Problems with tools, freeforms and surfaces

[Konstantin]

Hello.
I am watching your project for many years now, it's nice to see how it grows, it's wery handy in many (mechanical) cases. Thank you for this!
But I want to talk about a weak side of Freecad: freeforms. I mean organic shapes, forms which can be created with bezier tools. It was always a problem for Freecad. And sorry, I will post all problems in one post.

For example:
I wanted to construct a shipp body, accuratelly drawed all sections in Sketch mode. Man, that was hard... why there is no B-spline or Bezier in Sketcher? Then I applied loft tool... The body looked weird, some parts of surface was turned insideout. First I checked and rebuilt all sketch shapes so every segment goes after annother, they all are connected and so on. Nothing helped, The body was still ugly, with chunks inside out.
Oh, and Convert Draft to Sketch never worked for me. It only converts sketch to draft.

Another example:
Today I wanted to make a simple shape of a horsie, to cutout with CNC later. I tried Bezier tool (in Draft mode), I must admit - it's allmost useless. If I can't controll vectors directly - it's a peace of garbage. (sorry for such words)
So, I decided to draw everything in Inkscape and import it to Freecad. But after importing I get only dots. Whet I press "Upgrade" button in Draft mode, the curve appears. But I need a surface!!! Man, such simple operations can't be done with Freecad! For years!!! Why? nobody needs it?
Can I do something what is not a bike or a frame or a gear or a bearing?

P.S. I use Ubuntu with latest Freecad from Daily ppa (15 Git 3776)
P.P.S. Can't attach SVG file

[wmayer]

Man, that was hard... why there is no B-spline or Bezier in Sketcher?

Lack of time and man power. But it's already listed as feature request.

Then I applied loft tool... The body looked weird, some parts of surface was turned insideout. First I checked and rebuilt all sketch shapes so every segment goes after annother, they all are connected and so on.

I guess that's a matter of orientation of the sketches.

Oh, and Convert Draft to Sketch never worked for me.

For splines of course not since this is not yet supported in the sketcher.

Whet I press "Upgrade" button in Draft mode, the curve appears. But I need a surface!!!

So, your curve is closed? In this case run the Upgrade again once or twice.

Man, such simple operations can't be done with Freecad! For years!!! Why? nobody needs it?

Exactly, there are not many people around here who needs splines.

[NormandC]

I almost did not approve his post as I was quite irritated by his tone.

Man, such simple operations can't be done with Freecad! For years!!! Why? nobody needs it?

There is always an unending supply of whiners, but none of them is ever willing to help with FreeCAD. Such people take, take, take, but never give.

[ickby]

- it's allmost useless. If I can't controll vectors directly - it's a peace of garbage. (sorry for such words)

you can easily: just duple click on the bezier curve to go into edit mode

[Konstantin]

Oh.. People, please, forgive me! this "tone" was a "help me!" scream, nothing more. Sorry, English is not my mother tongue.

Lack of time and man power

Sorry, I'm not a programmer. I can only help you translate it to Lithuanian (but who needs it?) And yes, I am one of thoose who always want more.

I guess that's a matter of orientation of the sketches.

No. I checked and double checked. And then even rebuilt every section - step by step, from top to bottom. When I apply Loft tool still some chunks are twisted (not from top to bottom, but somewhere in the middle, between two arches or so)

For splines of course not since this is not yet supported in the sketcher.

No. Look. I create a sketch, create a shape with lines and arches. Switch to Draft mode - press Convert button and sketch shape becomes draft shape. Then I try to convert this shape back to sketch - only thing I get is an empty sketch with single center dot.

So, your curve is closed? In this case run the Upgrade again once or twice.

Yes it is closed and I tried to upgrade it several times (and two times Freecad segfaulted). I think Freecad just cant resolve this shape. I tried several shapes, some of them works, some not. I can't attach a file to show it. (because I'm new here?)

Exactly, there are not many people around here who needs splines.

Very-very-very strange. I think that it would be very usefull for furniture (at least), which is logical in addition to Archetectural part

you can easily: just duple click on the bezier curve to go into edit mode

Another "No" to you. You can just drag points, not change its vectors.

[ickby]

Another "No" to you. You can just drag points, not change its vectors

than you are using bspline and not bezier curve. In bezier curve you can drag the vectors too.

[Konstantin]

In bezier curve you can drag the vectors too.

How?

[ickby]

hm, strange. normally the round points are the ends of the vector and the square points are the points the bezier curve goes through. You can drag both, round and square points. No idea why in your case no square points are drawn.

bezier.png (2.91 KiB) Viewed 2911 times

[shoogen]

How about lowering the degree?

[Konstantin]

Oh! I get it! I figured out how Bezier splines works. When I click again and again, Freecad adds not vertixes but vectors(or how shouldI call it) So, no matter how many times I click, at the end I will get Bezier spline with two vertexes. (still weird)
And if now I can attach files, here is my SVG