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.