Workarounds: Difference between revisions
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| Auto snap to objects (midpoints, |
| Auto snap to objects (midpoints, geometric centers, quadrants, extensions, intersections) |
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* Manually apply [[Sketcher_Workbench#Sketcher_constraints|constraints]] and use [[Sketcher_ToggleConstruction|construction lines]] |
* Manually apply [[Sketcher_Workbench#Sketcher_constraints|constraints]] and use [[Sketcher_ToggleConstruction|construction lines]] |
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* Use one of the macros and scripts listed [https://forum.freecadweb.org/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=72235 here] |
* Use one of the macros and scripts listed [https://forum.freecadweb.org/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=72235 here] |
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* Rotate the view when needed |
* Rotate the view when needed |
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* Apply some [[Sketcher_Workbench#Dimensional_constraints|dimensional constraints]] before drawing the entire shape |
* Apply some [[Sketcher_Workbench#Dimensional_constraints|dimensional constraints]] before drawing the entire shape |
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* [[Macro_Intersection|Macro Intersection]] |
* [[Macro_Intersection|Macro Intersection]] |
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* Manual [[Datum|datum]] |
* Manual adjustment of [[Datum|datum]] attachment |
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* Add-on [[Defeaturing_Workbench|Defeaturing Workbench]] |
* Add-on [[Defeaturing_Workbench|Defeaturing Workbench]] |
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| [[PartDesign_AdditiveLoft|PartDesign AdditiveLoft]] and [[PartDesign_AdditivePipe|PartDesign AdditivePipe]] with a possibility to use an open profile as the first or last section |
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* Different modeling approaches, e.g. involving [[PartDesign_Pad|PartDesign Pad]] |
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| A tool to [[Part_Sweep|sweep]] a circular profile of a given diameter along a selected path |
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* Draw the circular profile manually |
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| Optional local coordinate system display for [[PartDesign_Plane|datum planes]] |
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* Attach a [[PartDesign_CoordinateSystem|datum coordinate system]] to datum plane to see its local orientation |
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| View normal to a face (useful for creating specifically aligned views in [[TechDraw_Workbench|TechDraw]]) |
| View normal to a face (useful for creating specifically aligned views in [[TechDraw_Workbench|TechDraw]]) |
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* Select the face first when creating the [[TechDraw_View|TechDraw View]]. |
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* [[Macro_Align_View_to_Face|Macro Align View to Face]] |
* [[Macro_Align_View_to_Face|Macro Align View to Face]] |
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* In the [[Draft_Workbench|Draft Workbench]], select a face and press the [[Draft_SelectPlane|Draft SelectPlane]] button. Deselect the face and press that button again to open the Working plane setup task panel. Click the {{Button|Center view}} button. View normal to the face will be set. You can hide the grid and switch workbenches. |
* In the [[Draft_Workbench|Draft Workbench]], select a face and press the [[Draft_SelectPlane|Draft SelectPlane]] button. Deselect the face and press that button again to open the Working plane setup task panel. Click the {{Button|Center view}} button. View normal to the face will be set. You can hide the grid and switch workbenches. |
Latest revision as of 13:00, 30 July 2023
Introduction
The goal of this article is to list some currently missing features in FreeCAD and provide workarounds for them. It can be helpful for new users who can't find a particular functionality in FreeCAD.
Workarounds for the Sketcher Workbench
No. | Missing feature | Workarounds |
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1 | Auto snap to objects (midpoints, geometric centers, quadrants, extensions, intersections) |
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2 | Chamfer tool |
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3 | Circular pattern |
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4 | Offset tool |
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5 | Rotate tool |
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6 | Scale tool | |
7 | Adaptive dimension constraint |
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8 | Input coordinates and dimensions on the go (when drawing an object) |
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9 | Tangency to B-spline edge |
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10 | Check geometric and mass properties of the sketch (area, center of mass, second moments of area and so on) |
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11 | Possibility to use the results of the External Geometry tool directly for operations on the sketch |
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12 | Project multiple edges at once with the External Geometry tool when a face is selected |
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13 | 3D sketches |
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14 | Projection of cut edges when making a sketch on a plane cutting through an object | |
15 | View section tool showing filled cuts |
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16 | Rectangle from 3 corners and rectangle from 3 points by center tools |
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17 | Diameter dimension with respect to a symmetry axis for revolved parts |
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18 | Curved slot tool |
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19 | Dimension labels adapting to the rotation of the view to be always readable |
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20 | First dimension in the sketch scaling the geometry so that its initially drawn shape is not broken |
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21 | An option to hide the whole construction geometry in an active sketch |
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Workarounds for the Part Workbench and Part Design Workbench
No. | Missing feature | Workarounds |
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1 | Check the geometric and mass properties of the model |
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2 | Display the center of mass of the model (part or assembly) | |
3 | Clipping plane that doesn't make the model look like it's hollow |
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4 | Creation of an axis on the intersection of 2 planes and a plane midway between two faces/points, possibly more variants for datum creation |
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5 | Automated midsurface extraction (for thin-walled parts) |
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6 | Project (map/wrap) sketches on non-planar (e.g. cylindrical) faces |
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7 | Support for multiple solids within a body |
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8 | Select which part of the sketch to pad |
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9 | Fillets and chamfers that can consume adjacent faces/edges |
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10 | Variable radius for the PartDesign Fillet tool |
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11 | Parametric curves | |
12 | Cosmetic threads | |
13 | Partitions (splitting surfaces and volumes with sketches and datum planes while keeping the number of parts unchanged) |
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14 | Guide rails for Additive Pipe and Additive Loft or their equivalents in the Part Workbench |
