Enable usage of local use/include statements

[mgsb]

Openscad enables code re-use via the include and use methods. https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/OpenSCAD_User_Manual/Include_Statement This change generates the temporary file for the scad buffer in the default-directory so local files can be found via use or include statements during preview or flymake operations.

[minad]

Thanks, good point. I am not fond of creating files in the working directory, but it seems there is no other way, since openscad does not have a search path command line option.

[t-paul]

Currently only the environment variable exists, but that sounds like a useful feature request.

[mgsb]

Thanks for the change. I agree that local temporary files are not great, but it seems the simplest approach.

[minad]

@t-paul

Currently only the environment variable exists, but that sounds like a useful feature request.

Can you please point me to the documentation? We should better change this to instead add the default-directory to the environment variable.

@mgsb

Thanks for the change. I agree that local temporary files are not great, but it seems the simplest approach.

It is not great to go with the simplest approach. I will revert and we can hopefully use the environment variables.

[t-paul]

It's mentioned in the Library section:
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/OpenSCAD_User_Manual/Libraries#Library_locations

It's intended to work like the usual PATH variables, providing a list of root directories for relative file lookup.

[mgsb]

Yes, this is a better approach - I missed the environment variable in my googling of the topic.

[minad]

@t-paul Thanks! I only looked at https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/OpenSCAD_User_Manual/Include_Statement and it wasn't mentioned there.

@mgsb Would you like to prepare an improved PR which uses OPENSCADPATH?

[t-paul]

Ah, good point, I've added a short note mentioning the variable to that page.

[mgsb]

Ok, I'll give it a try. I don't see a command-line option for openscad, so I'll use process-environment.

[mgsb]

In testing this, I found another issue with copying the source scad file. Import statements with relative file paths https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/OpenSCAD_User_Manual/Importing_Geometry are not found when the source is moved. There does not appear to be a search path for these statements.
Why is it necessary to make a copy of the source? Just use the original file associated with the buffer and "compile" it seems like it would work.

[minad]

On 3/16/23 20:46, Mark Grosen wrote: Why is it necessary to make a copy of the source? Just use the original file associated with the buffer and "compile" it seems like it would work.

The buffer has not necessarily been saved yet.

[mgsb]

Ok, I remember - the preview is updated periodically based on buffer changes - not file changes/saves.