Compile FreeCAD on Windows

Compile FreeCAD on Windows

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1.Introduction

Freecad is a parametric three-dimensional modeling software, mainly used for arbitrary size of the actual model design. Parametric modeling allows you to easily modify your design by modifying the relevant parameters. FREECAD is open source software and provides a convenient way to customize and also provides scripts to expand functionality to suit your needs. Freecad is a cross-platform (Windows, Mac, and Linux) that can read and write many open model files, such as Step,iges,stl,svg,dxf,obj,ifc,dae.

If learning Opencascade can understand some of the underlying algorithms of the geometric kernel, then learning Freecad can be used to implement some specific functions, so that the three-dimensional technology into the real life, to create a meaningful function.

This article explains in detail how to compile the Freecad source code on the Windows platform. If you can already compile the source code of this open source Library Opencascade, then compile Freecad is still very simple.

2.Preparation

Before compiling the FREECAD source code, you need to do some preparatory work: Download the source code and the required third-party library. Where source code can be downloaded from GitHub, address: Https://github.com/FreeCAD

In order to facilitate the compilation of its source code, FREECAD will need to package the third-party library named Libpack, convenient for developers to compile their own. Libpack can be downloaded from sourceforge:

https://sourceforge.net/projects/free-cad/files/FreeCAD%20LibPack/

Figure 2.1 Download Libpack of FreeCAD

Find the Libpack download that is consistent with your own compiler version. If you want to compile in visual Studio2008, download freecadlibs_11.1_x86_vc9.7z. Download good source and libpack on everything, let's take a cursory look at what libraries are in Libpack:

Figure 2.2 3rd party libraries used in FreeCAD

As you can see from the include, the geometry kernel uses the OCE (Opencascade Community Edition), the script uses Python, the display uses inventor, the grid library also uses the Smesh, the reverse engineering function uses the PCL, Also used in the Boost and Eigen Matrix Computing Library, the program interface using QT and so on. Thus, the number of third-party libraries in FREECAD is more than in Opencascade, so the key to successful compilation is to configure these third-party libraries correctly.

Fortunately Freecad's development team provided these third-party libraries, and it took a lot of time and effort to prepare the libraries themselves.

3.Compiling

Freecad in Windows compiles primarily using CMake, which generates Visual Studio project files through CMake. If you directly configure the CMakeLists.txt in the source folder will look like the error shown:

Figure 3.1 Could not find Libpack error

According to the error message, it is not found in the specified directory Libpack, so you set Freecad_libpack_dir to the downloaded libpack, you can configure success, as shown in:

Figure 3.2 CMake Success

Once configure is successful, you can use generate to generate Freecad_trunk.sln project files to open and compile with Visual Studio.

Figure 3.3 FreeCAD projects in Visual Studio

Look at themselves compiled a module, in the FREECAD function selection in the more than a module, or very feeling. Self-compiled, after a long wait to get a running program is also some harvest.

4.Play

After the successful compilation, I can't wait to test the features of the bright spot, such as grid design, reverse engineering, robot and other modules.

Figure 4.1 Shape in Wireframe mode

Figure 4.2 Shape Mesh

Figure 4.3 Assembly in FreeCAD

See Assembly only that one button, assembly function is basically not used. If there is an assembly function, then the functionality of FREECAD is similar to the three-dimensional software features that are common. assembly function needs to use the three-dimensional constraints, like what face alignment, coaxial, etc., commercial software will use the constraints of Siemens DCM,DCM related information can refer to the Simens official website:

https://www.plm.automation.siemens.com/en_us/products/open/d-cubed/

There is a need for DCM to contact them directly, but the price is not cheap.

Figure 4.4 DCM of SIEMENS

Without Google to find something still very laborious, with Baidu and Bing Chinese version has not found anything useful. Using the Bing English version, only to find, such as the same input keyword Dcm3d, baidu out of something completely useless:

Figure 4.5 Search result of Dcm3d

Freecad Video of the robot function: http://www.tudou.com/listplay/5zDaAoucSXQ/

Figure 4.6 Robot in FreeCAD

PDF version:compile FreeCAD on Windows

Compile FreeCAD on Windows