Sketcher Preferences
The preferences screen of the Sketcher Workbench are found in the Preferences Editor, Edit → Preferences → Sketcher.
There are three tabs: General, Display, and Colors.
General
In the General tab you can specify the following:
Name | Description |
---|---|
Show Grid | If checked, a grid will be shown in the sketches.
This option and the following 5 preferences settings can also be specified only for single sketches in the sketcher dialog section Edit controls. |
Grid size | The distance between two subsequent grid lines. Note that the default value of 0 mm will result in a 10 mm grid. |
Grid snap | If checked, new points will snap to the nearest grid line. Note that the points have already to be close to a grid line that the snap takes effect. The distance is a fifth of the value set for Grid size, so for a 10 mm grid, the snapping only occurs if the point is not more than 2 mm away from a grid line.
Note: A snapped point has no coincident constraint with the grid point it snapped to. |
Auto constraints | If checked, the sketcher proposes automatically sensible constraints. If you draw for example a polyline |
Avoid redundant auto constraints | If checked, the sketcher tries not to propose redundant auto constraints. This option only has an effect if also the option Auto constraints is used. |
Rendering order | The order how sketches are rendered. To change it, drag and drop one of the geometries to the top or bottom. |
Show Advanced Solver Control in the Task bar | If checked, the sketcher dialog will have the additional section Advanced solver control to adjust solver settings. |
Improve solving while dragging | If checked, a special solver algorithm will be used while dragging sketch elements. This avoids that the sketch flips around while dragging. It is an improvement for most cases, however for complex sketches this option can increase the time to solve the sketch. |
Auto remove redundants | TBD |
Esc can leave sketch edit mode | If checked, Esc key will trigger exiting sketch editing mode. The option to disable this may be useful for users who are used to pressing Esc as part of their workflow in other CAD solutions but don't necessarily want to exit a sketch. |
Notify automatic constraint substitutions | If checked, you will be informed with a dialog about constraint substitutions. For example if the endpoints of two arcs are connected with the coincident constraint and you reconnect the arcs using the tangent constraint, the coincidence constraint will be substituted by the tangent constraint and you will get a popup dialog to telling you this. |
Display
In the Display tab you can specify the following:
Name | Description |
---|---|
Font size | The font size used for the labels and constraints in the sketch. |
Grid line pattern | The line pattern used for grid lines. Grid lines will be displayed if you set the option Show grid. |
Segments per geometry | Curves are approximated by polygon segments for visualization. The segments per geometry define the number of polygons for the approximation. The lower limit are 50 segments. Higher values refine the visualization but can lead to longer calculation times, especially for B-splines. |
Ask for value after creating a dimensional constraint | If checked, a dialog will pop up to input a value for new dimensional constraints. |
Geometry Creation "Continue Mode" | If checked, the current sketcher creation tool will remain active after the creation. If you use for example the line tool |
Constraint Creation "Continue Mode" | If checked, the current constraint creation tool will remain active after the creation. If you use for example the tangent tool ![]() |
Hide base length units for supported unit systems | If checked, base length units will not be displayed in the sketch constraints. The actual base length unit is the one of the selected unit system. |
Hide all objects that depend on the sketch | If checked, all features that depend the sketch will be hidden when the sketch is opened. Note that the effect of this option might not occur when using the option Show objects used for external geometry and/or Show object(s) sketch is attached to. |
Show objects used for external geometry | If checked, all objects used for an external geometry will be shown. If you edit for example a sketch that uses the geometry of a pad, this pad will be shown (if not already). Other features in the model tree between the pad and the sketch will not necessarily be shown. |
Show object(s) sketch is attached to | If checked, objects the sketch is attached to will be shown when the sketch is opened. If you attached for example a sketch to a pocket, this pocket will be shown (if not already). Otherwise you will only see the sketch if the pocket was not shown in advance. |
Restore camera position after editing | If checked, the camera position is moved back to where it was before sketch was opened. |
Apply to existing sketches | If pressed, the options in the preferences section Visibility automation will be applied to existing sketches too. Otherwise these settings will only be used for new sketches. |
Colors
In the Colors tab you can specify the following:
Name | Description |
---|---|
Default edge color | Color of edges |
