PlottPaint 🎨

PlottPaint transforms your gantry-style plotter into an automated painting machine with intelligent brush stroke profiles, color management, and advanced path optimization.

✨ Features

🎨 Painting Mode

• Multi-Color Painting: Define multiple paint wells with custom colors and positions
• Intelligent Paint Management: Automatic wash/wipe sequences on color changes
• Paint Refresh Control: Configurable paint refresh intervals to maintain consistent brush loading
• Paint Order Tracking: Respects the sequence in which colors were assigned to strokes

🖌️ Brush Stroke Profiles

• Dynamic Z-Axis Control: Apply pressure curves to strokes for realistic brush effects
• Custom Profiles: Create and manage reusable brush stroke profiles with pressure curves
• Visual Profile Editor: Interactive Bézier curve editor for designing brush behaviors
• Profile Parameters:
  • Customizable sample count for smooth curves
  • Adjustable stroke speed per profile
  • Min/Max Z depth control
• Paint Only Mode Integration: Assign brush profiles to painting strokes after G-code generation

🎯 Drawing Tools

• Vector Drawing: Lines, rectangles, circles, polylines, and Bézier curves
• Object Grouping: Group/ungroup strokes, hierarchical parent groups
• Subdivision: Add intermediate points to strokes for finer control
• Selection & Transform: Select, move, copy, paste, and delete strokes
• Snap Features: Snap to endpoints, grid snapping with customizable spacing
• Reference Images: Load reference images for tracing and alignment

🖥️ Advanced Canvas Features

• Paint Canvas Definition: Define working area within the plotter bed
• Popular Canvas Presets: Quick selection of A-series, US Letter/Legal, and common art canvas sizes
• Individual Margins: Set different safe margins for each side
• Margin Lock to Canvas: Calculate margins from paint canvas edges
• Auto-Rotation: Automatically rotate canvas 90° to optimize bed usage
• Zoom & Pan: Smooth canvas navigation with mouse wheel zoom

📐 G-code Generation

• Smart Path Optimization: Minimize travel distance with nearest-neighbor optimization
• Paint Mode Optimization: Direction-only optimization that preserves paint order
• Coordinate Transformation: Automatic bed-to-work coordinate conversion
• Custom G-code: Configurable start/end G-code sequences
• GRBL Integration: Direct serial communication with GRBL controllers

🔍 Debugging & Visualization

• G-code Path Visualizer: Visual debugging of generated tool paths
• Segment Analysis: Find backtracks, long rapids, and disconnected segments
• Paint Mode Visualization: Color-coded painting strokes with sequence numbers
• Brush Profile Indicators: Visual markers for segments using brush profiles
• Mark Bad Segments: Flag problematic G-code segments for analysis

🎨 Paint Only View Mode

• Post-Generation Editing: Assign brush profiles to painting strokes after G-code generation
• Stroke Selection: Select individual or multiple painting strokes
• Visual Feedback: Color-coded strokes with stroke numbers and paint well indicators
• Context Menu Actions: Right-click to assign profiles or select all strokes
• Live G-code Regeneration: Automatically regenerates G-code when profiles are assigned

🌓 Modern UI

• Dark/Light Theme: Toggle between dark and light modes
• Themed Components: Consistent theming across all windows and controls
• Drag Value Controls: Drag numeric fields up/down to adjust values
• Responsive Layout: Adaptive UI that works at different window sizes
• Tool Palette: Floating tool selection window

🚀 Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Windows 10/11
• .NET 8.0 Runtime
• GRBL-based CNC plotter (for physical plotting)

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/teryakisan/PlottPaint.git
cd PlottPaint

2. Open the solution:

start NVSPlotter.sln

3. Build and run:
   • Press F5 in Visual Studio, or
   • dotnet build followed by dotnet run

📖 Usage Guide

Basic Workflow

1. Configure Machine Settings (⚙ Machine Settings)

   • Set plotter bed size
   • Configure home position
   • Define safe margins

2. Draw Your Design

   • Use drawing tools (Line, Rectangle, Circle, Bezier, etc.)
   • Group related strokes for easier management
   • Load reference images if needed

3. Set Up Paint Wells (🎨 Painting Mode)

   • Click "🎨 Quick Setup" for default wells (Red, Green, Blue, Wash, Wipe)
   • Or add custom paint wells manually
   • Position wells on the canvas
   • Configure dip depth, dwell time, and refresh intervals

4. Assign Colors

   • Select strokes
   • Click on a paint well chip to assign that color
   • Use "None" to clear paint assignment

5. Create Brush Profiles (🖌 Profiles button)

   • Open Brush Stroke Profiles window
   • Create new profiles with custom pressure curves
   • Save profiles to your project

6. Assign Brush Profiles (Paint Only Mode)

   • Toggle "🎨 Paint Only" view
   • Select painting strokes
   • Right-click → "🖌 Assign Brush Profiles"
   • Choose which profiles to enable for selected strokes

7. Generate G-code

   • Click "Export .gcode" or "Copy G-code"
   • Review in the G-code visualizer (🔍 Path Debug)
   • Look for brush profile markers in the output

8. Send to Plotter

   • Connect to GRBL plotter via serial port
   • Click "Send G-code" to execute the plot

Key Concepts

Paint Order

Strokes are painted in the order colors were assigned, not the drawing order. This allows you to:

• Draw everything first, then decide painting sequence
• Change colors on existing strokes without redrawing
• Have multiple objects use the same color at different times

