New feature: Marker and Yardage Calculator

[Former user]

here is how i see a simple manual marker making interface single ply for plotting or single ply cutting.

choose files, choose quantities per size ( if any size available), choose fabric width, choose buffer distance beetween parts.

importing one multiple parts file in dxf ( probably saved in blocks) or ( preferably) aama generates several parts on the repository.

in a first step i would not consider asking (nor filtering) for a fabric but i would display in the part repository above the miniature the fabric name and below the piece name.

then select a part, shoot it with a left mouse slide to the marker left corner, it will go to the further corner where it fits without bouncing back. select another part and shoot again until the marker is full and the repository empty.

display the length of the marker at all times. the number of each part to be placed on the marker decreases as they are placed on the marker, when zero the part is no longer available for selection.

parts get located oriented according to grain line, if any, if no grain line according to greater length allow ie right clicking on a part for free rotation (double right click hold an drag to rotate) and double left clicking for quick rotation clockwise 90 degrees

check overlap is a function that checks before exporting, showing in color the parts overlapping one another

save as marker name

allow the choice of plotting files names and quantities (or marker name) at the end of the marker

allow adding a cross clean cut , straight line across the fabric made of 2 lines coming from the center of the fabric that keeps rolls tidy

export as aama, dxf, hpgl, iso etc...keeping original layers set in the pattern.

in a first step i would ignore the stripes and print issue, but in a second step the fabric could be specified as a grid and the shooting could allow the parts to lay down only where their "button" allows them to lay down, like a magnetic grid, with button on the horizontal or vertical lines ( checkbox to be chosen first for these 2 choices : none = no grid, both = buttons only go on the intersections). This sometimes requires the button to be outside the contour of the part so it can be a little tricky to develop. this would be for later in a first phase buttons should be within the part which fits 95% of the cases.

[Susan Spencer]

Issue #416 was marked as a duplicate of this issue.

[Susan Spencer]

A Marker's purpose is to arrange pattern pieces in grainilne order to achieve minimal fabric usage.
The printout can be placed over fabric on a manual cutting table. The digital file can be sent to a laser/blade automatic cutting table.

A Marker is based on the width of fabric selected and whether the fabric is folded.
Pattern pieces with 'Cut 2 of Fabric' in their data will be placed once on folded fabric, or twice on non-folded fabric.
Pattern pieces with 'Cut on Fold' in their data will be placed once along a fold on folded fabric, or else mirrored (missing half of pattern piece is filled-in) and placed once on non-folded fabric.

[Susan Spencer]

Suggested breakout of development stages, allowing user testing at each stage:

• Stage 1: Limited to one pattern of one size. User selects fabric width and whether fabric is folded or unfolded. Pattern pieces are automatically arranged in grainline order and will minimize fabric usage.
• Stage 2: Enables multiple instances of multiple sizes. User can choose whether to automatically place the pieces or manually place the pieces. The generated Marker can be edited/adjusted by user.
• Stage 3: User can enter 'repeat' information for plaids and stripes. Marker image shows stripe and plaid. User can select where pattern pieces should match. (More research needed here about how to match plaids and stripes with pattern placement)
• Stage 4: Pattern pieces are 'stacked' in display above marker image. User clicks on stacks to arrange each piece (see description in thread above).
• Stage 5: User can enter 'repeat' information for irregular prints, and upload a 'tile' image of the fabric. The marker displays tiled image. (More research needed here about how to match irregular images with pattern placement.)

[Susan Spencer]

Here are the steps to create a Marker using a Valentina Layout exported as SVG, imported into Inkscape or Adobe Illustrator. This Marker is for single ply fabric, not folded down the center. The pattern pieces which are marked as Placed on Fold should be mirrored down the foldline - this could be automated for user convenience. For folded fabric, the algorithm can be adjusted. Pattern pieces marked as Placed on Fold will not be mirrored.

Understanding the manual steps may help to understand how to automate this feature in code:

1. Create a group for each pattern piece, making sure the pattern pieces's bits (seam allowance, grainline, labels, internal paths, etc) are included.
2. Rotate each pattern piece group to make the grainline either 100% vertical or 100% horizontal (zoom in to confirm.) to match whether your Marker is vertical or horizontal.
3. Create a rectangle the width of your fabric and the length you estimate that it should be. Fill the rectangle with white, select a narrow black stroke line so you can see the rectangle.
4. Create a narrower rectangle to exclude the selvedges, with white fill and narrow black stroke.
5. Group the rectangles together, aligned down the center length, with the narrower rectangle on top.
6. Then select all the pattern piece groups that should align along an edge, add the narrow fabric rectangle to the selected group, then select the Align tool to align the edges together (left, right, top, or bottom).
7. Then move the remaining pattern piece groups onto the narrower fabric rectangle. Make the rectangles longer if needed.

(The white fill is needed because .png images are previewed better if they don't have a transparent background)

[Roman Telezhynskyi]

Removing milestone: v0.6.0 (automated comment)