Default vertex color | Color of vertices (points) |
Making line color | Color used while new sketch elements are created |
Edit edge color | Color of edges being edited |
Edit vertex color | Color of vertices (points) being edited |
Construction geometry | Color of construction geometry in edit mode |
Internal alignment edge color | Color of edges of internal alignment geometry |
External geometry | Color of external geometry in edit mode |
Fully constrained geometry | Color of fully constrained geometry in edit mode |
Fully constrained edit edge color | Color of fully constrained edge color in edit mode |
Fully constrained edit construction edge color | Color of fully constrained construction edge color in edit mode |
Fully constrained edit internal alignment edge color | Color of fully constrained internal alignment edge color in edit mode |
Fully constrained edit vertex color | Color of fully constrained vertex (point) color |
Constraint color | Color of driving constraints, except of dimensional constraints that get the Dimensional constraint color. |
Reference constraint color | Color of reference constraints |
Expression dependent constraint color | Color of expression dependent constraints |
Deactivated constraint color | Color of deactivated constraints |
Dimensional constraint color | Color of dimensional constraints when they are driving |
Coordinate text color | Text color of coordinates |
Cursor crosshair color | Color of crosshair cursor. This is the one you get when creating a new sketch element. |
Hint: The color for selections inside sketches is the global selection setting Enable selection highlighting, see the Preferences Editor.
FreeCAD 0.18.x
FreeCAD 0.18.x has only two tabs: General and Colors.
General
In the General tab you can specify the following:
Name | Description |
---|---|
Font size | The font size used for the labels and constraints in the sketch. |
Grid line pattern | The line pattern used for grid lines. Grid lines will be displayed if you set the option Show grid. |
Segments per geometry | Curves are approximated by polygon segments for visualization. The segments per geometry define the number of polygons for the approximation. The lower limit are 50 segments. Higher values refine the visualization but can lead to longer calculation times, especially for B-splines. |
Ask for value after creating a dimensional constraint | If checked, a dialog will pop up to input a value for new dimensional constraints. |
Geometry Creation "Continue Mode" | If checked, the current sketcher creation tool will remain active after the creation. If you use for example the line tool |
Constraint Creation "Continue Mode" | If checked, the current constraint creation tool will remain active after the creation. If you use for example the tangent tool ![]() |
Hide base length units for supported unit systems | If checked, base length units will not be displayed in the sketch constraints. The actual base length unit is the one of the selected unit system. |
Hide all objects that depend on the sketch | If checked, all features that depend the sketch will be hidden when the sketch is opened. Note that the effect of this option might not occur when using the option Show objects used for external geometry and/or Show object(s) sketch is attached to. |
Show objects used for external geometry | If checked, all objects used for an external geometry will be shown. If you edit for example a sketch that uses the geometry of a pad, this pad will be shown (if not already). Other features in the model tree between the pad and the sketch will not necessarily be shown. |
Show object(s) sketch is attached to | If checked, objects the sketch is attached to will be shown when the sketch is opened. If you attached for example a sketch to a pocket, this pocket will be shown (if not already). Otherwise you will only see the sketch if the pocket was not shown in advance. |
Restore camera position after editing | If checked, the camera position is moved back to where it was before sketch was opened. |
Apply to existing sketches | If pressed, the options in the preferences section Visibility automation will be applied to existing sketches too. Otherwise these settings will only be used for new sketches. |
Notify automatic constraint substitutions | If checked, you will be informed with a dialog about constraint substitutions. For example if the endpoints of two arcs are connected with the coincident constraint and you reconnect the arcs using the tangent constraint, the coincidence constraint will be substituted by the tangent constraint and you will get a popup dialog to telling you this. |
Show Grid | If checked, a grid will be shown in the sketches.
This option and the following 5 preferences settings can also be specified only for single sketches in the sketcher dialog section Edit controls. |
Grid size | The distance between two subsequent grid lines. Note that the default value of 0 mm will result in a 10 mm grid. |
Grid snap | If checked, new points will snap to the nearest grid line. Note that the points have already to be close to a grid line that the snap takes effect. The distance is a fifth of the value set for Grid size, so for a 10 mm grid, the snapping only occurs if the point is not more than 2 mm away from a grid line.
