How to install macros

Description
This short tutorial will show you how to install and use FreeCAD Macros.

This tutorial was made on the Windows platform so a small adjustment may be necessary for other systems. It was updated to cover the Macintosh platform.

Python
Python is a programming language which is very simple to use and very fast to learn.

Python files have a file extension of .py while FreeCAD macros (which are also Python files) use the file extension .FCMacro. The Macro facility of FreeCAD can also execute files with the extension .py. Python was invented by Guido Van Rossun

The Macro Menu and Toolbar Icons
Launch Record Stop Record Open Menu macro Execute Debug Macro Stop

Location and destination of macros
This section shows you how to locate the folder containing your FreeCAD macros.

1 : click Menu > Macro > Macros (which has the icon and the tool tip "Open a dialog to let you execute a recorded macro")



2 : This will open a dialog box

3 : The address of "Macro destination" (C:\Users\your_user_name\AppData\Roaming\FreeCAD\ in the screen snapshot below)
 * Windows: the form is usually drive:\Users\your_user_name\AppData\Roaming\FreeCAD\
 * Ubuntu: the form is usually /home/your_user_name/.FreeCAD
 * Macintosh: the form is usually "/Users/your_user_name/Library/Preferences/FreeCAD"

4 : copy the address of "Macro destination" (here C:\Users\your_user_name\AppData\Roaming\FreeCAD\)



5 : View the macro folder by:
 * Windows: paste the address into your File explorer and confirm
 * Macintosh: locate the folder in the Finder or paste the address into a File explorer (remember the "file:///" prefix in the File explorer for a file on disk)



6 : Access the files by:
 * Windows: leave open the file explorer
 * Macintosh: either leave a Finder window open, or bookmark the location in your File explorer, or set up an Alias to point to it, or drag the folder into the SideBar of the Finder so it is there to use from other programs such as text editors etc. (Note: version 0.14 of FreeCAD does not support Aliases but does support the SideBar)



Section to read if you are not familiar with Python programming (common mistakes copy/paste).

The indentation errors examples wrong code
The indentation in the python programming is very important and integral part of the code, a space or an inappropriate shift causes an indentation error ex :

 : ('expected an indented block', ('C:/Users/d/AppData/Roaming/FreeCAD/Macro_Apothem_Based_Prism_GUI.FCMacro', 21, 3, 'def priSm(self):\n'))

gives the error returned 'expected an indented block' block indentation expected to line 21, 3, normal after a class p : must be the next line an indentation at least one space.

1 : In this example, the code was stuck without any indentation and of course does not work! here definitely a programmer error when pasting the code on the page as it would have never known it to work.



2 : the code was correct indentations in the right place.



3 : we select the code, and we see that the selection is at the edge of the code, the macro must works so good



4 : Here additional space is selected (it can happen) then you need to copy the code into a word processor to remove one space all lines



5 : Here the code has been copied in a forum window with the button apparently the selection is good



6 : But the selection pasted into the FreeCAD editor gives a surprise, an indent of four spaces has been added by the system ? the code is not good



7 : You must delete all the extra space that is four spaces on each line, for Windows word processing notepad-plus-plus enables vertical selection with a combination of buttons + Mouse dragging or Menu> Edit> Indent> Decrease the indentation



8 : Here the selection also take the column numbers which will also give an error



9 : Perfect code.



Method 1:

Method copy the code in one window and paste in the FreeCAD editor
For example we will copy the macro Macro_Apothem_Based_Prism_GUI

If there are one or more icon (s) download also position your mouse over the icon, click the right mouse button and click "Save image as ..." the icon or icons are placed in the macro directory and one of these icons serve as a shortcut icon to place on the toolbar.



After copying your code we will paste the code in FreeCAD editor.

1 : Open FreeCAD and open the editor in FreeCAD



2 : The window macros file opens, click button



3 : A new window opens, enter the macro name (here "Macro_Apothem_Based_Prism_GUI")and click the create button



4 : The editing window FreeCAD macros is now available and has the name of our future macro.



5 : Paste your code in the macro editor window and click the little cross to close the window.



6 : A warning window appears asking for confirmation of save code, click on

PS: For the change silk consideration must save the macro and reopen it and just run it.



7 : Repeat the number 1 :, Click on your new macro and button



8 : The macro runs, complete the fields with your values and click the button



9 : The macro returns an error ! we do not have to open document, open a document and repeat the operation 7 and 8. Some macros open a new document if it does not find one.



10 : Here is your prism



11 : You can also open your macro in the editor to run or modify, click the button



12: The macro is now in the FreeCAD editor you can run through the menu "Macro Run Macro" or by clicking on the triangle green in the macros toolsbar



Method 2:

Method macro in a compressed .ZIP file
Download the file compressed here (example) Macro_screw_maker 1.7. (the page Macro_screw_maker)

Free for Windows 7-zip ou L-Zarc ou quickzip

For Linux use this on the terminal

you must unzip the zip and copy the file (or all the files and folders) in your macro directory.

Process

1 : Download your file in your local folder here the folder Temp



2 : Unzip your file in the folder.



3 : The decompressor finished his work and created a new folder with the unpacked file



4 : Enter in the newly created directory, move about the file, click the right mouse button and click on Cut.



5 : Return to your File explorer remained open in the macro location (here C:\Users\your_user_name\AppData\Roaming\FreeCAD\) and close the File explorer.



6 : Open FreeCAD click Menu > Macro > Macros or the click the  "Open a dialog to let you execute a macro Recorded"



7 : The macros window open, select your macro and click the button



8 : Your macro is executed enter the data and click the button



9 : Whaouu



Section if the text are not display:

For those who see no information is displayed.
Some macros display information on the screen in general they are displayed in the report view.

FreeCAD use two methods to display the information in the window view report.

1 : Commands

or

or

To see the information displayed in the console you should:

1 : Open FreeCAD



2 : Click the View menu and Views



3 : Check Report View and Python Console



4 : the windows are enabled and available commands like "App.Console.PrintMessage" is configured to the "Report View"



2 : command "print" which is a Python command.

It is possible that this command does not display the expected string.

For information to be displayed in the window do this :

1 : Click the Edit menu and then Preferences



2 : In the new window, click General, and select the Output window tab



3 : check both boxes:

Redirect internal Python output to Report view

Redirect internal Python errors to Report view

and click the button



4 : the setup is complete you should see all.



End tutorial good job.

Links
The Macros recipes page