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Further BIM improvements

• The Views panel got an overhaul and now has a section for all 2D views. Pull request #15836
• The Views panel got an activate and deactivate functionality for objects in the spatial decomposition section. Pull request #15836 and Pull request #21570
• NativeIFC support for 2D objects was added to BIM, allowing to embed 2D objects (linework, texts, dimensions) inside IFC files, as well as opening such files from other BIM apps. Pull request #16629
• The Schedule dialog gained support for simple arrays (e.g. non-nested). This enables regular and link arrays (both either expanded or not expanded) to be processed for further calculations in the BIM Schedule report. Pull request #19219
• The Continue option is now stored separately for each Draft and BIM command. Pull request #20748
• When adding BIM views to a TechDraw page, they now adhere to the page's scale, so that they have a sensible size. Pull request #20935
• The default zoom level for new BIM projects has been changed to be more adequate to the magnitudes used for architectural models. Pull request #20271
• When creating a new Level, selected objects in the tree view are now included in the level. Pull request #20180
• Spaces can now be created from a single object (e.g. the interior faces of a wall based on a rectangle base). Pull request #20158
• FreeCAD standard groups can now be ignored when a model is exported to IFC. This is controlled by a preference and is the new default. Pull request #21583
• An option to preload all IfcTypes during IFC file import/open process has been added. Pull request #21450
• The Section Plane command received numerous fixes and usability improvements. Most notably the issue whereby rotating the section plane flipped the cut direction was fixed, and the ability to toggle the CutView from the Task panel was added. Pull request #23826
• Double clicking on a BIM object that supports editing should open its task panel, instead of editing its label. Pull request #23805, Pull Request #23796 and Pull Request #24712
• The Remove command can now remove windows and doors from walls. Pull request #21561
• When creating a custom window, the window's frame depth and related properties are described unambiguously to the user. Pull Request #21486
• When exporting models that contain a roof, that roof is no longer removed from the export. Pull Request #21409
• Double-clicking a Level now activates it and its working plane by default. Pull Request #21159
• The W, P shortcut was added to select the working plane. Pull Request #21157.
• Support for B-splines for structures, such as Slab, was added. Pull Request #21134
• Upon Wall creation, the wall's ÚdajeOffset property can additionally be entered. Pull Request #21042
• The 2D View creation commands are now grouped together for improved usability. Pull Request #20941

Further CAM improvements

• The CAM Shape experimental tool was replaced by Path from Shape with Tool Controller which is a significantly improved version of that tool based on a macro. Pull request #21108
• Adaptive roughing/overhang detection was implemented including intelligent 2.5D projection of the model and stock for all adaptive operations, one-click "adaptive roughing" of the entire model, "Z stock to leave" setting to complement the "finishing stepdown" setting and a checkbox to order cuts by depth or region. Pull request #18880
• G84/G74 tapping operations were added experimentaly. Pull request #8069 and Pull request #24148
• Multi-pass support was added for profile operations. Pull request #17326
• Support for Snapmaker, Masso and Ondsel SVG postprocessors was added. Pull request #20154, Pull request #18845 and Pull request #21743
• The New CAM Simulator was improved, including two additional buttons to reset the camera and decrease the speed. Pull request #21288, Pull request #21222 and more
• The Array operation is now considered deprecated as it's currently also implemented as a dressup. Pull request #20321
• Support for multi-pass profile operations was implemented. Pull request #17326
• The LeadInOut functionality was improved. Pull request #22669
• UI elements were added to allow viewing and editing tool controller parameters from within the operation's task panel. Pull request #23180

• Objects with two arrows can now have different start and end arrows. The size of an object's start and end arrows can also be different. Pull request #11941
• The Draft Edit command can now also handle Draft Labels. Pull request #13445
• Support for relative file paths has been added to ShapeStrings and hatches. Pull request #17819 and Pull request #23294
• The handling of Links in TechDraw DraftViews was fixed. Pull request #18175 and Pull request #19296
• The extrude mode of the Draft Trimex command has been made link-aware. It can now handle faces belonging to Links and objects in linked containers. And the point that defines the extrusion can be co-planar with the face. Pull request #18314 and Pull request #18320
• The Move, Rotate and Scale commands have been made link-aware as well. Pull request #18795
• If a Facebinder based on connected faces is extruded, an attempt is made to close its corners. The Sew property of the object must be set to true for this. Note that the code can fail for complex shapes. Pull request #18901
• Path arrays have been enhanced with several new properties. It is now possible to reverse the array, specify a fixed spacing unit, and use spacing patterns. Pull request #19017
• Objects in layers can now have overrrides. Pull request #19207
• The Draft AddToLayer command, to quickly put objects in the correct layer, has been added. Pull request #19427
• The TechDraw code that Draft Hatch relies on has been revised to also handle dashed lines in hatch patterns. Pull request #19458
• The Draft Downgrade and Draft Upgrade commands have been updated. Arrays can be downgraded (exploded), and new objects are put in the same container (Group, Part) as the original objects, and also receive the visual properties of the original objects. Pull request #19487 and Pull request #19685
• The Draft Polygon command now shows a preview (tracker) of an actual polygon, instead of a circle. Pull request #21045
• An Align to face checkbox has been added to the task panel of the Draft Hatch command. Pull request #21332
• An in-command shortcut D to recenter the working plane during commands has been added. Pull request #19728
• To simplify user input for single axis arrays, a linear mode option has been added to the task panel of the Draft OrthoArray command. Pull request #21602
• Status bar hints were added for Draft Creation tools. Pull request #23244

