[solved] how to obtain the global decimals for a script

[uwestoehr]

For a script I want to get the number of decimals the user set in the FC preferences for the units.
I cannot find a method to get this info. Does anybody have a hint for me or is this at the moment not possible?

[sgrogan]

For a script I want to get the number of decimals the user set in the FC preferences for the units.

Code: Select all

parms = App.ParamGet("User parameter:BaseApp/Preferences/Units")
parms.GetInt('UserSchema')
parms.GetInt('Decimals')

EDIT: Fixed second line, Schema gives the unit system, not needed in your case.

[uwestoehr]

Code: Select all

parms = App.ParamGet("User parameter:BaseApp/Preferences/Units")
parms.GetInt('Decimals')

Many thanks! I only had to replace "App" by "FreeCAD".
To help others, I document this at the Wiki: https://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/Quantity#Precision

[vocx]

...
Many thanks! I only had to replace "App" by "FreeCAD".
...

Just for reference, when FreeCAD starts it defines a couple of aliases which are accessible from the Python console.

Code: Select all

App = FreeCAD
Gui = FreeCADGui

This is the reason many examples in the wiki use the "App" namespace and not "FreeCAD".

[sgrogan]

This is the reason many examples in the wiki use the "App" namespace and not "FreeCAD".

I don't doubt you, but is this correct?
I thought the whole "branding" thing was to not have to use "FreeCAD"?

[uwestoehr]

Just for reference, when FreeCAD starts it defines a couple of aliases which are accessible from the Python console.

I see and changed it now. It did not work for me because I modified a WB script (part of the latest a2plus release).

May I ask 2 further things?

1. How to stop a script? In https://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/A2plus_ ... le_Example the animation is stopped by pressing the close button:

Code: Select all

if progressDialog.wasCanceled():
		sys.exit(0)

But then I get this python message:

Code: Select all

<string>(1): <unknown exception data>

So what is the correct way to stop the script?

2. What about pyside, pyside2 and PyQT? What should I use for new projects and what will be supported by FreeCAD regarding Python 3 and Qt5?

[vocx]

I thought the whole "branding" thing was to not have to use "FreeCAD"?

I asked this question before.

Code: Select all

Discussion: using FreeCAD or App namespaces, which is prefered

There doesn't seem to be a definite answer. It looks like it's a convention, but it is not official. It seems to me Jürgen defined these imports early on just to save typing the whole FreeCAD and FreeCADGui names.

[vocx]

...
1. How to stop a script? In https://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/A2plus_ ... le_Example the animation is stopped by pressing the close button:

Don't use tabs to indent. Use 4 spaces. This agrees with Python conventions and the unofficial but de-facto FreeCAD style.

Don't use sys.exit, that is used when you want to terminate the entire Python interpreter, like if you wanted to close the entire FreeCAD application.

Since your animation is controlled with a while loop and a condition, when you press the button, you should go to that condition so the condition is satisfied and the loop finishes.

Code: Select all

while angle < 360: # run this loop until we have one full turn (360 degrees)
    if progressDialog.wasCanceled():
        angle = 360

Code: Select all

stop = False
while angle < 360 and not stop:
    if progressDialog.wasCanceled():
        stop = True

2. What about pyside, pyside2 and PyQT? What should I use for new projects and what will be supported by FreeCAD regarding Python 3 and Qt5?

New projects should use Python 3 and Qt5 (PySide2). As long as you are using a version of FreeCAD compiled for Python 3 and Qt5, importing PySide will internally import PySide2. That is, the PySide module is a fake module that loads the appropriate PySide2 modules. This was done to maintain Qt4 compatibility with a single import.

If FreeCAD is compiled against Qt4, then importing PySide will import the real module and not a fake one.

Code: Select all

import PySide
# in Qt4 it imports the real PySide
# in Qt5 it imports the fake PySide, which is the same as
# import PySide2

Werner mentioned that in the future we could drop Qt4 (PySide) completely, and then we would have to use PySide2 explicitly. Then the alias would be done in reverse. That is, if using Qt4 when importing PySide2, it would import the PySide modules.

PyQt is no longer used. It was used in the past, but it seems FreeCAD moved to PySide a long time ago, around 2013 or so.

Maybe it makes sense to investigate QtPy or Qt.py, which should be able to handle PySide, PySide2, PyQt4, and PyQt5 transparently. But for the time being, PySide2 and Python 3 is the way to go. That is, import PySide, but use PySide2 documentation to know how the classes and functions work, https://doc.qt.io/qtforpython/modules.html

[uwestoehr]

Don't use tabs to indent. Use 4 spaces. This agrees with Python conventions and the unofficial but de-facto FreeCAD style.

I wrote the script within FreeCAD. This editor does not automatically add spaces and after a dozen times with indenting errors I used tabs. I am no Pythionist and therefore don't know the rules. However, after googling it seems it is not a mistake to use tabs. One must only use the consistently in the script.

Since your animation is controlled with a while loop and a condition, when you press the button, you should go to that condition so the condition is satisfied and the loop finishes.

Indeed, stupid me!

import PySide
# in Qt4 it imports the real PySide
# in Qt5 it imports the fake PySide, which is the same as
# import PySide2

Many thanks for this info. So I am already using pyside2 since I use Qt 5.

[vocx]

I wrote the script within FreeCAD. This editor does not automatically add spaces and after a dozen times with indenting errors I used tabs. I am no Pythionist and therefore don't know the rules. However, after googling it seems it is not a mistake to use tabs. One must only use the consistently in the script.

It is not an error to use Tabs, but if we want to comply with PEP8, which is the de facto standard to format Python code, we should use 4 space indentation. See PEP8.

There is no formal coding standard set by Werner or Yorik, the bosses of FreeCAD, but we essentially follow PEP8. Bernd, the boss of FEM, has codified the standard for that workbench, which is essentially PEP8.

As for the Tabs in the editor see Preferences_Editor#Editor.