Creating Library, want to make it Open Source
Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 6:33 am
I have been working on making some plans for a major home improvement project, using QCAD Pro. Part of this includes doing a radiant heating system retrofit, which means I need to draw a bunch of hydronic heating system layout diagrams.
I was not able to find any sources for reasonably priced .dxf compatible hydronic symbol libraries, so I've been working on creating my own. In order to make my work available to others, I would like to release it as Open Source, probably using the GPLv3 license.
According to the Free Software Foundation, the best way to apply the GPL is to put a statement into each source file - in this case the .DXF files that make up the library. I am trying to figure out how to insert comments into a .DXF file - I have found something about a "Group 999" tag for comments in the AutoDesk documentation stuff on their website, and I notice that at least some of the files in the QCAD parts library start out with
as the first three lines in the file, but I can't find any real guides as to what the rules are for inserting comments...
1. What are the limits for line length?
2. Any restrictions on characters as long as I stick w/ normal ASCII?
3. What do I do if I need multiple comment lines?
4. Is the zero on the third line something I need to put, or is it the start of the next section?
etc...
Also, are there any issues w/ putting a non-.DXF file in the library directory - i.e. a "licenses.txt" file and a "read-me.txt" for instance?
A second question, is there a hosting location that anybody could reccomend as a place to use for distributing this kind of library? There are all sorts of "sourceforge" type sites for software programs, but this isn't quite a program, so I'm not sure if I would be able to use them or not.
Thanks,
Gooserider
I was not able to find any sources for reasonably priced .dxf compatible hydronic symbol libraries, so I've been working on creating my own. In order to make my work available to others, I would like to release it as Open Source, probably using the GPLv3 license.
According to the Free Software Foundation, the best way to apply the GPL is to put a statement into each source file - in this case the .DXF files that make up the library. I am trying to figure out how to insert comments into a .DXF file - I have found something about a "Group 999" tag for comments in the AutoDesk documentation stuff on their website, and I notice that at least some of the files in the QCAD parts library start out with
Code: Select all
999
dxflib 2.0.0.0
0
1. What are the limits for line length?
2. Any restrictions on characters as long as I stick w/ normal ASCII?
3. What do I do if I need multiple comment lines?
4. Is the zero on the third line something I need to put, or is it the start of the next section?
etc...
Also, are there any issues w/ putting a non-.DXF file in the library directory - i.e. a "licenses.txt" file and a "read-me.txt" for instance?
A second question, is there a hosting location that anybody could reccomend as a place to use for distributing this kind of library? There are all sorts of "sourceforge" type sites for software programs, but this isn't quite a program, so I'm not sure if I would be able to use them or not.
Thanks,
Gooserider