Draft Mirror

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Revision as of 12:03, 31 May 2021 by Roy 043 (talk | contribs) (Updated Options)
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Draft Mirror

Menu location
Modification → Mirror
Workbenches
Draft, Arch
Default shortcut
None
Introduced in version
-
See also
Draft Scale, Draft Clone

Description

The Draft Mirror tool produces a mirrored copy of a selected object, using the Part Mirror operation. The copy, just like a Draft Clone, is linked to the original object. This means that if the original object changes its shape and properties, the mirrored shape changes as well.

The Mirror tool can be used on 2D shapes created with the Draft Workbench, but can also be used on many types of 3D objects such as those created with the Part, PartDesign, or Arch Workbenches.

To create copies or clones, and manually place them use Draft Move, Draft Rotate, and Draft Clone.

Mirrored object created using a mirroring line

Usage

  1. Select an object that you wish to mirror.
  2. Press the Draft Mirror button. If no object is selected, you will be invited to select one.
  3. Click a first point on the 3D view, or type a coordinate and press the add point button.
  4. Click a second point on the 3D view, or type a coordinate and press the add point button. These points define a line, which together with the camera view, define a mirroring plane that is used to create the mirrored object.

After creating the mirrored copy, its binding with the original object can be removed using the Part Create simple copy tool.

A mirrored copy of a Draft object can be turned into a Draft Wire, by using Draft Downgrade then Draft Upgrade.

Options

The single character keyboard shortcuts available in the task panel can be changed. See Draft Preferences. The shortcuts mentioned here are the default shortcuts.

  • To manually enter coordinates enter the X, Y and Z component, and press Enter after each. Or you can press the Enter point button when you have the desired values. It is advisable to move the pointer out of the 3D view before entering coordinates.
  • Press R or click the Relative checkbox to toggle relative mode. If relative mode is on, the coordinates of the second point are relative to the first point, else they are relative to the coordinate system origin.
  • Press G or click the Global checkbox to toggle global mode. If global mode is on, coordinates are relative to the global coordinate system, else they are relative to the working plane coordinate system. introduced in version 0.20
  • The Continue checkbox has no purpose for this command.
  • The Modify subelements checkbox has no purpose for this command.
  • Press Esc or the Close button to abort the command.

Properties

See also: Property editor.

A Part Mirror object is derived from a Part Feature object and inherits all its properties. It also has the following additional properties:

Data

Base

  • DataSource (Link): specifies the object that is mirrored.

Plane

  • DataBase (Vector): specifies the base point of the mirror plane.
  • DataNormal (Vector): specifies the normal direction of the mirror plane.

Scripting

See also: Autogenerated API documentation and FreeCAD Scripting Basics.

To mirror objects use the mirror method of the Draft module.

mirrored_list = mirror(objlist, p1, p2)
  • objlist contains the objects to be mirrored. It is either a single object or a list of objects.
  • p1 is the first point of the mirror plane.
  • p2 is the second point of the mirror plane.
  • If the Draft working plane is available the alignment of the mirror plane is determined by its normal, else the view direction of the camera in the active 3D view is used. If the graphical interface is not available the Z axis is used.
  • mirrored_list is returned with the new Part::Mirroring objects. It is either a single object or a list of objects, depending on objlist.

Example:

import FreeCAD as App
import Draft

doc = App.newDocument()

place = App.Placement(FreeCAD.Vector(1000, 0, 0), App.Rotation())
polygon1 = Draft.make_polygon(3, 750)
polygon2 = Draft.make_polygon(5, 750, placement=place)

p1 = App.Vector(2000, -1000, 0)
p2 = App.Vector(2000, 1000, 0)

line1 = Draft.make_line(p1, p2)
mirrored1 = Draft.mirror(polygon1, p1, p2)

Line2 = Draft.make_line(-p1, -p2)
mirrored2 = Draft.mirror([polygon1, polygon2], -p1, -p2)

doc.recompute()