TechDraw Workbench/pt: Difference between revisions

From FreeCAD Documentation
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== Introduction ==
== Introduction ==


The [[TechDraw Workbench]] is used to produce basic technical drawings from 3D models created with another workbench such as [[Part Workbench|Part]], [[PartDesign Workbench|PartDesign]], or [[Arch Workbench|Arch]], or imported from other applications. Each drawing is a Page, which can contain various Views of drawable objects such as Part::Features, PartDesign::Bodies, App::Part groups, and Document Object groups. The resulting drawings can be used for things like documentation, manufacturing instructions, contracts, permits, etc.
The [[TechDraw Workbench|TechDraw Workbench]] is used to produce basic technical drawings from 3D models created with another workbench such as [[Part Workbench|Part]], [[PartDesign Workbench|PartDesign]], or [[Arch Workbench|Arch]], or imported from other applications. Each drawing is a Page, which can contain various Views of drawable objects such as Part::Features, PartDesign::Bodies, App::Part groups, and Document Object groups. The resulting drawings can be used for things like documentation, manufacturing instructions, contracts, permits, etc.


Dimensions, sections, hatched areas, annotations, and [[SVG]] symbols can be added to the page, which can be further exported to different formats like [[DXF]], [[SVG]], and [[PDF]].
Dimensions, sections, hatched areas, annotations, and [[SVG|SVG]] symbols can be added to the page, which can be further exported to different formats like [[DXF|DXF]], [[SVG|SVG]], and [[PDF|PDF]].


TechDraw was officially included in FreeCAD starting with version 0.17; it is intended to replace the unsupported [[Drawing Workbench]]. Both workbenches are still provided in v0.17, but the Drawing Workbench may be removed in future releases. To keep up with TechDraw plans and developments, visit the [[TechDraw Roadmap]].
TechDraw was officially included in FreeCAD starting with version 0.17; it is intended to replace the unsupported [[Drawing Workbench|Drawing Workbench]]. Both workbenches are still provided in v0.17, but the Drawing Workbench may be removed in future releases. To keep up with TechDraw plans and developments, visit the [[TechDraw Roadmap|TechDraw Roadmap]].


FreeCAD is primarily a 3D modelling application, and thus doesn't have many 2D drawing tools, which are mostly included in the [[Draft Workbench|Draft]] and [[Sketcher Workbench]]es. If your primary goal is the production of complex 2D drawings and [[DXF]] files, and you don't need 3D modelling, you may wish to consider a dedicated software program for technical drafting such as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LibreCAD LibreCAD], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QCad QCad], TurboCad, and others.
FreeCAD is primarily a 3D modelling application, and thus doesn't have many 2D drawing tools, which are mostly included in the [[Draft Workbench|Draft]] and [[Sketcher Workbench|Sketcher Workbench]]es. If your primary goal is the production of complex 2D drawings and [[DXF|DXF]] files, and you don't need 3D modelling, you may wish to consider a dedicated software program for technical drafting such as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LibreCAD LibreCAD], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QCad QCad], TurboCad, and others.


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* [[File:techdraw-annotation.png|32px]] [[TechDraw_NewAnnotation|New Annotation]]: adds a text block to serve as an annotation.
* [[File:techdraw-annotation.png|32px]] [[TechDraw_NewAnnotation|New Annotation]]: adds a text block to serve as an annotation.


* [[File:techdraw-draft-view.png|32px]] [[TechDraw_NewDraft|New Draft]]: adds a view of a [[Draft Workbench]] object.
* [[File:techdraw-draft-view.png|32px]] [[TechDraw_NewDraft|New Draft]]: adds a view of a [[Draft Workbench|Draft Workbench]] object.


* [[File:techdraw-arch-view.png|32px]] [[TechDraw_NewArch|New Arch]]: adds a view of a [[Arch Workbench]] [[Arch SectionPlane|SectionPlane]] object.
* [[File:techdraw-arch-view.png|32px]] [[TechDraw_NewArch|New Arch]]: adds a view of a [[Arch Workbench|Arch Workbench]] [[Arch SectionPlane|SectionPlane]] object.


