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create/README.md
forbes bb3f3ac6d6 UI: dock task panel right, remove non-Kindred themes 
- Move ComboView default dock position from Left to Right
- Remove FreeCAD Classic, FreeCAD Light, FreeCAD Dark, and Dark behave
  theme packs, keeping only KindredCreate (Catppuccin Mocha)
2026-01-29 14:16:45 -06:00

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# Kindred Create
**An engineering-focused parametric 3D CAD platform built on FreeCAD 1.0+**
[Website](https://www.kindred-systems.com/create) •
[FreeCAD Documentation](https://wiki.freecad.org) •
[FreeCAD Forum](https://forum.freecad.org/)
> **MVP Release** - Kindred Create is currently in active development. Features and interfaces may change.
---
## Overview
Kindred Create is a fork of FreeCAD 1.0+ that integrates custom workbenches and tooling for professional engineering workflows. It combines the power of FreeCAD's parametric modeling with purpose-built extensions for part design, assembly management, and parts database integration.
**Key additions over base FreeCAD:**
- **ztools Workbench** - Unified interface consolidating part design, assembly, and drawing tools with custom engineering features
- **Silo Integration** - Parts database system for tracking, versioning, and managing CAD files across teams
- **Catppuccin Mocha Theme** - Dark theme optimized for extended work sessions
Kindred Create is maintained by [Kindred Systems LLC](https://www.kindred-systems.com).
---
## Features
### ztools Workbench
The ztools workbench provides a unified interface that consolidates functionality from multiple FreeCAD workbenches while adding custom engineering-oriented tools.
#### Consolidated Toolbars (17 total)
ztools exposes commands from PartDesign, Sketcher, Assembly, and Spreadsheet workbenches through a single unified interface:
- **Structure & Sketcher Tools** - Body/Sketch creation, editing, mapping, validation
- **PartDesign Datums** - Planes, lines, points, coordinate systems, binders, clones
- **Additive Features** - Pad, revolution, loft, pipe, helix, and primitives
- **Subtractive Features** - Pocket, hole, groove, loft, pipe, helix, and primitives
- **Transformations** - Mirror, linear pattern, polar pattern, multi-transform
- **Dress-Up Features** - Fillet, chamfer, draft, thickness
- **Boolean Operations** - Union, intersection, difference
- **Assembly Tools** - Create assembly, insert link, insert new part
- **Assembly Joints** - 13 joint types (fixed, revolute, cylindrical, slider, ball, distance, parallel, perpendicular, angle, rack-pinion, screw, gears, belt)
- **Assembly Management** - Toggle grounded, solve, create view, create BOM, export
- **Spreadsheet Tools** - Create, import, export, aliases, merge/split cells
#### Custom Datum Tools
ztools includes a custom datum creation system with 16 creation modes, using a purpose-built attachment system that stores geometry references for reliable parametric updates.
**Datum Planes (7 modes):**
- Offset from Face - Distance offset perpendicular to a face
- Offset from Plane - Distance offset from an existing datum plane
- Midplane - Plane equidistant between two parallel faces
- 3 Points - Plane defined by three vertices
- Normal to Edge - Plane perpendicular to an edge at a specified parameter
- Angled - Plane rotated about an edge by a specified angle
- Tangent to Cylinder - Plane tangent to a cylindrical surface
**Datum Axes (4 modes):**
- 2 Points - Axis through two vertices
- From Edge - Axis aligned with a linear edge
- Cylinder Center - Axis at the center of a cylindrical face
- Plane Intersection - Axis at the intersection of two planes
**Datum Points (5 modes):**
- At Vertex - Point at a selected vertex
- XYZ Coordinates - Point at absolute coordinates
- On Edge - Point at a parameter along an edge
- Face Center - Point at the centroid of a face
- Circle Center - Point at the center of a circular edge
#### Custom Pattern Tools
- **Rotated Linear Pattern** - Linear pattern with incremental rotation per instance
- **Assembly Linear Pattern** - Pattern assembly components linearly with spacing control
- **Assembly Polar Pattern** - Pattern assembly components around a rotation axis
#### Enhanced Pocket
SOLIDWORKS-style "Flip Side to Cut" feature that removes material outside the sketch profile instead of inside, using boolean operations internally.
#### Spreadsheet Formatting Tools
Dark-theme compatible formatting commands for spreadsheets:
- Bold, italic, underline toggles
- Left, center, right alignment
- Background and text color pickers
- Quick alias creation from cell labels
### Silo Parts Database
Silo is a parts database system designed for managing CAD files, part numbers, and revision history across engineering teams.
