Using Multiple Configurations in FreeCAD

This article explains how to setup and run #freeCAD with multiple configuration files.

In the past when teaching FreeCAD on my YouTube channel I often got asked where a toolbar is or why mine differ from the viewers. About 12 months ago I stop customising my toolbars and configuration as my channel supporters are my first priority when it comes to my FreeCAD work. I have now only just stumbled across the terminal commands to run FreeCAD with different options using the -u parameter. After a bit of reading I found I could run FreeCAD from different configurations. This allows me to set up a directory to hold the individual configs and then run different bash scripts to load FreeCAD and point it to the configuration of my liking. Below is an example of my Linux bash script I use to load my configuration 1.

All you need to do is supply the location of the configuration file with a specific switch, if one cannot be found then the default configuration is loaded. Once you have changed the config i.e. moved a toolbar then one will be created with the supplied name. This means I can experiment with configuration without worry about resetting each time. This also means that configurations can be made portable and backed up. 

Linux based OS:

I have two bash script each pointing to the same directory but to different configuration files.

Here is the contents of my bash file:

#!/bin/sh
~/Apps/FreeCAD_0.19.AppImage -u ~/Apps/freecadconfig/1.config

 This would need to be made executable to allow it to run.

Windows based OS:

For windows create a shortcut link and edit the target by right clicking on the shortcut and selecting properties.  Next enter the following into the target.  You will need to modify the path to the freeCAD executable and the config file:

"C:\Program Files\FreeCAD 0.20\bin\FreeCAD.exe" -u "C:\freecad\1.config"


Now when you startup freeCAD it will create a config file at this location if one doesn't exists.  Create multiple shortcuts for any number of config files.



Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 17, 2023 at 9:36 PM

    I am sure I will try

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousFebruary 11, 2023 at 10:26 PM

    How do you find the FreeCAD directory in Ubuntu jammy?

    ReplyDelete

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