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FreeCAD: How to use each GUI panel?

FreeCAD 0.19

In this article, we explain how to use each GUI panel of FreeCAD.

Window layout

In ordinary usage of FreeCAD, Combo view and 3D view are displayed as follow. If your FreeCAD's window layout is not set to so, check only [Combo View] at [View]-[Views] in menu to set window layout.

GUI_Layout
Displays Combo view and 3D view
Menu_View_Panels
[View]-[Panels]

Toolbar

FreeCAD has many tools for editing shape and each tool has been grouped into "workbench". You can sweitch each workbench by selecting it at a dropdown boxPartDesign wrokbench on a toolbar. If a workbench is switched, tools will be switched depending on the workbench. Also you can customize a toolbar (refer to "Customizing toolbar").

GUI_Layout_Toolbar
Toolbar that displaying Part workbench

3D view

You can select, edit and dislay a object with mouse operation on 3D view.

GUI_Layout_3DView
3D view

Combo view

Combo view is made from 4 panels that are called "Model", "Tasks", "View property" and "Data property". Features of each panel are following.

GUI_Layout_Tree_Model
Combo View
  • Model

    "Model" tab is displayed at upper side of Combo view and it shows a tree of created shapes and operations. Tree expresses history of shape manipulation. You can change the history parametrically with this tree and Data property (that is explained later).

    GUI_Layout_Tree_Model
    Model tree that has a cuboid
    GUI_Layout_Tree_Model2
    History of shape manipulation is displayed as a model tree
  • Tasks

    "Tasks" tab is displayed at upper side of Combo view and it shows controls to manipulate a current executing tool. Other operation (like exiting application) may not be executed depending on a tool. In that case, Click OK or Cancel on Tasks tab to exit the tool.

    GUI_Layout_Tree_Task
    Tasks panel for extruding operation
  • View property

    "View" tab is displayed at lower side of Combo view and it shows properties for appearance of a object that is selected on a model tree. You can edit a color, transparency, display mode and others of selected object (refer to "Display settings of parts (color, transparency)").

    GUI_Layout_Property_View
    View property
  • Data property

    "Data" tab is displayed at lower side of Combo view and it shows properties for position and shape of a object that is selected on a model tree. You can edit object position and parameters of shape manipulation.

    GUI_Layout_Property_Data
    Data property

Other views

You can also display other views by checking menu's [View]-[Views]. Features of each view are followings.

  • Selection view

    It shows names of objects that are selected on 3D view.

    GUI_Layout_SelectionView
    Selection view
  • Python Console

    In FreeCAD, GUI operations are convert to a Python code and the code is executed. The Python code can be shown on Python console. You can also operate FreeCAD by inputing Python code to Python console.

    GUI_Layout_PythonConsole
    Python Console
  • Report view

    It shows message command executed in the Python code that runs on the FreeCAD. To use Report view, Select menu's [Edit]-[Preferences] to open Preferences dialog and check following items on "Output WIndows" tab.

    • Redirect internal Python output to report view
    • Redirect internal Python error to report view
    Preference_OutputWindow_Redirect
    Output Window tab of Preferences dialog

    You can output to Report view with Console object in FreeCAD module. For example, messages can be output with PrintMessage method, PrintWarning method and PrintError method as following.

    from FreeCAD import Console
    Console.PrintMessage("My message\r")
    Console.PrintWarning("My warning message\r")
    Console.PrintError("My error message\r")
    GUI_Layout_ReportView
    Result

References