Making stuff available for external python programming.

[vocx]

...
My install instructions say to clone the repository via git and then run a script to softlink into FreeCAD.
There is a script for Linux and one for Mac. ...

But... why?

Why does it have to be done this way?

Most workbenches should work by just dropping them into the local Mod/ directory of the FreeCAD installation. If yours doesn't work this way, then you should probably refactor it so that it does. Then it would just work with the Addon Manager.

[keithsloan52]

...
My install instructions say to clone the repository via git and then run a script to softlink into FreeCAD.
There is a script for Linux and one for Mac. ...

But... why?

Why does it have to be done this way?

Most workbenches should work by just dropping them into the local Mod/ directory of the FreeCAD installation. If yours doesn't work this way, then you should probably refactor it so that it does. Then it would just work with the Addon Manager.

Because to me it seems a better way

[vocx]

Because to me it seems a better way

So you are intentionally deviating from the recommended way of installing workbenches? I don't think this benefits users. You should make it easy for users to install and use your workbench; they shouldn't have to require special instructions.

[keithsloan52]

Because to me it seems a better way

So you are intentionally deviating from the recommended way of installing workbenches? I don't think this benefits users. You should make it easy for users to install and use your workbench; they shouldn't have to require special instructions.

I did not intentionally deviate from the recommended way. When I started developing workbenchs back in FreeCAD 0.13 there was no addon etc.
Think you should stop being so high and mighty. It seems a pity to me that the recommended methods used still have shortcomings and could have been implemented better

[vocx]

...
It seems a pity to me that the recommended methods used still have shortcomings and could have been implemented better

You should describe what these shortcomings are. It's the only way of addressing them.

[keithsloan52]

...
It seems a pity to me that the recommended methods used still have shortcomings and could have been implemented better

You should describe what these shortcomings are. It's the only way of addressing them.

The shortcoming is that if the user updates a git repository with a git fetch the changes are not automatically picked up by FreeCAD.
This is not an issue if the install process did a softlink.

For example between $ROOT_DIR/Mod/ and the Mod directory in the Repository.

Or if you see permissions to updating $ROOT_DIR/Mod/ as a problem

On Linux it is usually /home/username/.FreeCAD/Mod/
On Windows it is usually C:\Users\username\Application Data\FreeCAD\Mod\
On Mac OSX it is usually /Users/username/Library/Preferences/FreeCAD/Mod/

Softlinks has been standard on Linux and Mac for eons. On Windows see https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/16226/c ... -or-linux/

It seems to me whoever setup the installation methods did not have an understanding of softlinks and their benefits

[vocx]

The shortcoming is that if the user updates a git repository with a git fetch the changes are not automatically picked up by FreeCAD.
...

What? Of course they are.

That's the standard installation method, to download something and put it in the Mod directory. If you need to update, just git pull the new code. That's what the Addon Manager does essentially.

https://github.com/FreeCAD/FreeCAD/blob ... rs.py#L735

Code: Select all

    addondir = os.path.join(FreeCAD.getUserAppDataDir(),"Mod",name)
        if os.path.exists(addondir):
            if os.path.exists(addondir + os.sep + '.git'):
                gitrepo = git.Git(addondir)
                try:
                    gitrepo.fetch()
                    if "git pull" in gitrepo.status():
                        self.updateAvailable.emit(True)
                        return

[keithsloan52]

So FreeCAD does a git fetch for every Workbench of this type? Every time FreeCAD starts?
What happens if the network is down ?

[keithsloan52]

Maybe this question should go in a new thread.

But what is the state of play with Workbenches that are compiled C++
For example https://github.com/McCadKIT/FreeCAD-McCad

[vocx]

So FreeCAD does a git fetch for every Workbench of this type? Every time FreeCAD starts?
What happens if the network is down ?

The system checks for updates only if you open the Addon Manager, it is not done automatically. If the network is down, then of course you can't check or download updates; it will just use the already existing code in the Mod/ directory.