Draft Workbench
The Draft workbench allows you to quickly draw simple 2D objects in the current document, and offers several tools to modify them afterwards. Some of these tools also work on other objects, not only those created with the Draft Workbench. It also provides a complete snapping system, and several utilities to manage objects and settings.
Drawing objects
These are tools for creating objects.
- Line: draws a line segment between two points.
- Wire: draws a line made of multiple line segments (polyline).
- Circle: draws a circle from center and radius.
- Arc: draws an arc segment from center, radius, start angle and end angle.
- Ellipse: draws an ellipse from two corner points.
- Polygon: draws a regular polygon from center, radius, and number of sides.
- Rectangle: draws a rectangle from two corner points.
- Text: draws a multi-line text annotation.
- Dimension: draws a dimension annotation.
- BSpline: draws a B-Spline from a series of points.
- Point: inserts a point object.
- ShapeString: inserts a compound shape representing a text string at a given point.
- Facebinder: creates a new object from selected faces on existing objects.
- Bezier Curve: draws a Bezier curve from a series of points.
- Label: places a label with an arrow pointing to a selected element. introduced in version 0.17
Modifying objects
These are tools for modifying existing objects. They work on selected objects, but if no object is selected, you will be invited to select one.
- Move: moves objects from one location to another.
- Rotate: rotates objects from a start angle to an end angle.
- Offset: offsets segments of an object a certain distance.
- Trim/Extend (Trimex): trims or extends an object.
- Upgrade: joins objects into a higher-level object.
- Downgrade: explodes objects into lower-level objects.
- Scale: scales selected objects around a base point.
- Edit: edits a selected object.
- Wire to BSpline: converts a wire to a B-Spline and vice-versa.
- Add point: adds a point to a wire or B-Spline.
- Delete point: deletes a point from a wire or B-Spline.
- Shape 2D View: creates a 2D object which is a flattened 2D view of a 3D object.
- Draft to Sketch: converts a Draft object to a Sketcher Workbench Sketch and vice-versa.
- Array: creates a polar or rectangular array from selected objects.
- Path Array: creates an array of objects by placing the copies along a path.
- Point Array: creates an array of objects by placing the copies at certain points. introduced in version 0.18
- Clone: clones the selected objects.
- Drawing: writes selected objects to a Drawing Workbench page.
- Mirror: mirrors the selected objects.
- Stretch: stretches the selected objects. introduced in version 0.17
Utility tools
Additional tools available via right-click context menu, depending on the selected objects.
- Set working plane: Sets a working plane from a standard view or a selected face
- Finish line: Ends the drawing of the current wire or bspline, without closing it
- Close line: Ends the drawing of the current wire or bspline, and closes it
- Undo line: Undoes the last segment of a line
- Toggle construction mode: Toggles the Draft construction mode on/off
- Toggle continue mode: Toggles the Draft continue mode on/off
- File:Draft ApplyStyle.png Apply style: Applies the current style and color to selected objects
- Toggle display mode: Switches the display mode of selected objects between "flat lines" and "wireframe"
- Add to group: Quickly adds selected objects to an existing group
- Select group contents: Selects the contents of a selected group
- File:Draft ToggleSnap.png Toggle snap: Toggles object snapping on/off
- File:Draft ToggleGrid.png Toggle grid: Toggles the grid on/off
- File:Draft ShowSnapBar.png Show snap bar: Shows/hides the snapping toolbar
- Heal: Heals problematic Draft objects found in very old files
- Flip Dimension: Flips the orientation of the text of a dimension
- File:Draft VisGroup.png VisGroup: Creates a VisGroup in the current document
- File:Draft Slope.png Slope: Changes the slope of selected Lines or Wires introduced in version 0.17
- AutoGroup: Automatically place new objects in a given group introduced in version 0.17
- File:Draft SetWorkingPlaneProxy.png Set Working Plane Proxy: Add a proxy object in the document to store a Working Plane position introduced in version 0.17
- Add to Construction group: Add selected objects to the Construction group introduced in version 0.17
Preferences
- Preferences: preferences available for the drawing tools of the Draft Workbench.
- Import-Export Preferences: preferences available for the import and export of different file formats.
File formats
The Draft module provides FreeCAD with importers and exporters for the following file formats:
- Autodesk .DXF: Imports and exports Drawing Exchange Format files created with 2D CAD applications
- SVG (as geometry): Imports and exports Scalable Vector Graphics files created with vector drawing applications
- Open Cad format .OCA: Imports and exports OCA/GCAD files, a potentially new open CAD file format
- Airfoil Data Format .DAT: Imports DAT files describing Airfoil profiles
- Autodesk .DWG: Import and exports DWG files via the DXF importer, when the ODA Converter utility is installed.
- FreeCAD and DWG Import: Import and exports DWG files
- FreeCAD and DXF Import: Import and exports DXF files
Additional features
- Snapping: Allows to place new points on special places on existing objects
- Constraining: Allows to place new points horizontally or vertically in relation to previous points
- Working with manual coordinates: Allows to enter manual coordinates instead of clicking on screen
Scripting
The Draft module features a complete Draft API so you can use its functions in scripts and macros
Tutorials
- Drafting: Line, Polyline, Fillet, Arc, Arc by 3 points, Circle, Ellipse, Rectangle, Polygon, B-spline, Cubic Bézier curve, Bézier curve, Point, Facebinder, ShapeString, Hatch
- Annotation: Text, Dimension, Label, Annotation styles, Annotation scale
- Modification: Move, Rotate, Scale, Mirror, Offset, Trimex, Stretch, Clone, Array, Polar array, Circular array, Path array, Path link array, Point array, Point link array, Edit, Subelement highlight, Join, Split, Upgrade, Downgrade, Wire to B-spline, Draft to sketch, Set slope, Flip dimension, Shape 2D view
- Draft Tray: Select plane, Set style, Toggle construction mode, AutoGroup
- Snapping: Snap lock, Snap endpoint, Snap midpoint, Snap center, Snap angle, Snap intersection, Snap perpendicular, Snap extension, Snap parallel, Snap special, Snap near, Snap ortho, Snap grid, Snap working plane, Snap dimensions, Toggle grid
- Miscellaneous: Apply current style, Layer, Manage layers, Add a new named group, Move to group, Select group, Add to construction group, Toggle normal/wireframe display, Create working plane proxy, Heal, Show snap toolbar
- Additional: Constraining, Pattern, Preferences, Import Export Preferences, DXF/DWG, SVG, OCA, DAT
- Context menu:
- Layer container: Merge layer duplicates, Add new layer
- Layer: Activate this layer, Select layer contents
- Text: Open hyperlinks
- Wire: Flatten
- Working plane proxy: Write camera position, Write objects state
- Getting started
- Installation: Download, Windows, Linux, Mac, Additional components, Docker, AppImage, Ubuntu Snap
- Basics: About FreeCAD, Interface, Mouse navigation, Selection methods, Object name, Preferences, Workbenches, Document structure, Properties, Help FreeCAD, Donate
- Help: Tutorials, Video tutorials
- Workbenches: Std Base, Assembly, BIM, CAM, Draft, FEM, Inspection, Mesh, OpenSCAD, Part, PartDesign, Points, Reverse Engineering, Robot, Sketcher, Spreadsheet, Surface, TechDraw, Test Framework
- Hubs: User hub, Power users hub, Developer hub