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15 | Twist for PartDesign AdditivePipe or Part Sweep |
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16 | Bending existing parts |
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17 | Pattern along a curve |
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18 | Cut scope - cut tools affecting only selected part of the model |
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19 | Merging adjacent faces |
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20 | Hole tool using points from sketches |
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21 | Datum points from coordinates |
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22 | A tool for automatic creation of ribs (structural reinforcements) |
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23 | A tool for automatic creation of domes |
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24 | Extending faces up to other faces (useful e.g. when extracting midsurfaces, as mentioned above) |
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25 | Part Measure tool for radius or diameter measurement |
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26 | Fuzzy versions of Part Boolean operations (possibility to specify a tolerance for boolean union and other operations) |
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27 | PartDesign AdditiveLoft and PartDesign AdditivePipe with a possibility to use an open profile as the first or last section |
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28 | A tool to sweep a circular profile of a given diameter along a selected path |
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29 | Optional local coordinate system display for datum planes |
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Workarounds for the Draft Workbench
No. | Missing feature | Workarounds |
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1 | Snap to apparent intersections of curved edges, perpendicular extensions, arc extensions, geometric centers and tangent points |
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2 | Keyboard shortcuts for Draft Snap tools |
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3 | Automatically change the colors of objects back to 'normal' when removing them from the construction geometry group |
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4 | An option to quickly switch between the three main working planes and their projections at the selected point (for 3D drafting) |
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5 | Remove one arrow from a radial dimension |
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6 | AutoCAD-like command line input |
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7 | Hatch a region enclosed by wires |
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Workarounds for the TechDraw Workbench
No. | Missing feature | Workarounds |
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1 | Broken out and rotated/removed section views |
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2 | Auto diameter dimension on side views |
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3 | Manually add geometry to generated views |
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4 | Shaded views in drawings |
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5 | Ordinate dimensions |
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6 | Broken (interrupted) views |
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7 | Exclude ribs from hatching |
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8 | Export of TechDraw pages as PDF without making the text from the template (path text) unmarkable/unsearchable. |
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9 | Box selection of TechDraw objects |
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10 | Modify regular and section views using sketching tools |
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11 | Auxiliary views |
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Workarounds for the FEM Workbench
No. | Missing feature | Workarounds |
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1 | Beams with arbitrary cross-section |
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2 | Pressure load on shells, distributed load on beams | |
3 | Support for multiple meshes and thus possibility to define contact between touching (not separated) faces |
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4 | Apply torque to any surface |
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5 | Define rigid bodies and virtual elements |
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6 | Advanced material models (hyperelasticity, creep and so on) |
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7 | Composite shells |
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8 | Simple creation of node and element sets as well as surfaces |
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9 | CalculiX keyword editor that can fold data lines and allow changes not only right before running the analysis |
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10 | Meshing with hexahedral elements |
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11 | Analyses with 2D (plane stress, plane strain, axisymmetric) elements |
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12 | Multistep analyses (e.g. preload for frequency/buckling analysis) |
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13 | Box selection of geometric entities for constraints |
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General workarounds
No. | Missing feature | Workarounds |
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1 | Official assembly workbench |
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2 | Improved appearance/rendering of 3D models |
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3 | Status bar instructions (“Now pick this …”) for many tools that would benefit from them (e.g. Sketcher constraints), more informative tooltips | |
4 | Consistent selection order - some tools require the user to pick the geometric entity first while others allow selection after enabling the tool |
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5 | More GUI customization options - pie menus, different icon styles and themes and so on |
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6 | Selection filter: picking only faces, edges, points and so on |
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7 | Advanced selection tools: selection by angle, inverting selection, selecting inside faces and so on |
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8 | Assembly workbench with an option to constrain parts to the origin and to datums |
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9 | Transform tool with an option to move and rotate with respect to edges and global coordinates |
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10 | More texturing options |
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11 | View normal to a face (useful for creating specifically aligned views in TechDraw) |
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12 | Highlight only the individual PartDesign feature in the 3D view when the corresponding operation is selected in the Tree view |
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13 | Select only the individual PartDesign feature in the Tree view when a corresponding element is selected in the 3D view. |
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14 | Freeform modeling |
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15 | Assembly component generators and calculators for: bolted and riveted connections, shafts, splines, keys, cams, gears (spur, bevel, worm), bearings, springs, belts and chains, pins, o-rings |
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16 | A tool for kinematic analysis on properly constrained sketches | |
17 | GD&T directly on 3D models - MBD approach |
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