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Q&A In FreeCAD, can you set units per-document?

No you can't do that on a project file basis with the current FreeCAD version. See also the FreeCAD discussion about this topic. But honestly, using non-metric units is a stupid idea anyway, don't...

posted 8mo ago by H_H‭  ·  edited 8mo ago by H_H‭

Answer
#4: Post edited by user avatar H_H‭ · 2023-09-06T12:05:38Z (8 months ago)
  • There's not a simple way.
  • One way to do it is to use 2 different configuration files, one where you set FreeCAD to use SI units and one where you set FreeCAD to use British units and then use a script or something like that that opens FreeCAD with the arguments `--user-cfg /path/to/config/file/si.cfg` or `--user-cfg /path/to/config/file/nonmetric.cfg`. Alternatively, you could create a script that edits the configuration files. Maybe something like this:
  • sed 's/.*UserSchema.*/ <FCInt Name=\"UserSchema\" Value=\"1\"\/>/' -i "$HOME/.FreeCAD/user.cfg"
  • To automatically change the units FreeCAD displays.
  • See also the FreeCAD [discussion](https://forum.freecad.org/viewtopic.php?style=1&t=34834) about this topic.
  • No you can't do that on a project file basis with the current FreeCAD version. See also the FreeCAD [discussion](https://forum.freecad.org/viewtopic.php?style=1&t=34834) about this topic.
  • But honestly, using non-metric units is a stupid idea anyway, don't do that. Use metric for everything. There shouldn't be anything non-metric.
  • One workaround is to use 2 different configuration files, one where you set FreeCAD to use SI units and one where you set FreeCAD to use British units and then use a script or something like that that opens FreeCAD with the arguments `--user-cfg /path/to/config/file/si.cfg` or `--user-cfg /path/to/config/file/nonmetric.cfg`. Alternatively, you could create a script that edits the configuration files. Maybe something like this:
  • sed 's/.*UserSchema.*/ <FCInt Name=\"UserSchema\" Value=\"1\"\/>/' -i "$HOME/.FreeCAD/user.cfg"
  • To automatically change the units FreeCAD displays.
  • This is of course a workaround. It would be of course better to fix the root cause (the use of non-metric units).
#3: Post edited by user avatar matthewsnyder‭ · 2023-09-06T09:49:55Z (8 months ago)
I don't think debating metric vs. imperial is helpful here, usually people don't have a choice. Also rewrote to improve focus and flow.
  • No, you can't. FreeCAD always uses metric and you can change it to display non-metric units on a global level.
  • See also this [discussion](https://forum.freecad.org/viewtopic.php?style=1&t=34834).
  • But honestly, using non-metric units is a stupid idea anyway, don't do that. Use metric for everything. There shouldn't be anything non-metric.
  • If you really want non-metric units on some documents but not all, you may can use 2 different configuration files, one where you set FreeCAD to use SI units and one where you set FreeCAD to use British units and then use a script or something like that that opens FreeCAD with the arguments `--user-cfg /path/to/config/file/si.cfg` or `--user-cfg /path/to/config/file/nonmetric.cfg`. Alternatively, you could create a script that edits the configuration files. Maybe something like this:
  • sed 's/.*UserSchema.*/ <FCInt Name=\"UserSchema\" Value=\"1\"\/>/' -i "$HOME/.FreeCAD/user.cfg"
  • To automatically change the units FreeCAD displays.
  • This is of course a workaround. It would be of course better to fix the root cause (the use of non-metric units).
  • There's not a simple way.
  • One way to do it is to use 2 different configuration files, one where you set FreeCAD to use SI units and one where you set FreeCAD to use British units and then use a script or something like that that opens FreeCAD with the arguments `--user-cfg /path/to/config/file/si.cfg` or `--user-cfg /path/to/config/file/nonmetric.cfg`. Alternatively, you could create a script that edits the configuration files. Maybe something like this:
  • sed 's/.*UserSchema.*/ <FCInt Name=\"UserSchema\" Value=\"1\"\/>/' -i "$HOME/.FreeCAD/user.cfg"
  • To automatically change the units FreeCAD displays.
  • See also the FreeCAD [discussion](https://forum.freecad.org/viewtopic.php?style=1&t=34834) about this topic.
#2: Post edited by user avatar H_H‭ · 2023-09-04T14:49:52Z (8 months ago)
  • No, you can't. FreeCAD always uses metric and you can change it to display non-metric units.
  • See also this [discussion](https://forum.freecad.org/viewtopic.php?style=1&t=34834).
  • But honestly, using non-metric units is a stupid idea anyway, don't do that. Use metric for everything. There shouldn't be anything non-metric.
  • If you really want non-metric units on some documents but not all, you may can use 2 different config files, one where you set FreeCAD to use SI units and one where you set FreeCAD to use British units and then use a script or something like that that opens FreeCAD with the arguments `--user-cfg /path/to/config/file/si.cfg` or `--user-cfg /path/to/config/file/nonmetric.cfg`. Alternatively, you could create a script that edits the config files. Maybe something like this:
  • sed 's/.*UserSchema.*/ <FCInt Name=\"UserSchema\" Value=\"1\"\/>/' -i "$HOME/.FreeCAD/user.cfg"
  • To automatically change the units FreeCAD displays.
  • This is of course a workaround. It would be of course better to fix the root cause (the use of non-metric units).
  • No, you can't. FreeCAD always uses metric and you can change it to display non-metric units on a global level.
  • See also this [discussion](https://forum.freecad.org/viewtopic.php?style=1&t=34834).
  • But honestly, using non-metric units is a stupid idea anyway, don't do that. Use metric for everything. There shouldn't be anything non-metric.
  • If you really want non-metric units on some documents but not all, you may can use 2 different configuration files, one where you set FreeCAD to use SI units and one where you set FreeCAD to use British units and then use a script or something like that that opens FreeCAD with the arguments `--user-cfg /path/to/config/file/si.cfg` or `--user-cfg /path/to/config/file/nonmetric.cfg`. Alternatively, you could create a script that edits the configuration files. Maybe something like this:
  • sed 's/.*UserSchema.*/ <FCInt Name=\"UserSchema\" Value=\"1\"\/>/' -i "$HOME/.FreeCAD/user.cfg"
  • To automatically change the units FreeCAD displays.
  • This is of course a workaround. It would be of course better to fix the root cause (the use of non-metric units).
#1: Initial revision by user avatar H_H‭ · 2023-09-04T14:48:53Z (8 months ago)
No, you can't. FreeCAD always uses metric and you can change it to display non-metric units.
See also this [discussion](https://forum.freecad.org/viewtopic.php?style=1&t=34834).

But honestly, using non-metric units is a stupid idea anyway, don't do that. Use metric for everything. There shouldn't be anything non-metric.


If you really want non-metric units on some documents but not all, you may can use 2 different config files, one where you set FreeCAD to use SI units and one where you set FreeCAD to use British units and then use a script or something like that that opens FreeCAD with the arguments `--user-cfg /path/to/config/file/si.cfg` or `--user-cfg /path/to/config/file/nonmetric.cfg`. Alternatively, you could create a script that edits the config files. Maybe something like this:

    sed 's/.*UserSchema.*/          <FCInt Name=\"UserSchema\" Value=\"1\"\/>/' -i "$HOME/.FreeCAD/user.cfg"

To automatically change the units FreeCAD displays.

This is of course a workaround. It would be of course better to fix the root cause (the use of non-metric units).