---
title: Supporting paperless patterns
sidebar_position: 30
---
The goal of paperless patterns is to create a pattern that we don't need to
print to be able to use it. Saving paper is always a good thing, but it's
also a way to democratize access to patterns.
While more and more of humanity is on the internet, access to printers and
printing paper is often harder to come by, especially in developing countries.
So let's make the extra effort to make our bib design support paperless.
## The paperless setting
Users can request paperless patterns by setting [the `paperless`
setting](/reference/settings/paperless) to a *truthy* value.
With paperless enabled, FreeSewing will automatically render a grid for each
pattern part with metric or imperial markings, depending on the units requested
by the user.
Such a grid is already a good starting point. In addition, we'll be using
different macros to add *dimensions* to the pattern.
While the grid gets added automatically, the dimensions we have to add ourselves.
Thankfully, there's macros that can help us with that, specifically:
- The `hd` macro adds a horizontal dimension
- The `vd` macro adds a vertical dimension
- The `ld` macro adds a linear dimension
- The `pd` macro adds a path dimension that follows a given path
These macros will also adapt to the units chosen by the user (metric or imperial).
:::note
Refer to [the list of macros](/reference/macros/) for more details.
:::
<Example previewFirst tutorial paperless caption="Suddenly, a printer is very much optional">
```design/src/bib.mjs
function draftBib({
Path,
Point,
paths,
points,
utils,
measurements,
options,
macro,
complete,
snippets,
Snippet,
store,
// highlight-start
paperless,
// highlight-end
part,
}) {
/*
* Construct the neck opening
*/
const target = (measurements.head * options.neckRatio) / 4
let tweak = 1
let delta
do {
points.right = new Point((tweak * measurements.head) / 10, 0)
points.bottom = new Point(0, (tweak * measurements.head) / 12)
points.rightCp1 = points.right.shift(90, points.bottom.dy(points.right) / 2)
points.bottomCp2 = points.bottom.shift(0, points.bottom.dx(points.right) / 2)
paths.neck = new Path()
.move(points.right)
.curve(points.rightCp1, points.bottomCp2, points.bottom)
delta = paths.neck.length() - target
if (delta > 0) tweak = tweak * 0.99
else tweak = tweak * 1.02
} while (Math.abs(delta) > 1)
points.rightCp2 = points.rightCp1.flipY()
points.bottomCp1 = points.bottomCp2.flipX()
points.left = points.right.flipX()
points.leftCp1 = points.rightCp2.flipX()
points.leftCp2 = points.rightCp1.flipX()
points.top = points.bottom.flipY()
points.topCp1 = points.bottomCp2.flipY()
points.topCp2 = points.bottomCp1.flipY()
/*
* Construct the outline
*/
let width = measurements.head * options.widthRatio
let length = measurements.head * options.lengthRatio
points.topLeft = new Point(width / -2, points.top.y - (width / 2 - points.right.x))
points.topRight = points.topLeft.shift(0, width)
points.bottomLeft = points.topLeft.shift(-90, length)
points.bottomRight = points.topRight.shift(-90, length)
points.edgeLeft = new Point(points.topLeft.x, points.left.y)
points.edgeRight = new Point(points.topRight.x, points.right.y)
points.edgeTop = new Point(0, points.topLeft.y)
points.edgeLeftCp = points.edgeLeft.shiftFractionTowards(points.topLeft, 0.5)
points.edgeRightCp = points.edgeLeftCp.flipX()
points.edgeTopLeftCp = points.edgeTop.shiftFractionTowards(points.topLeft, 0.5)
points.edgeTopRightCp = points.edgeTopLeftCp.flipX()
/*
* Round the end of the straps
*/
let strap = points.edgeTop.dy(points.top)
points.tipRight = points.edgeTop.translate(strap / 2, strap / 2)
points.tipRightTop = new Point(points.tipRight.x, points.edgeTop.y)
points.tipRightBottom = new Point(points.tipRight.x, points.top.y)
/*
* Macros will return the auto-generated IDs
*/
const ids1 = {
tipRightTop: macro('round', {
id: 'tipRightTop',
from: points.edgeTop,
to: points.tipRight,
via: points.tipRightTop,
}),
tipRightBottom: macro('round', {
id: 'tipRightBottom',
from: points.tipRight,
to: points.top,
via: points.tipRightBottom,
}),
}
/*
* Create points from them with easy names
*/
for (const side in ids1) {
for (const id of ['start', 'cp1', 'cp2', 'end']) {
points[`${side}${utils.capitalize(id)}`] = points[ids1[side].points[id]].copy()
}
}
/*
* Rotate straps so they don't overlap
*/
let rotateThese = [
'edgeTopLeftCp',
'edgeTop',
