Tools

Tools in CAD Sketcher are either exposed as a workspacetool or as an operator. Note however that either of those use the same interaction system.

Generic Tools

`View3D_OT_slvs_add_sketch`

Add a sketch

`View3D_OT_slvs_delete_entity`

Delete selected sketch geometry

`View3D_OT_slvs_delete_constraint`

Delete constraint by type and index

Workspacetools

Workspacetools are used to interactively create entities. You can access them from the viewport's "T"-panel. Check the tools section to get familiar with the behavior of CAD Sketcher tools.

INFO: Interaction with extension geometry is only possible when one of the extension tools is active.

Workspacetool Access Keymap

Whenever one of the extension's tools is active the tool access keymap allows to quickly switch between the different tools. These keys also work while a tool is running: the unfinished element is discarded and the new tool starts. While typing a number, letters are read as units (e.g. 5cm) instead.

Key	Modifier	Action
Esc / Rmb	-	Activate Tool: Select
P	-	Invoke Tool: Point
L	-	Invoke Tool: Line
C	-	Invoke Tool: Circle
A	-	Invoke Tool: Endpoint Arc
A	Shift	Invoke Tool: Center Arc
R	-	Invoke Tool: Rectangle (the variant the toolbar shows)
Y	-	Invoke Tool: Trim
B	-	Invoke Tool: Bevel
O	-	Invoke Tool: Offset
D	-	Invoke Tool: Dimension
J	-	Invoke Tool: Project Geometry

Dimensional Constraints:

These start the Dimension tool limited to one kind of dimension; plain D lets it infer the kind from what you pick.

Key	Modifier	Action
D	Alt	Distance
V	Alt	Vertical Distance
H	Alt	Horizontal Distance
A	Alt	Angle
O	Alt	Diameter
R	Alt	Radius

Geometric Constraints:

Key	Modifier	Action
C	Shift	Coincident
V	Shift	Vertical
H	Shift	Horizontal
E	Shift	Equal
P	Shift	Parallel
L	Shift	Perpendicular
T	Shift	Tangent
M	Shift	Midpoint
R	Shift	Ratio

Editing Keymap

Available while any of the extension's tools is active.

Key	Modifier	Action
X / Del	-	Delete selected entities
C	Ctrl	Copy
V	Ctrl	Paste
D	Shift	Duplicate & move
G	-	Move
V	-	Align view to the active entity
M	Alt	Merge points
C	Alt+Shift	Toggle construction mode

Global Shortcuts

Available in Object Mode regardless of the active tool, also while a tool is running. The object-level tools these start are covered in modeling tools.

Key	Modifier	Action
A	Ctrl+Shift	Add sketch / leave the active sketch
E	Ctrl+Shift	Extrude
R	Ctrl+Shift	Revolve
D	Ctrl+Shift	Array (linear or circular, whichever the toolbar shows)
B	Ctrl+Shift	Boolean
M	Ctrl+Shift	Open the CAD Sketcher pie menu (drawing tools and constraints)
Esc	Shift	Switch to Blender's Select tool

Basic Tool Keymap

The basic tool interaction is consistent between tools.

Key	Modifier	Action
Tab	-	Jump to next tool state or property substate when in numerical edit
0-9 / (-)	-	Activate numeric edit
Enter / Lmb	-	Verify the operation
Lmb (drag)	-	Draw by dragging: press, drag past the Drag Threshold (Preferences > Input), release
Esc / Rmb	-	Cancel the operation
Z	Ctrl	Cancel the operation (like Esc); press again to undo

While numeric edit is active

Key	Modifier	Action
Tab	-	Jump to next tool property substate
0-9	-	Activate numeric edit
Minus(-)	-	Toggle between positive and negative values

Selection tools

`View3D_OT_slvs_select`

Select an entity

Either the entity specified by the index property or the hovered index if the index property is not set

`View3D_OT_slvs_select_all`

Select / Deselect all entities

`View3D_OT_slvs_select_invert`

Invert entities selection

`View3D_OT_slvs_select_extend`

Extend the selection to the entities next to it

`View3D_OT_slvs_select_extend_all`

Extend the selection to the whole connected chain

Keymap:

Key	Modifier	Action
LMB (click)	-	Toggle select
LMB (click)	Shift	Extend selection
LMB (click)	Ctrl	Subtract from selection
LMB (click)	Alt	Select the next entity in the overlapping stack under the cursor
Wheel	Alt	Cycle the hovered entity through overlapping ones without selecting
LMB (drag)	-	Box select, or tweak the hovered entity
LMB (drag)	Shift	Box select (extend)
LMB (drag)	Ctrl	Box select (subtract)
A	Ctrl	Select all
Esc	-	Deselect all
I	Ctrl	Invert selection
E	Ctrl	Extend selection in chain
E	Ctrl+Shift	Select full chain
Rmb	-	Open the context menu

INFO: LMB in empty space will also deselect all.

