Draft Offset

Description
The Offset tool moves the selected object by a given distance (offset) perpendicular to itself.

Typically this tool is used in copy mode to create offset copies of a base wire while leaving this wire in the same place. The offset copies are scaled versions of the original object. To create other scaled copies use Draft Scale. To produce exact copies shifted a distance use Draft Move.



Usage
See also: Draft Snap and Draft Constrain.


 * 1) Optionally select one object.
 * 2) There are several ways to invoke the command:
 * 3) * Press the button.
 * 4) * Select the option from the menu.
 * 5) * Use the keyboard shortcut: then.
 * 6) If you have not yet selected an object: select an object in the 3D view.
 * 7) The  task panel opens. See Options for more information.
 * 8) To define the offset distance do one of the following:
 * 9) * Pick a point in the 3D view.
 * 10) * Make sure the pointer is on the correct side of the object in the 3D view and enter a.

Options
The single character keyboard shortcut and the modifier keys mentioned here can be changed. See Draft Preferences.


 * If the checkbox is checked a special offset style is used: open Draft Wires are offset on both sides, and new edges are connected with rounded corners. This only works for planar Draft objects with at least two straight edges. Note that with this style a new non-parametric object is created, and if copy mode is off the original object is deleted.
 * Press or click the  checkbox to toggle copy mode. If copy mode is on, the command will create an offset copy instead of offsetting the original object.
 * Holding down before picking points in the 3D view will also toggle copy mode. While  is held down multiple offset points can be picked. Release  to finish the command and see the created copies.
 * Hold down to keep the offset distance linked to the current segment.
 * Press or the  button to abort the command.

Preferences
See also: Preferences Editor and Draft Preferences.


 * To change the number of decimals used for the input of the distance:.
 * To store and reuse the same copy mode setting across commands:.

Scripting
See also: Autogenerated API documentation and FreeCAD Scripting Basics.

To offset objects use the method of the Draft module. The method can only handle Draft Wires, Draft Circles, Draft Rectangles, Draft Polygons and Draft BSplines.


 * is the object to be offset.
 * contains the offset information:
 * For Draft Wires, Draft Rectangles and Draft Polygons it is an offset vector that must be perpendicular to the first segment of the object.
 * For Draft Circles it is the new radius.
 * For Draft BSplines it is a list of new points.
 * If is  the original object is kept and a new object is created.
 * If is  a face is created by connecting the shape of the original object and the shape of its offset. This only works for open Draft Wires.
 * If is, and  is  as well, the offset is made on both sides of the original object, the total width being the length of the given vector. This only works for open Draft Wires.
 * If is  OCC-style offsetting is used. See Options. If  is  the  and  arguments are ignored.
 * is returned with the original offset object, or with the new object. If  is  or  is, the new object is a  object.

Example: