[ABU]  8-oct-2006 - Penpad Widget 1.0

[ABU] 11-oct-2006 -  Just some small corrections (sample code).
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Penpad is a small widget for free-hand drawing. 

[http://web.tiscali.it/irrational/tcl/penpad-1.0/doc/images/aldo.gif]


Penpad provides an interactive control (widget) for simple drawing tasks.

With this control, users can draw their scribble, 
as well as make a signature (autograph) for document exchange.

Penpad is just a simple widget that needs to be integrated with 
a toolbar or other interactive controls in a complete application.

   * Start page:  [http://web.tiscali.it/irrational/tcl/penpad-1.0/doc/index.html]
   * Download  [http://web.tiscali.it/irrational/tcl/archive/penpad-1.0.zip]


'''HOW TO USE IT'''

Included demos will show you how to add a penpad to your applications.

Basically, in order to activate a penpad you only need to add 3 lines:

  package require Penpad
  penpad .penbox
  pack .penbox
   
There are few other (optional) commands you can use for customizing the penpad (read below).

   # change the look
  .penbox configure -pencolor white -bg black
   # save your drawings on a file (a .gif)
  .penbox export mywork.gif
   # clean your penpad
  .penbox clean

 
For full details, read the "Penpad Reference" [http://web.tiscali.it/irrational/tcl/penpad-1.0/doc/penpad.html] within the doc directory.
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'''Wish list (need help)'''

   * provide a floating menu/toolbar for common/useful (?) operations.
   * add cut&paste integrated with clipboard (Desktop-clipboard, not TK-clipboard)
   * add more custom good-looking cursors.
   * "Easy way" for adding a background image.
   * Calligraphy !!! 

Please add your comments below.

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[WJP] If you are REALLY ambitious you could add to the wish list:
   * command to recognize characters and export as string.
[GS] The work is almost done. See [Handwriting Word Recognizer]

[ABU] I'd like to extend '''Penpad''' with such capabilities but, as far as I know ( and I experimented ), applications such as [Handwriting Word Recognizer] require too much time to be 'trained', and often have some unacceptable limitations ( just for example, the above app states that ''Must use continuous stroke. You can't lift the pen to cross a t or dot an i'').

In few words, these apps are too hard to be effectively working.
( Of course, I'll be happy if someone could oppose with an enlightening proof )

Just for the sake of research, I've found some interesting open-source projects:
   * STIHRS [http://stihrs.sourceforge.net/]
   * The FreeHand Formula Entry System [http://www.cs.queensu.ca/drl/ffes]

I'd like to see if it is possible to 'isolate' the complex recognization engine from these apps, and wrap it up with  really-simple Tcl API. Any volunteer ?

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[Category Widget]