Macros recipes

This page contains macros to add functionality to your freecad installation

Object creation

 * [[Image:Macro_makeCube.png|16px]] Macro_makeCube : creates a cube from 4 points
 * Macro draw2DFunction: draws a function described by an equation z=F(x)
 * Macro_Solid Sweep: creates a solid by sweeping a 2D profile along a trajectory previously selected in the 3D view. The 2D elements can be created through the regular tools in FreeCAD's GUI.

Object transformation

 * Macro ArrayCopy: copies the selected object several times, on an array grid
 * Macro FlattenWire: flattens draft wires that are not plane to their median Z coordinate
 * Macro MeshToPart: converts selected meshes to parts
 * Macro JointWire: allows to find and joint all non connected edge to the closest non connected one using a line
 * Macro Remove parametric history: removes all parametric associativity from an object, leaving it as a "dumb" shape
 * Macro SuperWire: Forces the creation of a Wire from lines and arcs that don't necessarily touch each other. Use this if normal wire operation fails
 * Macro HealArcs: Sometimes arcs are transformed into BSplines, for example when scale operations have been applied to them. This macro recreates valid arcs from them. Useful before exporting to dxf

3D View operations

 * Macro Rotate View This macro rotates the current view by 90° to the left. Only works if you are in Top view.
 * Macro View Rotation Provides a GUI to permit rotation of view by precise amounts in all three directions.
 * Macro Texture Objects This macro allows you to temporarily put a texture image on the selected objects.

Wizards

 * Macro Automatic drawing: allows the user to get the view of his object in a drawing with 4 different position(front,top,iso,right). Need some modification to be perfecly effective
 * Macro Corner shapes wizard: pops up a dialog asking for the dimensions of your corner piece, then creates the object in the document and creates a page view with top, front and lateral views of the piece

Utility

 * Macro MessageBox: shows how to give information to the user through the GUI.

How to use?
The above macros can easily be plugged on any FreeCAD installation
 * Copy the macro python code from the corresponding macro page
 * Paste it in a blank text document (for example using notepad on windows or gedit on ubuntu)
 * Save the text file with a .FCMacro extension
 * move the .FCMacro file to the FreeCAD user folder (/home/yourUser/.FreeCAD on unixes, C:\Users\yourUser\Application Data\FreeCAD on windows)
 * restart FreeCAD
 * Open the Macro manager, select your new macro and click "execute"

Additionally, you can also add your new macro to a custom toolbar
 * In FreeCAD, go to Tools -> Customize
 * In the Macros tab, add a new macro, and, if you like, define an icon and a keyboard shortcut
 * In the Toolbars tab, create a new toolbar, and add your macro, taking it from the "Macros" category.

Adding new macros to this repository

 * Create a new page, beginning its name with "Macro", for example "Macro_My_Excellent_Macro"
 * In that page, paste the following text:
 * If you like, upload a .png icon with the exact same name as your macro page (ex. Macro_My_Excellent_Macro.png)
 * Add it to the above categories, create a new category if needed