| B L E N D E R f r e e see also the free NanoCAD and FreeCAD which are also programmable and much more like DeltaCAD |
| programming JAVA sundials sun dials |
BLENDER ~ Python
free 2D/3d modeling system
programmable using Python
several dial programs here
The BLENDER modeling system is free and supports Python.
www.blender.org
Blender, like many free systems, is in a state of flux. It works on Windows 8 and Vista, and
it works without needing extra software.
Dial programs in Python for Blender specifically for Blender, the zip file has
these startup notes which are essential.
This is NOT a drafting system, nor is it really a CAD system. It is a programmable
modeling system, and could be used with 3d printers to send sundials remotely. For the
ability to save (EXPORT) the Blender dial image to a .STL file for 3d printing, the dial plate,
hour lines, and gnomon must be 3d objects, whereas my Python Blender scripts produce
2d objects. While the 2d objects are visible in Blender's 3d viewer, when exported to .STL
and viewed in an STL viewer, or any other CAD system, such as TurboCAD, they are not
visible as they have no 3d substance. However, 3d objects in Blender, when exported into
an STL file, are visible in an STL viewer.
For my 3d sundials, see this page here. I used my DeltaCAD macros for the template,
ported that into TurboCAD (my TurboCAD VBS macros work but as implemented in
TurboCAD, are slow). Then built the dial plate, gnomon, hour lines, and lettering. Then
saved them as an STL file, from which the various 3D printers use their own software to
convert the STL to the printer's native format.
free 2D/3d modeling system
programmable using Python
several dial programs here
The BLENDER modeling system is free and supports Python.
www.blender.org
Blender, like many free systems, is in a state of flux. It works on Windows 8 and Vista, and
it works without needing extra software.
Dial programs in Python for Blender specifically for Blender, the zip file has
these startup notes which are essential.
This is NOT a drafting system, nor is it really a CAD system. It is a programmable
modeling system, and could be used with 3d printers to send sundials remotely. For the
ability to save (EXPORT) the Blender dial image to a .STL file for 3d printing, the dial plate,
hour lines, and gnomon must be 3d objects, whereas my Python Blender scripts produce
2d objects. While the 2d objects are visible in Blender's 3d viewer, when exported to .STL
and viewed in an STL viewer, or any other CAD system, such as TurboCAD, they are not
visible as they have no 3d substance. However, 3d objects in Blender, when exported into
an STL file, are visible in an STL viewer.
For my 3d sundials, see this page here. I used my DeltaCAD macros for the template,
ported that into TurboCAD (my TurboCAD VBS macros work but as implemented in
TurboCAD, are slow). Then built the dial plate, gnomon, hour lines, and lettering. Then
saved them as an STL file, from which the various 3D printers use their own software to
convert the STL to the printer's native format.
| download Programming Shadows, it is free, and has many hints to get you up to speed on many languages |