**Architecture:**
- **Server Daemon** - Go-based REST API server
- **PostgreSQL** - Relational data storage for part metadata, relationships, and revision history
- **MinIO** - S3-compatible object storage for CAD file versioning
- **FreeCAD Workbench** - Integrated commands for check-in, check-out, and synchronization
**Core Capabilities:**
- Configurable part numbering schemas defined in YAML
- Full revision history with status tracking (draft, review, released, obsolete)
- Bill of materials management with relationship types and quantities
- Project-based organization and tagging
- CSV import/export for bulk operations
- Web interface for browsing and searching parts
**FreeCAD Integration:**
- Open, save, and commit files directly to Silo
- Pull latest revisions and push changes
- View item metadata and revision history
Silo documentation is available in the `mods/silo/` directory.
### Catppuccin Mocha Theme
A comprehensive dark theme using the [Catppuccin Mocha](https://github.com/catppuccin/catppuccin) color palette, applied across:
- Main window, toolbars, and menus
- 3D viewport backgrounds and selection colors
- Sketch editor colors for edges, vertices, and constraints
- Python console and code editor syntax highlighting
- Spreadsheet backgrounds and text
- Property editor and tree view
- All dialog and widget styling
The theme is automatically applied when using Kindred Create.
---
## Installing
### Prebuilt Binaries
Prebuilt packages for Linux are available on the [releases page](https://github.com/anthropics/create-0070/releases).
#### Debian/Ubuntu (.deb)
Download the `.deb` package from the releases page and install with:
```bash
sudo dpkg -i kindred-create_*.deb
sudo apt-get install -f # Install any missing dependencies
```
Or install directly with apt:
```bash
sudo apt install ./kindred-create_*.deb
```
After installation, launch Kindred Create from your application menu or run `kindred-create` from the terminal.
### Building from Source
Kindred Create uses the same build system as FreeCAD. Build instructions for each platform:
- [Linux](https://wiki.freecad.org/Compile_on_Linux)
- [Windows](https://wiki.freecad.org/Compile_on_Windows)
- [macOS](https://wiki.freecad.org/Compile_on_MacOS)
---
## Usage
### Getting Started
Kindred Create is compatible with standard FreeCAD workflows. The FreeCAD wiki provides documentation on general usage:
- [Getting started](https://wiki.freecad.org/Getting_started)
- [Features list](https://wiki.freecad.org/Feature_list)
- [Workbenches](https://wiki.freecad.org/Workbenches)
- [Scripting](https://wiki.freecad.org/Power_users_hub)
### ztools Workbench
The ztools workbench is available from the workbench selector. On activation, it presents consolidated toolbars and applies the Catppuccin Mocha theme to spreadsheets.
### Silo Setup
Silo requires a running server instance with PostgreSQL and MinIO. See `mods/silo/README.md` for server deployment instructions.
Configure the FreeCAD workbench with environment variables:
- `SILO_API_URL` - Silo server API endpoint (default: `http://localhost:8080/api`)
- `SILO_PROJECTS_DIR` - Local projects directory (default: `~/projects`)
---
## Project Structure
```
kindred-create/
├── src/ # FreeCAD core source
├── Mod/ # FreeCAD modules
├── mods/ # Kindred Create addon modules (git submodules)
│ ├── ztools/ # ztools workbench
│ │ ├── ztools/ # Workbench package
│ │ │ ├── InitGui.py # Workbench registration
│ │ │ └── ztools/ # Commands and resources
│ │ └── CatppuccinMocha/ # Theme preference pack
│ └── silo/ # Silo parts database
│ ├── cmd/ # Go entry points
│ ├── internal/ # Go packages
│ ├── pkg/freecad/ # FreeCAD workbench
│ └── deployments/ # Docker configuration
└── resources/ # Branding and preferences
├── branding/ # Splash screens and logos
└── preferences/ # Default preference packs
```
The `mods/ztools` and `mods/silo` directories are git submodules. After cloning, initialize them with:
```bash
git submodule update --init --recursive
```
---
## Reporting Issues
When reporting issues:
1. Specify whether the issue is with Kindred Create additions (ztools, Silo, theme) or base FreeCAD functionality
2. Include version info from `Help > About FreeCAD > Copy to clipboard`
3. Provide steps to reproduce the issue
4. Attach example files if applicable (FCStd as ZIP)
For base FreeCAD issues, consider also checking the [FreeCAD issue tracker](https://github.com/FreeCAD/FreeCAD/issues).
---
## License
Kindred Create is licensed under the [LGPL-2.1-or-later](LICENSE) license, consistent with FreeCAD.
---
## Acknowledgments
Kindred Create is built on [FreeCAD](https://www.freecad.org), an open-source parametric 3D modeler. We acknowledge the FreeCAD community and contributors for their foundational work.
**Underlying Technology:**
- [OpenCASCADE](https://www.opencascade.com/) - Geometry kernel
- [Coin3D](https://github.com/coin3d/coin) - 3D scene representation
- [Qt](https://www.qt.io/) - GUI framework
- [Python](https://www.python.org/) - Scripting and workbench development
- [Catppuccin](https://github.com/catppuccin/catppuccin) - Color palette
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