Draft PointArray

From FreeCAD Documentation

Draft PointArray

Menu location
Modification → Array tools → Point array
Workbenches
Draft, Arch
Default shortcut
None
Introduced in version
0.18
See also
Draft OrthoArray, Draft PolarArray, Draft CircularArray, Draft PathArray, Draft PathLinkArray, Draft PointLinkArray

Description

The Draft PointArray command creates a regular array from a selected base object by placing copies at the points from a point object. Use the Draft PointLinkArray command to create a more efficient Link array instead. Except for the type of array that is created, Link array or regular array, the Draft PointLinkArray command is identical to this command.

The base object can be a 2D object created with the Draft Workbench or Sketcher Workbench, but also a 3D object such as those created with the Part Workbench, PartDesign Workbench or Arch Workbench.

The point object can be any object with a shape and vertices (including a Std Part containing one or more of such objects), as well as a mesh and a point cloud. Duplicate points in the point object are filtered out. introduced in version 0.21

In version 0.20 and below only three point object types are supported see Point object version 0.20 and below.

Draft PointArray

Usage

  1. Select the object you wish to array.
  2. Add the point object to the selection.
  3. There are several ways to invoke the command:
    • Press the Point array button.
    • Select the Modification → Array tools → Point array option from the menu.
  4. The array is created.
  5. Optionally change the properties of the array in the Property editor.

Point object version 0.20 and below

These are the supported point objects in version 0.20 and below and how they can be created:

Properties

See also: Property editor.

A Draft PointArray object is derived from a Part Feature object and inherits all its properties (with the exception of some View properties that are not inherited by Link arrays). The following properties are additional unless otherwise stated:

Data

Link

The properties in this group are only available for Link arrays. See Std LinkMake for more information.

  • DataScale (Float)
  • Data (Hidden)Scale Vector (Vector)
  • DataScale List (VectorList)
  • Data (Hidden)Visibility List (BoolList)
  • Data (Hidden)Placement List (PlacementList)
  • Data (Hidden)Element List (LinkList)
  • Data (Hidden)_ Link Touched (Bool)
  • Data (Hidden)_ Child Cache (LinkList)
  • Data (Hidden)Colored Elements (LinkSubHidden)
  • DataLink Transform (Bool)

Objects

  • DataBase (Link): specifies the object to duplicate in the array.
  • DataCount (Integer): (read-only) specifies the number of elements in the array. This number is determined by the number of points in the DataPoint Object.
  • DataExpand Array (Bool): specifies whether to expand the array in the Tree view to enable the selection of its individual elements. Only available for Link arrays.
  • DataExtra Placement (Placement): : specifies an additional placement, translation and rotation, for each element in the array.
  • DataPoint Object (Link): specifies the compound object whose points are used to position the elements in the array. The object must have a DataLinks, DataComponents or DataGeometry property, and contain at least one element with DataX, DataY, and DataZ properties.

View

Link

The properties in this group, with the exception of the inherited property, are only available for Link arrays. See Std LinkMake for more information.

  • ViewDraw Style (Enumeration)
  • ViewLine Width (FloatConstraint)
  • ViewOverride Material (Bool)
  • ViewPoint Size (FloatConstraint)
  • ViewSelectable (Bool): this is an inherited property that appears in the Selection group for other arrays
  • ViewShape Material (Material)

Base

The properties in this group, with the exception of the inherited property, are only available for Link arrays. See Std LinkMake for more information.

  • View (Hidden)Child View Provider (PersistentObject)
  • View (Hidden)Material List (MaterialList)
  • View (Hidden)Override Color List (ColorList)
  • View (Hidden)Override Material List (BoolList)
  • View (Hidden)Proxy (PythonObject): this is an inherited property.

Display Options

The properties in this group are inherited properties. See Part Feature for more information.

  • ViewBounding Box (Bool): this property is not inherited by Link arrays.
  • ViewDisplay Mode (Enumeration): for Link arrays it can be Link or ChildView. For other arrays it can be: Flat Lines, Shaded, Wireframe or Points
  • ViewShow In Tree (Bool)
  • ViewVisibility (Bool)

Draft

  • ViewPattern (Enumeration): not used.
  • ViewPattern Size (Float): not used.

Object style

The properties in this group are not inherited by Link arrays.

Scripting

See also: Autogenerated API documentation and FreeCAD Scripting Basics.

To create a point array use the make_point_array method (introduced in version 0.19) of the Draft module. This method replaces the deprecated makePointArray method.

point_array = make_point_array(base_object, point_object, extra=None, use_link=True)
  • base_object is the object to be arrayed. It can also be the Label (string) of an object in the current document.
  • point_object is the object containing the points. It can also be the Label (string) of an object in the current document. It should have a Geometry, Links, or Components property containing points.
  • extra is an App.Placement, an App.Vector or an App.Rotation that displaces each element.
  • If use_link is True the created elements are App Links instead of regular copies.

Example:

import FreeCAD as App
import Draft

doc = App.newDocument()

polygon = Draft.make_polygon(3, radius=500.0)

p1 = Draft.make_point(App.Vector(1500, 0, 0))
p2 = Draft.make_point(App.Vector(2500, 0, 0))
p3 = Draft.make_point(App.Vector(2000, 1000, 0))

compound = doc.addObject("Part::Compound", "Compound")
compound.Links = [p1, p2, p3]

point_array = Draft.make_point_array(polygon, compound)
doc.recompute()