STL Artwork Tracking

[ohiolyons]

Hi all,

The Clipart tab works great with artwork from Vectirc and/or Design and Make.

I'm starting to accumulate numerous STL files and I am struggling with managing them. The manual seems to imply that only V3M files are acceptable.

My question is how are people managing STL files since it appears they can't be viewed in the Clipart tab?

Thanks for any info/suggestions.

John

[SteveNelson46]

Hi all,

The Clipart tab works great with artwork from Vectirc and/or Design and Make.

I'm starting to accumulate numerous STL files and I am struggling with managing them. The manual seems to imply that only V3M files are acceptable.

My question is how are people managing STL files since it appears they can't be viewed in the Clipart tab?

Thanks for any info/suggestions.

John

You can add any folder you choose by clicking on the "Add Folder" button but, the problem is, "STL" files need to be imported and cannot be opened directly. To the best of my knowledge there is no "STL" viewer built into Aspire.

[Rcnewcomb]

Export it as 3D Clip art (.3dclip) and include the folder that has the .3dclip files in your Clipart selection. (This is an Aspire feature and not available in VCarve.)

Example:
1. Import the STL file as you normally would

2. Right-click on the component and select Export as 3D Clipart, and save it to a folder that you will include in your Clipart selection

3. On the Library Browser of the Clipart tab add the folder that has the .3Dclipart files(s)

The .3Dclipart file has now been added to your set of previews.

[Rcnewcomb]

What is the 3Dclip file format used for?

What is the 3dClip file format used for?
Aspire's 3DClip file format is one way of saving 3D components for use in other projects.

To export a single component as a 3DClip file, select the component name in the component tree and right-click and use the option to Export as 3D Clipart.

To export a group as a 3DClip file, select the group name in the component tree and right-click and use the option to Export as 3D Clipart.

To export the contents of a level as a 3DClip file, select the level name in the component tree and right-click and use the option to Export as 3D Clipart.

To export the composite model across a number of levels then use the Model option at the top and select Export as 3D Clipart.


To use the file in another project, you can import it or drag it from the 3D Clipart tab into the 2D or 3D Window.

One big advantage to using this format as described above is that the 3D components that were exported as a group will retain all of the group information – where you can ungroup and access the individual components in the group.

If you import a 3DClip file that was exported as a level it will be imported as a group for you to ungroup and access the individual parts.

If you import a 3DClip file that was exported from the entire composite model across a number of levels, again you will see the levels as groups which can help you to reorganise your new file into levels – where you can ungroup the level group to access the individual parts.

[ohiolyons]

You saved me a bunch of time, thanks all.