Draw.txt demo

A very simple drawing application for drawing a text file. Try the live demo

Each character is a pixel and shapes are drawn with monospaced characters. The final product can be saved as a .txt file.

The current version features the ability to draw boxes and create lines of text, and sports an unlimited history for some snazzy undo/redo action.

Origin

I wanted a way to draw some very basic text-based documentation for some of my projects; e.g. to create simple shapes to show object/class relationships. Furthermore I wanted them stored in plain .txt files.

Current Status: Experimental

Boxes:

• You can create boxes by dragging on the grid.
• Move boxes by click-and-dragging them.

Text:

• You can create text by clicking on an empty grid-cell.
• Edit text by clicking on the text objcet.
• Move text by clicking and dragging the object.

Most commands are supported by the history, so undo and redo will work.

To Do

Shapes selector

Small toolbar/widget for selecting the type of shape to draw.

Open

Ability to open a .txt file and discover shapes, such as boxes and text areas, turning them into editable objects.

New Display Objects

• Free-drawing

  Draw on mouse-move for arbitrary shapes

• Lines

• Triangles.

       *            /
      * *          /  
     *   *        /    
    *     *      /      
   *       *    /________
  * * * * * *

• Circles

      x  x           *  *    
   x        x     *        * 
  x          x   *          *
  x          x   *          *
   x        x     *        * 
      x  x           *  *    

• Other?

Canvas/Shape Interactions

• Resizing of shapes
• Keyboard interaction

Linking of shapes with lines

One of my dreams for this app was the ability to link shapes with lines so when a shape is moved all connected lines move with it.

Bugs

What would a new project like this be without a good bug or two?

Right now the History is a bit shaky...sometimes commands don't undo or redo exactly how you'd expect.