# Editing an externally uploaded file

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/editing-an-externally-uploaded-file/36164>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [January 22, 2025, 8:11am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/editing-an-externally-uploaded-file/36164 "2025-01-22T08:11:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SkySea53](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@SkySea53](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/SkySea53)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 8:11am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/editing-an-externally-uploaded-file/36164/1 "2025-01-22T08:11:18Z")

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I uploaded an stl file, it is a model of an important part, I need to open a hole for it, but since I uploaded it from outside, I think I can’t open a hole after creating a circle, but if I make another drawing, I can open a hole for it.

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**Author:** ![SCALEMODEL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@SCALEMODEL](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/SCALEMODEL)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 9:11am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/editing-an-externally-uploaded-file/36164/2 "2025-01-22T09:11:07Z")

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STL are harder to work with in Shapr because STL is not cad format but mesh. Like photo is pixels and illustration app is vector.

You can use Freecad to convert your STL to STEP, you can easily sketch your holes and get some edibility but not all.

Also even without conversion you can still make holes. You will need to make a 3d model of the hole separately and do a boolean subtract, that will give you the hole but you need to eyeball the location.

Here is tutorial on STL to STEP Conversion.

> [@Is there any way to work with an imported stl precisely?](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-work-with-an-imported-stl-precisely/35264/5):
>
> What your looking to do within Shapr is impossible with STL imports. But there are workarounds you can try. If you open the STL in Blender you will be able to do what you want, align, get dimension info and such. But using Blender is another challenge. You can convert the STL to STEP and open it Shapr3d so you can edit it and get the info you want. Here is a tutorial of the conversion with Freecad. [[How to Modify STL File in FreeCAD | FreeCAD Tutorial | FreeCAD Beginner Tutorial |] ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRqirTGglvE) …