AlphaDraw

Update - April 2008

AlphaDraw is still going strong and I hope to have a new version out soon. One of the big changes is that AlphaDraw is now being written in C++ with a Cocoa front end. It's not as big a job as I thought it would be (though big enough) and the result will be a bit slicker.

As a result of this change the next version will probably have less functionality than the current one. It will probably also require 10.4 or higher and maybe even Leopard only. Please Note - Alphadraw can't yet save or print so only download it if you are REALLY keen!

Current Version a78 - 21 Sept 2007

This is the third release of AlphaDraw - a drawing program for OS X. It is still pretty basic at the moment but there have been a number of improvements. If you are interested you are welcome to download it and give it a whirl. More regular updates to follow.

Some of the new features and improvements include a new line shape object, a bunch of fixes to the polygons and groups and a semi customizable tool palette (actually a listbox). When a tool is selected a 'preview' will show up in a small viewer below the tool listbox. If you click on this viewer the properties of the tool will show in the property listbox. These properties can then be changed. You can also create additional tools with different default values by selecting a tool and clicking on the Tools+ button. The selected tool will be duplicated and you can then change its properties. Note that none of this is currently saved between sessions.

At the moment the application can only create rectangles,lines and polygons. These can be grouped and resized correctly. The shapes can also be cut, copied, pasted and duplicated with unlimited undo/redo. Layers are also supported. Next version I hope to have a few more shapes and a general cleanup.

Even though this is an alpha version most of what has been implemented works correctly and the application is decidedly uncrashy. AlphaDraw is built with REALBasic and uses Thomas Cunninghams most excellent CoreGraphics classes and modules to do the actual drawing. If you are interested in doing high quality drawing on OS X using REALbasic, his classes are well worth checking out as they are dead easy to use and work really well.

AlphaDraw Screenshot

NOTES - in no particular order:

[Opt] = Optimization [Fix] = Bug Fix [Imp] = Improvement on bug, but problems may still exist [New] = New Feature [Chg] = Changes Previous Functionality [Kis] = Known Issue

General

  • [New] If the option key is held down while adjusting the scale it will revert to 100%. Holding down the cmd key will constrain the scale to a number of standard values.
  • [Fix] When clicking on a zoom button the scale slider now updates correctly.
  • [New] Tool panel with customizable tools.
  • [New] Scroll the selection into view when pasting and duplicating.
  • [New] View.Show Selection menu to scroll selection into view.
  • [Kis] If you close the property or layer listbox you won't get it back until you restart the app.
  • [Kis] Saving and printing don't work.
  • [Kis] Property listbox doesn't work for shape left,top,width or height.
  • [Kis] Property listbox doesn't update after a change until you deselect and reselect a shape.
  • [Kis] The only preference that works is the automatically check for new versions.
  • [Kis] If you use the angle slider to rotate a shape you get an undo put on the stack each time you move the slider. The angle slider is temporary.

All Shapes

  • [Kis] You can only create rectangles, lines and polygons.
  • [Kis] You can only resize a shape from its corner handles.
  • [Kis] Clicking only works within the mathematical bounds of an object so to adjust a poly point etc. you have to also be within the bounds. I have temporarily enlarged the selection handles to make this easier.
  • [Kis] Selecting an object by clicking on it needs to be improved.
  • [Kis] Can't select a locked shape just by clicking on it. Have to select via rectangle.

Polygons

  • [New] To select and move a polygon point that is under a selection handle, double click on the polygon (or its border) to select the first point of the polygon. This will cause the selection handles to disappear and the point under the handle can then be selected and moved.
  • [Fix] Moving a point when the poly has been resized or rotated now works correctly.
  • [Fix] Saved the transform when a poly point is moved so it can be undone.
  • [Fix] Stopped the occasional Move PolyPoint command being put on the undo stack when a new polygon is created.
  • [Fix] When moving a single selected end point of an unclosed polygon the point can be constrained with the shift key to 45deg angles.
  • [Kis] A rotated Polygon will 'wobble' when resizing, if a point has been adjusted.
  • [Kis] If you select a poly behind another shape the points show on top as they should. However if you move that point then the point is hidden.
  • [Kis] Sometimes a polygon is hard to select.

Groups

  • [Fix] Groups within another group show the locked look when locked - previous just showed as selected.
  • [Fix] Ungroup now works correctly.

As you can see - there is a way to go! I have probably forgotten to mention a lot of stuff also.