Installing more workbenches: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 13:18, 1 December 2020

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Introduction

Since v0.17 it is easy to add external workbenches by using the Addon Manager. A regular user doesn't need to do more than use this tool.

Keep reading for more information regarding installation of workbenches.

General description

Workbenches are nothing more than collections of files that are placed in a folder. This folder is usually compressed into a zip archive. On installation, this folder is simply uncompressed and copied to

$ROOT_DIR/Mod/

where $ROOT_DIR is a top level directory searched by FreeCAD on startup. This is essentially what the Addon Manager does.

The Mod/ directories are scanned every time FreeCAD is started, and the available workbenches are automatically added.

Installing system-wide

Workbenches installed in this way will be available to all users. Depending on your system, you might need administrator privileges to access the installation directory.

Copy the workbench folder into $INSTALL_DIR/Mod/, where $INSTALL_DIR is the FreeCAD installation directory.

On Linux it is usually /usr/share/freecad/Mod/
On Windows it is usually C:\Program Files\FreeCAD\Mod\
On macOS it is usually /Applications/FreeCAD/Mod/

Installing for a single user

Workbenches installed in this way will be available only to one user, but will not require any administrator privileges.

Copy the workbench folder into $USER_DIR/Mod/, where $USER_DIR is the FreeCAD directory for a particular username.

On Linux it is usually /home/username/.FreeCAD/Mod/
On Windows it is %APPDATA%\FreeCAD\Mod\, which is usually C:\Users\username\Appdata\Roaming\FreeCAD\Mod\
On macOS it is usually /Users/username/Library/Preferences/FreeCAD/Mod/. One way to get to the preferences directory is to use the "Finder" menu item Go → Go to Folder, and entering ~/Library/Preferences/FreeCAD.

Additional information

Additional information on how to create a custom workbench can be found in the Power users hub and the Developer hub.

See also a detailed description in the page how to install additional workbenches.

Power user documentation

FreeCAD scripting: Python, Introduction to Python, Python scripting tutorial, FreeCAD Scripting Basics

Modules: Builtin modules, Units, Quantity
Workbenches: Workbench creation, Gui Commands, Commands, Installing more workbenches
Meshes and Parts: Mesh Scripting, Topological data scripting, Mesh to Part, PythonOCC

Parametric objects: Scripted objects, Viewproviders (Custom icon in tree view)
Scenegraph: Coin (Inventor) scenegraph, Pivy
Graphical interface: Interface creation, Interface creation completely in Python (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), PySide, PySide examples beginner, intermediate, advanced
Macros: Macros, How to install macros
Embedding: Embedding FreeCAD, Embedding FreeCADGui

Other: Expressions, Code snippets, Line drawing function, FreeCAD vector math library (deprecated)

Hubs: User hub, Power users hub, Developer hub

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 <languages/>
 <translate>
-<!--T:1-->
+== Introduction == <!--T:13-->
-== Description ==
+<!--T:14-->
-It is easy to add [[external workbenches]] to FreeCAD.
+Since v0.17 it is easy to add [[external_workbenches|external workbenches]] by using the [[Std_AddonMgr|Addon Manager]]. A regular user doesn't need to do more than use this tool.
+<!--T:15-->
+Keep reading for more information regarding installation of workbenches.
+== General description == <!--T:1-->
 <!--T:2-->
-Workbenches are delivered in a folder that must be simply copied into
+Workbenches are nothing more than collections of files that are placed in a folder. This folder is usually compressed into a zip archive. On installation, this folder is simply uncompressed and copied to
+</translate>
 {{Code|code=
 $ROOT_DIR/Mod/
 }}
+<translate>
+<!--T:10-->
+where {{incode|$ROOT_DIR}} is a top level directory searched by FreeCAD on startup. This is essentially what the [[Std_AddonMgr|Addon Manager]] does.
+<!--T:11-->
-where {{incode|$ROOT_DIR}} is a top level directory searched by FreeCAD on startup, for example
-{{Code|code=
-/usr/share/freecad/Mod/External_Workbench
-}}
 The {{incode|Mod/}} directories are scanned every time FreeCAD is started, and the available workbenches are automatically added.
 == Installing system-wide == <!--T:3-->
-Workbenches installed in the FreeCAD installation directory will be available to all users. Depending on your system, you might need administrator privileges to access this installation directory.
+<!--T:16-->
+Workbenches installed in this way will be available to all users. Depending on your system, you might need administrator privileges to access the installation directory.
 <!--T:4-->
 Copy the workbench folder into {{incode|$INSTALL_DIR/Mod/}}, where {{incode|$INSTALL_DIR}} is the FreeCAD installation directory.
-* On Linux it will probably be {{incode|/usr/share/freecad/Mod}}
+* On Linux it is usually {{incode|/usr/share/freecad/Mod/}}
-* On Windows it will probably be {{incode|C:\Program Files\FreeCAD\Mod}}
+* On Windows it is usually {{incode|C:\Program Files\FreeCAD\Mod\}}
-* On Mac OSX it will probably be {{incode|/Applications/FreeCAD/Mod}}
+* On macOS it is usually {{incode|/Applications/FreeCAD/Mod/}}
 == Installing for a single user == <!--T:5-->
-Workbenches installed this way will be available only to one user, but will not require any administrator privileges.
+<!--T:17-->
+Workbenches installed in this way will be available only to one user, but will not require any administrator privileges.
 <!--T:6-->
 Copy the workbench folder into {{incode|$USER_DIR/Mod/}}, where {{incode|$USER_DIR}} is the FreeCAD directory for a particular {{incode|username}}.
-* On Linux it will probably be {{incode|~/.FreeCAD/Mod}}, where {{incode|~}} expands to the user's home directory, for example, {{incode|/home/username/.FreeCAD/Mod}}
+* On Linux it is usually {{incode|/home/username/.FreeCAD/Mod/}}
-* On Windows it will probably be {{incode|C:\Users\username\Application Data\FreeCAD\Mod}}
+* On Windows it is {{incode|%APPDATA%\FreeCAD\Mod\}}, which is usually {{incode|C:\Users\''username''\Appdata\Roaming\FreeCAD\Mod\}}
-* On Mac OSX it will probably be {{incode|~/Library/Preferences/FreeCAD/Mod}}. One way to get to the preferences directory is to use the "Finder" menu item {{MenuCommand|Go → Go to Folder}}, and then enter {{incode|~/Library/Preferences/FreeCAD}}.
+* On macOS it is usually {{incode|/Users/username/Library/Preferences/FreeCAD/Mod/}}. One way to get to the preferences directory is to use the "Finder" menu item {{MenuCommand|Go → Go to Folder}}, and entering {{incode|~/Library/Preferences/FreeCAD}}.
 == Additional information == <!--T:9-->
 <!--T:7-->
-Additional information on how to create a custom workbench can be found on the [[Power users hub]] and the [[Developer hub]].
+Additional information on how to create a custom workbench can be found in the [[Power users hub|Power users hub]] and the [[Developer hub|Developer hub]].
-See also [[How_to_install_additional_workbenches|How to install additional workbenches]].
-<!--T:8-->
+<!--T:12-->
+See also a detailed description in the page [[How_to_install_additional_workbenches|how to install additional workbenches]].
-[[Category:Developer]]
-[[Category:Poweruser_Documentation]]
 </translate>
+{{Powerdocnavi{{#translation:}}}}
+[[Category:Developer Documentation{{#translation:}}]]
 {{clear}}