* [[File:techdraw-spreadsheet.svg|32px]] [[TechDraw_Spreadsheet|Spreadsheet]]: inserts a view of a [[Spreadsheet Workbench]] sheet.
* [[File:techdraw-spreadsheet.svg|32px]] [[TechDraw_Spreadsheet|Spreadsheet]]: inserts a view of a [[Spreadsheet Workbench|Spreadsheet Workbench]] sheet.


== Clips ==
== Clips ==
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These are tools for exporting pages to other applications.
These are tools for exporting pages to other applications.


* [[File:techdraw-saveSVG.svg|32px]] [[TechDraw_SaveSVG|Save SVG]]: saves a page as an [[SVG]] file.
* [[File:techdraw-saveSVG.svg|32px]] [[TechDraw_SaveSVG|Save SVG]]: saves a page as an [[SVG|SVG]] file.
* [[File:techdraw-saveDXF.svg|32px]] [[TechDraw_SaveDXF|Save DXF]]: saves a page as a [[DXF]] file.
* [[File:techdraw-saveDXF.svg|32px]] [[TechDraw_SaveDXF|Save DXF]]: saves a page as a [[DXF|DXF]] file.


== Decoration ==
== Decoration ==
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* [[File:techdraw-geomhatch.png|32px]] [[TechDraw_GeomHatch|Geometric Hatch]]: applies a hatch pattern to a face using an Autodesk PAT specification.
* [[File:techdraw-geomhatch.png|32px]] [[TechDraw_GeomHatch|Geometric Hatch]]: applies a hatch pattern to a face using an Autodesk PAT specification.


* [[File:techdraw-symbol.png|32px]] [[TechDraw_Symbol|New Symbol]]: inserts an [[SVG]] symbol into a page.
* [[File:techdraw-symbol.png|32px]] [[TechDraw_Symbol|New Symbol]]: inserts an [[SVG|SVG]] symbol into a page.


* [[File:Techdraw-image.png|32px]] [[TechDraw_Image|New Image]]: inserts a PNG or JPG [[bitmap]] image into a page.
* [[File:Techdraw-image.png|32px]] [[TechDraw_Image|New Image]]: inserts a PNG or JPG [[bitmap|bitmap]] image into a page.


* [[File:techdraw-toggleframe.png|32px]] [[TechDraw_Toggle|Toggle Frames]]: turns on and off the frames and labels surrounding a view.
* [[File:techdraw-toggleframe.png|32px]] [[TechDraw_Toggle|Toggle Frames]]: turns on and off the frames and labels surrounding a view.
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== Scripting ==
== Scripting ==
The TechDraw tools can be used in [[macros]] and from the [[Python]] console by using two APIs.
The TechDraw tools can be used in [[macros]] and from the [[Python|Python]] console by using two APIs.
* [[TechDraw API]]
* [[TechDraw API|TechDraw API]]
* [[TechDrawGui API]]
* [[TechDrawGui API|TechDrawGui API]]


== Limitations ==
== Limitations ==
* TechDraw drawings and its API are not interchangeable with the [[Drawing Workbench]] and its API. It is possible to convert Drawing Pages to TechDraw Pages using a Python script ({{incode|moveViews.py}}).
* TechDraw drawings and its API are not interchangeable with the [[Drawing Workbench|Drawing Workbench]] and its API. It is possible to convert Drawing Pages to TechDraw Pages using a Python script ({{incode|moveViews.py}}).
* It is possible to have both TechDraw and Drawing Pages in the same FreeCAD document, as each page is completely independent from each other.
* It is possible to have both TechDraw and Drawing Pages in the same FreeCAD document, as each page is completely independent from each other.
* There are minor differences in specifying editable texts in [[SVG]] templates compared to the Drawing module. In TechDraw the scaling of the SVG document affects the position of the editable text fields. See the forum discussion [https://forum.freecadweb.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=24981&p=196271#p196271 TechDraw templates scale] for more details.
* There are minor differences in specifying editable texts in [[SVG|SVG]] templates compared to the Drawing module. In TechDraw the scaling of the SVG document affects the position of the editable text fields. See the forum discussion [https://forum.freecadweb.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=24981&p=196271#p196271 TechDraw templates scale] for more details.
* Do not cut, copy and paste TechDraw objects in the tree view as this generally does not work out well.
* Do not cut, copy and paste TechDraw objects in the tree view as this generally does not work out well.