Note: A snapped point has no coincident constraint with the grid point it snapped to. |
Auto constraints | If checked, the sketcher proposes automatically sensible constraints. If you draw for example a polyline |
Avoid redundant auto constraints | If checked, the sketcher tries not to propose redundant auto constraints. This option only has an effect if also the option Auto constraints is used. |
Rendering order | The order how sketches are rendered. To change it, drag and drop one of the geometries to the top or bottom. |
Show Advanced Solver Control in the Task bar | If checked, the sketcher dialog will have the additional section Advanced solver control to adjust solver settings. |
Improve solving while dragging | If checked, a special solver algorithm will be used while dragging sketch elements. This avoids that the sketch flips around while dragging. It is an improvement for most cases, however for complex sketches this option can increase the time to solve the sketch. |
Colors
In the Colors tab you can specify the following:
Name | Description |
---|---|
Default edge color | The color in which sketch edges will be displayed when the sketch is not edited.
Note: Changing the color will only have an effect for new sketches. |
Default vertex color | The color in which sketch vertices (points) will be displayed when the sketch is not edited.
Note: Changing the color will only have an effect for new sketches. |
Making line color | The color used while new sketch elements are created. |
Edit edge color | The color in which sketch edges will be displayed when the sketch is edited. |
Edit vertex color | The color in which sketch vertices (points) will be displayed when the sketch is edited. |
Construction geometry | The color of construction geometry in edit mode. |
External geometry | The color of external geometry in edit mode. |
Fully constrained geometry | The color of fully constrained geometry in edit mode. |
Constraint color | The color of constraints in edit mode. |
Reference Constraint color | The color of reference constraints in edit mode. |
Expression dependent constraint color | The color of expression dependent constraints in edit mode. |
Deactivated constraint color | The color of deactivated constraints in edit mode. introduced in version 0.19 |
Datum color | The color of dimensional (datum) constraints. |
Cursor text color | Text color of the coordinates. When creating a new sketch element or when dragging an existing element the coordinates are displayed next to the cursor in the specified color. |
Cursor crosshair color | The color of the crosshair cursor. This is the cursor you get when creating a new sketch element. |
- Инструменты: New sketch, Edit sketch, Leave sketch, View sketch, View section, Map sketch to face, Reorient sketch, Validate sketch, Merge sketches, Mirror sketch
- Геометрия эскиза: Point, Line by 2 point, Create an arc, Arc, Arc by 3 Point, Create a circle, Circle, Circle by 3 Point, Create a conic, Ellipse by center, Ellipse by 3 points, Arc of ellipse, Arc of hyperbola, Arc of parabola, Create a B-spline, Create B-spline, Create periodic B-pline, Polyline (multiple-point line), Rectangle, Create regular polygon, Triangle, Square, Pentagon, Hexagon, Heptagon, Octagon, Create Regular Polygon, Slot, Fillet, Trimming, Extend, External Geometry, CarbonCopy, Construction Mode
- Ограничения в Sketcher
- Геометрические ограничения Coincident, Point On Object, Vertical, Horizontal, Parallel, Perpendicular, Tangent, Equal Length, Symmetric, Constrain Block
- Размерные ограничения Lock, Horizontal Distance, Vertical Distance, Distance, Radius, Internal Angle, Snell's Law, Internal Alignment, Toggle reference/driving constraint,
- Инструменты в Sketcher Select solver DOFs, Close Shape, Connect Edges, Select Constraints, Select Origin, Select Vertical Axis, Select Horizontal Axis, Select Redundant Constraints, Select Conflicting Constraints, Select Elements Associated with constraints, Show/Hide internal geometry, Symmetry, Clone, Copy, Move, Rectangular Array, Delete All Geometry, Delete All Constraints
- Инструменты B-сплайнов в Sketcher Show/Hide B-spline degree, Show/Hide B-spline control polygon, Show/Hide B-spline curvature comb, Show/Hide B-spline knot multiplicity, Convert Geometry to B-spline, Increase degree, Increase knot multiplicity, Decrease knot multiplicity
- Виртуальное пространство Sketcher Switch Virtual Space

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