Draft ToggleConstructionMode

SetStyle

AutoGroup

Draft

Draft ToggleConstructionMode
Menu location
Draft → Utilities → Toggle construction mode
Workbenches
Draft, Arch
Default shortcut
None
Introduced in version
-
See also
Draft AddConstruction

Description

The Draft ToggleConstructionMode command switches Draft construction mode on or off. If construction mode is on new Draft objects (except Draft Points) are placed in a dedicated group and given a predefined color. This feature is intend for, often temporary, construction geometry that provides snap points for creating other objects.

Construction geometry, in blue, used to determine the center and radius of a circle

Bug in version 0.19

In FreeCAD version 0.19 this command and the Draft AddConstruction command can use different groups. To avoid this change the Construction group name in the preferences to Draft_Construction: Edit → Preferences... → Draft → General settings → Construction Geometry → Construction group name. In version 0.20 the Construction group name is used for the DataLabel of the construction group, the name of the group is always Draft_Construction.

Usage

1. Press the Toggle construction mode button.
2. Draw some objects.
3. Press the Toggle construction mode button again to go back to normal mode.

The construction mode button is present in the Draft Tray toolbar, which only appears in the Draft and Arch workbenches.

The color and the group name can be changed in the Draft Preferences.

Properties

• ViewVisibility The construction geometry can be hidden false or deleted after it is no longer needed. (Admin Edit: review accuracy)

SetStyle

AutoGroup

Draft

Draft

• 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

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• 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

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• 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

User documentation

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• Basics: About FreeCAD, Interface, Mouse navigation, Selection methods, Object name, Preferences, Workbenches, Document structure, Properties, Help FreeCAD, Donate

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• Workbenches: Std Base, Arch, Assembly, CAM, Draft, FEM, Inspection, Mesh, OpenSCAD, Part, PartDesign, Points, Reverse Engineering, Robot, Sketcher, Spreadsheet, Start, Surface, TechDraw, Test Framework, Web

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