# Boolean operation failed when subtracting

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/boolean-operation-failed-when-subtracting/14932>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [September 18, 2021, 12:17am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/boolean-operation-failed-when-subtracting/14932 "2021-09-18T00:17:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 11\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@red](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/red)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2021, 12:17am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/boolean-operation-failed-when-subtracting/14932/1 "2021-09-18T00:17:22Z")

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I’m learning to use Shapr by modeling objects in my room. I’m currently modeling Apple XDR Display and I’m stuck with the grille on the back.

Since this is my first post, I’m only allowed to upload one image, so I’ll try to explain with words the best I can.

Here’s how it looks like:

 ![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/9/9fa67d9cba626249b9bd015de5d0a6d7fa0eba10.jpeg)

There are two layers of the ball shapped cutting in the grille.

1. For the first layer, I made a row of ball shaped objects and subtract from the display.
2. Then I created another set of ball pattern and insert it further into display.
3. However, when I want to subtract it, it says that Boolean operation is failed.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/d/d0127cdaa27387167c5bc4d6ef9bbe7639dfc1c1.jpeg)

What, I’m doing wrong here?

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**Author:** ![KPeter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/kpeter/32/7644_2.png) [@KPeter](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/KPeter)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2021, 9:22am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/boolean-operation-failed-when-subtracting/14932/2 "2021-09-18T09:22:32Z")

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Hi! Do you have the same issue if you select just a smaller group of spheres? There are several reasons why the boolean can fail, could you please update the workspace?

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**Author:** ![red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@red](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/red)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2021, 5:05pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/boolean-operation-failed-when-subtracting/14932/3 "2021-09-18T17:05:24Z")

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Yes, even if I select only one object (ball), I get the same message. What do you mean by updating the workspace?

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**Author:** ![TigerMike](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/tigermike/32/32650_2.png) [@TigerMike](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/TigerMike)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2021, 5:28pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/boolean-operation-failed-when-subtracting/14932/4 "2021-09-18T17:28:41Z")

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Is that one ball (and all others for that matter) intersecting with the display? If they are not, then you will get the boolean failed message.

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**Author:** ![KPeter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/kpeter/32/7644_2.png) [@KPeter](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/KPeter)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2021, 7:26pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/boolean-operation-failed-when-subtracting/14932/5 "2021-09-18T19:26:17Z")

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Sorry, I meant to _upload_. Please export it as a Shapr3D design (.shapr extension) and upload the file. If you are running the free version, upload some screenshots from several points of view, with and without selecting the boolean tool to let us see if the bodies are intersecting properly or what can be the cause of the failing tool.

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**Author:** ![red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@red](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/red)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2021, 7:07pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/boolean-operation-failed-when-subtracting/14932/6 "2021-09-19T19:07:10Z")

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@TigerMike yes it’s intersecting.

@KPeter for some reason, I cannot upload the .shapr file from Files app on my iPad (it’s grayed out), but here’s the [Dropbox link](https://www.dropbox.com/s/u465plxyydhn1ex/XDR%20Display.shapr?dl=0).

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**Author:** ![red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@red](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/red)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 3:46am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/boolean-operation-failed-when-subtracting/14932/8 "2021-09-20T03:46:26Z")

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@Pascal Thanks, that worked!

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/5/504038826bed3368e19093dbdda13e443ecfae70.png)

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**Author:** ![KPeter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/kpeter/32/7644_2.png) [@KPeter](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/KPeter)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 7:08am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/boolean-operation-failed-when-subtracting/14932/9 "2021-09-20T07:08:16Z")

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Thanks for the workspace 🙂 The reason why the boolean failed with the original model is that the spheres are tangent to the face of the display where I marked it with the red circle. The boolean would end up in a detail with zero thickness - technically a surface, which is not supported yet

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/0/0b9bb43d35c024f3e6c1040a04d010d6c563ec8b.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@red](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/red)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 2:53pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/boolean-operation-failed-when-subtracting/14932/10 "2021-09-20T14:53:52Z")

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@KPeter good to know!

Off-topic, but related to this project. Is there a way to distribute objects in Shapr3D by setting the position of the first and last one, and let Shapr set the equal distances for the rest in between? The way I layed-out these balls was manually by duplicating one by one and typing a distance for each over and over again. Of course, I did this for one row and then duplicate the whole row, but anyway, was there a faster way?

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**Author:** ![juanalvareztx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/779978/32.png) [@juanalvareztx](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/juanalvareztx)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2021, 3:46pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/boolean-operation-failed-when-subtracting/14932/12 "2021-09-25T15:46:49Z")

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This would be a great feature to add to Shapr3D. It would open up ease of implementing “textures” and “patterns”.

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**Author:** ![hippopotamus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/hippopotamus/32/27332_2.png) [@hippopotamus](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/hippopotamus)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2024, 9:18pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/boolean-operation-failed-when-subtracting/14932/13 "2024-07-13T21:18:56Z")

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Thank you! Now I know that you can’t necessarily do boolean subtract when are flush with another object.