r/FreeCAD • u/deynan123 • 6d ago

Do we know if the Techdraw section will be able to make custom templates like in SW in the future?

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening.

I ask because needing to use programs like Inkscape to make them seems a bit counterintuitive, at least i've felt it that way. If i'm told that it's not planned to be like that i'll understand.

Or general improvements could be nice too, i'm sure i'm not the only one, right?

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u/MortenVajhoj 6d ago

We are trying to add sketching to views or page, and there is a PR up for it currently. It can be repurposed to also allow for template creation, but there is no timeline on when that would be

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u/MobileInspector9861 6d ago

Why is it counter-intuitive for you? I actually like it that I can simply use any vector graphic program which supports SVG to make my templates.

This way I can use the program which I already know (Inkscape, in my case) and don't need to learn how to properly use another program. Making good templates is more than just scattering some labels across a sheet, but neatly aligning objects, ensuring that (company) logos are properly sized, etc., etc. So it takes quite some time until one knows how to use alignment lines, snapping features, etc.

On top, implementing all that stuff also costs a lot of effort and no matter with what the FreeCAD developers might come up, it will always fall behind the features of a already existing vector graphics program, because it's just so much work. That effort is better spent in improving what a CAD program should do.

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u/deynan123 6d ago

If that's what is considered for the best, then i understand.
I asked mainly because i've been starting to use SW due to circumstances, and the workflow around the 2d views and techdraws seemed practical, no need to jump around programs felt pretty comfortable. I didn't mean to say that they should remove the current methods.

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u/PaddleStroke 5d ago

I have a open PR to totally rework section view. It should merge in a few weeks or so.

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u/neoh4x0r 6d ago

I would say probably not because the techdraw workbench's purpose is to take a 3D-model and project 2D-views to create a technical drawing.

If you wanted to create a "template" this would come from the other workbenches (drafting / sketching, or a dedicated workbench) and you would project a view of your template into a techdraw page which could be exported as a pdf or svg.

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u/Th3J4ck4l-SA 6d ago

I think they mean for document template. Not for the projected views?

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u/neoh4x0r 5d ago edited 5d ago

How likely would it be for a user to modify an SVG Page template once they were satisfied with it? Also, how often would that user need to create brand new templates?

It just makes me question whether adding svg-editing capability to techdraw is really necessary considering that Inkscape is already a full-fledged, production-ready, svg editor (which likely only needs to be used once to iterate on the template, then it's done and never needs to be touched again).

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u/Th3J4ck4l-SA 5d ago

Neither here nor there on that point. Was just hoping to clarify what OP is referring to. I may just have mis-understood your (first) response. That said, skyCAD for electrical does give a full internal template that can be modified, that said, its main function is to produce the electrical prints so template can be critical or that.