== Tutorials ==
== Tutorials ==


* [[Basic TechDraw Tutorial]]: introduction to creating drawings with the TechDraw Workbench.
* [[Basic TechDraw Tutorial|Basic TechDraw Tutorial]]: introduction to creating drawings with the TechDraw Workbench.
* [[TechDraw_TemplateHowTo|Creating a new template]]: instructions to create a new page template in Inkscape for using with the TechDraw Workbench.
* [[TechDraw_TemplateHowTo|Creating a new template]]: instructions to create a new page template in Inkscape for using with the TechDraw Workbench.



Revision as of 12:52, 22 February 2019

Introduction

The TechDraw Workbench is used to produce basic technical drawings from 3D models created with another workbench such as Part, PartDesign, or Arch, or imported from other applications. Each drawing is a Page, which can contain various Views of drawable objects such as Part::Features, PartDesign::Bodies, App::Part groups, and Document Object groups. The resulting drawings can be used for things like documentation, manufacturing instructions, contracts, permits, etc.

Dimensions, sections, hatched areas, annotations, and SVG symbols can be added to the page, which can be further exported to different formats like DXF, SVG, and PDF.

TechDraw was officially included in FreeCAD starting with version 0.17; it is intended to replace the unsupported Drawing Workbench. Both workbenches are still provided in v0.17, but the Drawing Workbench may be removed in future releases. To keep up with TechDraw plans and developments, visit the TechDraw Roadmap.

FreeCAD is primarily a 3D modelling application, and thus doesn't have many 2D drawing tools, which are mostly included in the Draft and Sketcher Workbenches. If your primary goal is the production of complex 2D drawings and DXF files, and you don't need 3D modelling, you may wish to consider a dedicated software program for technical drafting such as LibreCAD, QCad, TurboCad, and others.

Pages

These are tools for creating Page objects.

Views

These are tools for creating View objects.

Clips

These are tools to create and manage Clip objects (clipped views).

Dimensions

These are tools for creating and working with Dimension objects.

Linear dimensions can be based on two points, on one line, or on two lines.

Import/Export

These are tools for exporting pages to other applications.

Decoration

These are tools for changing the appearance of pages and views.

Additional features

  • Hatching: explanation of the different hatching techniques.
  • Line Groups: default weights can be assigned to various line types.
  • Templates: the default templates defined for the drawing pages.

Preferences

  • Preferences: preferences for the default values of the drawing page such as projection angle, colors, text sizes, and line styles.

Scripting

The TechDraw tools can be used in macros and from the Python console by using two APIs.

Limitations

  • TechDraw drawings and its API are not interchangeable with the Drawing Workbench and its API. It is possible to convert Drawing Pages to TechDraw Pages using a Python script (moveViews.py).
  • It is possible to have both TechDraw and Drawing Pages in the same FreeCAD document, as each page is completely independent from each other.
  • There are minor differences in specifying editable texts in SVG templates compared to the Drawing module. In TechDraw the scaling of the SVG document affects the position of the editable text fields. See the forum discussion TechDraw templates scale for more details.
  • Do not cut, copy and paste TechDraw objects in the tree view as this generally does not work out well.

Tutorials

Start Workbench
Test Framework Workbench