Draft ShapeString tutorial

Introduction
In this tutorial we will discuss how to
 * insert a text with the Draft Shapestring tool
 * extrude it to be a solid
 * position it in 3D space using placement and Draft Move on sketches
 * doing an engraving by applying a boolean cut

It is recommended to have completed the sketcher tutorial first.

Creating the basic shape

 * Start FreeCAD and create a new document
 * Switch to part workbench
 * Insert a cube by clicking on XX
 * Make sure the cube is selected in the tree view
 * Change width to be 50 mm by using the data-tab in the property view
 * Choose upper edge on the front face of the cube and apply achamfer of 5 mm
 * Make sure object "chamfer" is selected in the tree view and press  to toggle visibility

Inserting text with the Draft ShapeString tool

 * Switch to Draft workbench
 * Toggle working plane to XY
 * Insert text "FreeCAD"

Create 3D text

 * Switch to part workbench
 * Make sure the Draft Shapestring object in the tree view is selected
 * Use Part Extrude-Tool with the parameters:
 * extude Z=1 mm
 * make sure to tick "create solid"
 * Make sure object "Extrude" is selected in the tree view and press  to toggle visibility

Insert sketch for positioning

 * Switch to sketcher workbench
 * Make sure object "chamfer" is selected in the tree view and press  to toggle visibility
 * Choose sloped face created by chamfer operation
 * Click on to insert new sketch
 * Draw a line (may be horizintal or vertical, length is not of importance ...)
 * Constrain one of the endpoints to be +2,5 mm vertical distance and +2 mm horizontal distance away from the origin
 * Close sketch

Positioning 3D text in 3D space

 * Make sure object "Extrude" is selected in the tree view and press  to toggle visibility
 * Make sure, object "Extrude" is selected in the tree view
 * Apply incremental placement Z=90°
 * Apply incremental placement Y=45°
 * Switch to draft workbench
 * Switch to wireframe mode
 * Make sure, only "snap to endpoint" is activated
 * Select "extrude"-object
 * Click on move
 * In 3D view click on the most upper left corner point of "extrude"-object and then click on the constrained point in the sketch

Creating engraved text

 * Switch to part workbench
 * Select the 3D text ("extrude") and then the base object ("chamfer")
 * Apply a boolean cut by clicking on ...
 * Finished

Demonstration of workflows
Since a picture is better for explaining than text here are small screencasts showing

the workflow for the different chapters.

The films were recorded using FreeCAD 0.16.6704 on Windows 7 64-bit.

FreeCAD was set to "english" language.

The screencasts were recorded using ScreenToGif.