[solved] FreeCAD has selection filters?

Post here for help on using FreeCAD's graphical user interface (GUI).
Forum rules
and Helpful information
IMPORTANT: Please click here and read this first, before asking for help

Also, be nice to others! Read the FreeCAD code of conduct!
User avatar
dprojects
Posts: 721
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 6:02 pm
Location: Poland
Contact:

[solved] FreeCAD has selection filters?

Post by dprojects »

FreeCAD has selection filters? I know there is such thing like Draft Snap but looks like it works only during wire creation? For example if I want to select only face, only edge or only vertex is there such filter for selection?

For vertex selection I added tool selectVertex. It works not in the way that face or edges are not selected, only vertices but if you select face or edge the nearest vertex will be selected. So, I guess it is little different than selection filters from other CAD systems? I was thinking to add more selection filters if there is no such thing at FreeCAD?

phpBB [video]
Last edited by dprojects on Sat Feb 04, 2023 11:59 am, edited 1 time in total.

Thanks
Darek
github.com/dprojects

workbench for woodworking is available at: github.com/dprojects/Woodworking
User avatar
Zolko
Veteran
Posts: 2213
Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2018 10:02 am

Re: FreeCAD has selection filters?

Post by Zolko »

dprojects wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 9:58 am FreeCAD has selection filters? For example if I want to select only face, only edge or only vertex is there such filter for selection?
yes:

selection_filter.png
selection_filter.png (48.04 KiB) Viewed 1717 times
try the Assembly4 workbench for FreCAD — tutorials here and here
User avatar
dprojects
Posts: 721
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 6:02 pm
Location: Poland
Contact:

Re: FreeCAD has selection filters?

Post by dprojects »

Zolko wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 10:06 am yes:
But this is only part of Assembly workbench and it need to be installed? or there is such thing at FreeCAD base? I assume, if you created this filters, it means there is no such thing?

EDIT: Is there any docs page, tutorial with Assembly 4 icons, features descriptions? I was searching the internet for a while for those icons descriptions but looks there is no such thing? How they works? if I select edge it will select nearest Vertex? what if in the Edge Mode if I select something other than edge?

Thanks
Darek
github.com/dprojects

workbench for woodworking is available at: github.com/dprojects/Woodworking
drmacro
Veteran
Posts: 8868
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 4:35 pm

Re: FreeCAD has selection filters?

Post by drmacro »

dprojects wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 10:19 am
Zolko wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 10:06 am yes:
But this is only part of Assembly workbench and it need to be installed? or there is such thing at FreeCAD base? I assume, if you created this filters, it means there is no such thing?

EDIT: Is there any docs page, tutorial with Assembly 4 icons, features descriptions? I was searching the internet for a while for those icons descriptions but looks there is no such thing? How they works? if I select edge it will select nearest Vertex? what if in the Edge Mode if I select something other than edge?
It is a trivial task to add it to any toolbar you choose. Here I've added it to the Global toolbar. Note I also added the wall tool from Arch workbench...very handy.
Attachments
Screenshot from 2023-02-04 05-59-26.png
Screenshot from 2023-02-04 05-59-26.png (87.47 KiB) Viewed 1642 times
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan: Spock: "...His pattern indicates two-dimensional thinking."
User avatar
dprojects
Posts: 721
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 6:02 pm
Location: Poland
Contact:

Re: FreeCAD has selection filters?

Post by dprojects »

drmacro wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 11:01 am It is a trivial task to add it to any toolbar you choose. Here I've added it to the Global toolbar. Note I also added the wall tool from Arch workbench...very handy.
But you probably have installed Assembly 4? Other question is how it works? To be honest I am not sure how the filters should work? If I select edge in the Vertex Mode this should select nearest Vertex or should leave nothing selected?

Where I can read about it how it works?

Thanks
Darek
github.com/dprojects

workbench for woodworking is available at: github.com/dprojects/Woodworking
drmacro
Veteran
Posts: 8868
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 4:35 pm

Re: FreeCAD has selection filters?

Post by drmacro »

dprojects wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 11:06 am
drmacro wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 11:01 am It is a trivial task to add it to any toolbar you choose. Here I've added it to the Global toolbar. Note I also added the wall tool from Arch workbench...very handy.
But you probably have installed Assembly 4?
I see no issue with that...

Other question is how it works? To be honest I am not sure how the filters should work? If I select edge in the Vertex Mode this should select nearest Vertex or should leave nothing selected?

Where I can read about it how it works?
Pretty straight forward. Activate one of the filters by clicking on it. Click near a type of the chosen filter and it is selected. when done selecting, click the icon with the checkmark to turn off filtering.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan: Spock: "...His pattern indicates two-dimensional thinking."
User avatar
dprojects
Posts: 721
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 6:02 pm
Location: Poland
Contact:

Re: FreeCAD has selection filters?

Post by dprojects »

drmacro wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 11:19 am Click near a type of the chosen filter and it is selected.
OK. I installed manually the Assembly 4 workbench because while I was trying to install it via addon manager it hangs, I don't know why.

But I got it to work and the Assembly 4 selection filters works as the selection filters at other CAD programs, I guess. It prevents from other type selection. So, if you select edge or face the vertex will not be selected. You need to hit the vertex directly to be selected. So this is little different from Woodworking version.

I am not sure what should be correct behavior in this case because normally there is problem with FreeCAD vertex hit. But looks like all CAD programs filter the selection instead of helping select nearest sub-object?

Image

Thanks
Darek
github.com/dprojects

workbench for woodworking is available at: github.com/dprojects/Woodworking
drmacro
Veteran
Posts: 8868
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 4:35 pm

Re: [solved] FreeCAD has selection filters?

Post by drmacro »

You can increase the vertex size and the hit radius in Preferences.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan: Spock: "...His pattern indicates two-dimensional thinking."
User avatar
dprojects
Posts: 721
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 6:02 pm
Location: Poland
Contact:

Re: [solved] FreeCAD has selection filters?

Post by dprojects »

drmacro wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 12:32 pm You can increase the vertex size and the hit radius in Preferences.
Yes, I created showVertex feature that makes all vertices bigger and red. But I found in practice that very often the Vertex, even bigger is not selected in the easy way. So this is why I created next feature selectVertex that help to select nearest Vertex even if you not hit the Vertex directly. In practice this works much better that making Vertex bigger. But if someone feel more comfort to make Vertex bigger, he can do it as well.

Also the selectVertex is better than showVertex because in practice there are situations the vertex touch the face, so you are not able to hit it directly, also you can't hide the other panel because you want to select vertex at it later.

EDIT: For example this situation at gif:

Image

Thanks
Darek
github.com/dprojects

workbench for woodworking is available at: github.com/dprojects/Woodworking
User avatar
NewJoker
Veteran
Posts: 3018
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2020 7:49 pm

Re: [solved] FreeCAD has selection filters?

Post by NewJoker »

Actually, I offer a bounty for someone willing to implement those selection filters from the Assembly 4 wb in FreeCAD: viewtopic.php?t=72925
Post Reply