Getting Started with FlexiCAD.pdf

Getting started with FlexiCAD
FlexiCAD is a program for creating and editing line drawings. It is a CAD (Computer
aided design) program and the emphasis of the program is design. FlexiCAD is an objectbased
package which could be used for the graphical modelling unit of work. It is not
intended for freehand drawing. The drawings could be plans, charts, diagrams, nets for
packaging, tessellations and designs for objects. The program is not able to produce areas
of colour, and a paint package might be more appropriate for such a task. However, the
program can hatch an area using lines, dots or bricks.
Creating a drawing with FlexiCAD
When you create a drawing, it will consist of a series of objects such as lines, circles, arcs
and text. Whenever you want to put a new item into your drawing you should select the
appropriate tool from the list at the side of the screen, called the toolbox. For example you
might use the mouse to click on the Circle tool (or press C).
Using the Tools
We are going to use a limited number of the tools available in our session. They are:
New Line gives you the opportunity to start a new line, just place your cursor where you
want it to begin and click.
Line adds another line from the end point of the previous New Line that you created.
Arc - click on the starting point, the finishing point and pull it up or down in the middle.
Circle - click in the centre of your circle and again on the perimeter to form the shape.
Ellipse - the same, click in the centre and drag out the shape. Click when it is right to
finish it.
Fillet - click on the two points in turn that you want to join and pull out the shape for the
corner
Text - put your cursor into position and start typing.
Hunt – finds the closest point.
Grid - puts a grid on screen
Copy – click on Copy then select the elements of a drawing. Choose from the bottom
menu to copy these items. Now they are in the computer’s memory so that anywhere you
place your cursor and click the image copied will be placed on the drawing screen. This is
useful for tessellation.

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At the bottom of the screen you will see a number of values that will be used the next time
you use your chosen drawing tool. Each tool has its own set of values, and these will
appear at the bottom of the screen whenever you select that tool. If you want to make any
changes, such as to choose a different colour or element, or to specify the radius of the
circle, use the mouse to point to the appropriate box and click. You can then choose from
a list or type in the value that you want.
To draw an object:
1. Move the mouse pointer into the main drawing area. Unless you specify a specific tool
FlexiCAD assumes you want to start a new line.
2. Move the mouse, and as you do so, a cross will indicate where the first point will be
placed.
3. Click the mouse button, that point will be fixed.
4. If you need more than one point to define this item, move the mouse to the next point
and click again.
command.
FlexiCAD can provide a grid system which makes it
very easy to create simple drawings where things line
up. If you click on the Grid tool (or press G),
FlexiCAD will force all line and arc ends to snap onto
the nearest point on the grid. If you select Grid again
then it will be switched off. You can change the size,
shape and appearance of the grid using the View Grid
If you click on the Hunt tool (or press H), then when you add or move a point it will
'snap' onto the nearest point which is at the end of a line or an arc, or the centre of a circle
or an ellipse. It will help make drawings more accurate and avoid gaps between lines and
arcs. If you select Hunt again then it will be switched off.
If you want to look at part of your drawing more closely, then you can do so by choosing
to zoom in. To do this, press the F9 key (or choose the View Zoom in command). Use the
mouse to move the zoom window to the part of the drawing you want, and then click a
mouse button. If you want to look at more of your drawing at once, then you can do so
by pressing the F10 key (or choose the View Zoom out command).
Making Tessellations
5. Draw your shape
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6. Select the copy tool, click on all of the lines in your shape, select copy these items
from the bottom box
7. Position your cursor and shape, click to put it in position
8. Use the undo button if you make an error
How to use a symbol from a library
FlexiCAD comes with several libraries of symbols which you can import into your
drawing at any stage. The symbol libraries (click on Symbol and Library) are Bathroom,
Electric, Garden, House, Kitchen, Polygons. In order to insert a symbol into your drawing
you need to take the following steps:
9. Choose the Symbol Library command. Use the mouse to point to the library that you
want to use and then click on it. If the library is not in the main list then click on
Other and choose the library file that you want.
10. Choose the Symbol Select command. Move the mouse onto the symbol that you
want and click on it. Please note that the nearest point to where you click will be used
to fix the symbol if you insert it with Hunt or Grid switched on. When you have
selected the symbol that you want, use the mouse to click on OK.
11. If you want to reflect, rotate, enlarge or stretch the symbol then use the command
Symbol Mirror, Symbol Rotate, Symbol Scale or Symbol Stretch.
12. Choose the Insert tool.
13. Hold a mouse button down and move the mouse. When the symbol is where you
want it to be, release the button.
14. If you want to insert the same symbol again, just repeat the last step. If you want to
insert a different symbol from the same library then repeat the steps 2 to 5. If you
want to insert a symbol from a different library then repeat all the steps.
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If you want to scale an item up or down, stretch it or rotate it then choose the object, click on the symbol
that you want to change and choose what you want to do from the drop down list. The object you have
chosen will appear in the middle of the screen with a menu available in the bottom box. Alter your image
by typing in the angle of rotation, the ratio for scaling etc. and your image on the centre of the screen
will show you what it is changing to. Many items need to be rotated – e.g. the benches in the following
model.
How to create a library of symbols
A symbol library is just an ordinary FlexiCAD drawing where each symbol is a separate
element. You can create your symbols in the normal way, making sure that you give each
symbol a different element name or number. You can add dimensions and text to a symbol
(perhaps to label each symbol), but they will be ignored when you use the Insert tool to
add the symbol to your actual drawing.
When the symbols are complete, choose the File Save as command. When you see the
saving the drawing on disk screen, click in the Type of file box and then choose Symbol
library files (*.FSL). Give the file whatever name you like and it will be given an .FSL
extension.
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