Sketcher Preferences

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Revision as of 18:08, 30 December 2020 by Mario52 (talk | contribs) (Marked this version for translation)

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 and point towards the bottom, you will see that the sketcher proposes a vertical constraint:. If you set now a point the drawn line segment will get the vertical constraint.
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 , it will remain active after you created a line with it. You can leave the tool any time by right-clicking into the sketch.
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 , it will remain active after you created a constraint. You can leave the tool any time by right-clicking into the sketch.
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.

File:FreeCAD-v0.19-Sketcher-Preferences-Display.png

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.

File:FreeCAD-v0.19-Sketcher-Preferences-Colors.png

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 , it will remain active after you created a line with it. You can leave the tool any time by right-clicking into the sketch.
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 , it will remain active after you created a constraint. You can leave the tool any time by right-clicking into the sketch.
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 and point towards the bottom, you will see that the sketcher proposes a vertical constraint:. If you set now a point the drawn line segment will get the vertical constraint.
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.