INFO: Chain selection works with coincident constraints too

INFO: When entities overlap, a plain click grabs the nearest one. Alt+click steps to the next entity down (repeat to dig through the stack), and Alt+wheel cycles the hovered entity so you can preview before clicking. This also works while picking geometry inside a drawing or constraint tool.

`View3D_OT_slvs_add_point2d`

Add a point to the active sketch

`View3D_OT_slvs_add_line2d`

Add a line to the active sketch

`View3D_OT_slvs_add_circle2d`

Add a circle to the active sketch

`View3D_OT_slvs_add_arc2d`

Add an arc to the active sketch

`View3D_OT_slvs_add_arc3pt2d`

Add an arc from a start point to an end point, curving the way you set off

`View3D_OT_slvs_add_rectangle`

Add a rectangle to the active sketch

`View3D_OT_slvs_add_rectangle_center`

Add a rectangle from its center and one corner

`View3D_OT_slvs_add_rectangle_3point`

Add a rectangle from one edge and its width, at any angle

`View3D_OT_slvs_trim`

Trim segment to its closest intersections

`View3D_OT_slvs_bevel`

Add a tangential arc between the two segments of selected points

The radius follows the cursor and is clamped to what still fits between the neighbouring segments. Type a value to set it exactly; a typed radius is held by a radius dimension on the new arc, which the redo panel can turn off again (or on, for a dragged one).

`View3D_OT_slvs_add_offset`

Copy and offset selected entities along with their constraints by the distance value

An offset stays tied to what it came from: each offset line is kept parallel to its source, arcs and circles share the source's center, and the segments of a path are held at one common distance, so editing the source moves the offset with it. Type a value to set that distance exactly; as with the bevel, a typed distance is held by a dimension the redo panel can toggle.

`VIEW3D_OT_slvs_add_dimension`

Add a dimension, inferring the constraint type from the geometry.

The user does not choose between distance, angle and diameter up front:

a line -> distance (its length); click a second entity while placing to switch: a line -> angle (or the perpendicular distance if the two are parallel), a point -> point-to-line distance, a circle/arc -> edge-to-line distance
a circle or arc -> diameter; click a point or line while placing to switch to an edge-to-point / edge-to-line distance
two points -> distance
point + line -> point-to-line distance
point/line + circle/arc -> edge distance (measured from the curve's edge)
circle/arc + circle/arc -> edge-to-edge distance (along the line of centres)

A line/circle/arc drops straight into an interactive placement state after the first pick, where the label is dragged into place (display only, no re-solve) and confirmed with a click. A point needs a partner, so it takes a required second pick before placement.

kind restricts the tool to one dimension type (distance, angle or diameter), and align/radius/supplementary preset how it measures, so every former dimension tool is this operator with flags.

`VIEW3D_OT_slvs_project_geometry`

Project a picked mesh vertex, edge or face into the active sketch

Project Geometry brings a mesh object's edges into the active sketch as native construction points and lines. The projected points stay linked to their source vertices, so editing or transforming the source object updates the projection.

Workplane tools

A workplane is any Blender object whose transform defines the sketch plane (see code documentation). These operators manage the workplane an active sketch is anchored to.

`View3D_OT_slvs_align_workplane_cursor`

Align workplane to the 3D Cursor

`View3D_OT_slvs_make_workplane_free`

Stop the workplane following its mesh face and keep it where it is. Other sketches on the same workplane stay anchored

`View3D_OT_slvs_reattach_workplane`

Click a mesh face to anchor this workplane to it, replacing any current anchor. Moves every sketch on the workplane

`View3D_OT_slvs_change_sketch_workplane`

Pick a workplane or mesh face to move the active sketch onto. The sketch keeps its geometry and constraints