXF format is important and difficult to support.  It needs
to be supported through a specialized set of programs.  Supporting DXF
import and export through additional generic tools like v.import and
v.export seems to me like an unnecessary added work load.
 
We had a thread about DXF imports last spring.  Unless things have
changed in more recent rewrites there are several problems with the
existing import routines.  There are several object types that they
don't import; in particular, they don't import text or splines.  They
don't import text on arcs either, but maybe that's too much to expect. 
There are probably other data types that aren't imported.

I've written my own import routines for DXF->grass ascii vector and DXF
text->paint labels, but I doubt that my routines are sufficient for the
future needs of GRASS.

There is at least one third-party import/export library released under
the GPL.  The one I know if is DIME, which is a C++ class library.  I'm
not very comfortable programming in C++.  Also, I don't have much time
to spare right now and we will probably be into next year before I do. 
Just the same, when time is available I will be willing to help.


Roger Miller