QET workflow improvements. Making it faster, easier and better (I hope)

[VonkeBoer]

I recently started working with this lovely piece of software coming from a background of making electrical schematics for a living using commercial software. Although my first impression was very good, having a really solid base and already very nice features, for me it has a few weird quirks. Things like no "class" reference in the element properties, illogical right-click context menu, no perseverance of autonumbering settings (every time I started a new project I had to introduce the same formulas which drove me crazy). So I decided to d/l the source and see if these things could be changed/improved, and how much work it would be.
I started with adding the class reference to element properties which was quite straightforward and easy to do. Even integrating it in the auto numbering engine went OK, so that's now working for me.
The next logical step was custom header labels, don't ask why, I just like my element labels "balanced" so I decided to integrate a custom header system, and boy, did I fall down a rabbit hole.....

I basically ended up overhauling the folio/diagram geometry engine, automating it based on a ratio system. What does that mean you might wonder, well, the way I see it is you always want to end up with a geometry that fits efficiently on paper or screen.
The way it was setup before this was kind off hit and miss. Adding to this is the right click context menu which is a way to folio properties, and an easy way to screw up your geometry of the workspace/folio by adding or removing columns/rows.
My concept recalculates the dimensions based on a fixed 7/10 ratio thereby always keeping, what I feel, the nicest proportions. As a bonus it aligns the columns to the grid.
I'm now also able to rename my headers although I haven't integrated it yet into the autonumbering engine because I felt like it was a job for after the improvement of that feature. I've also added a feature which enables you to split a column or row into separate columns without changing the visual header so header 5 might be split in 2 and because of the custom label you can name them 50 and 55.
Although the header will only show 50, placing an element on the right half of this column should give this element a "55" counter (after I've integrated custom label in autonumbering obviously).

While I was working on the geometry job I noticed a concept to block dropping elements outside of the workspace which I integrated for testing.

My current project is splitting project properties and new project properties in such a way new project properties becomes a template source where you can preset all features the way you like and when triggering New Project this is written into the project. New project properties will get perseverance so all settings will remain without saving. I really miss this for autonumbering.
Both properties screens will use a common interface so they will look and feel the same.

If people are interested I'll update this thread with my progress. I can also share my edited source files for trying and testing, on request (mainly because I currently don't know how to do this here).
Also, if somebody has ideas or requests for features, let me know and I'll consider it.

##Future projects:

• Change right-click context menu where I'd rather have something more useful like drawing aids or an add element option.
• Changing conductor concept by adding a "source" or "dest" (destination) flag to a terminal which can then automatically define the conductor from the connected "source" terminal's potential and label info. Thereby also automatically adding a check function giving an error when "source" and "dest" potential is different (There might already be a comparable system in place, not sure)
• Making the "connections" and "folio referencing" elements accessible from the right-click context menu, thereby vastly improving drawing ease and speed.
• Changing "connections" elements so they block further auto connect attempts and adding an invisible "block connection" element for preventing multiple connections to an element terminal.
• introduce a clearer hierarchy structure with added tiers for larger installations (control panel hierarchy structure)

I'll add some screenshots of my changes in a 2nd post

[VonkeBoer]

[ispyisail]

Welcome! Two of these already exist in the current development version, so worth updating before going further:

• Numbering rules for new projects: settings → New project now has an auto-numbering tab, kept between projects (added 18 September, 7fa1ff3).
• Class letter: %prefix in a numbering formula gives the element's IEC letter (a coil gives K), taken from qet_labels.xml in the elements collection.

Right-click menu and faster element insertion: see #677 and #676.

To share code: fork the repository, one branch and one small pull request per feature.

[VonkeBoer]

Typical, I'm always late to the party....

I took a look at the numbering tab and now I have some basic questions about the general architecture and overall programing rules.

And about prefix, as I saw how it's currently implemented, it seems like a way to add certain markers like =+ to labelcode. But I might be mistaken, I only took a quick look and that's already ages ago, when doing my implementation of the IEC marker.

And this:

To share code: fork the repository, one branch and one small pull request per feature.

I have no idea what that means.... Sorry.... But I'm sure there's an explainer somewhere?

edit: took a look

[VonkeBoer]

* **Class letter:** `%prefix` in a numbering formula gives the element's IEC letter (a coil gives `K`), taken from `qet_labels.xml` in the elements collection.

Whoopsy, you're absolutely right.... Stupid I didn't see it before

[VonkeBoer]

I did an archeological expedition and I realized why I went for another solution as I mostly use custom elements and the

• Class letter: %prefix in a numbering formula gives the element's IEC letter (a coil gives K), taken from qet_labels.xml in the elements collection.

is dependent on file address and my elements are in other places.

[ispyisail]

Question: Are you using AI, if so which one? I ask becuase I would like to direct you in the right direction, provided you want to share and test

[VonkeBoer]

Uhm, kee, I need to use Claude? Or else I can't help?

I already have a payed subscription and I'm also not sure I want to switch, just so I can help here. Sorry....

Do I understand it correctly qelectrotech-docker makes it easier to share code, or do you actually edit code in Claude. Or does Claude do all the editing?

[ispyisail]

are you using OpenAI Codex CLI?

[VonkeBoer]

No, I work online. You're probably suggesting installing ChatGPT/GEE? The way I use it now keeps it well away from my files which means I always insert the edit myself so I can easily and necessarily review it. I need to check, for overview.
I did install Git for Win today and went on an archeological expedition to find the history of prefix, location, location and plant descriptors (the double location is not a typo) to see how class letter implementation came to be and the connection to said descriptors which was very enlightening.

Therefore, I realized that contributing to the project using my current workflow (working online instead of a local client) might not go "by itself". But there must be other options, like doing the "commits" manually, as I now do have a git client? I apologize if I used the wrong parlance in this post. Still learning, but please, correct wrongfully used terms.

[ispyisail]

Therefore, I realized that contributing to the project using my current workflow (working online instead of a local client)

Once you switch you will never turn back (cli)

You can keep doing it online but is very slow and you will need to get somebody to insert the code to QET for you. Others are all ready doing this, they just attach the code. see how chuckNr11 has done it. #1020 0001-test-moving-in-grid-steps.patch

[VonkeBoer]

Once you switch you will never turn back (cli)

Ow, is that what you youngsters call a terminal these days? ;)
Anyways, I'll post a "pull request (?)" when I have something to show for it, because at the moment I'm really far down a rabbit hole... Investigating..... Lots of dust and spiderwebs here....