FreeCAD 0.13 is now available. Can load SCAD & CSG files.

FreeCAD 0.13 is now available see http://free-cad.sourceforge.net

Thanks to some excellent work by Sebastian Hoogen ImportCSG & ExportCSG are now part of an OpenSCAD module
which is an official part of FreeCAD 0.13.

If you set the variable openscadexecutable to a suitable path value you can load OpenSCAD scad file directly.

More details about FreeCAD 0.13 can be found at https://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/free-cad/index.php?title=Release_notes_013]

Excellent! IMHO, FreeCAD is well on the right track.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

Traumflug Wrote:
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> Excellent! IMHO, FreeCAD is well on the right
> track.


I'm hoping FreeCAD becomes an intuitive full on GUI end with OpenSCAD as it's backend.

I've tried freeCAD, I'll give it another shot, why not.

xclusive585 Wrote:

> I'm hoping FreeCAD becomes an intuitive full on
> GUI end with OpenSCAD as it's backend.
>
FreeCAD is built on top of Open CASCADE. I doubt it will ever use OpenSCAD as a backend.
FreeCAD is 3D Cad design GUI software where as OpenSCAD is more a 3D programing tool.

I developed and Sebastian Hoogen helped with a ImportCSG facility to import OpenSCAD CSG files.
Sebastian has done some excellent work to incorporate this into an OpenSCAD module for FreeCAD.
If you set a FreeCAD parameter openscadexecutable to the path for OpenSCAD, then if you open a scad file
from FreeCAD it will under the covers run OpenSCAD load the scad file, create the CSG file and import that to FreeCAD.
So it looks like you just straight loaded the scad file.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/13/2013 02:45PM by KeithSloan.

Nice stuff. Provides seamless transition from one to the other, I like it.

I'm just starting out learning OpenSCAD, and even though I can do simple scripting it is a bit overwhelming to me. I like FreeCAD due to the obvious reason of a GUI.

It's good to know I can work with both of them and learn both without being limited.

Thanks for all of your work!

aehmm,

how or in which context do you "set the variable openscadexecutable to a suitable path value"

is this in the shell or is it a freecad parameter or do i have to edit some config file ?

can't find anything in the docs.

grtx

On the top bar is "Tools"
Then "Edit Parameters"
Then under "Preferences" then "Mod" then "OpenSCAD"

On right hand window right click should be able to add a text variable.
called "openscadexecutable" Text value path to open scad.

Another Parameter you might want to add is Integer "UseMaxFN" which controls the maximum sides of a polygon
before it is considered a circle.

I'm not seeing any OpenSCAD under Tool, Parameters, Preferences, Mod. I just downloaded version 0.13 for OSX which is listed under Unstable on sourceforge... I'm wondering if this isn't in that version?

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Tony Buser http://tonybuser.com * http://reprap.org/wiki/User:Tbuser#Projects

gr0k Wrote:
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> I'm not seeing any OpenSCAD under Tool,
> Parameters, Preferences, Mod. I just downloaded
> version 0.13 for OSX which is listed under
> Unstable on sourceforge... I'm wondering if this
> isn't in that version?

Don't know about OSX version.

You could try exporting a CSG file from OpenSCAD and seeing if version 0.13 will import it as this would not require
any parameters to be set.

Also suggest that you raise the question in one of the FreeCAD forums http://sourceforge.net/apps/phpbb/free-cad/

A good review is available at http://libregraphicsworld.org/blog/entry/freecad-0-13-released

KeithSloan Wrote:
> You could try exporting a CSG file from OpenSCAD
> and seeing if version 0.13 will import it as this
> would not require
> any parameters to be set.

Yeah thats not working either. .csg is also not in the list of extensions in the import window. I'll try asking in the freecad forums.

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Tony Buser http://tonybuser.com * http://reprap.org/wiki/User:Tbuser#Projects

Looking at the download page, the OSX version was last updated 13/10/12 this would be still under development.

Somebody needs to build a Mac OSX version from the official 0.13 source.

Sorry cannot help as I don't have a Mac ( Would like one to develop an iPad app).
Don't think any of the main developers of FreeCAD have a Mac either.

Your best bet is the forum.

Good luck

Linux runs nicely on Macs. ;-)