Scripted 3D CAD applications for Linux

EasyOS has SolveSpace builtin, that I have been using for years. It is very powerful, and relatively easy to use; however, recently I have been wondering about the script-based CAD apps.

Reason is, the precision of defining a 3D design in code, appeals, as opposed to sketching on a GUI work surface. Basically, you write code in an editor, click on a "Render" button and another window shows the generated 3D image.

Started off looking at OpenSCAD, then some others, such as PyMADCAD and ZenCAD. But then started to wonder about limitations. In a forum, someone who was using OpenSCAD, asked, how to measure the distance between two arbitrary points on the rendered 3D image? He commented that he often needs to be able to do that, and I thought, me too. But you can't; that is going "backwards". The 3D image is just a render, and seems that none of the script-based 3D CAD apps support measuring distance between arbitrary points?

This page has links to lots of script-based CAD apps:

https://www.reddit.com/r/openscad/comments/135dllm/better_openscad/

That is not a complete list. For example PyMADCAD:

https://github.com/jimy-byerley/pymadcad

There are so many to investigate, it just goes on and on. But for me, wanting to be able to experiment with adjusting linkages directly on the 3D image in the custom trike project, SolveSpace does it beautifully. So, I've been working through some SolveSpace tutorials, learning more how to use it.

SolveSpace homepage:

https://solvespace.com/index.pl    

...there are tutorials, here are more:

https://www.farwire.net/SolveSpace-LearningGuide.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHnVAw7fCPg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlY1YFid8HA

...there are heaps more on YouTube.

So despite the title, I am back on SolveSpace. It was an entertaining diversion for awhile, and I might even look at a couple more.      

Tags: linux