Feature Request: guidelines in TechDraw

[wandererfan]

issue #3345 added.

[reox]

regarding guidelines: A align feature would be great as well. These things are also implemented very well in inkscape.

[regis]

Well, It is not like I am expecting TechDraw as powerful as Scribus.
Maybe a grid of lines with size graduation option and with a snapping feature... Yea, a replication of the FreeCAD Draft Grid and ToggleGrid would be nice for drawings.

In a strange way, it just occurred to me that there is a possibility of linking techdraw to inkscape to scribus thus taking advantage of scribus meaning that yes techdraw can be as powerful as scribus, but hey i'm fertile of imagination, i have no clue what it might currently take as i haven't tried it, but my gut feeling tells me there is a link.

Quote markko martin
by markko martin » Wed Feb 07, 2018 4:38 pm

Hi, in my opinion:
- Select one point
- Press the "guideline horizontal" button
- An horizontal guideline will be added to the View

- Select one point
- Press the "guideline vertical" button
- A vertical guideline will be added to the View

Then I can move view and I can align them.
What do you think about ?

I must admit this is a hard one, we need such an ability but in which form and ways is a hard bet. Since it needs to offer flexibility in many ways, and i'm assuming it's programming isn't quite as simple.

Quote chrisb
by chrisb » Wed Feb 07, 2018 5:27 pm

markko martin wrote: ↑
Wed Feb 07, 2018 4:38 pm
What do you think about ?
This is still the collection phase, let's discuss details later. There sure are some ideas concerning alignment and distribution of objects out there.

Indeed, let's keep the brainstorm cooking.

Quote microelly2
by microelly2 » Wed Feb 07, 2018 6:04 pm

Does it make sense to invest the time in wirting a comfortable freecad-inkscape-communication instead of reimplement all that nice features of a svg editor into FreeCAD?
Once a communication exist we can benefit all the goddies of inkscape without more work.

For our shoe project we have decided to use inkscap as the drawing tool and freecad for 3D draft and assembly

I would give this venue a serious consideration. Yes certainly for those who are familiar with inskape and wish to gain more speed and flexibility this will definitely enhance the workflow tremendously. Freecad is already dependent on inskcape to create it's templates etc, editing templates etc. so if there was a full integration, Freecad would actually gain alot of inskcape editing functionalities, and even manipulation, alignments, etc. I would be very interested to investigate this direction further. I understand the drawings are also required to be exported in dxf format, I think a good integration can allow that smoothless transition between the different formats, aswell as equipping freecad a certain unrivalled power, but why stop there, and not include, libre office for word and excel etc, because currently importing them and making use of the excel in freecad is not up to the task yet, but I divert already, probably a conversation for another topic.

Re: Feature Request: guidelines in TechDrawQuote microelly2
by microelly2 » Wed Feb 07, 2018 6:47 pm

Kunda1 wrote: ↑
Wed Feb 07, 2018 6:25 pm
microelly2 wrote: ↑
Wed Feb 07, 2018 6:04 pm
Does it make sense to invest the time in wirting a comfortable freecad-inkscape-communication instead of reimplement all that nice features of a svg editor into FreeCAD?
here is the thread you opened, @microelly2 in regard to this:
connecting freecad and inkscape/gimp
Thank you for this backlink.
If there is a common interest we can bundle the forces,

If this can be given a second look, i'm sure we can redefine a few bottle necks we currently experience with moving forward on some other ends.

From the point of view of an Architecture workflow (as architect and thinking on FreeCAD Arch workbench), we generally take two directions:
1) For presentations posters with high graphic design quality, we do not use Autocad or Revit. We traditionally use Illustrator or Photoshop (or Inkscape, Scribus, Gimp) because they have the best tools to perform these tasks. From our 3D models and AutoCAD models we only extract renders and images. So, we can say these posters are for "marketing purposes":

Yes that is very true that this will provide a type of integration and ability to create presentation drawings, it will also provide the flexibility to display drawings as wished instead of in as limited, that's at least the ability that presentation tools provide, and I can't even imagine the kind of workflow that can emerge from this.

2) But, we still preferably use AutoCAD (or Revit) to elaborate and contain all "technical drawings and CAD documentation" that a project needs for building process, permits, regulation, etc (and an architecture project needs many sheets). And this is because is practical and efficient.

Freecad is already ready for this if we have a great way of managing all the outputs we can create. If we can do everything in the 3D view and out put it into a dxf then everything that is necessary for permit and technical documentations is there and possible, the rest depends on the level of automation each workflow requires to speed up things. And currently based on my assesment if you come from a strictly autocad background, i.e if you are able to create a full documentaiton drawing for permit with autocad, then freecad offers you the same possibilities but with more, so it would be tremendously beneficial to streamline and enhance that more.