Hi
New feature idea #1:
New feature idea #2
And last I would like to give you all a special thanks for completely changing my workflow and making CAD fun!
Here are the essential features that if implemented would cause me to resubscribe annually:
Automatic snapping to edges, edge intersections, and faces between 3D bodies while using the transform tools.
Manual entry of desired global destination coordinates for 3D bodies when translating them.
Splitting 3D bodies with planes.
A text tool
Importing SVGs
An option to tap with your finger to create a new control point on a spline instead of applying pressure to the tip of the pencil.
In fairness, there would need to be a lot of enhancements to the spline feature to get me to use it for complex shapes. I prefer using a dedicated 2D editor for such shapes, and then having the ability to import SVGs from that other tool. Currently, I have to convert SVGs to another supported format using different CAD program before importing into Shapr3D.
Byron
I second the request for design file management - it is really hard to keep track of designs and their iterations without a folder structure.
Here are some suggestions for solutions to issues I’ve run into using the app for a few months now:
Export to FBX (this would allow me to import directly to “ARki” on the iPad so I can walk directors and producers through my designs and around my artwork.)
Ability to change the color of the interface background. I could see this existing in the color utility as a selectable icon that pops up to select the background and allows you to alter the color as you would with any other object.
A toggle to show and hide the background grid. I think this could live well in the same place as the snapping preferences.
Recallable views. If you want to limit the number of customizable views for processing and memory resources sake you could have a matrix of selectable number icons in the current menu with the default and standard views. You could use a press and hold to save a view. Maybe even have a toggle switch to show those same buttons across the bottom of the screen. This could be great for drawing and presenting. (Saving of “section planes” would be critical in the views as well)
A dedicated selection tool for selecting all objects or sketches in a given area… with some sort of marquee drag selection that can select all 3D geometry in that projected view.
I understand the logic behind the folder selection and individual selection workflow, but especially when trying to work quickly with a lot of small objects the zooming in and out and accidentally clicking off an object (and starting the selection again) feels tedious and a step behind most other softwares selection methods.
The reason I would suggest a dedicated tool (“smart selection tool” or something) is then you have the option to have the interface ignore the click way to cancel the selection.
Multiple and adjustable “sections planes”. Each plane should have a way to select the visible directionality (ie. what to mask). I think the simplest way to implement this could be to allow the user to select create the planes they want to use in the layer panel and then the user can select each of the planes they want to be active BEFORE they toggle on the current section toggle button at the bottom of the interface. This means you don’t need a dialogue to manage all the sections. Although you could create a dialogue pop-up or window for a press and hold action on the current section button to display addition options and functionality.
TO SHAPER3D TEAM: My name is Josh W. Martin. I am a young person in the industry, but have been professionally designing and working as a technical director for years. I am very passionate about accessibility to simple and high quality design tools for artists. I know we don’t represent a big sample of your typical user base and many artists don’t have as developed a technical background as I do. I believe your software is making a big leap in reducing the learning curve for new users. But if you want more feedback on how artists or theatre designers approach to design (or things that might fall in the scope of your goals with this app) I am more than happy to participate in that dialogue as it opens you up to a new market and helps artists do what we do best: create. Thank you for all your hard work.
Hey @jmartin962, thanks for the detailed feedback, super helpful.
USDZ export is coming this year.
In the screenshot mode you can turn it off. Does this solve your problem?
Improved selection flows are long overdue, and something that we would very much like to see too.
I am familiar with this feature in the screen shot mode. And has been helpful there. It is helpful in the regular interface window both for asthetics during presentations, but also for a a mock-animation workflow where I record my screen while panning and rotating the model… so I guess it goes beyond just the grid, but also the real desire is to be able to temporarily hide the UI to create these video clips. It’s just the grid is the only UI element that extends into the frame of the model and cannot be edited out as quickly.
A user just posted an issue on the forum that an 8 month old shaper project is stuck on the loading screen.
Which got me thinking that there should be a way to do some type of export without having to be ‘in’ an open project…even if that only includes a limited number of export options. This could be both a time saving feature and a backup/redundancy feature.
My suggestion for the best place to put this is in the design project thumbnail view. Right now we can select shaper projects, and once selected we can duplicate them. Next to the duplicate link/button would be an intuitive place for this export command. TBH you may be able to use the same export dialogue that you use inside of the project.
I think the formats that are most comprehensive in grouping and 3D object detail are the best options for included export formats at this level since you would not be positioning the document before export.
Force-Quit button in the middle of an operation.
Most chamfers/unions/subtracts/etc are processed so quickly, this may not seem necessary. However, I found that the more complex a body becomes, making any change can become processor intensive and will take exponentially longer (even if the change itself is simple). Cool.
But sometimes, due to human error, I would make a change to a complex body but as soon as I set an operation in motion, I realized it was not what I meant to do. Now I had to stare at the screen for 30 seconds (or longer) while it processed a command I knew I didn’t want. There is currently no cancel button in this moment to force-quit an operation. That feature would have saved a little bit of time, but what it mostly does is preserve your flow state in the middle of creation. If you’re in the zone and want to do something else, you’re frozen out with no control. 
I agree with the force quit feature. When I import 2D DXF files often they have thousands of nodes. When I attempt some operation Shapr cranks for a long time and I have no way to quit.
That would be awesome, but… unfortunately this is a technical limitation. These algorithms can’t be cancelled unfortunatrly.
this i not a limitation of Parasolid only, other modeling kernels have the same issue. Some algorithms of course do support cancellation, but most of them not.
Fair enough. I guess I just have to wait for faster iPad Pros then hah
Some colors as subtle to obtain (say, copper) and without reference you never get exactly the same one or be able to import a shade used elsewhere. You can export the drawing and get the RGB values from another program, or you can reimport a Shapr file just to pick the color you need… but with 8 colors slots you are somewhat limited.
Would be really nice / necessary to have:
formula-based curves, either parametric or implicit.
a CATIA-like parameter & formula “manager” to assign a parameter or formula to dimensions.
Anyways, pretty impressive app!
While using shapr, another really useful feature would be to have additional options for extrusions and pockets (maybe right on the numpad), like “to next edge/surface” , “through all” , etc.
Chamfer and fillet in 2d please. Also I see that a copy and past function was promised back in 2016 but still not available.
I’m struggling as I’m drawing multiple things on one (layer) but I need to copy and paste to move each component into its own file so that I can produce dxf. Please advise. I can see how to copy and move within the same layer. But no way to paste it in a new layer
Have trawled throu trainings and forum but cant find anything
Jay,
You can copy as shown above then move that sketch to the same plane as the one you are copying to, it’s what I do that way I can then use those sketches to make whatever 3D shape I’m going for or to project onto a shape already created.
Honestly I’d love to have a simple text function. The ability to extrude lettering would make my design life much easier as I love your program. I don’t want to carry a subscription for UMake just for a type function.
