Draft PathTwistedArray

PointLinkArray

PathTwistedLinkArray

Draft

Description

The Draft PathTwistedArray command creates a regular array from a selected object by placing copies along a path that are also rotated around the path. Use the Draft PathTwistedLinkArray 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 PathTwistedLinkArray command is identical to this command.

Both commands can be used on 2D objects created with the Draft Workbench or Sketcher Workbench, but also on many 3D objects such as those created with the Part Workbench, PartDesign Workbench or BIM Workbench.

Base object (at the origin) and selected path → Rotated copies placed along the path

Usage

1. Select the object to array.
2. Add the path object to the selection.
3. There are several ways to invoke the command:
   • Press the Twisted Path Array button.
   • Select the Modification → Array Tools → Twisted Path Array option from the menu.
4. The array is created.
5. Optionally change the properties of the array in the Property View.

Notes

With a straight line as a path object this is a quite efficient tool to create helical stairs from a single step.

Properties

See also: Property View.

A Draft PathTwistedArray 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)_ Link Owner (Integer)
• Data (Hidden)Colored Elements (LinkSubHidden)
• DataLink Copy On Change (Enumeration)
• DataLink Transform (Bool)

Draft

• DataAlways Sync Placement (Bool)

Objects

• DataBase (LinkGlobal): specifies the object to duplicate in the array.
• DataCount (Integer): number of copies to create.
• 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.
• DataFuse (Bool): specifies if overlapping elements in the array are fused or not. introduced in 1.0
• DataPath Object (LinkGlobal): specifies the object to be used for the path.
• DataRotation Factor (Float): rotation factor of the twisted array.

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 properties, 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.
• View (Hidden)Transform Origin (Placement): 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)
• ViewShow Placement (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 Draft PathTwistedArray use the make_path_twisted_array method of the Draft module.

path_twisted_array = Draft.make_path_twisted_array(base_object,
    path_object, count=15, rot_factor=0.25, 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.
• path_object is the path object. It can also be the Label (string) of an object in the current document.
• count is the number of elements in the array.
• rot_factor is a factor for the number of turns along the path.
• If use_link is True the created elements are App Links instead of regular copies.

PointLinkArray

PathTwistedLinkArray

Draft

Draft

• Drafting: Line, Polyline, Fillet, Arc, Arc From 3 Points, Circle, Ellipse, Rectangle, Polygon, B-Spline, Cubic Bézier Curve, Bézier Curve, Point, Facebinder, ShapeString, Hatch
• Annotation: Text, Dimension, Label, Annotation Styles, Annotation Scale
• Modification: Move, Rotate, Scale, Mirror, Offset, Trimex, Stretch, Clone, Array, Polar Array, Circular Array, Path Array, Path Link Array, Point Array, Point Link Array, Edit, Highlight Subelements, Join, Split, Upgrade, Downgrade, Convert Wire/B-Spline, Draft to Sketch, Set Slope, Flip Dimension, Shape 2D View

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• Draft Tray: Working Plane, Set Style, Toggle Construction Mode, AutoGroup
• Snapping: Snap Lock, Snap Endpoint, Snap Midpoint, Snap Center, Snap Angle, Snap Intersection, Snap Perpendicular, Snap Extension, Snap Parallel, Snap Special, Snap Near, Snap Ortho, Snap Grid, Snap Working Plane, Snap Dimensions, Toggle Grid

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• Miscellaneous: Apply Current Style, New Layer, Manage Layers, New Named Group, SelectGroup, Add to Layer, Add to Group, Add to Construction Group, Toggle Wireframe, Working Plane Proxy, Heal, Show Snap Toolbar
• Additional: Constraining, Pattern, Preferences, Import Export Preferences, DXF/DWG, SVG, OCA, DAT
• Context menu:
  • Most objects: Edit
  • Layer container: Add New Layer, Reassign Properties of All Layers, Merge Layer Duplicates
  • Layer: Activate Layer, Reassign Properties of Layer, Select Layer Contents
  • Text and label: Open Links
  • Wire: Flatten
  • Working plane proxy: Save Camera Position, Save Visibility of Objects

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

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

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

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