Macro TechDrawTools

Description
TechDrawTools macro is a multilingual container, including 38 helper tools to improve the appearance of drawings created in the TechDraw workbench.

All written user informations appear in English/German/Italian/French/Russian/Spanish depending on the selected FreeCAD language.

There are tools to:


 * create circle and bolt cicle center lines
 * draw cosmetic threads in ground and side view
 * create vertexes at intersection of elements
 * change attributes of center lines and cosmetic lines
 * change the number of decimal places of the dimension value
 * append special characters ahead of dimension values
 * create chain- and coordinate dimensions
 * position and cascade dimensions
 * create dimension/development of arches
 * create cosmetic circumferences
 * create a line cosmetic perpendicular
 * create a line cosmetic parallel
 * create a hole table
 * extend and shorten cosmetic lines
 * create a cosmetic line arch
 * position section view orthogonal to ancestor view
 * create an annotation showing the area

Workflow:


 * 1) Start the macro
 * 2) Select the desired line attributes and cascade spacing
 * 3) Change the Tab if needed
 * 4) Select any of the 38 tools

The macro stays open until it is closed.

Using the tools
The 38 tools are split into three tabs:
 * Attributes and Modifications
 * Centerlines and Threading
 * Dimensions

Select Line Attributes
Before starting the work, select the desired line attributes. This is done by clicking the appropriate radio buttons in the boxes displayed in the Attributes and Modifications tab.




 * When creating a new line object, the preset line attributes will be used.
 * To change attributes of existing lines use the button.

Attributes and Modifications
Tools setting/changing attributes and positions of objects.


 * Extend a line at both ends.
 * Shorten a line at both ends.
 * Lock/unlock a view.
 * Position a section view at same x or y as its base view.
 * Arranges the selected horizontal dimensions at the same line.
 * Arranges the selected vertical dimensions at the same line.
 * Position an oblique dimension chain.
 * Spaces (vertically) at the set value the selected horizontal dimensions.
 * Spaces (horizontally) at the set value the selected vertical dimensions.
 * Cascade oblique dimensions.
 * Change the attributes of the selected lines.

Centerlines and Threading
Tools creating centerlines and threads.


 * Draw a centerline cross at circles.
 * Draw the centerlines of a bolt circle.
 * Create the vertexes at the intersection of lines.
 * Draw an arc rotating math. positive.
 * Draw a cosmetic arc.
 * Create a perpendicular to another line through a vertex.
 * Create a line parallel to another line through a vertex.
 * Draw a center line between two lines.
 * Draw cosmetic holes thread ground view.
 * Draw a technical symbol of the thread in plant.
 * Draw a cosmetic thread.
 * Draw a technical symbol of the thread in side or section view.

Dimensions
Tools creating dimensions.


 * Insert a '⌀'sign in a measure.
 * Insert a'〼'sign in a measure.
 * Create horizontal chain dimensions.
 * Create vertical chain dimensions.
 * Create an oblique chain dimension.
 * Create horizontal coordinate dimensions.
 * Create vertical coordinate dimensions.
 * Create an oblique coordinate dimension.
 * Create a horizontal chamfer dimension.
 * Create a vertical chamfer dimension.
 * Enter the development length of an arc with the symbol '∩'.
 * Create a hole table.
 * Increase decimal places (max. 9).
 * Decrease decimal places.
 * Creates an anotation of the area value, the unit of which is determined by the preferences.