Hello, after downloading the update for Shapr a few hours ago, a lot of stuff is really weird. The copy tool is now trash, you can not make another copy by just stopping to move and move again, and the worst: sketches are linked with bodies for some reason, i make a sketch, extrude, and want to move the sketch. The body moves too. I delete the sketch, the body gets deleted too. How can i undo that?
I dont even know why you would add this, these „features“ are just trash.
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Take a look at the release notes and spend 5 or 10 minutes looking at the videos.
In exchange for slightly changing how we do things, we now have vastly more power and flexibility – for no extra charge.
Instead of deleting the sketch, just hide it. Having it always available can be extremely useful to make changes.
If you want to use a sketch somewhere else, just make a copy and move it wherever.
Regarding the new copy behavior, many people like it better. There were lots of complaints about it being too easy to make unintended copies while you were just trying to position ONE copy correctly. And now there are better ways to make copies. The Pattern tool is very powerful.
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So theres no way to detach sketches from bodies? I hate having hundrets of sketches that are irrelevant and will never be used again sitting around, this is a major disatvantage in my mind,
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It’s already mentioned here dozens of times during last week and before that. But you always can export your model in STEP or X_T format and then import it in fresh new project. All you sketches and history will be erased in this case only bodies will be there.
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It’s definitely a change, but the more you use it the more you’ll see the benefits from parametric design.
Im designing a synthesizer, and have 40+ volume/ tone knobs, all identical and all had the same mistake. The interior diameter was too small, to delete them all and move them back into place would have been annoying and a major waste of time. With parametric, I changed one number on the sketch plane I used for them and it edited every single knob. A mistake I made hours ago, was solved in less than a minute.
The copy tool I kind of agree with you on that, but I don’t do very many asymmetrical things so the pattern tool is fine.
As far as the hundred sketch planes, you have to group them and hide that file, I was fortunate in the sense of I never deleted them anyway because I like the way they look when I hid the body’s so I could see outlines, and it was something I spent time on.
Look alls I’m saying is don’t call it trash unless you never ever ever make a mistake, and always are satisfied with what you made with no need to edit the very first time.
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Not for me, I don’t like it very much. I am toy designer, make fully articulated action figures with hundreds of parts per character and it makes no sense to keep all the sketches. Clicking hundreds of unwanted, unused and annoying sketches. Group it, then hide it is wasting time. I prefer to delete it right after I finish modeling a toy part.
I my case, I accidentally delete a sketch, and the part that associate with it is hidden inside the action figure. So, I don’t realize the change.
1 part changed = a trash action figure
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I got used to history-based design with Fusion 360. I find it very convenient to go back to the original sketch to change the dimension on a sketch object and then watch it (usually) magically applied in any 3D objects derived from it. This will become even more useful once they get variables implemented.
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Just took a look at your website, and I have to say that your models are amazing.
But I’m shocked that you can’t see the benefits of the history feature and keeping all the sketches available just-in-case. I’m fairly certain that you occasionally (at least) have to make adjustments after 3D printing a part and doing a test fit in-the-real-world. History makes this so much easier and often, faster and more accurate.
I understand that it is difficult to change habits of working — I had similar problems until I got used to the new way of doing things. But it is worth it. In the long run, I suspect you will save far more time than you think.
I suggest you do what I did while I was learning (and changing my own habits). Leave the History sidebar open all the time. When you accidentally delete a sketch (as I often did), you will immediately see yellow warning flags appear in the History list. When that happens, simply use the undo function to recover the sketch and fix the missing references. With that immediate feedback, I think you may be pleasantly surprised at how quickly you can develop new habits of working. Also, you avoid the unpleasant surprise of missing pieces you mentioned above.
When you are comfortable with the new way of working, you can keep the History panel closed (except when needed) and gain back the extra workspace. Sooner than you think, you will probably take advantage of the history feature often enough to make it all worthwhile.
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Thank you for your solutions.
The problem is not a History features. History is good to revert the steps from random force close / error.
My main problem is sketches link to he bodies.
From my perspective there are 2 user behavior:
- Who still needs the sketches and hide it
- Who doesn’t need the sketches and wants to delete it because it is the fastest way to clear it. In my case I just want to delete it I don’t care about History. Again when dealing with hundreds of parts and thousands of line/sketches. It is annoying to keep it on the screen, group it and hide it is like adding a new job. Opening a history bar and keep looking when I delete even a single line is not efficient.
Instead of making a new feature for a new possible behavior, Shapr3d disable 2nd option. I don’t know what Shapr3d want to archive but why? It makes no sense.
At least there is an option to unlink the sketches from the bodies. Like I don’t want to link every sketches to the bodies just turn on this button, like before these updates.
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I think i deleted that, if i did, im sorry it was an aciident
Yes exactly, there should just be a button to unlink.
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Hm im still not sure. For the things im doing, (im working on a electric skateboard at the moment) in some cases its great, since i have the same parts in some places, but for other things its anoying, as i said before, i would love a button to un link bodies from sketches. For example, i make a sketch to mirror a part, then i have a sketch sitting there, i can make it invisible, but then it fills my folder up, thats like a one use sketch, i see what it is good for, but i just dont understand why they didnt implement an „un-link“ button.
Since Shapr3D was updated, my modeling time has increased too much. I really don’t think this update is necessary. I think we should either return it to the previous version or provide an option setting for history.
It’s really hard. It’s very different from the previous method.
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Only if I knew this…I WOULD NEVER used update. I think it should be optional if you want to have linked sketches with bodies. Right now it is wasting my time so much. I have platny sketches I do not need and shapr has slowed down waaay to much 
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I’ve noticed the same issue when copying the body. I’m not sure how, but Shapr3D seems to have deteriorated with the recent updates. Why not keep it simple? That’s what initially captured our attention: simplicity. What are you trying to achieve, AutoCAD level complexity? Who needs that? Please, keep it simple, developers!
