week one of learning parametric CAD

[rek]

it's really hard. the sheer volume of unexpected cases, the volume of questions, the feeling of exasperation, even desperation.

i imagine CAD programs were much harder to use in the past though.

I'd really like to make FreeCAD a skill to add next to Sketchup, but Sketchup is just so stone dumb easy to use compared to FreeCAD, The simplest of projects is perhaps an order of magnitude greater in difficulty. It's already taken me a week to _not_ finish a door handle that would take me 15 minutes to make in Sketchup. I want to believe I can learn FreeCAD, it's just extremely difficult. I wonder if it has to be so.

Just needed to vent, I'm sure there's been a lot of people panicking about learning this program.

[drmacro]

I see these feelings expressed a lot.

But, it is typically because the new users expects to be able to learn a new paradigm while designing their first Ferrari.

Start by learning the basics and building on that.

In the beginning use PartDesign or Part workbenches but only one or the other, don't mix.

Understand that FreeCAD is very difficult to learn by "clicking stuff till it works".

If you give some specifics of what you find so exasperating we might be able to offer some tips.

And, you might want to go through the intro tutorial at the link in my signature below.

[rek]

I just wonder how most people were able to hang in there long enough to believe in themselves. It's monstrously difficult. Great Gosh Almighty. Much respect, I'll check out your tutorials thanks Dr.

[Zolko]

Sketchup is just so stone dumb easy to use compared to FreeCAD

We hear a lot this sort of things, and each time I inevitably wonder: why don't you continue using Sketchup then ?

And FreeCAD is not more complicated than other parametric CAD software: sketch and then extrude or revolve, fillet and chamfer, covers most beginner's use cases. Loft and sweep and arrays are more complicated, admittedly.

[herbk]

Hi,

I want to believe I can learn FreeCAD, it's just extremely difficult. I wonder if it has to be so.

i wonder why each new user, which used another CAD before, expects that FreeCAD works like the software HE used before...

[heda]

i do not think "continue to use..." is the right type of greeting, sure it is what you think - but everything one thinks does not have to be shared...

yes, fc is hard to learn, it simply is not a program which at this point in time is "learnable" if one hopes to learn it by "click I will figure it out".
well, it is not entirely true, if one knows parametric 3d cad in general, it actually is quite possible to figure it out by clicking and tool-tips.
but if one does not have that general skill already in the tool belt, it will result in posts like yours.

you did not share how you spent your week of learning.

As example, one week should be plenty to go through [wiki]Manual:Introduction[/wiki], the trick is really to learn enough so that you do not trip on the simple things and also that you know where to find info that brings you forward in matter of minutes (which to be honest the wiki is really enough for that).

apart from that, 3d cad is heavy on the math/geometry, so one should not be confused by thinking it is fc that is hard, when it actually might be the underlying math which is the tripping point (or the lack of understanding what one has in ones hand..., in terms of entity/feature one works with so to say).
it really helps to know a bit more of how the different entities or features works and are built - then one does not end up imagine that "I should be able to.." when that is actually not possible to do when considering the underlying math (or implementation of the math...).

[chrisb]

I would say that creating good parametric models is inherently difficult. Things could be improved in FreeCAD, sure, but 3D modeling is by far more difficult than 2D. It must be similar for an insect which started its life as a maggot in 2D and then becomes a butterfly seeing the world in 3D.

BTW: it is not recommended to put your version number in the signature, or at least you should not rely on it, because the signature is changed in all old posts if you upgrade, and that may put the posts out of context.

[rek]

I'm not picking on FreeCAD by the way, I'm making sure to emphasize that my feelings on the matter refer to parametric type CAD software, this particular class of tool.

I've been looking at tutorials off and on, but only in recent weeks I decided to make learning FreeCAD a thing, and with some intensity, for about a week, for a specific little project for something useful I wanted.

[chrisb]

I'm not picking on FreeCAD by the way,

That's how I understood your posts - and I was pleased by it. We often see newbies coming here requiring immediately from the tool that it should do this or that differently. So I appreciate to see that you start with a critical look on yourself. My post was rather reassuring you, to not be too hard to yourself.

[M4x]

I take your thread as a praise for all FC regulars

For a start: Stick to tutorials recommended in the wiki / this forum and don't try to work on a personal project right away.