Bidirectionality with GUI?

[rosmur]

I know CAD built wth build123d can be imported into FreeCAD. But is it possible for changes made in FreeCAD/GUIs to then be brought into build123d as code and allow you to continue building in build123d?

[gumyr]

Short answer, no (but yes). Of course designs made in FreeCAD can be imported via STEP files (or BREP format?) but these will be objects and not build123d code. If you want to continue adding to them you can but you won't have equivalent code used to make the FreeCAD object (it can take a fair bit of time to redesign imported parts kinda like recreating source code from compiled binary). It would be cool to have such a capability though.

[rosmur]

IMO this would be a critical feature to enable widespread adoption. I say this as its common to iteratively develop making many small changes that are more suited to be done graphically.

Is this something that's technically feasible perhaps? Or is there no path at all?

[gumyr]

I believe such a system is feasible and you, or anyone else, are welcome to try to make such a system but that isn't the focus of build123d itself which has a long list of pure code CAD features to add.

[gumyr]

done graphically.

I imagine all users are using a viewer so "done graphically" isn't really what you're after - it's the ability to make changes in the GUI world and have that show up in the build123d code. Many, especially new, users find selector creation challenging and would benefit from this which is a topic for academic study.

[rosmur]

it's the ability to make changes in the GUI world and have that show up in the build123d code. Many, especially new, users find selector creation challenging and would benefit from this which is a topic for academic study.

yup precisely!