Can't add dimension to Draft View in TechDraw workbench

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system80
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Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2017 11:28 pm

Can't add dimension to Draft View in TechDraw workbench

Post by system80 »

Longtime FreeCAD tinkerer, but attempting to use it for more serious work. I need to produce a dimensioned drawing for a machinist and thought I'd try out the new TechDraw work bench to see how it compares to the dimension tools in the Draft workbench. I can get a draft view into my template but I can't seem to select any edges or objects for adding dimensions, so the dimension icon remains grayed out. I don't think this is a bug, it's just me not being able to figure it out, especially with the limited documentation.

Any idea what I'm doing wrong? Once my draft view is in the template how do I add dimensions to it in the TechDraw workbench? File attached.

Using 0.17 daily build:

OS: Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS
Word size of OS: 64-bit
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.17.9586 (Git)
Build type: None
Branch: master
Hash: 0e2cf2ebcaaa50723de608cf030af740cb6ad548
Python version: 2.7.12
Qt version: 4.8.7
Coin version: 4.0.0a
OCC version: 6.8.0.oce-0.17
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techdraw-test.fcstd
(19.67 KiB) Downloaded 43 times
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NormandC
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Re: Can't add dimension to Draft View in TechDraw workbench

Post by NormandC »

At the moment, dimensions cannot be added to a Draft View, because to add dimensions you first need to select vertices or edges, and you can't select anything on a Draft View.

Dimensions can only be added to these type of views:
These view tools do not seem to support wires, which is what your Draft objects are.

But there's a way: a Draft object is a high-level object that also has a "Make Face" property, which means that you can turn them to faces, if they are closed profiles (obviously, a Draft Rectangle or a Draft Circle can create a face, while an open DWire can't). And faces seem to be recognized by "View" and "Multi". So what you need to do:
  1. Select your Draft objects in the Model tree
  2. Under the Data tab, set the "Make Face" property to true
    FC_Draft_Make_Face_Property_01.png
    FC_Draft_Make_Face_Property_01.png (37.39 KiB) Viewed 2640 times
  3. Create either a Image View or a Image Multi view:
    • If creating a view, you will need first to create a compound of all your Draft object from the Part --> Make compound menu in the Part workbench. Then create a view of the compound.
    • With a Multi view, you just need to select all your Draft objects.
  4. Add dimensions to your view by making your selection first, then clicking on the desired dimension tool. For example, select a vertical edge then click on the vertical dimension tool; or select a circle and add a radius or diameter dimension. You can also select two points, or a circle's centre cross and a point.
FC017_View_Multi_of_Draft_objects_01.png
FC017_View_Multi_of_Draft_objects_01.png (51.44 KiB) Viewed 2640 times
Attachments
techdraw-test_normandc1.fcstd
(23.65 KiB) Downloaded 39 times
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wandererfan
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Re: Can't add dimension to Draft View in TechDraw workbench

Post by wandererfan »

system80 wrote: I don't think this is a bug, it's just me not being able to figure it out, especially with the limited documentation.
Any idea what I'm doing wrong? Once my draft view is in the template how do I add dimensions to it in the TechDraw workbench?
Draft (and Arch) views are converted to SVG before being given to TechDraw so there is no geometry to work with. But as @NormandC said, you can add the objects to the drawing by selecting Circle,Rectangle and Circle001, then adding a MultiView. You lose Draft's fancy formatting, though.

@NormandC, you should be able to add dimensions to Section and Detail also. If you cannot, let me know.

wf
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system80
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2017 11:28 pm

Re: Can't add dimension to Draft View in TechDraw workbench

Post by system80 »

That work around is doing the trick. Thank you so much for the assistance!!! :)
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yorik
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Re: Can't add dimension to Draft View in TechDraw workbench

Post by yorik »

wandererfan wrote:Draft (and Arch) views are converted to SVG before being given to TechDraw so there is no geometry to work with.
We need to attack that issue at some point :)
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NormandC
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Re: Can't add dimension to Draft View in TechDraw workbench

Post by NormandC »

wandererfan wrote:@NormandC, you should be able to add dimensions to Section and Detail also. If you cannot, let me know.
Of course, I just didn't think of these two new tools because I have yet to use them.

Although Section does not appear relevant to 2D geometry.
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