User:RussHensel

From FreeCAD Documentation

So this is my page. More coming, this is just a login test.

Why

Notes about me, my work, and links I find useful.

Who

Old guy who programs arduino, Python, and FreeCad

Some of My FreeCad Work

Some projects have 2 links, and documentation to some projects are at a wiki that is currently broken.


Pages of Interest

"MY" Pages

Really just pages I am starting:


topics

  • solver
  • flipping

New User

Wiki

Sketcher ValidateSketch


Wiki Meta

--- moved to forumn

Wiki TOC

Introduction

This page is a table of contents for information about the FreeCad Wiki, not FreeCad, it is a meta page.

So if you want to help create more wiki ( or related ) content this might be a good place to start.

The intent here is to link to other resources, a guide map, not to actually discuss the Wiki issues.

Also see the discussion tab for this page for another meta level of discussion.


Like most wikis, it contains huge amounts of information but is somewhat difficult to access and navigate by newcomers. This makes it an excellent resource for reference, but a less practical tool for learning FreeCAD. This manual will walk you through much of the information available on the wiki, but we hope the step-by-step approach based on examples and a more unified tone due to a smaller number of authors will make it more suitable for a first contact with FreeCAD. It will become a companion for the wiki, but not replace it.

Category Links

Forum

Other Links

  this has moved to its own page
  • A reader's guide to reading/navigating the Wiki
    • Link(s) required.
  • A Wiki todo list:
    • Link(s) required.

Wiki To Do

  • Categories are not documented on their own pages.

A list to review: (108) Linux 好好玩實驗室 EnjoyLinux - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcDrreWV8cQ7KEhfZuIEYkA/videos




Using the Wiki

  • Start at the main page and work through the various links or menu on the main page ( Actually this menu repeats on every page ) then use the links in each page as you find then. Sort of a treasure hunt with hints. If it works for you use it, but it can be tedious.
    • As a sub category to above if you know which workbench you want use that in the menu.
  • Of course you can search the Wiki, use the search feature ( upper right ).
  • The discussion and history tabs can be useful, they may alert you to issues about the page, or plans for it.
  • Normally a page belongs to one or more categories. You can see all the pages in a category by clicking on the category then navigate to other pages in the same category.
  • To see all categories click on the word Category: at the left hand list of the categories, then on to a category, and finally a page or more.
  • Use the what links here link ( on the left ) to ( perhaps ) go to a more general page on the same or similar topic.

Using the Forum

  • Its a forum so it is like one, like other ones you have used.
  • It is arranged by broad topic areas and then by date. Topics may or may not come to conclusions.
  • To search it use the search, try with a mix of key words.
  • In the forum are some instructions on how to use it.
    • Link 1
    • Link 2

FreeCad Getting Started: a Table of Contents

Cad software, especially powerful software, almost always has a steep learning curve. If you are here you may well be at the beginning of the curve trying to climb it. This is one guide, mostly links to the many resources on the web which may help you.

Frequently asked questions --- add to category common Questions and or change category to frequently asked questions FAQ

scratch

Video channels

misc

              preserve old contents with name ???/
              rename  current contents to perhaps FreeCad Getting Started: a Table of Contents
              change discussion page to a meta page to discuss the  FreeCad Getting Started: a Table of Contents
              add some content: ( I would be willing to author, or at least partly author some of these )
                    I have a document that gives, I think, a needed overview of the workbenches, but only 4 of them so far see....
              a page on beginner gotchas 
              a page on how to use the Wiki -- everyone is not born knowing 
              link in some additional material already existing like material on Videos ( including my new page ) ......


Video tutorials -- broken down by application Video tutorials for product design -- as it says, for product design Video tutorials for architectural design

              Add a category Videos  Add a Category Example files
              Add advice on categories to view  like Tutorials 



   Sketcher ValidateSketch - FreeCAD Documentation

   Category:Common Questions/en - FreeCAD Documentation
 
   Frequently asked questions

What is a Workbench

A workbench is a set of tools that can create or modify objects in your model. The sorts of objects each workbench can create is usually limited to a fairly small number ( see discussion below ). This topic may be a bit confused because some tools occur in multiple workbenches and you can configure the benches by adding or deleting tools.


Introduction

Freecad typically makes complicated objects by building up from simple objects. The tools....

Links to example files will attempt to show very simple examples of how this works. Files that show more complicated models using multiple wokbenches will be linked to at the end of this page.



Part

  • Overview

The Part workbench makes geometric objects in a couple of ways: from basic named 3 d objects like spheres, cones, blocks, or from manipulation of 2D sketches into a third dimension. The discussion below my simplify some of the nuances of the workbenches: it is an overview

  • Can Make:
    • Parts
  • Can Modify:
    • Sketch from 2D to 3D
    • PartDesign objects
    • Meshes
  • Detailed Docs:

PartDesign

  • Overview

The PartDesign workbench makes geometric objects in a couple of ways:


Sketcher

  • Overview

The Sketcher primarly makes 2D objects in a plane that are typically used by other workbenches to create 3D objects.


Spreadsheet

  • Overview:

The Spreadsheet workbench makes spreadsheets, think OpenOffice, Excel.... Compared to dedicated spreadsheet programs it is quite limited. But it has a magic ability: It can link its calculated or entered values into expression throughout objects in the rest of FreeCad. All the important variables and calculations can be kept in one place, and the model dynamically ( parametrically ) modified from there.

  • Can Make:
    • Spreadsheets
  • Can Modify:
    • CSV file -> Spreadsheets ( and interface to Excel in this way )
  • Example Files:
  • Detailed Docs:





Template

  • Overview:

The xxx workbench makes

  • Can Make:
  • Can Modify:
  • Detailed Docs:

something else

categoryxxx:Example Models

These are models that have made a significant attempt to be useful as examples. All should link to their "source code" so the model can be downloaded and inspected. The links should be to some sort of publicly accessible repository, perhaps github or gitlab. The model may or may not be part of a tutorial. At a minimum a model should have:

  • documentation of version of FreeCad
  • at least one screen shot
  • a discussion of the model, need not be a full tutorial ( unless also in category Tutorials )
  • Link to the model file or files ( the source code ).

Categories

consider adding....ask powers that be

  • User -- is there a way of finding user pages easily .... may alreaady be a special page
  • YouTube -- index to youtube videos -- and other platforms
  • Models -- index to models....keep actual model on gitxxxx or similar and link
  • HowDoI -- answer questions of how do I do something ... may only need one page that indexes to others
  • Best Practices -- my current interest


Of interest to me at some time needs cleanup to clean links


Scratch Notes

What Ends the Parametric Model Chain

When you add some features to a parametric part of a model, you may get a result that is not longer parametric: Say feature A is the basis for feature B. If changes in feature are not reflected in a change to feature B then the parametric nature of the model is broken at the transition A -> B breaks the model chain. In most cases operations do not break the chain, the following table documents some modeling operations and effects:


Modeling Step Still Parametric Comment
Parametric Part -> Mesh No Often a file step to export for the purpose of 3D Printing
Parametric Part -> Clone Yes Use this to......