diff --git a/README b/README index 41b17bc49..d261c60f6 100644 --- a/README +++ b/README @@ -1,60 +1,70 @@ FreeCAD ======= -FreeCAD is a general purpose feature-based, parametric 3D modeler for CAD, MCAD, -CAx, CAE and PLM, aimed directly at mechanical engineering and product design but -also fits a wider range of uses in engineering, such as architecture or other engineering -specialties. It is 100% Open Source (LGPL2+ license) and extremely modular, allowing -for very advanced extension and customization. +FreeCAD is a general purpose feature-based, parametric 3D modeler for +CAD, MCAD, CAx, CAE and PLM, aimed directly at mechanical engineering +and product design but also fits a wider range of uses in engineering, +such as architecture or other engineering specialties. It is 100% Open +Source (LGPL2+ license) and extremely modular, allowing for very +advanced extension and customization. -FreeCAD is based on OpenCasCade, a powerful geometry kernel, features an Open Inventor-compliant -3D scene representation model provided by the Coin 3D library, and a broad Python API. -The interface is built with Qt. FreeCAD runs exactly the same way on Windows, Mac OSX, BSD and -Linux platforms. +FreeCAD is based on OpenCasCade, a powerful geometry kernel, features an +Open Inventor-compliant 3D scene representation model provided by the +Coin 3D library, and a broad Python API. The interface is built with Qt. +FreeCAD runs exactly the same way on Windows, Mac OSX, BSD and Linux +platforms. -Home page: http://www.freecadweb.org -Documentation wiki: http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/ -Forum: http://forum.freecadweb.org/ -Bug tracker: http://www.freecadweb.org/tracker/ -Git repository: http://sourceforge.net/p/free-cad/code/ci/master/tree/ +Home page: http://www.freecadweb.org +Documentation wiki: http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/ +Forum: http://forum.freecadweb.org/ +Bug tracker: http://www.freecadweb.org/tracker/ +Git repository: http://sourceforge.net/p/free-cad/code/ci/master/tree/ Installing ========== -Precompiled (installable) packages are usually available to you from several sources and are -described on the FreeCAD download page: http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/index.php?title=Download +Precompiled (installable) packages are usually available to you from +several sources and are described on the FreeCAD download page: +http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/index.php?title=Download Compiling ========= -Compiling FreeCAD requires to install several heavyweight libraries and their development -files such as OpenCasCADe, Coin and Qt, listed in the pages below. Once this is done, -FreeCAD can be simply compiled with cMake. On windows, these libraries are bundled and -offeredby the FreeCAD team in a convenience package, on Linux they are usually found -in your distribution's repositories and on Mac OSX and other platforms you will usually -need to compile them yourself. - -Note that autotools build system can still be used but will be obsoleted soon. +Compiling FreeCAD requires to install several libraries and their +development files such as OpenCasCADe, Coin and Qt, listed in the +pages below. Once this is done, FreeCAD can be simply compiled with +cMake. On windows, these libraries are bundled and offered by the +FreeCAD team in a convenience package, on Linux they are usually found +in your distribution's repositories and on Mac OSX and other platforms +you will usually need to compile them yourself. The pages below contain up-to-date build instructions: -For Linux: http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/index.php?title=CompileOnUnix -For windows: http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/index.php?title=CompileOnWindows -For Mac OSX: http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/index.php?title=CompileOnMac +For Linux: http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/?title=CompileOnUnix +For Windows: http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/?title=CompileOnWindows +For Mac OSX: http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/?title=CompileOnMac +For Cygwin: http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/?title=CompileOnCygwin +For MinGW: http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/?title=CompileOnMinGW -In this folder you will also find additional README files, specific for each platform. +Usage & Getting help +==================== -Usage -===== +The FreeCAD documentation wiki contains a lot of documentation on +general FreeCAD usage, python scripting, and development. The following +pages might help you to get started: + +Getting started: http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/?title=Getting_started +Features list: http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/?title=Features_list +Frequent questions: http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/?title=FAQ +Workbenches: http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/?title=Workbench_Concept +Scripting: http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/?title=Power_users_hub +Development: http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/?title=Developer_hub + +The FreeCAD forum at http://forum.freecadweb.org is also a great place +to find help and solve specific problems that you might encounter when +learning to use FreeCAD. -The FreeCAD documentation wiki contains sections for each category of users, and a manual, -which is a compilation of the most useful articles of the wiki: -For users: General FreeCAD usage: http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/index.php?title=User_hub -For power-users: Python scripting: http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/index.php?title=Power_users_hub -For developers: C++ FreeCAD development: http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/index.php?title=Developer_hub - -The FreeCAD manual: http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/index.php?title=Online_Help_Toc