2026-09-17T02:11:37Z https://drops.dagstuhl.de/oai

oai:drops-oai.dagstuhl.de:23877 2026-09-05T18:27:27Z ddc:004 open_access

PrintTalk: A Language for Constraint-Based 3D Modelling Jacobs, Jef De Meuter, Wolfgang Nicolay, Jens Programmatic 3D Modelling PCAD Domain specific language Constraints Programmatic CAD (PCAD) is an emerging alternative to traditional visual CAD software. However, state-of-the-art PCAD tools have limited or no support for constraints. Consequently, these tools depend solely on parametrisation for variability, reusability, and composition of shapes. This leads to problems such as parameter explosion, leaky compositional abstraction, and prevents a declarative approach to defining spatial patterns (linear, grid, circular, etc.) for the constituents of a composition. This paper describes the design of PrintTalk, a PCAD language that supports 3D modelling by composing shapes and expressing relations between them using first-class constraints. Evaluating PrintTalk against state-of-the-art PCAD tools demonstrates that its expressive abstraction and composition mechanisms facilitate the design and promotes the reuse of shapes. Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik Jef Jacobs and Wolfgang De Meuter and Jens Nicolay 2025 Is Part Of LIPIcs, Volume 340, 31st International Conference on Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming (CP 2025) InProceedings Text doc-type:ResearchArticle publishedVersion application/pdf doi:10.4230/LIPIcs.CP.2025.16 urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-238775 https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.CP.2025.16 eng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode