Sketcher tutorial

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jruiz
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Re: Sketcher tutorial

Post by jruiz »

chrisb wrote: Fri May 15, 2020 5:22 pm I have been asked recently by several people to place the Sketcher Lecture in a more prominent place so that it is easier to find. As I am not The Big Selfpromoter and as it is already mentioned in the wiki, I would leave such a discussion and decision to the FreeCAD community.
I think that placing "A Sketcher Lecture" at the wiki will help many people, not in the forum, around world to improve their skills in the use of FreeCAD.
vocx wrote: Sat May 16, 2020 6:34 pm
chrisb wrote: Fri May 15, 2020 5:22 pm I have been asked recently by several people to place the Sketcher Lecture in a more prominent place so that it is easier to find...
I think the wiki is the ideal place to centralize this type of information which is why I created the page that links to this thread.

However, since the wiki can't host many files, and the forum isn't a hosting service either, it would make sense to use another hosting service.
How about adding to the wiki some explanations about "A Sketcher Lecture" followed by just the link to the place where the pdf file is hosted now?
vocx wrote: Sat May 16, 2020 6:34 pm Maybe you'd like to upload it as well to https://github.com/FreeCAD/Examples, where some example files are hosted. Storing things that aren't code in Github is also not ideal, but maybe you can use it to keep different versions, like v0.17, v0.18, v0.19, etc. This could even be your personal GitHub repository.
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Re: Sketcher tutorial

Post by vocx »

jruiz wrote: Sat May 16, 2020 7:43 pm How about adding to the wiki some explanations about "A Sketcher Lecture" followed by just the link to the place where the pdf file is hosted now?
As I said, this already exists, Sketcher reference. It's listed in the Tutorials page.
Always add the important information to your posts if you need help. Also see Tutorials and Video tutorials.
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jruiz
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Re: Sketcher tutorial

Post by jruiz »

vocx wrote: Sat May 16, 2020 8:10 pm
jruiz wrote: Sat May 16, 2020 7:43 pm How about adding to the wiki some explanations about "A Sketcher Lecture" followed by just the link to the place where the pdf file is hosted now?
As I said, this already exists, Sketcher reference. It's listed in the Tutorials page.
What do u think about making this little modification to the Sketcher reference:
In the first line of the introduction, change:
reference manual
to
reference manual
?
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vocx
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Re: Sketcher tutorial

Post by vocx »

jruiz wrote: Sat May 16, 2020 9:07 pm What do u think about making this little modification to the Sketcher reference:
No. Repeating links is not good.

The wiki page points to the first post of this thread, which is kept up to date by chrisb. If he updates the manual, the link in the wiki will be obsolete. It is better to point to this thread, and keep the first post up to date.
Always add the important information to your posts if you need help. Also see Tutorials and Video tutorials.
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jruiz
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Re: Sketcher tutorial

Post by jruiz »

vocx wrote: Sat May 16, 2020 10:49 pm
jruiz wrote: Sat May 16, 2020 9:07 pm What do u think about making this little modification to the Sketcher reference:
No. Repeating links is not good.
I find it interesting that you be so restrictive in your statement ...
The truth, I do not know if this answer is framed within some policy of the wiki.
vocx wrote: Sat May 16, 2020 10:49 pm
The wiki page points to the first post of this thread, which is kept up to date by chrisb. If he updates the manual, the link in the wiki will be obsolete. It is better to point to this thread, and keep the first post up to date.

For sure, maintaining the link to an updated pdf file requires some effort. There are not doubts about it.

On the other hand, I invite you to find the link to the pdf in the thread "Sketcher tutorial". Surely for many people in the forum it is very easy job.

Now, imagine a person who has not participated in this discussion, looking for such a link. Perhaps it is not an immediate task (to date there are 26 discussion pages on this topic) and I am convinced that many FreeCAD users would not be interested in the discussion that has been taking place in this part of the forum and it seems to me that in this way, people were being forced to follow it.

Particularly, from a practical point of view it seems to me more bearable to put the link to the updated pdf file and modify it when necessary, than not to put it. Of course this is a personal balance.

