v1.0.0-rc.1

Gantry v1.0.0-rc.1 release notes

This release candidate is the proposed stable Gantry 1.0 code line. It is for
final artifact, workflow, and real-hardware acceptance before publishing
v1.0.0; it does not yet claim broad hardware readiness.

Highlights

• SVG page margins can be preserved while keeping import padding editable.
• Rotated and mirrored artwork now follows the mouse direction when dragged.
• Pen-up travel uses feed-controlled movement, so GRBL honours the configured
  Travel Feed Rate instead of using its maximum rapid rate.
• The Live View highlights the active stroke in amber and accepted strokes in
  muted green, including correct multipass and cancellation behavior.
• SVG text still imports as drawable glyph outlines, but Gantry now checks the
  ordered font fallback list first. If no requested font is installed, it names
  the substitute and offers Continue or Cancel instead of silently changing the
  typography.

Artifacts

The release workflow publishes:

• Gantry-1.0.0-rc.1.jar — standalone GUI application;
• Gantry-CLI-1.0.0-rc.1.jar — headless CLI tools;
• SHA256SUMS, LICENSE, and README.md.

Run the GUI with Java 17 or newer:

java -jar Gantry-1.0.0-rc.1.jar

Validation focus

Please exercise the guided mock first-plot workflow and, on real GRBL hardware,
verify connection, homing/jog direction, pen lift, framing, stop/alarm recovery,
travel speed, a small pen plot, and watercolor stations where applicable. Record
results using the repository release checklist before promoting this build to
stable 1.0.

Known release gates

• The complete mock acceptance script still requires a recorded interactive run.
• Java 21 GUI launch is checked by CI; the local RC smoke run was on Java 17.
• Real-hardware acceptance and the five-person novice study remain unclaimed.

What's Changed

• docs: record alpha release result by @utrost in #21
• docs: record alpha CLI smoke test by @utrost in #22

Full Changelog: v1.0.0-alpha.1...v1.0.0-rc.1

v1.0.0-alpha.1

Gantry v1.0.0-alpha.1 release notes

This is the first public alpha for external Gantry testers. It is intended to
make the guided mock workflow and artifact download path testable before calling
Gantry hardware-ready for other machines.

What this alpha is for

Use this release to test:

• launching Gantry from a downloaded JAR instead of building from source;
• the guided no-hardware first plot route;
• SVG/image import, bed preview, and safe fitting;
• project save/open;
• G-code export;
• CLI smoke tests;
• real GRBL hardware only if you are comfortable doing careful first-run checks.

Start with docs/FIRST_PLOT.md. If serial or controller setup
blocks you, use docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md.

Artifacts

The release workflow publishes:

• Gantry-1.0.0-alpha.1.jar — GUI application;
• Gantry-CLI-1.0.0-alpha.1.jar — headless CLI tools;
• SHA256SUMS — checksums for both JARs;
• LICENSE and README.md.

Run the GUI with Java 17 or newer:

java -jar Gantry-1.0.0-alpha.1.jar

Current confidence level

• Automated CI runs on Java 17 and Java 21.
• The app has a mock backend and guided practice route for no-hardware testing.
• The release checklist and hardware-acceptance template exist.
• A recorded real-hardware acceptance pass is still required before calling this
  hardware-ready for external machines.
• Beginner Usability Slice D still requires the five-person novice study.

Known gaps for this alpha

• Screenshots and the one-minute demo are still pending.
• Hardware compatibility evidence is not yet complete.
• The first real compatibility entries should be recorded in
  docs/KNOWN_GOOD_SETUPS.md.
• External tester feedback should use the GitHub issue templates, especially
  first-run feedback and hardware compatibility reports.

Suggested tester task

1. Download the GUI JAR.
2. Run java -jar Gantry-1.0.0-alpha.1.jar.
3. Complete Help > Guided First Plot... using the mock backend.
4. If you have a GRBL pen plotter, export G-code or run one small real plot only
   after checking setup, jog direction, frame, stop/cancel, and pen lift.
5. Report the result with the first-run or hardware issue template.

What's Changed

• Refactor Gantry GUI and fix canvas transforms by @utrost in #1
• Complete refactor verification and GRBL safety handling by @utrost in #2
• Add CLI multipass support and hatch style coverage by @utrost in #3
• Complete roadmap QoL milestones 1-8 by @utrost in #4
• Synchronize documentation with roadmap QoL changes by @utrost in #5
• Improve beginner plotting workflow by @utrost in #6
• Complete beginner usability Slice C by @utrost in #7
• Prepare beginner usability Slice D validation by @utrost in #8
• Add cancellable optimization progress by @utrost in #9
• Restore and harden hand-drawn SVG processing by @utrost in #10
• Make the startup welcome optional by @utrost in #11
• Make processors, optimization, and hatching beginner friendly by @utrost in #12
• docs: add Gantry adoption roadmap by @utrost in #13
• docs: resolve adoption roadmap open points by @utrost in #19
• release: prepare first public alpha by @utrost in #20

New Contributors

• @utrost made their first contribution in #1

Full Changelog: https://github.com/utrost/Gantry/commits/v1.0.0-alpha.1