User:LABoyd2/General introduction 151005

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Introduction[edit | edit source]


OpenSCAD is a 2D/3D and solid modeling program which is based on a Functional programming language used to create models that are previewed on the screen, and rendered into 3D mesh which allows the model to be exported in a variety of 2D/3D file formats.

A script in the OpenSCAD language is used to create 2D or 3D models. This script is a free format list of action statements.

 object();
 variable = value;
 operator()   action();
 operator() { action();    action(); }
 operator()   operator() { action(); action(); }
 operator() { operator()   action();
              operator() { action(); action(); } }
Objects

Objects are the building blocks for models, created by 2D and 3D primitives.

Actions

Action statements end in a semicolon ';'. They include creating objects using primitives and assigning values to variables.

Operators

Operators do end in semicolons ';'. Operators, or transformations, modify the location, color and other properties of objects. Operators use braces '{}' when there scope covers more than one action. More than one operator may used for the same action or group of actions.

 Examples
  
   cube(5);
   x = 4+y;
   rotate(40) square(5,10);
   translate([10,5]) { circle(5); square(4); }
   rotate(60) color("blue") { circle(5); square(4); }
   color("blue") { translate([5,3,0]) sphere(5); rotate([45,0,45]) { cylinder(10); cube([5,6,7]); } }