onekk wrote: ↑Tue Aug 16, 2022 11:36 am
Main problem is in my knowledge is that for some models, the complexity is way beyond any GUI approach, if you don0t want to fiddle with too much dialogs and settings.
If the model grows too big then I end up creating a lot of intermediate steps. Then I have to give each step a good name so that I can repair any breaking model or adjust the model to improve its parametricity. But I am having a hard time finding good names, in the scenario of complex FreeCAD documents. I think that programming your 3D model is handling the situation of ever-growing FreeCAD documents (also called living & breathing FC) much better.
onekk wrote: ↑Tue Aug 16, 2022 11:36 am
I use a different approach that is scripting, and rarely I meet the TNP as in python a variable could mean a whole solid, so there is no need to make assumptions, every length is a variable and could be reused to make different things.
Programming has the advantage of generating the entire FC graph from the beginning each time you execute the script. It is an advantage that cannot be underestimated.
onekk wrote: ↑Tue Aug 16, 2022 11:36 am
Another considerations is that FC have as a goal to "maintain compatibility" with older version so some aspect could not be changed without breaking "old models", as some recent discussion have shown (sadly I don't remember the thread link, but it was related to threads if I remember well).
I totally agree with your point here. There should be guidelines for the UI so that expectations are met and kept. Some people are even upset that the UI is falling short of options that the commercial solutions have. But I am happy as it currently is.
Of course, scripters get the hot stuff off the press much quicker than the UI people do.
onekk wrote: ↑Tue Aug 16, 2022 11:36 am
In case of Loft there is not more exposed in Scripting than in GUI, but you could use some more complex things to make "Lofts" and you could control things in a more finer way, using maybe a "Sweep" that use
BRepOffsetAPI.makePipeShell usage defining a proper path to follow and properly made profiles as you can state many way to "manage corners" and rotations see maybe these links, that I have noted as they involve some discussions I have had :
BRepOffsetAPI.makePipeShell usage
https://forum.freecadweb.org/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=65467
Use of Geom2D and Part.BRepOffsetAPI.MakePipeShell() to make Threads
https://forum.freecadweb.org/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=65875
maybe it will be interesting to read:
https://dev.opencascade.org/doc/occt-7. ... algos.html
When speaking about thickness in the caption
Mechanical Features (sorry if the typographic term is not exact)
Sadly some of these operations are difficult with complex forms different from "cube type shapes" with right angles.
Regards
Carlo D.
Sweep is a good API. My problem is that I am trying to create a screenholder which specifies required angles while some parts of the body are increasing in room as the tube goes. Not sure how I would do that with a sweep...
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I always appreciate your contibution to my threads, Carlo.
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif)
Your insights are detailed and a blessing.
Personally I do not yet need the power of a CFG programming language (loops, template code, variables, etc) but I see the greatness of it.