NullCad v2.0.0

NullCad 2.0 is a major release: a new annotation system with NullCad Fieldbook integration, associative labels, an auto-stringer for coded survey points, arc segments in polylines, and a rendering and save-performance overhaul that keeps million-object documents interactive. It also introduces a new document format — see the compatibility note below.

Compatibility note — new file format

Documents saved by NullCad 2.0 use archive format 2.0. NullCad 2.0 opens every file saved by earlier versions, but files saved with 2.0 cannot be opened by NullCad 1.0 (older versions report that the file requires NullCad 2.x). Update all machines that share documents at the same time.

Annotations and Fieldbook integration

• Annotation system — point-anchored annotations with photos, comments, and editable properties, rendered as an overlay with their own selection and properties panel, and persisted in the document.
• NullCad Fieldbook import — bring .ncfield bundles captured in the field straight into a document, either as raw data or as annotations that map one-to-one with the Fieldbook record.
• Annotation authoring is a Pro feature; viewing, editing, commenting on, and importing annotations stays free for everyone.

Drafting

• Explicit associative labels — labels are now first-class text objects attached to the geometry they describe, moving and updating with it.
• Auto-stringer — build linework automatically from coded survey points, with code suffixes, dialect support, a live preview, re-run replacement, and a string_points plugin API.
• Arc segments in polylines — polylines can now carry true arc segments (DXF-style bulges), with an arc mode in the drawing tool and bulge editing in edit mode.
• 3D polylines — per-vertex elevation on line geometry.
• Point markers — layer-dependent point glyphs sized in paper millimetres.
• Text word wrap — text objects take an optional maximum line width, and text hit-testing now matches the glyphs actually drawn.
• Move and Rotate feedback — both basic transform tools now show construction geometry while you drag, and Rotate takes a configurable base angle.
• Snapping — a visual indicator shows which snap modes are active, and a user-settable cap keeps snapping responsive in dense drawings.

Import, export, and basemaps

• More basemap server types — ArcGIS REST, XYZ tiles, and WMTS are supported alongside WMS.
• DXF options dialogs — import and export now offer proper options dialogs.
• Import and export no longer swallow errors, and non-finite coordinates are handled consistently across formats.
• Exported CSV fields are shielded against spreadsheet formula injection.

Performance

• Cached-frame rendering — the canvas redraws from a cached snapshot when nothing changed, taking a 1,000,000-object document from ~10 fps to ~120 fps.
• Save overhaul — buffered writes, compact JSON, and chunked operation history make saving large documents dramatically faster (this is the file-format change above).
• Viewport composition, snapping, labels, custom linetypes, undo/redo, and TIN editing all stopped doing per-frame or per-item work that scaled with document size.

Application

• In-app bug reports — send a bug report or feature request from inside NullCad.
• Update check — the welcome screen can (opt-in) tell you when a newer release is available.
• Dockable console — the console wraps long lines and can dock as a bottom panel.
• Licence agreement — first run now asks you to accept the EULA before using NullCad.

Fixes and housekeeping

• Icons restored on WMS layer rows; point labels no longer disappear on custom linetypes; page proxies select on their boundary instead of their whole interior.
• The Debug menu is hidden behind a settings toggle, and the legacy command system was removed.
• The codebase moved to Rust edition 2024, the docs site to its own repository, and the web viewer to the NullCad Fieldbook repository.

NullCad v1.0.0

Point website link at nullcad.io