GSoC 2023: Unified Measurement Facility

[Jolbas]

There are 5 (+/-) measurement tools available in FreeCAD and they're ALL – as in "100%" – static measurement tools.

persistent measurements already exist, as you say, while a – static – measurement tool doesn't

I'm not sure I get your point here. Yes, it exists and I find it useful, but I can't use it outside the Sketcher.

If it knew this information, the object wouldn't be static.

It doesn't need to be static by all aspects, but sure, we wan't this tool done rather than adding more features.

[catman]

And the purpose is NOT to invent some new amazing feature that could somehow resemble when looking from the correct angle as some sort of measurement tool ?

I beg to disagree and I think your statement is exaggerated.

The function was a suggestion by the developer of the GSoC project itself and I think its a good and valid one. I merely supplied some use cases. Also I can find no contradiction in the task descrtiption from the OP (quoted below).

The project aims to implement a generic measurement command that can be extended by workbenches, refactor and port existing commands to use the new system, and polish existing measuring commands for a consistent user experience.

I'm not sure I get your point here. Yes, it exists and I find it useful, but I can't use it outside the Sketcher.

Also Jolbas has a point that I would see as "making a consistent user experience".

You made clear that you do not like it. If your main worry is that time for the GoC project is too limited to cover that functionality as well beside the other functions, I could understand your concern. I also would agree that this should not be the main priotriy for the prototype. But on the other hand I know that good design that is aware of the full final range of functions does not have to be more expensive (=take more time) than a design that ignores it. There may be dozens of little design decisions taken differently when its clear that this feature might be added in a second stage or when time allows. Thats why I think its a wise idea to consider it.

As a sw dev myself I can say that its so much more motivating to refactor functions when you are allowed add some new ideas and features.

[adrianinsaval]

2) doesn't correspond to how a real measurement tool is used: when you use a caliper (for example) then you make the measure once, then you make changes to your piece, and measure again. But NEVER EVER do you attach the caliper to the part while you're modifying it.

This is irrelevant

[adrianinsaval]

There are 5 (+/-) measurement tools available in FreeCAD and they're ALL – as in "100%" – static measurement tools. NONE – like 0, nada, nuku – provide a persistent measurement object. So could we please agree that the purpose here is to make a new measurement tool that takes the best of all available ones and provides a unified measurement facility that gives all (or most) features of the EXISTING tools ?

Are you sure of this?
Std_MeasureDistance creates an object in the treeview that is persistent across sessions although it does not hold a reference to a measured object.

Screenshot 2023-08-11 191423.png (5.41 KiB) Viewed 1025 times

Part_Measure_Linear and Part_Measure_Angular don't create an object in the tree but they do save a reference to the measured object and can be updated once the object is modified, but they don't survive across sessions.

FreeCAD_ZnLgg1REFF.gif (42.38 KiB) Viewed 1025 times

besides that, "the previous tool didn't do this" is not really a strong argument against a new feature.

[wandererfan]

In this context - persistent means the measurement object entry in the tree is preserved through a Save/Restore cycle. Transient would be some thing that is no longer available after a Save/Restore.

[Zolko]

Std_MeasureDistance creates an object in the treeview that is persistent across sessions although it does not hold a reference to a measured object.
...
Part_Measure_Linear and Part_Measure_Angular don't create an object in the tree but they do save a reference to the measured object and can be updated once the object is modified, but they don't survive across sessions.

which confirms that these measurements are not persistent : one is saved but frozen, the other is dynamic but not saved. And all have a subset of the required properties. Why waste all this time on obvious trivialities ?

[frcaduser]

Std_MeasureDistance creates an object in the treeview that is persistent across sessions although it does not hold a reference to a measured object.
Screenshot 2023-08-11 191423.png
Part_Measure_Linear and Part_Measure_Angular don't create an object in the tree but they do save a reference to the measured object and can be updated once the object is modified, but they don't survive across sessions.
FreeCAD_ZnLgg1REFF.gif

besides that, "the previous tool didn't do this" is not really a strong argument against a new feature.

Hi,

thank you for providing a screenshot. Is this an actual measurement result when using the measurement tool? Can the
measurement value NOT be superimposed on the dimension it is measuring? Here, I think it would be helpful if the value
is a bit to the side so that the value is clearly visible without obstruction. Can the color scheme be changed or automatically
detected so that the color is better contrasted between the measurement value and the object color scheme?

frcaduesr