Further Draft improvements

• The Draft Fillet command now works on selected edges, instead of the first edge of selected objects. Pull request #17945 and Pull request #18150
• The Draft AutoGroup and the Draft AddToGroup commands have been improved. The menus of both commands are sorted alphabetically. In the menu of the Draft AutoGroup command layers are separated from groups, and the New layer option prompts for a name and activates the layer. The actions of both commands have been made undoable. Pull request #18172 and Pull request #19312
• The position of the Scale multiplier field in the UI was improved (Draft SetStyle, Draft AnnotationStyleEditor and Draft Preferences). Pull request #18299
• The Draft Draft2Sketch command now also applies coincident constraints between edges from different source objects. Pull request #18805
• The radius, and chamfer and delete modes of the Draft Fillet command are stored. Pull request #19067
• An edit option has been added for Draft Clones. After double-clicking them in the Tree view their scaling can be modified in a task panel. Pull request #19477
• A planar face and an edge can now be selected for the Draft SelectPlane command. Pull request #19728
• For clarity the Filled checkbox in the task panel of for example Draft Wire has been relabeled to Make face. Pull request #19738
• The texts of newly created dimensions are now oriented automatically relative to the current working plane. A fine-tuning parameter is available to disable this behavior. Pull request #20072
• Near snap no longer overrides other snaps. On-object snaps, such as Midpoint snap and Endpoint snap, within snapRange of the cursor are now detected. Pull request #20118
• In the Draft Preferences a dropdown to select the font name for texts, dimensions and labels has been introduced. Previously the name had to be entered manually. Pull request #20400
• The Continue option is now stored separately for each Draft and BIM command. For the Draft Dimension command the old Continue option has been re-labeled to Chained mode for clarity, and a new Continue option has been added. Pull request #20748
• The Draft ShapeString command has seen several improvements. The font file is no longer a preference, instead the last selected file is stored. For the initial value of the font file an attempt is made to get a suitable file from the OS. This is primarily to help users who are not aware of font file locations. The last entered text and height are also stored. A Global option has been added to task panel. By unchecking that checkbox, coordinates can be specified in the working plane coordinate system. Finally, TrueType Collection font files (.ttc) can now also be selected, but only the first font in such a file can be used. Pull request #21004, Pull request #21054 and Pull request #21124
• The base object for a Draft Wire, Draft BSpline and Draft BezCurve has been changed to the Part::FeaturePython object. Pull request #21636
• Intersection snap now also detects intersections between faces and edges. Pull request #23352
• The Working plane orientation option has been removed from the Draft Scale command as it did not work properly. Pull request #23716

