Assembly 4 workbench

[Lorenzo]

I found the solution. If I use one of these two commands to place/insert the coordinate system then it works:
a) "MenuText": "Edit Attachment of a Datum object", "ToolTip": "Attach a Datum object in the assembly to a Datum in a linked Part" (placeDatumCmd.py) or
b) "MenuText": "Import Datum object", "ToolTip": "Imports the selected Datum object from a linked Part into the assembly.\nOnly datum objects at the root of the linked part can be imported" (importDatumCmd.py)

My problem was that I always used the "Edit Datum" from the context menu of a Datum object in the tree view.
(Which python file contains the source code of this "Edit Datum" context menu?)

[cryuji]

Hello!

I've been trying to follow the tutorials for assembly 4 workbench and I'm running into an issue where I can't select the edge to act as a reference on the bearing for the LCS per the tutorial. However I can clearly see in the accompanying video that you can select edges in the imported model. The exact step I'm referring to is https://github.com/Zolko-123/FreeCAD_Ex ... te-systems

I'm not sure if this is an issue with the bearing stp file, if it's some import settings or if it's a bug with the version of FreeCad I'm running. I couldn't find anything on the FreeCAD bug tracker regarding imported stp files as well. The FreeCAD version details are

OS: Windows 10 (10.0)
Word size of OS: 64-bit
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.19.20477 (Git)
Build type: Release
Branch: master
Hash: 7d8ab175a68e476427e6e337fe3099b52da49dc8
Python version: 3.6.8
Qt version: 5.12.1
Coin version: 4.0.0a
OCC version: 7.3.0
Locale: English/New Zealand (en_NZ)

I'd appreciate any tips on what I'm doing wrong here, thanks!

[Zolko]

I've been trying to follow the tutorials for assembly 4 workbench and I'm running into an issue where I can't select the edge to act as a reference on the bearing for the LCS per the tutorial. However I can clearly see in the accompanying video that you can select edges in the imported model.

You must be in the Part where the edge ans LCS are, and where you want to do the attachment. You cannot do that in the assembly with the already imported model. In other words, you must be in the Bearing document. To avoid confusion, I always work in the "Single document" mode (where the tree only shows the active document), and avoid whenever possible the "Multi Document" mode (where the tree shows all open documents, and you never know in which is the working document).

[cryuji]

I've been trying to follow the tutorials for assembly 4 workbench and I'm running into an issue where I can't select the edge to act as a reference on the bearing for the LCS per the tutorial. However I can clearly see in the accompanying video that you can select edges in the imported model.

You must be in the Part where the edge ans LCS are, and where you want to do the attachment. You cannot do that in the assembly with the already imported model. In other words, you must be in the Bearing document. To avoid confusion, I always work in the "Single document" mode (where the tree only shows the active document), and avoid whenever possible the "Multi Document" mode (where the tree shows all open documents, and you never know in which is the working document).

Ah, thanks for the tip, although it didn't solve my issue completely. I ended having to reset my settings before it worked as expected - I guess some old settings or settings from previous versions of FreeCAD were causing some weird behaviour.

[MSOlsen65]

So I am now comfortable with the "basics" of A4.
My question is: "Can multiple sub assemblies be built is a single document? If so how? If not, how would you reference a single spreadsheet containing the system constants and their values over multiple documents?"

I have read both the Assembly4 "User Instructions" and "Tech Manual", but neither addressed whether or not assemblies of assemblies could be done within a single document.

Current situation
I am designing a display case that will also have drawer type storage in its base portion. I wish to design this as a series of sub-assemblies both for design organization and for improved workflow in a one person shop. The intended sub-assemblies are:

• Baseboard frame
• Cabinet Base Assembly
  Base Carcass
  Drawer Housing Assembly
  -- Drawer Support Panels
  -- Drawer Slides
  -- Drawers Assemblies - 4" and 6"
• Crown (crown molding and roof)

I am now ready to model the drawers, but as they are of necessity a sub-assembly, I'm not sure where to begin.

The Specs
OS: openSUSE Leap 15.1 (KDE//usr/share/xsessions/plasma5)
Word size of OS: 64-bit
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.19.Unknown
Build type: Release
Python version: 3.6.5
Qt version: 5.9.7
Coin version: 4.0.0
OCC version: 7.4.0
Locale: English/UnitedStates (en_US)

[Zolko]

So I am now comfortable with the "basics" of A4.
My question is: "Can multiple sub assemblies be built is a single document?

no, there can only be 1 Assembly 4 Model per file (document). This is documented somewhere I think.

If not, how would you reference a single spreadsheet containing the system constants and their values over multiple documents?

with a Master Part: you create a new document called MasterPart, create there an Asm 4 Model, set your variables, and you include (per Asm4) this Master Part in all your documents where you need to use those variables. The Variables can be accessed by the ExpressionEngine "MasterPart#Variables.Length" ... should work with a spreadsheet also, but I never tried

I am designing a display case that will also have drawer type storage in its base portion.

I'm preparing a new release where PartDesign::Bodies can be assembled without the need to wrap them into App::Part containers. Should be ready tomorrow. If you're using PartDesign for the design of solids this might speed up your workflow.

[MSOlsen65]

I'm preparing a new release where PartDesign::Bodies can be assembled without the need to wrap them into App::Part containers. Should be ready tomorrow. If you're using PartDesign for the design of solids this might speed up your workflow.

Thanks again Zolko, you are awesome. Looking forward to the new and improved A4.

[MSOlsen65]

with a Master Part: you create a new document called MasterPart, create there an Asm 4 Model, set your variables, and you include (per Asm4) this Master Part in all your documents where you need to use those variables. The Variables can be accessed by the ExpressionEngine "MasterPart#Variables.Length" ... should work with a spreadsheet also, but I never tried

Just tried on a test copy of my project and it worked perfectly!

Still getting a feel for the whole Link options, but now I have a much better idea of where the project needs to go.

Thanks again.

[adrianinsaval]

and you include (per Asm4) this Master Part in all your documents where you need to use those variables. The Variables can be accessed by the ExpressionEngine "MasterPart#Variables.Length" ... should work with a spreadsheet also, but I never tried

You don't need to link the file if you are using that syntax, it only needs to be opened, but that sounds more fragile (and potentially confusing) to me. If you make a link to the object you want to reference (it works with just a spreadsheet) you don't need to write the file name.

[MSOlsen65]

You don't need to link the file if you are using that syntax, it only needs to be opened, but that sounds more fragile (and potentially confusing) to me. If you make a link to the object you want to reference (it works with just a spreadsheet) you don't need to write the file name.

My understanding was that Asm4 was based upon the use of Link so now I am confused

Could you please give an example? Perhaps a couple of screen shots? Thanks.