TechDraw Preferences

Hatching

TechDraw

The preferences screen of the TechDraw Workbench are found in the Preferences Editor, Edit → Preferences → TechDraw.

Tab TechDraw General

File:TechDraw Preferences1.png

• Detect Faces: If checked, TechDraw will attempt to build faces using the line segments returned by the hidden line removal algorithm. Faces must be detected in order to use Hatching, but there can be a performance penalty in complex models.
• Show Section Edges: Highlights the border of the section cut in Section Views.
• Editable Text Marker Size: Size of editable text marker in templates (green dots).

Drawing Update

introduced in version 0.19

• Update With 3D: Whether or not pages are updated every time the 3D model is changed. This is a global policy setting.
• Allow Page Override: Whether or not a page's Keep Update property can override the global Update With 3D parameter. This is a global policy setting.
• Keep Page Up To Date: Keeps the drawing pages in sync with the 3D model in real time. This can slow the response time.
• Auto-distribute Secondary Views: Automatically distributes secondary views for Projection Groups.

Colors

Setup of the default colors for new pages. Additionally there is an option:

• Transparent Faces: If checked, object faces will be transparent. introduced in version 0.19

Labels

• Label Font: The name of the default font for labels.
• Label Size: Default size for label text.

Files

• Default Template: Default Template file for new pages.
• Template Directory: Starting directory for Insert Page using Template.
• SVG Hatch Pattern: Default SVG or bitmap file for Hatch Face using Image File.
• Line Group File: Alternate file for personal Line Group definitions.
• Welding Directory: Default directory for Add Welding Information to Leader. introduced in version 0.19
• PAT File: Default PAT pattern definition file for Apply Geometric Hatch to Face.
• Pattern Name: Name of the default PAT pattern.

Tab TechDraw Scale

File:TechDraw Preferences-Scale.png

Scale

• ??:??.

Selection

• ??:??.

Size Adjustments

• ??:??.

Tab TechDraw Dimensions

File:TechDraw Preferences2.png

Dimensions

• Show Units: append the unit specifier (mm, in, etc.) to values.
• Use Global Decimals: use the number of decimal positions from Preferences → General → Units.
• Alternate Decimals: if Use Global Decimals is unticked, use this number of decimal positions.
• Format Spec: formats dimension text. Uses printf format specifier.
• Font Size: size for Dimension Text.
• Color: default color for Dimension text and lines.
• Diameter Symbol: diameter dimensions will be prefixed by this text.
• Arrow Style: choose the dimension line end mark you prefer.
• Arrow Size: size of end mark in mm.
• Dimensioning Standard and Style: default value for ISO/ASME style Dimensions.

Annotation

• Line Group: the name of default line group specification.
• Matting Style: show File:TechDraw New Detail.png detail views as circles or rectangles.
• Center Line Style: default style for View center lines (horizontal and vertical).
• Center Line Color: default color for View center lines.
• Section Line Style: default style for section line in the Base View of File:TechDraw NewSection.png a Section View.
• Section Line Color: default color for section lines.
• Hatch Weight: default line thickness for File:TechDraw GeomHatch.png geometric hatching. See File:Techdraw-hatch.png hatching.
• Vertex Color: default color for Vertices.
• Vertex Scale: adjustment for Vertex size on drawings.

Conventions

• Projection Group Angle: If Insert Projection Group will use either first- or third-angle projection. See multiview projection for an explanation.
• Hidden Line Style: The style to be used for hidden lines.

Hidden Settings

Some preference settings are only accessible through the Parameter editor, Tools → Edit parameters.

Preferences/Mod/TechDraw/Decorations

• CenterMarkScale: default scale factor for CenterMarks
• ShowCenterMarks: default true/false
• PrintCenterMarks: true/false show CenterMarks when printing introduced in version 0.19

Preferences/Mod/TechDraw/General

• DefaultScale: initial setting of Page Scale introduced in version 0.19
• EdgeFuzz: pick radius for Edges
• MarkFuzz: pick radius for CenterMarks
• SectionFuseFirst: fuse Source objects before performing Section cut
• EdgeEndCap: shape of Edge ends 0x00 FlatCap, 0x10 SquareCap, 0x20 RoundCap (Qt::PenCapStyle) introduced in version 0.19