Brush Stroke Profiles

Brush profiles control the Z-axis depth dynamically along a stroke, creating realistic brush effects:

• t = 0.0: Start of stroke
• t = 1.0: End of stroke
• The profile curve (0-1 on Y axis) maps to Z depth from ZUp to ZDown
• Profiles can simulate dabs, tapers, pressure variations, and more

Paint Only Mode

A special view mode that shows the actual painting sequence from generated G-code:

• View strokes in painting order with sequence numbers
• Assign brush profiles to individual painting strokes
• See stroke boundaries clearly (where pen goes up/down)
• Changes automatically regenerate G-code

🎨 Paint Wells

Well Types

• Paint Wells: Colored paint sources
• Wash Well: Rinse/clean well (generates spiral swirl pattern)
• Wipe Well: Drying surface (generates zig-zag wipe pattern)

Well Configuration

Each paint well has:

• Position & Size: Bounds on the plotter bed
• Dip Depth: How deep to dip into the paint
• Dwell Time: How long to wait while dipped
• Refresh Distance: Random range (min-max) for paint reload

🖌️ Brush Profiles

Profile Editor

• Interactive Curve: Click to add control points, drag to adjust
• Bézier Interpolation: Smooth curves between control points
• Sample Count: Control smoothness (20-200 samples)
• Stroke Speed: Override default feed rate
• Z Range: Min/Max Z depth limits

Built-in Profile Types

The profile editor supports creating various stroke styles:

• Gentle Dab: Light touch with gradual pressure
• Hard Press: Strong, consistent pressure
• Taper In/Out: Gradual pressure changes at start/end
• Staccato: Quick up-down motions
• Variable Pressure: Complex pressure curves

Profile Application

Profiles are applied at the G-code level:

• The profile's Y curve (0-1) maps to Z depth
• Y=0 → Z=ZUp (pen up/travel height)
• Y=1 → Z=ZDown (maximum depth)
• Samples are distributed evenly along the stroke's physical length

🔧 Advanced Features

Stroke Optimization

• Normal Mode: Full nearest-neighbor optimization (reorders all strokes)
• Paint Mode: Direction-only optimization (preserves color sequence)
• Toggle via "Optimize stroke order" checkbox

Coordinate System

• Document Space: User-facing coordinates (origin at top-left, Y positive down)
• Bed Space: Transformed to plotter bed with scaling/rotation/margins
• Work Space: GRBL work coordinates (X positive, Y negative, origin at home)

Project Files

Save and load complete projects including:

• All strokes and grouping information
• Paint wells and their configurations
• Brush stroke profiles
• Machine settings
• Canvas size and margins

🎯 Keyboard Shortcuts

General

• Ctrl+N - New Project
• Ctrl+O - Open Project
• Ctrl+S - Save Project
• Ctrl+Shift+S - Save Project As
• Ctrl+Z - Undo

Editing

• Ctrl+A - Select All
• Ctrl+C - Copy
• Ctrl+X - Cut
• Ctrl+V - Paste
• Del - Delete
• Esc - Deselect / Cancel operation

Grouping

• Ctrl+G - Group selected strokes
• Ctrl+Shift+G - Ungroup

Canvas

• Mouse Wheel - Zoom in/out
• Middle Mouse + Drag - Pan
• Right Mouse - Context menu

G-code Visualizer

• B - Mark/unmark segment as bad
• F - Fit to view
• Esc - Deselect segment

🏗️ Architecture

Core Services

• GcodeGeneratorService: Generates G-code from document strokes
• GcodePaintingStrokeService: Parses G-code to extract painting strokes
• CoordinateTransformService: Handles coordinate system transformations
• CanvasRendererService: Renders strokes on the WPF canvas
• PaintWellController: Manages paint well state and color assignments
• PaintOnlyModeController: Handles Paint Only view interactions
• SelectionController: Manages stroke selection and clipboard operations
• GrblManagerService: Serial communication with GRBL controllers

Data Models

• PlotDocument: Main document containing strokes and paint wells
• LineStroke: Individual line segment with paint/group metadata
• PaintWell: Paint source definition with position and parameters
• BrushProfile: Brush stroke profile with Bézier curve
• GcodePaintingStroke: Parsed painting stroke from G-code
• ProjectFile: Complete project serialization

Windows

• MainWindow: Primary application window with canvas and controls
• BrushStrokeProfilesWindow: Profile editor with curve designer
• GcodePathVisualizerWindow: G-code debugging and analysis
• MachineSettingsWindow: Plotter configuration
• ReferenceImageWindow: Reference image management
• ToolsWindow: Floating tool palette
• ConsoleWindow: GRBL console for manual commands

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit issues and pull requests.

Development Setup

1. Install Visual Studio 2022 or later with .NET 8.0 SDK
2. Clone the repository
3. Open NVSPlotter.sln
4. Build and run

Code Style

• Follow C# naming conventions
• Use nullable reference types
• Add XML documentation for public APIs
• Keep methods focused and single-purpose

🙏 Acknowledgments

• Built with WPF and .NET 8
• GRBL firmware compatibility
• Uses WpfAnimatedGif for loading indicators
• Emoji.Wpf for emoji rendering support
• FontAwesome for Icons

📧 Contact

• GitHub: @teryakisan
• Project: PlottPaint

🗺️ Roadmap

Planned Features

• SVG import/export
• Job queue management
• Machine calibration wizard

📸 Screenshots

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Made with ❤️ for the plotter art community by NVSInk Art Studio