Draft PointArray
Draft PointArray |
Menu location |
---|
Modification → Array tools → Point array |
Workbenches |
Draft, Arch |
Default shortcut |
None |
Introduced in version |
0.18 |
See also |
Draft OrthoArray, Draft PolarArray, Draft CircularArray, Draft PathArray, Draft PathLinkArray, Draft PointLinkArray, Draft Clone |
Description
The Draft PointArray tool places copies of a selected shape along various selected points.
The PointArray tool can be used on any object that has a Part TopoShape, meaning 2D shapes created with the Draft Workbench, but also 3D solids created with other workbenches, for example, Part, PartDesign, or Arch.
- To create orthogonal, polar or circular arrays, use the corresponding OrthoArray, PolarArray, or CircularArray tools.
- To position App Link copies at specified points use PointLinkArray.
- To position copies along a path use PathArray or PathLinkArray.
- To create copies and manually place them use Move or Rotate.
- To create exact copies and manually place or scale them, use Clone or Std LinkMake.
Object arranged at specific points
Usage
- Select the object that you wish to distribute.
- Select a point compound.
- Press the PointArray button.
Each element in the array is an exact clone of the original object, but the entire array is considered a single unit in terms of properties and appearance.
Point compound
The point compound object can be created in different ways.
- Create various Draft Points or Part Points, and then press Part Compound to create the compound.
- Repeat the previous method but instead of a compound use Draft Upgrade to create a "Block".
- Create a Sketch, and inside add various Sketcher Points.
In essence, the object to be used as the compound must have one of three properties, DataComponents, DataLinks, or DataGeometry, and inside that compound, there must be at least one point with DataX, DataY, and DataZ properties.
Note: in the case of Draft Point and Part Point the array will try to position the copies using the DataPlacement of the point. In the case of a Sketcher Point, the position will be taken from its internal X
, Y
, and Z
attributes.
Note 2: for Draft Point its DataPlacement always follows the values of DataX, DataY, DataZ, so modifying these values is enough to produce the desired displacement. However, for Part Point, the net displacement is given by the sum of DataPlacement with the vector with components DataX, DataY, and DataZ.
Options
There are no options for this tool. Either it works with the selected objects or not.
Properties
A PointArray is derived from a Part Feature (Part::Feature
class), therefore it shares all the latter's properties. In addition to the properties described in Part Feature, the PointArray has the following properties in the property editor.
Objects
- DataBase (
Link
): the object to duplicate; it must have a Part TopoShape. - DataCount (
Integer
): (read-only) specifies the number of copies in the array. This property is read-only because the number of copies is determined by the number of points inside of DataPoint Object. - DataExtra Placement (
Placement
): specifies an additional placement, translation and rotation, that will be applied to each copy in the array. Each copy normally appears with the same rotation as the DataBase object; with this property it is possible to provide additional rotation, or counter the original rotation, and make small adjustments to the position of the copies. introduced in version 0.19 - DataPoint Object (
Link
): specifies a compound object with points that indicate where the copies of the DataBase object will appear. The compound object needs to have one of DataLinks, DataComponents, or DataGeometry properties, and contain at least one element with DataX, DataY, and DataZ attributes.
Scripting
See also: Autogenerated API documentation and FreeCAD Scripting Basics.
To create a point array use the make_point_array
method (introduced in version 0.19) of the Draft module. This method replaces the deprecated makePointArray
method.
point_array = make_point_array(base_object, point_object, extra=None):
base_object
is the object to be arrayed. It can also be theLabel
(string) of an object in the current document.point_object
is the object containing the points. It can also be theLabel
(string) of an object in the current document. It should have aGeometry
,Links
, orComponents
property containing points.extra
can be a fullApp.Placement
, or just anApp.Vector
or anApp.Rotation
.
Example:
import FreeCAD as App
import Draft
doc = App.newDocument()
polygon = Draft.make_polygon(3, radius=500.0)
p1 = Draft.make_point(App.Vector(1500, 0, 0))
p2 = Draft.make_point(App.Vector(2500, 0, 0))
p3 = Draft.make_point(App.Vector(2000, 1000, 0))
compound = doc.addObject("Part::Compound", "Compound")
compound.Links = [p1, p2, p3]
point_array = Draft.make_point_array(polygon, compound)
doc.recompute()
- 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, Material, Mesh, OpenSCAD, Part, PartDesign, Points, Reverse Engineering, Robot, Sketcher, Spreadsheet, Surface, TechDraw, Test Framework
- Hubs: User hub, Power users hub, Developer hub