I would like to import a 2D outline (ideally Inkscape PDF) and then create a pattern on a surface using it. The pattern would be made up of multiple non-overlapping copies of the design in random sizes and rotations, covering the surface.

Is there a script already available to do this?

If not does the API have the necessary functionality to write a script to do this?

I know this could be done by hand but I've tried it and it's very tedious. It would be nice to keep hitting a button until a script generates a "pleasing" result.

Thanks, Andy

Hi Andy, I'm not aware of a script that will do that currently. There is probably enough functionality set up in the node editor to do something like that, you would probably want to use the Flow command to apply a 2D planar pattern onto a surface.

But it will probably take a pretty considerable effort to make an automated process to do that, especially the part about generating non-overlapping copies.

- Michael

Try Elephant for that ! ;)
English version on the right!
https://moiscript.weebly.com/biblio-elephant.html

Hi Andy, also the problem of placing objects into a container without overlapping existing ones is called "packing" : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packing_problems that's what you would want to search for to find research papers for related algorithms.

- Michael