Explode Compound tool for Part workbench + Slice-apart command

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DeepSOIC
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Explode Compound tool for Part workbench + Slice-apart command

Post by DeepSOIC »

https://github.com/FreeCAD/FreeCAD/pull/1870
New tool for Part workbench:
* Explode, to break apart compounds and shapes into child shapes (creates a bunch of CompoundFilter objects in a group)

Company:
* Slice-Apart command in split-features dropdown toolbar button
* Compound tools dropdown command, contains Make Compound, Explode Compound and Compound Filter
* new icon for Compound

Image

I hope you like it. If anyone wants to make better icons, you're welcome (I just copied the concept of icons from Lattice2).
Last edited by DeepSOIC on Thu Dec 27, 2018 1:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
UR_
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Re: [in pull-request] Explode Compound tool for Part workbench + Slice-apart command

Post by UR_ »

Migration of "Explode Compound" from Lattice2WB to PartWB is really overdue.
Hope this will lead to a wider audience.
I would vote for doing the same with "Sublink" and "Downgrade".
They are extremely useful and give a chance to overcome these rude DraftWB implementations.
chrisb
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Re: [in pull-request] Explode Compound tool for Part workbench + Slice-apart command

Post by chrisb »

DeepSOIC wrote: Tue Dec 25, 2018 8:58 pm New tool for Part workbench
Thank you very much!
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triplus
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Re: [in pull-request] Explode Compound tool for Part workbench + Slice-apart command

Post by triplus »

DeepSOIC wrote: Tue Dec 25, 2018 8:58 pm * Compound tools dropdown command, contains Make Compound, Explode Compound and Compound Filter
Nice. Basically being able to explode (downgrade) a compound (parametrically).
* Slice-Apart command in split-features dropdown toolbar button
What should it do?
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DeepSOIC
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Re: [in pull-request] Explode Compound tool for Part workbench + Slice-apart command

Post by DeepSOIC »

triplus wrote: Thu Dec 27, 2018 9:20 am What should it do?
Slice + Explode
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Re: Explode Compound tool for Part workbench + Slice-apart command

Post by triplus »

Thanks for the explanation. Today i had a chance to test the added two features. I mainly wondered on why two features are needed. Slice feature likely not being considered a classical BOA operation, the end user needs more in-depth understanding, to grasp the concept behind it. Adding 2 slice related commands therefore likely further introduces the need for more in-depth understanding. It seemed to me Slice command + Explode command should suffice if Slice + Explode is the wanted outcome. Based on my tests that seem to be the case. Therefore the question that comes to my mind is, does it make the most sense, to add such "compound/combined commands/options", when it comes to the Slice feature? Or if better to leave that to end user, and hopefully to reduce possible Slice related confusion by doing that? As for the drop down menu. Do you feel moving it behind the classical BOA operations commands would make sense?

P.S. Seeing Part workbench getting some love, idea about having parametric Part_Shapebuilder command somehow emerged again. It would allow a plethora of new use cases for FreeCAD. Hopefully you are still interested in such thing and i asked here to see if any desire to make it happen exists.
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Re: Explode Compound tool for Part workbench + Slice-apart command

Post by chrisb »

From a users point of view it seems to me most natural to slice+explode, at least it is what I have needed so far and what I have seen here in the forum. Roughly spoken: if I slice I want to have all the parts, otherwise I could have modeled only the part which I finally get out of the slice.
On the other hand is Part WB a rather basic workbench without higher level more or less sophisticated commands.
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Re: Explode Compound tool for Part workbench + Slice-apart command

Post by triplus »

The point was all possible outcomes can still be achieved by using the Slice or a combination of the Slice and Explode commands. Therefore in short i just don't see a point and real benefit of introducing and having an additional command that does Slice and Explode in one go. Like lets say Fragments to Compound or Fragments Apart, Fuse to Compound and Fuse Apart ... Such approach just contributes to more confusion in my opinion.

But OK, if others plan to use Slice and Explode (Slice Apart) command frequently and feel it makes much sense, i am OK with that.
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Re: Explode Compound tool for Part workbench + Slice-apart command

Post by triplus »

OK to conclude the evaluation from my side for now. Based on the past experience, i don't really expect any of this to get acknowledged. But i do believe more in-depth developer and potential end user dialog in general does make sense.

First i needed to realize Slice Apart command does the same thing as using Slice and Explode commands separately. After this realization a thought emerged, that such command likely should have been named Part_SliceExplode.

Anyway, thanks again for adding new functionality to Part workbench. I for sure will use it whenever the situation will call for such command(s). And in addition i use Part workbench in more use cases now, compared to the past. New commands and possibilities are therefore appreciated from my side.
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Re: Explode Compound tool for Part workbench + Slice-apart command

Post by mark1791 »

Excellent work DeepSoic, from my perspective that this is in one command, from recently coming to FreeCad from Catia it was not clear how to get one side of the sliced part, compound filter is a rather obtuse name and not clear what it attempts todo, needing alot of googleing and questions in the forums.

Coming from Catia they have the trim/split command which deeping on what part of the geometry you initially select is what you get unless you decide on both sides, simple really.
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