Best regards.
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Re: Sketcher tutorial

Post by vocx »

jruiz wrote: Sun May 17, 2020 12:39 am On the other hand, I invite you to find the link to the pdf in the thread "Sketcher tutorial". Surely for many people in the forum it is very easy job.
It's in the first post of this thread! I already mentioned this. The wiki is bound to get obsolete, it is not updated as fast as the forum post, particularly if the author is chrisb, the most prolific forumer in FreeCAD.
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jruiz
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Re: Sketcher tutorial

Post by jruiz »

vocx wrote: Sun May 17, 2020 1:08 am
jruiz wrote: Sun May 17, 2020 12:39 am On the other hand, I invite you to find the link to the pdf in the thread "Sketcher tutorial". Surely for many people in the forum it is very easy job.
It's in the first post of this thread!
  1. I have to apologize for the message where I request to find the link to "A sketcher Lecture": I have to admit that until now I realize that the link to the pdf file is the first post of this thread. I got the link from the page 22. I suppose that now you get why I make the request of finding the pdf file in this thread.
  2. I would appreciate not use any exclamation mark when answering any message I post.
vocx wrote: Sun May 17, 2020 1:08 am I already mentioned this.
I have to say that this is the very first time I see
"It's in the first post of this thread!"

Regards

P.S.: Just some hours ago after reading:
vocx wrote: Sat May 16, 2020 8:10 pm
jruiz wrote: Sat May 16, 2020 7:43 pm How about adding to the wiki some explanations about "A Sketcher Lecture" followed by just the link to the place where the pdf file is hosted now?
As I said, this already exists, Sketcher reference . It's listed in the Tutorials page.
Was the time when I read Sketcher reference
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rianhey
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Re: Sketcher tutorial

Post by rianhey »

Hello

As a new Forum member, and neophyte CAD user, I am working through the Basic Sketcher tutorial. I am not sure if this is the correct thread to post my comments, however, if not no doubt someone will let me know.

First, FreeCAD details
OS: Windows 10
Word size of OS: 64-bit
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.18.4 (GitTag)
Build type: Release
Branch: releases/FreeCAD-0-18
Hash: 980bf9060e28555fecd9e3462f68ca74007b70f8
Python version: 3.6.6
Qt version: 5.6.2
Coin version: 4.0.0a
OCC version: 7.3.0
Locale: English/UnitedKingdom (en_GB)

It is not clear how one can tell when one is in Construction mode. However I concluded that when the lines in the sketching icons turn blue, then one is in Construction mode. When using Construction mode to draw the five lines, the cursor never changed to show the coincident constraint. As a result I drew my lines, but they did not all start from the same place and they were not connected.

The rest went OK, but I never saw the coincident constraint cursor, and on one attempt two of the tangents were reversed, making a very strange shape. Is there any way of reversing the constraint to cure this? As a result at the end, although I have completed all of the actions, my sketch did not turn green and the five construction lines were not lined up with the lobes of the outer structure. I am not sure what I did wrong, but I do need to find out so that I can make progress. I have not tried to move on to the Extrusion section, because my sketch will probably not work.

Any suggestions?

Regarding the comments in the remainder of this thread about the location of tutorials and other advice, I have been looking hard for similar. Clearly I have found some, but there is some duplication of output within FreeCAD which will always make some information out of date. I also do not fully understand the layout of the Wiki system. Might I suggest that there should be only one Wiki guide to FreeCAD, but that under each section there could be a beginners section, and a more detailed description, and the FreeCAD User Manual could be incorporated. In this way the information on each subject is only written once. I have downloaded Christoph Blaue's "A sketcher lecture" which looks good so far, but it is more information in a different place, which seems to me to be part of the problem.

My Sketcher tutorial file attached.
Attachments
Sketcher tutorial wrong.FCStd
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chrisb
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Re: Sketcher tutorial

Post by chrisb »

rianhey wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 3:36 pm It is not clear how one can tell when one is in Construction mode. However I concluded that when the lines in the sketching icons turn blue, then one is in Construction mode.
You were right with your conclusion. To me this seems to be a very clear and elegant way to show construction mode.
The rest went OK, but I never saw the coincident constraint cursor,
You have to check the Auto constraints box. This is a per sketch property, you may have to toggle it off and on again (changed in 019). The preset for new sketches can be set in the preferences.
Is there any way of reversing the constraint to cure this?
No.
Any suggestions?
You can always add missing coincidence constraints manually.
A Sketcher Lecture with in-depth information is available in English, auf Deutsch, en français, en español.
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Hannu
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Re: Sketcher tutorial

Post by Hannu »

chrisb wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 4:25 pm ---8<---
Any suggestions?
You can always add missing coincidence constraints manually.
I often find the auto-constraints to be fairly sketchy, I get indication of constraints creation - still later find that none actually was created.
Therefore I often avoid the automation; i.e. place a line (or whatever) away from where I want it, then use constraints (manually) to place it where I want it. by that I see it snap in place; clearly verifying the attachment
[might there be an idea in that; give a clear indication of what is created - or not. (EDIT: Let the constraint "glow" i.e. green (as when selected) for a brief moment)].

Practical finding: Tangents has to be set with the element ends well aimed at each other before attempting, and have no extra elements attached to either component. Attach those other elements AFTER creating the tangent.
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