C3 CAD Tutorial – Command-based 3D Furniture Modeling

This tutorial explains step by step how to model furniture from cuboids using C3 CAD. Everything is based on small lines of text with compact command blocks – written entirely in lowercase with no spaces inside the commands.

1. Basic Principles

• The first line is the project header with name, materials, and switches.
• Each line represents a furniture body (corpus).
• Command blocks consist of: 1 letter + details (without spaces).
• Everything is written in lowercase.
• Use a space between blocks, none within a block.
• All dimensions are specified in centimeters.

2. Project Header (first line)

Format:

projectname thicknessMaterial1 [thicknessMaterial2 ...] [switches]

Example:

cabinet01 m1,1.9,we m2,1.6,gr -t o e

Materials always start with m1, m2, m3, ... and are referred to by number. Each value is separated by a comma.

• 1.9,we: 1.9 cm thickness, material white
• 1.6,gr: 1.6 cm thickness, material green
• -t: Extended transparency disabled
• o: Front will open
• e: Exploded view enabled

3. Corpus Line (from line 2)

Format:

corpusname pparts wwidth ddepth hheight [material assignments] [optional commands]

Example:

a plrgtb w60 d45 h72 m1 ml2 mr2 ub20g

4. Command Blocks

• p: Parts, e.g. plrgtb
• w: Width (e.g. w60)
• d: Depth (e.g. d45)
• h: Height (e.g. h72)
• m1: entire corpus (material 1)
• ml1: left side = material 1
• mr2: right side = material 2
• mrl2: right and left side = material 2
• x20: moves object 20 mm in X direction

5. Part Abbreviations (for p-command)

• l: left side
• r: right side
• g: bottom (ground)
• t: top
• b: back
• f: front
• c: cupboard / shelf

6. Switches

• t: transparency
• o: open/close front
• e: exploded view
• - before a switch → disables the switch

7. Special Features

• Use the key pl to access the wood list.
• Use the key url to open, save, or share drawings.
• Use the key xx to exit c3cad.
• Dimensions are given in cm.
• No spaces within a block!
• Only spaces between blocks.
• Multiple numerical values are separated with commas, e.g. sx50,100
• A minus sign at the beginning of a line → disables the entire line

8. Complete Example

cabinet01 m1,1.9,we m2,1.6,gr t o e
a plrgtb w60 d40 h72 m1
b pgtlrb w50 d30 h60 m1 ml2 mr2
c plrgt w80 d50 h720 m2 x20 y-10
  

The connect (c) Command

This command connects the current corpus to another one. This only works if the target corpus appears above in the editor.

Each corpus has 8 corners, numbered 0–7:

    connect

  5 --- 6
/ .    / |
1 --- 2  |
| 4 . |. 7
|.    | /
0 --- 3 
  

Example: c0_a3 connects corner 0 of the current corpus to corner 3 of corpus a.