How about removing obsolete modules from 0.19 build?

[fc_tofu]

Hello, mod of builds, thanks for your hardworking, so I can always feel the improvement of FreeCAD.

Here I have a question. Is there a possibility to remove some obsolete or less-used modules from 0.19 builds, such as,
Complete/Drawing/Inspection/Measure/MeshPart/Points/Retracing/ReverseEngineering/Show?

From a newbie's viewpoint, including obsolete or less-used modules into official builds will only attract unnecessary attention during learning.

Especially, the Drawing workbench.
Workbenches, ArchWB/DraftWB, have command button linked to it.
Sample files, ArchDetail/DrawingExaple, have data relative to it.
But the tutorial page tells, DrawingWB is obsolete, and TechDrawWB is recommended alternative.
So, we have two counterparts in same build. IMHO, this adds steepness to learning curve, and implicates a beta flavor.

[vocx]

...
Especially, the Drawing workbench.
...

In general, yes, you can remove the Drawing workbench. However, FreeCAD has existed for a long time. Those people who have Drawing workbench drawings may still require this workbench to open and work with their files. So, you cannot immediately remove that functionality without hurting some users.

As for the other ones that you mention, some of them are in different states of development. They aren't completely useless as you seem to think. For example, Raytracing can be used with no problem. Show is used internally by the Sketcher.

You cannot remove things if you don't know what they do and where else they are used.

[sgrogan]

Here I have a question. Is there a possibility to remove some obsolete or less-used modules from 0.19 builds

In general, yes, you can remove the Drawing workbench. However, FreeCAD has existed for a long time. Those people who have Drawing workbench drawings may still require this workbench to open and work with their files. So, you cannot immediately remove that functionality without hurting some users.

I could support a deprecation of the drawing wb because of techdraw. As vocx has pointed out its important how we do it.

[triplus]

A lot of the mentioned modules are C++ modules. Some provide useful features, such as point cloud support. The "problem" with C++ modules is they basically can't live outside FreeCAD. In the end therefore if we would remove something, just for the sake of removing, that likely wouldn't come down to more that 2%. In addition the removed module would basically become unusable.

[fc_tofu]

I see there is no migration tool (or such a plan) from DrawingWB to TechDrawWB.
But still we can take some steps in 0.19 release to push transition.

1. remove Drawing commands from ArchWB and DraftWB menu/toolbar, or further replace them with TechDraw command.

2. example file "ArchDetail.FCStd", delete its Drawing content.
Its Drawing content cause error msg in Report View since v0.18.

Code: Select all

Enumeration index -1 is out of range, ignore it
Enumeration index -1 is out of range, ignore it
Enumeration index -1 is out of range, ignore it

Deleting Drawing content can fix this error.
I think, the left content is enough as a good example of ArchWB and DraftWB (3D dimension).

3. example file "DrawingExample.FCStd", replace its Drawing content with TechDraw content, and change file name to "TechDrawExample.FCStd".

Above steps may help prevent new contents of DrawingWB being created in the coming 0.19 phase.

Off topic, since we have entered the feature-freeze phase of 0.19 pre, it's time we fully inspect all example files to assure they donn't have incompatiability issues with 0.19 release.
Till now, I find "FemCalculixCantilever2D.FCStd" cause error msg when opening. I will give detail info in another post.

[wandererfan]

I see there is no migration tool (or such a plan) from DrawingWB to TechDrawWB.

The moveViews.py macro (in src/Mod/TechDraw) will move the Svg content of a DrawingWB page to a TechDrawWB page. A smarter version might be able to parse the DrawingWB page for the actual source objects and convert them into "real" TD Views.

DrawingWB will have to remain part of FC for the foreseeable future to support older files that include DrawingWB objects.

DrawingWB commands for creating new drawings could be made inactive.

The "make a projection of an object in the 3D model" command is useful and should be moved to TechDraw or some other module.

I'm not sure how much it is used, but the Svg and Dxf code in DrawingExport.cpp should move to Import or some other module.

[fc_tofu]

The "make a projection of an object in the 3D model" command is useful and should be moved to TechDraw or some other module.

For now, below are all I find in ArchWB and DraftWB UI that related to DrawingWB:
1. ArchWB, menu, Draft >Modification >Drawing
2. ArchWB, toolbar, Draft modification tools >Drawing
3. DraftWB, menu, Modification >Drawing
4. DraftWB, toolbar, Draft modification tools >Drawing
The 4 are basically the same, "Draft_Drawing" ("Put selected objects on a Drawing sheel").
Can they be replaced with "Draft_TechDraw" ("Put selected objects on a TechDraw sheel")?

[vocx]

...
Can they be replaced with "Put selected objects on a TechDraw sheel"?

No. Drawing and TechDraw work in fundamentally different ways. So, it's not as simple. The Draft_Drawing command is basically there for historical reasons, but at some point it will have to be removed completely.

About the example files, you are welcome to correct the files yourself and submit a new example. I have submitted a new example file just for Draft, pull request #3254.

I think a similar example file should be provided for Arch. The idea is that every single object is created and showcased in a single file.

[fc_tofu]

About the example files, you are welcome to correct the files yourself and submit a new example.

@wandererfan and I have prepared the TechDrawExample, based on original DrawingExample.
We made 2 candidates (1:1 and 1:2) and decided use 1:1 for better screen layout.

A3_1-1_v2.jpg (52.18 KiB) Viewed 1328 times

@vocx, please give a look, and tell what to do next?

[triplus]

Both look good to me.