Further FEM improvements

• Log verbosity and number of threads used for meshing can now be set for Gmsh and Netgen in the Preferences. Pull request #17699 and Pull request #18608
• The ÚdajeSecond Order Linear property and support for local refinement, previously only available for Gmsh, are now also available for the new Netgen implementation. Pull request #17170
• Box and elliptical beam section types were added to FEM ElementGeometry1D. Pull request #15843
• The Purge results tool now deletes all the results objects, not just the ones native to CalculiX. Pull request #18328
• Tie constraint can now be applied also to shell faces. Pull request #18325
• Output format (binary or ASCII) and saving of geometry IDs can now be set for Elmer, also in Preferences. Pull request #17972
• A smoothing option was added to the Contours filter. Pull request #18088
• The BucklingAccuracy parameter was added to CalculiX solver - it might be necessary to capture the first eigenvalue in some linear buckling analyses. Pull request #18790
• Now all FEM objects for which suppressing makes sense can be suppressed. Previously only constraints were suppressible. Pull request #18636
• Contact forces are now printed to ccx_dat_file in CalculiX analyses. Pull request #18840
• The MaterialReinforced tool now uses the new material editor. Pull request #18893
• The Electrostatic potential boundary condition was extended to also support Neumann-type boundary condition and prescribe electric flux density. It now has a symbol too. Pull request #18514 and Pull request #19011
• Thermal expansion reference temperature can now be defined for solid material in thermomechanical analyses with CalculiX. Pull request #19285
• The Fem.frdToVTK Python function was added allowing conversion of CalculiX's frd results files to VTK format used by ParaView. Pull request #19426
• The Current density boundary condition was improved. It now has two modes (Custom and Normal) and a symbol for the Normal mode. Pull request #19930
• Two new FEM examples were added - one for the newly implemented Static current equation (Joule heating) and one for Rigid body constraint. Pull request #20007 and Pull request #20011
• The Heat flux load task panel was improved - radio buttons used to choose the heat flux type were replaced with a combo box. Pull request #20059
• The Magnetization boundary condition task panel was improved. Pull request #20055
• Selection mode was added to Geometry reference selector in the task panels of Elmer equations. Pull request #20053
• The renameArrays Python function was added to rename selected results pipeline fields. Pull request #20411
• A CalculiX-related preference named Result object was added. If its checkbox Pipeline only is enabled, a newly refactored CalculiX solver object is added to the Analysis container when using the Solver CalculiX option. It has an updated task panel, doesn't generate CCX_Results objects (only the results pipeline object is created) and will be further developed. Pull request #20609
• The Offset property was added to Shell Plate Thickness, making it possible to offset the expanded shell from the actual mesh. Pull request #22385
• Support for thermal contact with CalculiX was added via Enable Thermal Contact and Thermal Contact Conductance properties used to specify gap conductance. Pull request #22121
• Support for hard and tied contact with CalculiX was added. Pull request #22513 and Pull request #23327
• Support for cavity radiation with CalculiX was added. Pull request #22593
• Support for amplitudes (time variation) for most mechanical and thermal boundary conditions and loads with CalculiX was added. There are new properties: Enable Amplitude and Amplitude Values. Pull request #22851
• Initial temperature can now be applied to a selected region (via the References property) in CalculiX analyses. Pull request #22864
• The Glue property was added to the Netgen mesher. When enabled, a continuous mesh is created (this property is equivalent to Gmsh's Coherence Mesh). Pull request #23074
• Default Priority of Elmer equations now starts with 255 and decreases with each added equation. This way, the equations are solved in the order they were added to the tree. Pull request #22999
• CalculiX's membrane and truss elements are now supported and replace shell and beam elements respectively when the new ExcludeBendingStiffness property of the CalculiX solver is enabled. Pull request #22912 and Pull request #23224
• Displacements of rigid body reference point are now printed to ccx_dat_file. Pull request #23199
• Initial temperature can now be also used to prescribe temperature field in a static analysis step (with optional amplitude). Pull request #23277 and Pull request #23530
• Netgen can now be installed in the standard way mentioned on its download page and it is only necessary to point FreeCAD to the proper Python executable in the preferences (by default the Python executable specified in general Python preferences is used). Pull request #23613
• Some preferences related to mesh export now have better defaults. Namely, groups of nodes are enabled for the Gmsh mesher and export to INP files includes FEM elements only and groups by default. Pull request #23553
• Properties of the CalculiX solver are now grouped and time incrementation properties are more user-friendly (improved names, better defaults, easy switch between automatic and direct incrementation as well as no need to enable additional property to set non-default incrementation). Pull request #23494
• There is a new Pastix Mixed Precision property of the CalculiX solver. It's disabled by default so that mixed precision is not used for the PaStiX matrix solver to avoid issues with incorrect results of some analyses. Pull request #23539
• The Elmer solver's object and task panel were reworked similar to what was done before for CalculiX. It now works with the new implementation of Netgen. Moreover, ParaView PVD files can now be imported. Pull request #24912
• Three new FEM examples were added - one for the newly implemented electrostatics with the refactored CalculiX solver, one for the newly implemented pressure loads on edges of 2D models and one for the cyclic symmetry introduced in FreeCAD 1.0. Pull request #25117, Pull request #25191 and Pull request #25268

• Materials can now be stored in external datastores. This feature is experimental and has to be activated explicitly when compiling the source code. It is not available in the standard FreeCAD builds. Pull request #21047

Further Material improvements

• Several new materials with physical properties were added to the material database:
  • Polycarbonate Pull request #19432
  • PMMA Pull request #24006
  • Homopolymer and copolymer POM Pull request #23820
  • PEEK Pull request #23779
  • Aluminum 7075-T6 Pull request #23976
  • Updated Aluminum 6061-T6 Pull request #23977

Further Part improvements

• The Set Tolerance tool was added to allow the creation of parametric copies of the selected objects with all contained tolerances set to at least a certain minimum value. Moreover, the Check geometry tool now includes output about tolerances in the Shape Content tab. Pull request #17214
• The Check geometry tool now also has results entries for valid shapes, shows skipped objects and generates reports in the report view. Pull request #17631
• Loft and Sweep now create solids by default. Pull request #22098
• The redundant Part Import and Part Export tools were removed from the menu. Pull request #22116

• A task panel was added for the Blend Curve tool. Pull request #21825

• The Insert Area Annotation tool now properly accounts for holes in faces. Pull request #17740
• Shape validation is now available and can be enabled in Preferences. Pull request #18282
• Scaling of SVG symbols has been fixed. Pull request #18757
• New r format specifier was added. It rounds the dimension value to the step specified as decimal before r. For example, %0.5r (or just %.5r) rounds to 0.5. Pull request #19393
• Snapping of detail view highlights to the closest vertex in the TaskDialog drag highlight process was added. Pull request #22036
• Instead of toggling view frames, they are now shown and hidden automatically when hovering the cursor over the view. Pull request #22869
• The cosmetic circle commands were renamed and grouped for clarity. Pull request #22945
• The deprecated LandmarkDimension and LinkDimension tools were removed. Pull request #21483
• Number of decimals and reference dimension options were added to the dimension task panel. Pull request #23501