Draft Label

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Dimension
AnnotationStyleEditor
Draft

Draft Label

Menu location
Annotation → Label
Workbenches
Draft, BIM
Default shortcut
D L
Introduced in version
0.17
See also
Draft Text, Draft ShapeString

Description

The Draft Label command creates a multi-line text with a 2-segment leader line and an arrow.

If an object or a sub-element (face, edge or vertex) is selected when starting the command, the text can be made to display one or two attributes of the selected element, including position, length, area, volume and material. The text will then be linked to the attributes and will update if their values change.

To insert a text element without an arrow use the Draft Text command instead.

Various labels with different orientations, arrows and information

Usage

See also: Draft Tray, Draft Snap and Draft Constrain.

  1. Optionally select an object or a sub-element (vertex, edge or face) that you want to display attributes of.
  2. There are several ways to invoke the command:
    • Press the Label button.
    • Select the Annotation → Label option from the menu.
    • Use the keyboard shortcut: D then L.
  3. The Label task panel opens. See Options for more information.
  4. If you have selected an element: select an option from the Label type dropdown list. See Label types below.
  5. Pick the first point in the 3D view, or type coordinates and press the Enter point button. This point indicates the target (arrow head). This can be anywhere, it does not have to be on an element.
  6. Pick the second point in the 3D view, or type coordinates and press the Enter point button. This point indicates the start of the horizontal or vertical segment of the leader.
  7. Pick the third point in the 3D view, or type coordinates and press the Enter point button. This point indicates the base point of the text.

Options

The single character keyboard shortcuts available in the task panel can be changed. See Draft Preferences. The shortcuts mentioned here are the default shortcuts.

Label types

The following label types are available:

Notes

Properties

See also: Property editor.

A Draft Label object is derived from an App FeaturePython object and inherits all its properties. The following properties are additional unless otherwise stated:

Data

Label

Leader

Target

View

Annotation

Display Options

Graphics

Text

Scripting

See also: Autogenerated API documentation and FreeCAD Scripting Basics.

To create a Draft Label use the make_label method (introduced in version 0.19) of the Draft module. This method replaces the deprecated makeLabel method. 

label = make_label(target_point=App.Vector(0, 0, 0),
                   placement=App.Vector(30, 30, 0),
                   target_object=None, subelements=None,
                   label_type="Custom", custom_text="Label",
                   direction="Horizontal", distance=-10,
                   points=None)

Example: 

import FreeCAD as App
import Draft

doc = App.newDocument()

rectangle = Draft.make_rectangle(4000, 1000)
doc.recompute()

p1 = App.Vector(-200, 1000, 0)
place1 = App.Placement(App.Vector(-1000, 1300, 0), App.Rotation())

label1 = Draft.make_label(p1, place1, target_object=rectangle, distance=500, label_type="Label")
label1.ViewObject.FontSize= 200

p2 = App.Vector(-200, 0, 0)
place2 = App.Placement(App.Vector(-1000, -300, 0), App.Rotation())

label2 = Draft.make_label(p2, place2, target_object=rectangle, distance=500, label_type="Custom",
                          custom_text="Beware of the sharp edges")
label2.ViewObject.FontSize= 200

p3 = App.Vector(1000, 1200, 0)
place3 = App.Placement(App.Vector(2000, 1800, 0), App.Rotation())

label3 = Draft.make_label(p3, place3, target_object=rectangle, distance=-500, label_type="Area")
label3.ViewObject.FontSize= 200

doc.recompute()


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