4 ms·

I'm curious, why would you want to do this instead of using OpenSCAD?

by ErikBjare 6y ago

m0zg 6y ago
Nobody wants to learn yet another language.
- encypruon 6y ago
  No need, as there is solidpython [1] which lets you use OpenSCAD from Python. The notation is brief, Pythons expressiveness makes everything easier and the learning curve is extremely low. [1] https://github.com/SolidCode/SolidPython https://github.com/SolidCode/SolidPython
- ur-whale 6y ago
  Especially OpenSCAD's language: paying the price to learn a new DSL is only a reasonable investment when said DSL brings in a ton of added value as compared to a generic programming language. OpenSCAD's DSL is a rather feeble attempt at a functional programming language, brings in almost no added value compared to - say - python and worst of all is very limited and has no library ecosystem. Do yourself a favor and learn one of the python-based solutions that end up calling the same computational geometry engine (namely CGAL).
  - rkangel 6y ago
    SolidPython is recommended in a sibling. Are there any others you can suggest?
    - ur-whale 6y ago
      SolidPython is the most mature and the one I'm using. There were others I tried before settling on solid, but TBH I forgot their name. SolidPython has downsides though: - it is a giant PITA to install: you have to deploy that monstrous wart called "conda" which will gobble up 6G of your drive and fricking patch you .bashrc, all of this just so you can install solid - it lacks the following feature that native openscad has: "edit model source code with <insert fave editor here> and openscad will recompute the model automatically every time you save. There's a way to implement that feature with an additional package (solidpython-reloader), but at that point, you've lost 80% of your target audience.
throw_m239339 6y ago
Big companies such as MusicTribe (Behringer) use FreeCAD. I hope they are contributing to it financially...
Cynox 6y ago
OpenSCAD can only produce triangulations (STL), not CAD geometries (STEP/IGES). If you want an OpenSCAD-like workflow, but in Python and producing CAD (Brep) files, then cadquery 2 is progressing very quickly. They now have assembly support, so constructing a multi-solid part (as a STEP file) that can be dragged and dropped into FreeCAD is quite easy. https://cadquery.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ https://cadquery.readthedocs.io/en/latest/
ur-whale 6y ago
Filleting with OpenSCAD is a nightmare.

I'm curious, why would you want to do this instead of using OpenSCAD?

m0zg 6y ago

Nobody wants to learn yet another language.

encypruon 6y ago
No need, as there is solidpython [1] which lets you use OpenSCAD from Python. The notation is brief, Pythons expressiveness makes everything easier and the learning curve is extremely low. [1] https://github.com/SolidCode/SolidPython https://github.com/SolidCode/SolidPython
ur-whale 6y ago
Especially OpenSCAD's language: paying the price to learn a new DSL is only a reasonable investment when said DSL brings in a ton of added value as compared to a generic programming language. OpenSCAD's DSL is a rather feeble attempt at a functional programming language, brings in almost no added value compared to - say - python and worst of all is very limited and has no library ecosystem. Do yourself a favor and learn one of the python-based solutions that end up calling the same computational geometry engine (namely CGAL).
- rkangel 6y ago
  SolidPython is recommended in a sibling. Are there any others you can suggest?
  - ur-whale 6y ago
    SolidPython is the most mature and the one I'm using. There were others I tried before settling on solid, but TBH I forgot their name. SolidPython has downsides though: - it is a giant PITA to install: you have to deploy that monstrous wart called "conda" which will gobble up 6G of your drive and fricking patch you .bashrc, all of this just so you can install solid - it lacks the following feature that native openscad has: "edit model source code with <insert fave editor here> and openscad will recompute the model automatically every time you save. There's a way to implement that feature with an additional package (solidpython-reloader), but at that point, you've lost 80% of your target audience.

throw_m239339 6y ago

Big companies such as MusicTribe (Behringer) use FreeCAD. I hope they are contributing to it financially...

Cynox 6y ago

OpenSCAD can only produce triangulations (STL), not CAD geometries (STEP/IGES). If you want an OpenSCAD-like workflow, but in Python and producing CAD (Brep) files, then cadquery 2 is progressing very quickly. They now have assembly support, so constructing a multi-solid part (as a STEP file) that can be dragged and dropped into FreeCAD is quite easy. https://cadquery.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ https://cadquery.readthedocs.io/en/latest/

ur-whale 6y ago

Filleting with OpenSCAD is a nightmare.