adding freecad to the getting started instructions...

Author: tomvanmele

docs/gettingstarted.rst

@@ -16,4 +16,5 @@ as well as in scriptable CAD software such as Blender, Rhino and Grasshopper.
     gettingstarted/rhino
     gettingstarted/grasshopper
     gettingstarted/blender
+    gettingstarted/freecad
     gettingstarted/rhino5

docs/gettingstarted/freecad.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+.. _gs-freecad:
+
+*******
+FreeCAD
+*******
+
+.. rst-class:: lead
+
+Although there is no official support package for FreeCAD, working with COMPAS in FreeCAD is actually quite simple.
+
+
+Install FreeCAD
+===============
+
+If FreeCAD is installed using ``conda``, the Python interpreter in FreeCAD automagically has access to all the packages installed in the same environment.
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+    conda create -n CAD python=3.8 freecad COMPAS -c conda-forge --yes
+
+
+Launch FreeCAD
+==============
+
+To activate this mechanism, you have to launch FreeCAD from the environment it is installed in.
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+    conda activate CAD
+    freecad
+
+
+Basic Usage
+===========
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+    >>> import Mesh
+    >>> import compas
+    >>> from compas.datastructures import Mesh as cMesh
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+    >>> mesh = cMesh.from_obj(compas.get('tubemesh.obj'))
+    >>> mesh.quads_to_triangles()
+    >>> freemesh = Mesh.Mesh(mesh.to_polygons())
+    >>> Mesh.show(freemesh)