adding text to a sketch. other modeler.

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crownfield
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adding text to a sketch. other modeler.

Post by crownfield »

win 7, .16 (the operation of the program should not be platform dependent)


I wanted to show how the last program I used so long ago worked.
I placed about 7 points on the sketcher grid.
I was going to place parameter labels onto the sketch, and looked for a text icon.
(none. why not? )

so I will try to explain how the other modeler worked.

you just placed points onto the sketch grid.

the program looked at the sketch, connected them,
and labeled every length and angle that were needed to define the shape.
you filled in the angles and lengths, and the part was perfectly defined.
(I do not remember how it did curves, but it did.)

you could say the the holes with nuts, bolts, and washer,
were spaced 360 degrees / number of holes=2.
stress test, then go back and change number of holes from 2 to 8,
hole spacing, nuts, bolts and washers changed perfectly.

at any point you could go back to the sketch,
and see and alter any parameter. so clean and simple.

almost no learning curve.
chrisb
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Re: adding text to a sketch. other modeler.

Post by chrisb »

crownfield wrote: Thu Oct 04, 2018 3:45 am I wanted to show how the last program I used so long ago worked.
That sounds in fact very simple. Which program is it? And even more interesting: Why don't you use it?
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Opus
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Re: adding text to a sketch. other modeler.

Post by Opus »

chrisb wrote: Thu Oct 04, 2018 5:36 am And even more interesting: Why don't you use it?
Very good point! :lol:
crownfield
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Re: adding text to a sketch. other modeler.

Post by crownfield »

That sounds in fact very simple.
Which program is it?
And even more interesting: Why don't you use it?
been too long, and i can't find it.

I suspect it may be the basis of one of the expensive systems,
like autocad, or catia or dassault systems.

if I try them, I might find that I found it but can't afford it.

even more interesting,
freecad could have that front end interface.
points on a grid,
link them,
caption / dimensions on that same screen?
freecad could do that,
but took a different approach to the user interface.
TheMarkster
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Re: adding text to a sketch. other modeler.

Post by TheMarkster »

If you have some points in your sketch you can easily connect them using the multi-line tool. Another thing you can do with points in a sketch is use the Draft workbench to create an array of objects at each point, for example a cylinder at each point. But I believe this requires 0.18.
oldmachine
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Re: adding text to a sketch. other modeler.

Post by oldmachine »

Perhaps you already know...

It's a cheating approach but, it gets the job done (at least for my needs). You can add Text by using the Draft Workbench's Annotation.
It overlays on whatever, including a Sketch.
Can set the position and font size, visibility...etc.

Example is simply a sketch of a rectangle done in PartDesign/Sketcher with Text done in Draft...
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bejant
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Re: adding text to a sketch. other modeler.

Post by bejant »

crownfield wrote: Thu Oct 04, 2018 9:14 pm I suspect it may be the basis of one of the expensive systems,
like autocad, or catia or dassault systems.

if I try them, I might find that I found it but can't afford it.
Draftsight (by Dassult) was free, even for commercial use, the last time I used it. It won't hurt you to try it.


crownfield wrote: Thu Oct 04, 2018 9:14 pm even more interesting,
freecad could have that front end interface.
Sure, although big assumption that FreeCAD even wants that interface.


crownfield wrote: Thu Oct 04, 2018 9:14 pm freecad could do that,
but took a different approach to the user interface.
Yes, and we're very thankful for that!
chrisb
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Re: adding text to a sketch. other modeler.

Post by chrisb »

crownfield wrote: Thu Oct 04, 2018 3:45 am the program looked at the sketch, connected them,
and labeled every length and angle that were needed to define the shape.
I don't like the automatism; like TheMarkster I like the Polyline toolwith its automatically set constraints. Everything else is something a program cannot know, althothough improvements might be possible there is no chance that the program looks at my sketch and says "oh here I could apply equality, lets do it; tangency there, let's do it". No, please not.

Showing user defined labels is something different. There is already the possibility to give names to measures. And there is the possibility to hide the constraints. I would like to have the possibility to show the names instead of the measures (if they exist).
abdullah wrote: Thu Oct 04, 2018 5:42 pm ping
Abdullah, what do you think?
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Re: adding text to a sketch. other modeler.

Post by abdullah »

chrisb wrote: Fri Oct 05, 2018 5:43 am that the program looks at my sketch and says "oh here I could apply equality, lets do it; tangency there, let's do it". No, please not.
Constrainator routines do this. Mostly intended on import (e.g. DXF or something from draft that needs to be made into a sketcher) Ask Maurice! :)
chrisb wrote: Fri Oct 05, 2018 5:43 am Showing user defined labels is something different. There is already the possibility to give names to measures. And there is the possibility to hide the constraints. I would like to have the possibility to show the names instead of the measures (if they exist).
I actually think this is a good idea. I am not sure if "instead" or "in addition to", but it would be helpful to identify the name. Also in the same line, if the result is the result of an expression, it could be the expression, but then maybe it is too much verbose for a sketch. It is something that we can discuss during the development of v0.19 and try to find the sweet spot.

Another thing I would like is to generate text in the sketcher (like letters), to add text to parts (and have the text printed). It is actually what I was understanding at the beginning.

About the constraining more easily, I think I will give it a try during v0.19 to a "constraining mode", in which depending on the pre-selection and/or selection, there will be suggestions that can be taken or not for example with the mouse. It is a concept that is not yet well defined, but that I think it would be useful as it should cut the time to create a sketch.
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NormandC
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Re: adding text to a sketch. other modeler.

Post by NormandC »

crownfield wrote: Thu Oct 04, 2018 3:45 am you just placed points onto the sketch grid.

the program looked at the sketch, connected them
And how did that marvelous program determine in which order to connect the points? If, say, I want two points not to be connected, would the program have known where to leave it open?

The Sketcher already has a polyline tool: if you want to create a closed shape, you use the polyline tool, and it takes the same work flow as you describe. You place points, and the program auto-magically creates lines (or arcs) between them. Then you decide whether to close it or not, by ending on the first point that was created. Isn't it amazing? ;)

Sometimes you want to create lone points, and that's what the Sketcher Point is for.
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