Many Thanks
For years now, many people on the forums have said that their favorite feature of Shapr3D is Direct Modeling. It makes so many things faster and easier, and IMHO, seems almost magical as you push and pull things to get exactly what you want. It is hard to overstate the value of instant visual feedback. All of that magic is still available and works pretty much the same as it always has.
Well, now we can also do Direct Modeling on Sketches This is a much, much bigger deal than most people seem to have realized. It makes changes, experimentation and creativity much easier and far more powerful.
As a trivial example:
Say you need to move a hole in a body. Before, you had to Select the circle AND the interior extrusion, and then you could drag it to a new location. Now, selecting only the sketch circle is enough because they are connected. Sure, only one click saved, but even this adds up.
But the important thing is that now LIVE sketches are a much more powerful design tool. They makes changes easy, but only the right changes. Perhaps the hole location is flexible, but must always be the correct distance from a specific edge or other feature, or symmetrically placed with a corresponding hole, or on a centerline, etc. Thanks to the constraints which can be applied to sketches, many costly (in time and/or money) mistakes can be avoided while still allowing flexibility to make necessary or even just aesthetic changes.
We’ve been given some powerful new tools, and like any tool, it is going to take time to learn to take full advantage. Old habits die hard, but in my experience, it is almost always a mistake to not at least consider the possibility that there might be a better way of doing things.
Fortunately, Shapr3D has made it about as easy as possible to ease in to the new capabilities. Show “Bodies” only in the Items list and all of the “visual clutter” is hidden if you want. No one is forced to use either the history or the improved (direct modeling) live sketches if they don’t want to. The only required (relatively minor IMHO) change is now we hide sketches instead of deleting them.
Sooner or later though (since we are all human) you are going to have a “I wish I had done something a little different” moment, and you’ll wish you could change history – without completely restarting from scratch. And that is when you’ll start to appreciate your new superpowers.
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Well said Steve, users need to think of it being able to use more tools available to get the job done. I really like the “History based parametric modeling” option.
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I have been a paying user since 2019. When I started using shapr there were very limited features (no dimensions, no shading, no visualization, etc.). The learning curve was very fast. I have been drawing for 45 years starting with pencil and sketch pad onto drawings boards with straight edges, then AutoCAD and Ryno with a few others in between. When I found Shapr, it was exciting and fun to draw again using an iPad and a pencil not having to sit at a desktop to develop new designs.
I’m sure the founders were sitting around saying how cool it could be to sit on the sofa with an iPad and pencil and create simple models to share ideas and send to a 3d printer. And they did it…over the years they have continued to add features (some great and some OK) but they managed to create a great piece of software staying true to the original design concept while adding enough power to create some incredible detailed models as shared by many users.
I have recommended Shapr to many people over the years and heard nothing but great feedback on how much they enjoy the software.
By crossing this threshold into the parametric modeling I fear Shapr has become another one of the many complex 3d modeling softwares available on the market and lost its elegant simplicity which got them to where they are today.
The original direct modeling allowed for beginners to enter the modeling world and was robust enough for intermediate and advanced users.
I have spent some time going through the videos and trying to better understand the new release with a high level of frustration and way to many commands not to mention the amount of screen space taken up by keeping windows open to track history and hide sketches not leaving any room to draw.
I understand the need for advancement / improvement and enjoy watching the Shapr team expand their products.
We work with designers and architects all over the world. We have an in house team of draftsmen and modelers. My job is to develop scaled concepts quickly for our clients and pass them on to the guys for development into working detailed drawings. I personally don’t need the power of parametric modeling.
For the people who require this type of modeling, perhaps they can pay for a plug-in to further support the Shapr development while the rest of us continue on with the direct modeling?
I’m 60 years old, I don’t want to sit at a desk and design any more. I prefer to draw sitting in a park, at the beach, or at the conference room table with a client.
Thanks Shapr team for all you have done but please bring the fun back into drawing.
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Well said.
Shapr3D has now ignored its user base and become a poor copy of other available software out there. They had an intuitive piece of software that covered a broad range of users from absolute beginners to professionals.
Now they have bad version of Fusion. As a professional, I might as well use it. The only advantage to Shapr3D is now the price which isn’t much of a factor for professionals. Hobbyists now might as well use Fusion or SOLIDWORKS hobby license. They’ll get a much more robust version of parametric modelling and even save money doing it.
I guess Shapr3D still have the iPad factor but there’s now a gap in the market for someone else to jump straight into.
It’s not all negative. There are parts of the update I like. I can’t count the amount of times I forget to click that ‘New Body’ button so that’s been fixed. Sketches are a mess and need work on to at least show what models they’re linked to, or follow models.
Today I edited a sketch and had to keep zooming out to see the results of the model in a different area. Either that or copy it again, move it back to see the changes. It’s crap and counter-intuitive.
But, going back. There’s a long, long list of requested features from their own user base which they should be implementing. It’s took years for folders to appear. Editable text, arrays, wrapping around cylinders, exporting images on computers, the list goes on and on and has for years.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Shapr are doing things that they think people want instead of listening to what people need. Stop brushing off concerns with ‘you’ll get used to it’ because you’ve now entered the arena where better software exists outside of iPads.
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Not true. In the beginning, there were all sorts of people bitching that in order to keep their sketches and bodies in sync, they had to make each change twice. You can’t please all of the people all of the time. I got used to history based workflow in Fusion 360, so it’s probably not as big of a deal for me in Shapr3D.
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