Add Slot creation in the Hole feature

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Piero69
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Add Slot creation in the Hole feature

Post by Piero69 »

Slots and Holes are often the same intent so i would sugget to implement the slot creation in the Hole feature. here attached an example from other commercial cad (Solidworks) where you create a straight slot, a counterbore slot or a countersink slot.

what do you think?
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drmacro
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Re: Add Slot creation in the Hole feature

Post by drmacro »

You asked...so my thoughts:
  • FreeCAD is extensible, I wrote a script for slots and slotted arcs to my specifications for sketching
  • another feature of the hole tool, that already has way too many options would be less than desirable for me
  • I suppose people prefer convenience tools, so having it would please some
  • the best thing to do, is to add an entry in the tracker, then if someone feels motivated (maybe the OP ;) ) they can code it up
:mrgreen:
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jonasb
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Re: Add Slot creation in the Hole feature

Post by jonasb »

If adding such advanced slot tools, I'd create a separate tool for that instead of overloading the hole tool.
- Hole works on (circle center) points, while slot would work on edges
- Hole has i.e. threading features, which you don't need for slots
- and the other way round, im pretty sure you can imagine features for slots which don't make sense for holes
Piero69
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Re: Add Slot creation in the Hole feature

Post by Piero69 »

yes, probably a new tool "slot" would be the best. i hope someone can code it in the future ;)
drmacro
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Re: Add Slot creation in the Hole feature

Post by drmacro »

Piero69 wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 12:46 pm yes, probably a new tool "slot" would be the best. i hope someone can code it in the future ;)
It is not that difficult to put together a Python script to do a slot.

You can see one I did to create arc slots in sketcher: https://github.com/macdroid53/FreeCADScripts

Using this I simply make a slot and pocket it.

I suppose if I really wanted to be exceptionally lazy and avoid a couple more clicks it could be extended to actually do the pocket. 8-)
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TJLSTW
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Re: Add Slot creation in the Hole feature

Post by TJLSTW »

Piero69 wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 12:46 pm yes, probably a new tool "slot" would be the best...
I believe they keep holes and slots in same tool in Solidworks, because both features are used for the same purpose in real life.. So you might want to edit your model later when you discover that you need slots instead of holes or vice versa. It wouldn't be just a few clicks to make a change if it was a separate tool.
Last edited by TJLSTW on Thu Jul 13, 2023 5:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
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onekk
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Re: Add Slot creation in the Hole feature

Post by onekk »

TJLSTW wrote: Thu Jul 13, 2023 5:01 am ...
You are quoting a two years old post, probably discussion is ended long time ago.

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Olav
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Re: Add Slot creation in the Hole feature

Post by Olav »

onekk wrote: Thu Jul 13, 2023 2:20 pm probably discussion is ended long time ago.
Perhaps it's not such a bad idea to open the discussion again.

I recently had to explain the Hole tool to someone and we both agreed that it's a great tool, but a bit intimidating at first. Basically the tool is just a single form full of parameters, it takes a bit of time to learn to use it and to understand what everything means. So it got me thinking that the tool could conceivably be structured like a GUI "wizard" that guides the user through a couple of easy steps to create the desired hole. For example, the diameter and depth for a counterbore would only become visible if you did indeed select to make a counterbore hole. If there were a wizard like I'm imagining, it could also suggest to make a slot and then ask for the relevant parameters for that.

It would require some clever UI design of course, but then the same approach could possibly be used in other parts of FreeCAD as well.
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M4x
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Re: Add Slot creation in the Hole feature

Post by M4x »

Olav wrote: Thu Jul 13, 2023 9:34 pm Perhaps it's not such a bad idea to open the discussion again.[...]
A dedicated thread with a link to this one would be the proper way imo.

Regarding modifying the current dialog: adrianinsaval is currently working on it - review: PD hole dialog refactoring
rich61
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Re: Add Slot creation in the Hole feature

Post by rich61 »

Given the existing ability to pocket a slot

Isn't your 'countersink' slot just a chamfer ?

and the 'counterbore' just a larger slot, pocketed to a 'depth'
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