2013-04-15 21:22:54 -04:00
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.. _what_is_cadquery:
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*********************
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Introduction
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*********************
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2013-04-23 20:33:39 -04:00
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What is CadQuery
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2013-04-15 21:22:54 -04:00
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========================================
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CadQuery is an intuitive, easy-to-use language for building parametric 3D CAD models. It has several goals:
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* Build models with scripts that are as close as possible to how you'd describe the object to a human.
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* Create parametric models that can be very easily customized by end users
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* Output high quality CAD formats like STEP and AMF in addition to traditional STL
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* Provide a non-proprietary, plain text model format that can be edited and executed with only a web browser
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CadQuery is a Python module that provides a high-level wrapper around the
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(`FreeCAD <http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/free-cad/index.php?title=Main_Page>`_) python libraries.
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Where does the name CadQuery come from?
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2013-04-23 20:33:39 -04:00
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========================================
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2013-04-15 21:22:54 -04:00
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CadQuery is inspired by ( `jQuery <http://www.jquery.com>`_ ), a popular framework that
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revolutionized web development involving javascript.
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CadQuery is for 3D CAD what jQuery is for javascript.
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2014-07-20 09:52:47 -04:00
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If you are familiar with how jQuery works, you will probably recognize several jQuery features that CadQuery uses:
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2013-04-15 21:22:54 -04:00
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* A fluent api to create clean, easy to read code
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* Ability to use the library along side other python libraries
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* Clear and complete documentation, with plenty of samples.
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Why ParametricParts instead of OpenSCAD?
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2013-04-23 20:33:39 -04:00
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============================================
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2013-04-15 21:22:54 -04:00
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CadQuery is based on FreeCAD,which is in turn based on the OpenCascade modelling kernel. CadQuery/FreeCAD scripts
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share many features with OpenSCAD, another open source, script based, parametric model generator.
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2014-07-20 09:52:47 -04:00
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The primary advantage of OpenSCAD is the large number of model libaries that exist already. So why not simply use OpenSCAD?
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2013-04-15 21:22:54 -04:00
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CadQuery scripts run from ParametricParts.com have several key advantages over OpenSCAD ( including the various web-based SCAD solutions):
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1. **The scripts use a standard programming language**, python, and thus can benefit from the associated infrastructure.
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This includes many standard libraries and IDEs
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2. **More powerful CAD kernel** OpenCascade is much more powerful than CGAL. Features supported natively
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by OCC include NURBS, splines, surface sewing, STL repair, STEP import/export, and other complex operations,
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in addition to the standard CSG operations supported by CGAL
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3. **Ability to import/export STEP** We think the ability to begin with a STEP model, created in a CAD package,
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and then add parametric features is key. This is possible in OpenSCAD using STL, but STL is a lossy format
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4. **Less Code and easier scripting** CadQuery scripts require less code to create most objects, because it is possible to locate
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features based on the position of other features, workplanes, vertices, etc.
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5. **Better Performance** CadQuery scripts can build STL, STEP, and AMF faster than OpenSCAD.
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