Preferences/Mod/TechDraw/Format

• SectionFormat: section line style 0-ASME 1-ISO

Preferences/Mod/TechDraw/Standards

• RadiusAligned: Radius dimension format 0-ISO(aligned) 1-ASME(uniform)

Hatching

TechDraw

TechDraw

• Pages: Insert Default Page, Insert Page using Template, Redraw Page, Print All Pages
• Views: Insert View, Insert Active View, Insert Projection Group, Insert Section View, Insert Complex Section View, Insert Detail View, Insert Draft Workbench Object, Insert Arch Workbench Object, Insert Spreadsheet View, Insert Clip Group, Share View, Project Shape
• Stacking: Move view to top of stack, Move view to bottom of stack, Move view up one level, Move view down one level

---

• Decorations: Hatch Face using Image File, Apply Geometric Hatch to Face, Insert SVG Symbol, Insert Bitmap Image, Turn View Frames On/Off
• Dimensions: Insert Length Dimension, Insert Horizontal Dimension, Insert Vertical Dimension, Insert Radius Dimension, Insert Diameter Dimension, Insert Angle Dimension, Insert 3-Point Angle Dimension, Insert Horizontal Extent Dimension, Insert Vertical Extent Dimension, Link Dimension to 3D Geometry, Insert Balloon Annotation, Insert Axonometric Length Dimension, Insert Landmark Dimension, Adjust Geometric References of Dimension
• Annotations: Insert Annotation, Add Leaderline to View, Insert Rich Text Annotation, Add Cosmetic Vertex, Add Midpoint Vertices, Add Quadrant Vertices, Add Centerline to Faces, Add Centerline between 2 Lines, Add Centerline between 2 Points, Add Cosmetic Line Through 2 points, Add Cosmetic Circle, Change Appearance of Lines, Show/Hide Invisible Edges, Add Welding Information to Leader, Add Surface Finish Symbol, Add Hole or Shaft Tolerances

---

• Extensions:
  • Attributes and modifications: Select Line Attributes, Cascade Spacing and Delta Distance, Change Line Attributes, Extend Line, Shorten Line, Lock/Unlock View, Position Section View, Position Horizontal Chain Dimensions, Position Vertical Chain Dimensions, Position Oblique Chain Dimensions, Cascade Horizontal Dimensions, Cascade Vertical Dimensions, Cascade Oblique Dimensions, Calculate the area of selected faces, Calculate the arc length of selected edges, Customize format label
  • Centerlines and threading: Add Circle Centerlines, Add Bolt Circle Centerlines, Add Cosmetic Thread Hole Side View, Add Cosmetic Thread Hole Bottom View, Add Cosmetic Thread Bolt Side View, Add Cosmetic Thread Bolt Bottom View, Add Cosmetic Intersection Vertex(es), Add an offset vertex, Add Cosmetic Circle, Add Cosmetic Arc, Add Cosmetic Circle 3 Points, Add Cosmetic Parallel Line, Add Cosmetic Perpendicular Line
  • Dimensions: Create Horizontal Chain Dimensions, Create Vertical Chain Dimensions, Create Oblique Chain Dimensions, Create Horizontal Coordinate Dimensions, Create Vertical Coordinate Dimensions, Create Oblique Coordinate Dimensions, Create Horizontal Chamfer Dimension, Create Vertical Chamfer Dimension, Create Arc Length Dimension, Insert '⌀' Prefix, Insert '〼' Prefix, Remove Prefix, Increase Decimal Places, Decrease Decimal Places

---

• Export: Export Page as SVG, Export Page as DXF
• Additional: Line Groups, Templates, Hatching, Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, Preferences

User documentation

• Getting started
• Installation: Download, Windows, Linux, Mac, Additional components, Docker, AppImage, Ubuntu Snap
• Basics: About FreeCAD, Interface, Mouse navigation, Selection methods, Object name, Preferences, Workbenches, Document structure, Properties, Help FreeCAD, Donate

---

• Help: Tutorials, Video tutorials
• Workbenches: Std Base, Arch, Assembly, CAM, Draft, FEM, Inspection, Mesh, OpenSCAD, Part, PartDesign, Points, Reverse Engineering, Robot, Sketcher, Spreadsheet, Start, Surface, TechDraw, Test Framework, Web

---

• Addons: Addon Manager, External workbenches, Scripting and macros

---

• Hubs: User hub, Power users hub, Developer hub