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Re: wxDC zoom break through.

 

Torsten Hüter wrote:
Hi Dick,

Or at least non wxGraphicsContext and true wxGraphicsContext calls map to the same underlying API.

AFAIK wxGraphicsContext uses on Windows GDI+, while wxDC doesn't use this backend - this is a license problem. You can't easily compile it on MinGW, that's why Jean-Pierre has not used it (compare the older discussion about this topic). What I've read so far, is that wxGC is even much slower than wxDC on Windows. But that could be only rumours - a benchmark is needed.

I got wxWidgets to compile with --enable-graph_ctx on MinGW/MSYS using the modified header files and link libraries from the following link without making any changes.

http://www.miscdebris.net/blog/2009/09/17/adding-gdi-headers-to-mingw-to-compile-wxwidgets-with-wxgraphicscontext-support/

As far as licensing goes, I can't really answer that. I'm pretty sure the modified GDI+ header files are not redistributable but I'm not sure about the executables created from them. The last time I checked, Kicad builds on Visual Studio so you should be able to build without any licensing issues that way assuming the GdiPlus headers are included.

Wayne

So a corporate adoption strategy is more beneficial to the project than simply targeting the software only for hobbyists with 10 year old computers having 400 pixels per row screens and 500 MHz clocks.

Yes and no, speed is always important - even if you have the latest hardware. I'm working myself with a quad core Phenom II - but the drawing speed of KiCad with Windows 7 is extremly slow - under Linux it's OK.
Altium for instance advertises with improved drawing speed (they use now DirectX):
http://www.altium.com/VideoPlayer/FLVplayer.html?lib=w09_flv&flid=2
And when a company does step up and sponsor work in this project costing tens of thousands of dollars, it is difficult for it to even hear that purchasing a $20 mouse is a problem, not to mention a $200 computer.

However, when a bigger company has enough money for that, they wouldn't use KiCad and rather buy a supported professional package :) Money is not my motivation, instead I like to improve my working speed.
Currently, I think KiCad has good chances to establish itself at universities (like Eagle) - but I think for most companies it's too risky to use it at the moment (I could be wrong of course).
Bye ..
Torsten






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