[Epic] Editor feature set: object model, pens, image import, projects

[BernardJen]

Epic: Editor feature set

Tracking issue for the planned editor features. These are not independent — most depend on a shared object/scene model. This epic captures the recommended build order and dependencies.

Recommended build order

Phase 0 — Foundation

• Editing toolbar: select, copy/paste, and object manipulation #6 Editing toolbar: select, copy/paste, object manipulation
  • The keystone. Introduces a proper object/scene model (discrete objects with identity, transform, z-order). Almost everything below depends on it.

Phase 1 — Pens & medium

• Pen selection with characteristics (thickness, color) #2 Pen selection with characteristics (thickness, color)
• Multi-color plotting with pen-change / load-pen pauses #3 Multi-color plotting with pen-change pauses — depends on Pen selection with characteristics (thickness, color) #2
• Selectable background paper type #7 Selectable background paper type — depends on Editing toolbar: select, copy/paste, and object manipulation #6

Phase 2 — Content creation

• Draw basic shapes and text on the canvas #5 Draw basic shapes and text — depends on Editing toolbar: select, copy/paste, and object manipulation #6
  • Note: text needs single-line / Hershey-style fonts, not outline fonts.
• Replace PNG/SVG upload with an Image import wizard (5+ image-to-lines algorithms) #4 Image import wizard (split below) — depends on Editing toolbar: select, copy/paste, and object manipulation #6 (outputs objects into the scene)
  • Image import wizard — shell + adjust step + 2 algorithms #11 Image import wizard — shell + adjust + 2 algorithms
  • Image import wizard — additional conversion algorithms (reach 5+) #12 Image import wizard — additional algorithms (reach 5+)

Phase 3 — Persistence

• Save and load projects (local machine and Raspberry Pi) #8 Save and load projects (local + Pi) — do last; the project file format must serialize the object/pen/paper models, so build it after those stabilize

Independent / anytime

• Magnet placement recommendation and visualization #9 Magnet placement recommendation and visualization — advisory overlay, low risk

Key cross-cutting decision

The object/scene model introduced in #6 is the keystone: it defines the project file format (#8), what a pen attaches to (#2/#3), and what magnets check against (#9). Pin it down early.

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Done

Every issue in this epic has landed, in the order the plan set out:

#6	Editing toolbar, multi-selection, scene model	#69
#2	Pen library and a pen per artwork	#67
#3	Multi-pen plotting with pen-change pauses	#68
#7	Selectable paper type	#66
#5	Shapes and single-line text	#70
#11	Import wizard: shell, adjust, 2 algorithms	#71
#12 / #4	5 conversion algorithms	#72
#56	PDF, HEIC and camera import, by content	#77
#9	Magnet keep-out zones	#74
#64	Travel routed around the magnets	#75
#58	Cutting mode: knife profile, overcut, blade offset	#73
#63	Holding tabs	#76
#8	Save and load projects	#78
#14	App settings on the gateway	#65
#57	Settings page	bacd9bc

The object/scene model the epic called the keystone is src/plot/scene.ts: objects with
identity, transform and stacking order, and the operations on a selection of them. Everything after
it — shapes and text as objects, wizard output dropped into the scene, the project file that
serialises it — was built on that, as planned.

The pure core grew from ~2 000 to ~2 900 statements and the coverage floor was raised from
50/48/40/50 to 72/68/62/72.

Still open: hardware verification. Several changes are correct in software and unverified on
the machine — they are listed in the OpenSpec changes that stay active for exactly that reason
(multi-pen pauses, cutting mode, holding tabs, magnet avoidance).

[BernardJen]

Operations (independent)

• In-app updater (local machine and Raspberry Pi) #13 In-app updater (local + Pi) — independent of the editor work; mirrors the existing rsync/rebuild/restart flow. Can be built anytime.

[BernardJen]

Settings & packaging

• Persist app settings on the gateway (shared across clients) #14 Persist app settings on the gateway (shared across clients) — distinct from artwork session and from project save/load (Save and load projects (local machine and Raspberry Pi) #8). Relates to pens (Pen selection with characteristics (thickness, color) #2) and paper (Selectable background paper type #7).
• Package the app/daemon as a .deb #15 Package the app/daemon as a .deb — folds in gateway/install.sh; pairs with the updater (In-app updater (local machine and Raspberry Pi) #13).

[BernardJen]

Added on 2026-09-08 after operator feedback:

• Import sources: JPEG/HEIC, PDF and camera photos alongside PNG/SVG #56 Import sources: JPEG/HEIC, PDF and camera photos — extends Replace PNG/SVG upload with an Image import wizard (5+ image-to-lines algorithms) #4/Image import wizard — shell + adjust step + 2 algorithms #11 (Phase 2)
• Move machine, pen and drawing settings off the main page into a Settings page #57 Settings page — UI home for Persist app settings on the gateway (shared across clients) #14 (anytime; unblocks a cleaner main page)
• Job mode: Cutting vs Drawing — decide what an upload becomes and how it is plotted #58 Job mode: Cutting vs Drawing — cross-cutting; decides which flow an upload takes and which Z/feed profile plots (Phase 1, next to pens)

Already shipped and can probably be closed: #15 (.deb packaging, v1.0.0) and #13 (in-app updater, v1.0.0). Not covered by a new issue because they exist: unified upload + wizard (#4/#11/#12), shapes/text/freehand (#5), multicolor (#3).

[BernardJen]

All sixteen issues in this epic are merged — see the table in the description for which PR each landed in.

The keystone worked as planned: src/plot/scene.ts (from #6) gave objects identity, transform and stacking order, and everything after it — shapes and text as objects, the import wizard dropping paths into the scene, the project file that serialises it — was built on that rather than around it.

What is not done is hardware verification: multi-pen pauses, cutting mode, holding tabs and magnet avoidance are correct in software and have never touched the machine. Their OpenSpec changes stay active with the ⚙ tasks unchecked, and #79 tracks them in one place.