Addon BoltsFC can no longer be installed/updated

[uwestoehr]

it wasn't meant to be a workbench, but rather a tool that could be used from many workbenches.

I agree with vocx. Of course every addon has its history, but since is is now a well-working addon API, why should BoltsFC stay special?

If BoltsFC is not meant to be a workbench but a collection macros, then I think it should be listed in the Macro section of the addon manager. Then its central macro can be installed like every other macro and BoltsFC will work as designed, right?

In general I think all addons should work on all OSes and the symlink setting is obviously not working on all OSes. If BoltsFC should nevertheless stay as it is then it would be helpful to have a note like this in the addon manager:
"Note: BoltsFC can only be installed on Windows if you have administrator privileges.
Also note that it is not designed to be a standard workbench but to form a collection of macros that can be used from all workbenches."

[vocx]

Bolts is actually a module that requires a starter macro. If you get it working you will see that it lives in a side bar and stays active when switching to other workbenches. One version of workfeature works the same.
...

I understand this. But, as I said, I think this is bad design. Why should the side bar stay active? Why can't it be switched on and off, like any of the other workbenches? If I want to create a simple rectangle, I switch to Draft, if I want a Sketch, I switch to the Sketcher, if I want a Body, I switch to PartDesign. This is the reason workbenches exist, to group different sets of tools instead of having them in the global space. If I want to add bolts and pieces, I switch to the BOLTSFC workbench, add the objects, and then switch back to whatever workbench I was using, Part, or Assembly3 or whatever. This is how the Fasteners workbench works.

This is the reason the workfeature macro is also a mess. It provides the functionality of a workbench, but in a single macro. That's not very nice or maintainable for the future.

...
If BoltsFC is not meant to be a workbench but a collection macros, then I think it should be listed in the Macro section of the addon manager. Then its central macro can be installed like every other macro and BoltsFC will work as designed, right?
...

Exactly. I think BOLTSFC should receive a bit of attention, so it works as a proper workbench.

[sgrogan]

I don't disagree with anything anyone in this thread is saying.

I agree most with

In general I think all addons should work on all OSes and the symlink setting is obviously not working on all OSes. If BoltsFC should nevertheless stay as it is then it would be helpful to have a note like this in the addon manager:
"Note: BoltsFC can only be installed on Windows if you have administrator privileges.
Also note that it is not designed to be a standard workbench but to form a collection of macros that can be used from all workbenches."

I don't know how much work it would be to add a warning about special handling or provide a fix for the special handling? Copying the starter macro does work. But there are already issue reports and probably FC bug reports on Mantis.

Practically speaking, the Bolts author hasn't been active in FreeCAD for quite some time and the module works as originally intended. Bolts became non-functional, due to PY3, I suspect. @bernd missed the functionality and got it working again for FreeCAD https://github.com/boltsparts/BOLTS/commits/master and set up with the necessary structure that addons-manager could handle it https://github.com/boltsparts/BOLTSFC/t ... 702abd1a48

Now if someone has the time, interest and skill, to turn it into a WB, its LPGL, go for it.
Maybe you can convince @bernd that he has the interest and time (skill is unquestioned) to tackle it.

Or, tongue in cheek, in the words of FreeCAD founder jriegel "Stop whining - start coding!"

[bernd]

I missed the disscussion ... I need to read, but I am quite busy ATM.

I knew this mix of macro and workbench would be hidding us one time ...

It seams it would be best to turn BOLTS into a workbench. Turning into a WB would be easy, but updating all documentation and the webpage ist much more a hassle since I never did this. On the other hand all documentation is outdated because it is years old.

[Kunda1]

Turn it in to a workbench and we can track where in the docs we need to update.

[uwestoehr]

Turn it in to a workbench and we can track where in the docs we need to update.

I vote to turn it into a macro, not a workbench because this is what it is actually.

[bernd]

for me BOLTS installs by the use of add on manager without any problems on ...

OS: Debian GNU/Linux 10 (buster) (KDE//usr/share/xsessions/plasma)
Word size of OS: 64-bit
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.19.19364 (Git)
Build type: Unknown
Branch: master
Hash: f7d0329552848cfea14cade53b60cdaa65e08a96
Python version: 3.7.3
Qt version: 5.11.3
Coin version: 4.0.0a
OCC version: 7.3.0
Locale: German/Switzerland (de_CH)


BTW: neverless we need to find a solution for the macro vs. Workbench problem ...

[vocx]

for me BOLTS installs by the use of add on manager without any problems on ...

The problem is in Windows not on Linux.

[bernd]

for me BOLTS installs by the use of add on manager without any problems on ...

The problem is in Windows not on Linux.

confirmed, on windows it refuses to install ...

OS: Windows 10 (10.0)
Word size of OS: 64-bit
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.19.19424 (Git)
Build type: Release
Branch: master
Hash: 899854ac5d643e991a1006ed75aeff93baf3d224
Python version: 3.6.8
Qt version: 5.12.1
Coin version: 4.0.0a
OCC version: 7.3.0
Locale: German/Switzerland (de_CH)

I will have a look. Bernd

[mario52]

hi

installed now no problem and for my BOLTSFC is not a macro but a store of detached pieces and in the good position (Mod)

BOLTSFR00.png (28.13 KiB) Viewed 613 times

BOLTSFR01.png (20.37 KiB) Viewed 613 times

OS: Windows 10 (10.0)
Word size of OS: 64-bit
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.19.19373 (Git)
Build type: Release
Branch: master
Hash: c47512b7b2b3b64b4a21a86ad34a565459a13e6a
Python version: 3.6.8
Qt version: 5.12.1
Coin version: 4.0.0a
OCC version: 7.3.0


EDIT: 10/02/2020 : 11h14 Paris

installation with:

OS: Windows 10 (10.0)
Word size of OS: 64-bit
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.19.19510 (Git)
Build type: Release
Branch: master
Hash: c3eb6d9001c4d60ff7f7cae89f50bd3c965a9940
Python version: 3.6.8
Qt version: 5.12.1
Coin version: 4.0.0a
OCC version: 7.3.0

BOLTSFR02.png (19.8 KiB) Viewed 609 times

mario