Noob Question - Making ToolBits

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LHC
Posts: 321
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2020 4:21 pm
Location: Canadian Coffee Shop

Noob Question - Making ToolBits

Post by LHC »

Hello -

I have been slowly learning the path workbench lately and want to first say what a great piece of software. Thanks very much for making something like this available to the world.

I have been making toolbits and have a question on the process.

It appears that you can copy/edit toolbit files (*.fctb) with a text editor and then they show up ok in the Freecad path workbench when the library window is opened - you can add them to the selected library with the "Add Existing" button.

If making toolbits with the create button in the library window, the toolbit appears in the library that has been selected.

Question - If one is making toolbits in a general sense and not wanting to add them to a library right away, am I correct in thinking that the process is either copy/edit the *.fctb file - OR - create with the library window and then simply delete it from the library in which it was created ? If I delete the toolbit from the library selected, it still remains in the "Bit" folder in my filesystem on the computer.

Thanks
Lewis
Steveco
Posts: 57
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2018 11:19 pm
Location: San Diego, CA, USA

Re: Noob Question - Making ToolBits

Post by Steveco »

The contents of a tool library are defined by .fctl files in the "Library" folder, which is at the same level as the "Bit" folder. For example, the default library is Library/Default.fctl.

So you can make new .fctb files all you want, and they won't show up until you create a corresponding element in the .fctl file (or add them to a library with the "Add Existing" button).
LHC
Posts: 321
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2020 4:21 pm
Location: Canadian Coffee Shop

Re: Noob Question - Making ToolBits

Post by LHC »

Understood - thanks very much for the response.
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