'tipRight',
'tipRightTop',
'tipRightTopStart',
'tipRightTopCp1',
'tipRightTopCp2',
'tipRightTopEnd',
'tipRightBottomStart',
'tipRightBottomCp1',
'tipRightBottomCp2',
'tipRightBottomEnd',
'tipRightBottom',
'top',
'topCp2',
]
while (points.tipRightBottomStart.x > -1) {
for (let p of rotateThese) points[p] = points[p].rotate(1, points.edgeLeft)
}
/*
* Add points to anchor snaps on
*/
points.snapLeft = points.top.shiftFractionTowards(points.edgeTop, 0.5)
/*
* Mirror points to the other side
*/
points.edgeTopRightCp = points.edgeTopLeftCp.flipX()
points.topCp1 = points.topCp2.flipX()
points.tipLeftTopStart = points.tipRightTopStart.flipX()
points.tipLeftTopCp1 = points.tipRightTopCp1.flipX()
points.tipLeftTopCp2 = points.tipRightTopCp2.flipX()
points.tipLeftTopEnd = points.tipRightTopEnd.flipX()
points.tipLeftBottomStart = points.tipRightBottomStart.flipX()
points.tipLeftBottomCp1 = points.tipRightBottomCp1.flipX()
points.tipLeftBottomCp2 = points.tipRightBottomCp2.flipX()
points.tipLeftBottomEnd = points.tipRightBottomEnd.flipX()
points.snapRight = points.snapLeft.flipX()
/*
* Round the bottom of the bib
* Radius is fixed, but you could use an option for it)
*
* Macros will return the auto-generated IDs
*/
const ids2 = {
bottomLeft: macro('round', {
id: 'bottomLeft',
from: points.topLeft,
to: points.bottomRight,
via: points.bottomLeft,
radius: points.bottomRight.x / 4,
}),
bottomRight: macro('round', {
id: 'bottomRight',
from: points.bottomLeft,
to: points.topRight,
via: points.bottomRight,
radius: points.bottomRight.x / 4,
}),
}
/*
* Create points from them with easy names
*/
for (const side in ids2) {
for (const id of ['start', 'cp1', 'cp2', 'end']) {
points[`${side}${utils.capitalize(id)}`] = points[ids2[side].points[id]].copy()
}
}
/*
* Construct the path
*/
paths.seam = new Path()
.move(points.edgeLeft)
.line(points.bottomLeftStart)
.curve(points.bottomLeftCp1, points.bottomLeftCp2, points.bottomLeftEnd)
.line(points.bottomRightStart)
.curve(points.bottomRightCp1, points.bottomRightCp2, points.bottomRightEnd)
.line(points.edgeRight)
.curve(points.edgeRightCp, points.edgeTopRightCp, points.tipLeftTopStart)
.curve(points.tipLeftTopCp1, points.tipLeftTopCp2, points.tipLeftTopEnd)
.curve(points.tipLeftBottomCp1, points.tipLeftBottomCp2, points.tipLeftBottomEnd)
.curve(points.topCp1, points.rightCp2, points.right)
.curve(points.rightCp1, points.bottomCp2, points.bottom)
.curve(points.bottomCp1, points.leftCp2, points.left)
.curve(points.leftCp1, points.topCp2, points.tipRightBottomEnd)
.curve(points.tipRightBottomCp2, points.tipRightBottomCp1, points.tipRightBottomStart)
.curve(points.tipRightTopCp2, points.tipRightTopCp1, points.tipRightTopStart)
.curve(points.edgeTopLeftCp, points.edgeLeftCp, points.edgeLeft)
.close()
.attr('class', 'fabric')
/*
*
* Annotations
*
*/
/*
* Cut list
*/
store.cutlist.addCut({ cut: 1, from: 'fabric' })
/*
* Add the snaps
*/
snippets.snapStud = new Snippet('snap-stud', points.snapLeft)
snippets.snapSocket = new Snippet('snap-socket', points.snapRight).attr('opacity', 0.5)
/*
* Add the bias tape
*/
if (complete)
paths.bias = paths.seam
.offset(-5)
.addClass('note dashed')
.addText('fronscratch:finishWithBiasTape', 'center fill-note')
/*
* Add the title
*/
points.title = points.bottom.shift(-90, 45)
macro('title', {
at: points.title,
nr: 1,
title: 'bib',
align: 'center',
scale: 0.8,
})
/*
* Add the scalebox
*/
points.scalebox = points.title.shift(-90, 65)
macro('scalebox', { at: points.scalebox })
/*
* Add the logo
*/
points.logo = new Point(0, 0)
snippets.logo = new Snippet('logo', points.logo)
// highlight-start
/*
* Add dimensions
*/
macro('hd', {
id: 'wFull',
from: points.bottomLeftStart,
to: points.bottomRightEnd,
y: points.bottomLeft.y + 15,
})
macro('vd', {
id: 'hBottomToOpeningBottom',
from: points.bottomRightStart,
to: points.bottom,
x: points.bottomRight.x + 15,
})
macro('vd', {
id: 'hBottomToOpeningCenter',
from: points.bottomRightStart,
to: points.right,
x: points.bottomRight.x + 30,
})
macro('vd', {
id: 'hTotal',
from: points.bottomRightStart,
to: points.tipLeftTopStart,
x: points.bottomRight.x + 45,
})
macro('hd', {
id: 'wOpening',
from: points.left,
to: points.right,
y: points.left.y + 25,
})
macro('ld', {
id: 'wStrap',
from: points.tipLeftBottomEnd,
to: points.tipLeftTopStart,
d: -15,
})
// highlight-end
return part
}
```
</Example>
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