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(Module to Workbench renaming.)
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* [[Image:Freecad.svg|32px]] [[Std_Base|Std Base]]. This is not really a workbench, but rather a category of 'standard' commands and tools that can be used in all workbenches.
* [[Image:Freecad.svg|32px]] [[Std_Base|Std Base]]. This is not really a workbench, but rather a category of 'standard' commands and tools that can be used in all workbenches.


* [[Image:Workbench_Arch.svg|32px]] The [[Arch Module|Arch Workbench]] for working with architectural elements.
* [[Image:Workbench_Arch.svg|32px]] The [[Arch_Workbench|Arch Workbench]] for working with architectural elements.


* [[Image:Workbench_Draft.svg|32px]] The [[Draft Module|Draft Workbench]] contains 2D tools and basic 2D and 3D CAD operations.
* [[Image:Workbench_Draft.svg|32px]] The [[Draft_Workbench|Draft Workbench]] contains 2D tools and basic 2D and 3D CAD operations.


* [[Image:Workbench_FEM.svg|32px]] The [[FEM Module|FEM Workbench]] provides Finite Element Analysis (FEA) workflow.
* [[Image:Workbench_FEM.svg|32px]] The [[FEM_Workbench|FEM Workbench]] provides Finite Element Analysis (FEA) workflow.


* [[Image:Workbench_Image.svg|32px]] The [[Image Module|Image Workbench]] for working with bitmap images.
* [[Image:Workbench_Image.svg|32px]] The [[Image_Workbench|Image Workbench]] for working with bitmap images.


* [[Image:Workbench_Inspection.svg|32px]] The [[Inspection Workbench|Inspection Workbench]] is made to give you specific tools for examination of shapes. It is still in development.
* [[Image:Workbench_Inspection.svg|32px]] The [[Inspection_Workbench|Inspection Workbench]] is made to give you specific tools for examination of shapes. It is still in development.


* [[Image:Workbench_Mesh.svg|32px]] The [[Mesh Workbench|Mesh Workbench]] for working with triangulated meshes.
* [[Image:Workbench_Mesh.svg|32px]] The [[Mesh_Workbench|Mesh Workbench]] for working with triangulated meshes.


* [[Image:Workbench_OpenSCAD.svg|32px]] The [[OpenSCAD Module|OpenSCAD Workbench]] for interoperability with OpenSCAD and repairing [[constructive solid geometry|constructive solid geometry]] (CSG) model history.
* [[Image:Workbench_OpenSCAD.svg|32px]] The [[OpenSCAD_Workbench|OpenSCAD Workbench]] for interoperability with OpenSCAD and repairing [[constructive solid geometry|constructive solid geometry]] (CSG) model history.


* [[Image:Workbench_Part.svg|32px]] The [[Part Module|Part Workbench]] for working with CAD parts.
* [[Image:Workbench_Part.svg|32px]] The [[Part_Workbench|Part Workbench]] for working with CAD parts.


* [[Image:Workbench_PartDesign.svg|32px]] The [[PartDesign Workbench|Part Design Workbench]] for building Part shapes from sketches.
* [[Image:Workbench_PartDesign.svg|32px]] The [[PartDesign_Workbench|Part Design Workbench]] for building Part shapes from sketches.


* [[Image:Workbench_Path.svg|32px]] The [[Path_Workbench|Path Workbench]] is used to produce G-Code instructions. It is still in a stage of development.
* [[Image:Workbench_Path.svg|32px]] The [[Path_Workbench|Path Workbench]] is used to produce G-Code instructions. It is still in a stage of development.
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* [[Image:Workbench_Points.svg|32px]] The [[Points_Workbench|Points Workbench]] for working with point clouds.
* [[Image:Workbench_Points.svg|32px]] The [[Points_Workbench|Points Workbench]] for working with point clouds.


* [[Image:Workbench_Raytracing.svg|32px]] The [[Raytracing Module|Raytracing Workbench]] for working with ray-tracing (rendering).
* [[Image:Workbench_Raytracing.svg|32px]] The [[Raytracing_Workbench|Raytracing Workbench]] for working with ray-tracing (rendering).


* [[Image:Workbench_Reverse_Engineering.svg|32px]] The [[Reverse Engineering Workbench|Reverse Engineering Workbench]] is intended to provide specific tools to convert shapes/solids/meshes into parametric FreeCAD-compatible features. (under development)
* [[Image:Workbench_Reverse_Engineering.svg|32px]] The [[Reverse_Engineering_Workbench|Reverse Engineering Workbench]] is intended to provide specific tools to convert shapes/solids/meshes into parametric FreeCAD-compatible features. (under development)


* [[Image:Workbench_Robot.svg|32px]] The [[Robot_Workbench|Robot Workbench]] for studying robot movements.
* [[Image:Workbench_Robot.svg|32px]] The [[Robot_Workbench|Robot Workbench]] for studying robot movements.


