Puzzle Joint Generator

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Tailmaker
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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by Tailmaker »

O.K., here is a very first beta version. Don't expect it to be totally bug free but for the most part it works.
I tried to capture the biggest user input errors but I cannot guarantee there will be parameter choices that may crash the program.
It is freeware but please refrain from sharing until I have an official release version.

Please send any specific problem and bug feedback to puzzlejoint (at) outlook.com.

Oh yeah...forgot to mention, I don't have a user guide or manual yet. But who likes to read manuals, anyway? Just play with the parameters and see what you get :shock:

GB

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lobtgd2ipu6pw ... s.zip?dl=0
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scottp55
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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by scottp55 »

"Agnostic Units" :)
I like it...Thanks!

Thanks also for the first Beta version!!
scott
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jarm2
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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by jarm2 »

tried it out today with my laser and 1/8" birch plywood. Worked flawlessly. Thanks a lot for making this available. See attached picture.
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gkas
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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by gkas »

I haven't cut anything yet, but the drawings are excellent. The best way to import the dxf (it's in mm) is to create the project in metric, import the dxf, then convert project to imperial (if needed). I had a great time playing with all the parameters, and didn't have any problems.

GREAT JOB. :D :D

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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by ozymax »

This looks like such a great program. I wish I had your talent!
Yesterday I downloaded the file. Unzipped and ran as I expected it to.
Had a play with various settings and saved a DXF file.
It was here that it all went wrong for me.
The first thing I noticed was that the files icon was a plain icon, where I have all my other icons with the Aspire splash screen on them, as I have Aspire set to my default DXF opening program.
The file size states that it is 2.66kb, so there's something in the file.
I opened Aspire and tried to import the DXF, as I normally do, but when I select "Import vectors" and browse to the file, it doesn't appear in the file list. Yes I have the file settings set to view all file types in that location.

I am using Aspire 4.510.
Is this puzzle generator only usable with the later versions, or am I missing something?

Tailmaker
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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by Tailmaker »

ozymax wrote:
Sun Nov 29, 2020 2:09 am
.........
The first thing I noticed was that the files icon was a plain icon, where I have all my other icons with the Aspire splash screen on them, as I have Aspire set to my default DXF opening program.
The file size states that it is 2.66kb, so there's something in the file.
I opened Aspire and tried to import the DXF, as I normally do, but when I select "Import vectors" and browse to the file, it doesn't appear in the file list. Yes I have the file settings set to view all file types in that location.

I am using Aspire 4.510.
Is this puzzle generator only usable with the later versions, or am I missing something?
You need to specify a file name with the express extension ".dxf". If you just give it a name without extension it will save it as such and Aspire will not list as a drawing file. This is a bit unusual since most programs will add the extension automatically in the file dialog but my software development kit does notseem to have this feature. On the other hand, when you tell Aspire "All" files it actually means "all files with a drawing-like extension plus crv type files". I suspect Aspire needs the file extension to decide how to interprete the file content.

You don't need to re-export the dxf file, just rename it by adding .dxf to the file name.
Puzzle, Finger Joint, Maze and Guilloche freeware at https://fabrikisto.com/tailmaker-software/

ozymax
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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by ozymax »

Tailmaker wrote:
Sun Nov 29, 2020 2:35 am
You need to specify a file name with the express extension ".dxf". If you just give it a name without extension it will save it as such and Aspire will not list as a drawing file. This is a bit unusual since most programs will add the extension automatically in the file dialog but my software development kit does notseem to have this feature. On the other hand, when you tell Aspire "All" files it actually means "all files with a drawing-like extension plus crv type files". I suspect Aspire needs the file extension to decide how to interprete the file content.

You don't need to re-export the dxf file, just rename it by adding .dxf to the file name.
Ah that's done it.
I assumed that the file extension would get automatically added when I saved it the first time.
The next time I tried, I kept the extension and added the name before it, but I just noticed that the program adds an * before the dxf.
File save.jpg
[/url]
Replacing the * with the file name and keeping the dxf extension solved the problem.
Puzzle.jpg
[/url]
Cheers.
Now I can play. :D
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File save.jpg

Tailmaker
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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by Tailmaker »

Great. But thanks for the report. For the next version I added a check if the .dxf extension is present and, if not, to append it to the file name.
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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by Beltramidave »

Very cool looking program, but I must be missing something as I can't find a way to save the design. Program window is maximized, but I don't see a Save option??
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puzzle joint.PNG
Dave
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Adrian
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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by Adrian »

Beltramidave wrote:
Sun Nov 29, 2020 2:02 pm
Very cool looking program, but I must be missing something as I can't find a way to save the design. Program window is maximized, but I don't see a Save option??
What screen resolution are you running? The save should be under that About button but from what I can see the program doesn't add scrollbars if the vertical resolution is too low to display it and requires a vertical resolution of at least 900px to display properly.

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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by Tailmaker »

Beltramidave wrote:
Sun Nov 29, 2020 2:02 pm
Very cool looking program, but I must be missing something as I can't find a way to save the design. Program window is maximized, but I don't see a Save option??
Ha! Did I mention this is a Beta?
No, this version does not have a save or load button for the parameters. Actually, I had not planned in the beginning to do that anyway, since there are only a handful of parameters. But I can see not that it would have value and save time experimenting to recreate something that has been done before.
But your screenshot does not even have the .dxf save button and exit button due to screen resolution as Adrian explained.

So, following changes are planned for the next revision:
- check for presence of .dxf extension in the file name
- load and save buttons for parameter settings
- reading default parameters from a file instead of hard coding
- buttons to recalculate between inch and mm (technically not necessary but convenient)
- adding a .dxf text layer to the jigsaw puzzle array output to identify the location of the puzzle pieces

So far the window is sized automatically for the screen but I will check if it can accommodate smaller screens than e.g. 900 lines.
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gkas
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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by gkas »

It's looking pretty good. I showed it to my wife, and now I'm making a frame for one of her needlepoint stitchery. :D I'm going to run a test with some pine before I confirm with a 16"x20" frame in white oak. I have to admit, it was pretty easy to layout.

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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by bob.cooper »

Nice Job, I have tinkered and was able to produce a dxf and import vectors into Aspire,
in the future, might be nice to be able to manually adjust the lobe diameter,

well done, and thanks for sharing your work.

Bob

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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by Beltramidave »

Adrian wrote:
Sun Nov 29, 2020 3:24 pm
Beltramidave wrote:
Sun Nov 29, 2020 2:02 pm
Very cool looking program, but I must be missing something as I can't find a way to save the design. Program window is maximized, but I don't see a Save option??
What screen resolution are you running? The save should be under that About button but from what I can see the program doesn't add scrollbars if the vertical resolution is too low to display it and requires a vertical resolution of at least 900px to display properly.
My screen resolution appears to be plenty high for this, not sure what else to check.
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screen resolution.PNG
Dave
https://lakesedgewoodcraft.com/

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gkas
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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by gkas »

bob.cooper wrote:
Sun Nov 29, 2020 5:35 pm
Nice Job, I have tinkered and was able to produce a dxf and import vectors into Aspire,
in the future, might be nice to be able to manually adjust the lobe diameter,
Bottom left of the entry fields 'Lobe diameter'.

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