* [[Image:Workbench_Sketcher.svg|32px]] The [[Sketcher Workbench|Sketcher Workbench]] for working with geometry-constrained sketches.
* [[Image:Workbench_Sketcher.svg|32px]] The [[Sketcher_Workbench|Sketcher Workbench]] for working with geometry-constrained sketches.


* [[Image:Workbench_Spreadsheet.svg|32px]] The [[Spreadsheet Workbench|Spreadsheet Workbench]] for creating and manipulating spreadsheet data.
* [[Image:Workbench_Spreadsheet.svg|32px]] The [[Spreadsheet_Workbench|Spreadsheet Workbench]] for creating and manipulating spreadsheet data.


* [[Image:Workbench_Start.svg|32px]] The [[Start_Workbench|Start Center Workbench]] allows you to quickly jump to one of the most common workbenches.
* [[Image:Workbench_Start.svg|32px]] The [[Start_Workbench|Start Center Workbench]] allows you to quickly jump to one of the most common workbenches.
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* [[Image:Workbench_Surface.svg|32px]] The [[Surface_Workbench|Surface Workbench]] provides tools to create and modify surfaces. It is similar as the Part Shape builder Face from edges.
* [[Image:Workbench_Surface.svg|32px]] The [[Surface_Workbench|Surface Workbench]] provides tools to create and modify surfaces. It is similar as the Part Shape builder Face from edges.


* [[Image:Workbench_TechDraw.svg|32px]] The [[TechDraw Module|TechDraw Workbench]] is the more advanced and feature-rich successor of [[Drawing Module|Drawing]].
* [[Image:Workbench_TechDraw.svg|32px]] The [[TechDraw_Workbench|TechDraw Workbench]] is the more advanced and feature-rich successor of [[Drawing Module|Drawing]].


* [[Image:Workbench_Test.svg|32px]] The [[Testing|Test Framework Workbench]] is for debugging FreeCAD.
* [[Image:Workbench_Test.svg|32px]] The [[Testing|Test Framework Workbench]] is for debugging FreeCAD.


* [[Image:Workbench_Web.svg|32px]] The [[Web Workbench|Web Workbench]] provides you with a browser window instead of the [[3D view|3D view]] within FreeCAD.
* [[Image:Workbench_Web.svg|32px]] The [[Web_Workbench|Web Workbench]] provides you with a browser window instead of the [[3D view|3D view]] within FreeCAD.


===Macros=== <!--T:24-->
===Macros=== <!--T:24-->

Revision as of 19:17, 16 August 2021



This is the main help area for newcomers to FreeCAD.

These pages are in continuous development, so there may be missing or outdated information. If you cannot find the information that you need, don't hesitate to ask in the FreeCAD forum.

If you'd like to contribute to FreeCAD, please donate, and see the Help FreeCAD page for other ways to contribute. If you'd like to edit this wiki, request a wiki account with editor permissions in the forum, and read the WikiPages for the general guidelines that you should follow.

If you would like to know how FreeCAD started years ago visit the History page.

Using FreeCAD

Introduction

See also:

Basic application

Workbenches

Workbenches are collections of tools used for specific tasks. These are the base workbenches bundled with every FreeCAD installation:

  • Std Base. This is not really a workbench, but rather a category of 'standard' commands and tools that can be used in all workbenches.
  • The FEM Workbench provides Finite Element Analysis (FEA) workflow.
  • The Inspection Workbench is made to give you specific tools for examination of shapes. It is still in development.
  • The Path Workbench is used to produce G-Code instructions. It is still in a stage of development.
  • The Reverse Engineering Workbench is intended to provide specific tools to convert shapes/solids/meshes into parametric FreeCAD-compatible features. (under development)
  • The Surface Workbench provides tools to create and modify surfaces. It is similar as the Part Shape builder Face from edges.

Macros

Macros are relatively small snippets of Python code that perform a simple or a complex task that is not available in the base FreeCAD system.

Power users have written various macros to enhance FreeCAD with more capabilities.

Since FreeCAD 0.17, many macros can be installed using the Addon Manager. For a list of the macros refer to the macros recipes page. For manual installation see How to install macros.

External workbenches

When many macros or functions are developed together, and are organized in toolbars and menus, they can become a new workbench.

External workbenches are collections of functions that are not part of the base FreeCAD system, usually developed by experienced users, and targeting a particular need.

Since FreeCAD 0.17, many workbenches can be installed using the Addon Manager. For manual installation see How to install additional workbenches.

Reference

Online Help

This is the official FreeCAD online help. Please note that the whole online help system is currently being reworked. It will be used to generate a .CHM file, that will be distributed with the binary packages of FreeCAD. At the moment the online help summarizes some of the most complete sections of this wiki.

More

  • The Power users hub is the place to go if you would like to see more advanced use of FreeCAD
  • The FreeCAD Community Portal lists projects made by community members around FreeCAD.
  • Don't understand a term or phrase as used in FreeCAD? Try the Glossary page.