# Need to rotate sketch to export as DXF...won't rotate

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [January 28, 2025, 1:03am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259 "2025-01-28T01:03:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![JockM](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/jockm/32/14292_2.png) [@JockM](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/JockM)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 1:03am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259/1 "2025-01-28T01:03:55Z")

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I need to export a DXF of a sketch in order to import it into my EDA software. Since the sketch is on the X-Z plane, I need to rotate it so it is on the X-Y plane (otherwise the DXF is just a line). However despite my best efforts I cannot rotate the sketch. It will give me the UI to do it, I can attempt to rotate the sketch, but nothing happens.

There are no constraints active as far as I can tell, it isn’t locked in any way that I can see, it just won’t move or rotate.

Can anyone provide any insight into what might be happening?

Additionally exporting to a 2D drawing feels a bit clunky. Shouldn’t I be able to select the sketch and be asked which orientation I want to export? Or better yet, be able to select a body in whatever orientation and export that as a drawing?

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**Author:** ![TheBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@TheBum](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/TheBum)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 1:19am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259/2 "2025-01-28T01:19:33Z")

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Are you selecting the sketch (and not the plane) from the left sidebar before attempting to rotate it?

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**Author:** ![JockM](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/jockm/32/14292_2.png) [@JockM](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/JockM)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 1:41am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259/3 "2025-01-28T01:41:48Z")

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I have tried every way I can think of to select the sketch, but most of the time I click on the sketch in the outline. It is the top of the outline, not in a folder, and everything else is hidden (not hiding things doesn’t change the result). It is the one and only thing slected

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**Author:** ![arroniow](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/arroniow/32/30268_2.png) [@arroniow](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/arroniow)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 10:13am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259/4 "2025-01-28T10:13:37Z")

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If you look a few down the list of help requests, you will see.  
‘How can I rotate an inclined sketch to horizontal’  
The same processes will work for you. Your sketch is currently inclined at 90 degrees. This makes it easier as you can rotate using the Move/Rotate widget, which will rotate in 5 degree steps.  
Once you have rotated by 90, you then project the sketch to the XY plane.  
This will create a new sketch in the item list panel, export this new sketch to DXF.

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**Author:** ![JockM](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/jockm/32/14292_2.png) [@JockM](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/JockM)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 2:01pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259/5 "2025-01-28T14:01:03Z")

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From my original post:

> [@JockM](#):
>
> However despite my best efforts I cannot rotate the sketch. It will give me the UI to do it, I can attempt to rotate the sketch, but nothing happens.

I cannot rotate or move the sketch at all. Not by 5 degrees, not by 90.

But just in case I did reread that post and try the advice given in it again, without success.

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**Author:** ![arroniow](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/arroniow/32/30268_2.png) [@arroniow](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/arroniow)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 4:49pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259/6 "2025-01-28T16:49:04Z")

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Okay, that seems odd.  
Screenshots or video could help somebody spot the issue.

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**Author:** ![JockM](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/jockm/32/14292_2.png) [@JockM](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/JockM)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 6:12pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259/7 "2025-01-28T18:12:39Z")

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Upon selection:

 ![S3D Constraints](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/2/6/26bc7b4cf3671317548851cbb26ec9861d5613a5.jpeg)

Before attempting to rotate:

 ![S3D Before](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/9/4/94f3aa211cbe18a02e3f7a575eb3cea72039266c.jpeg)

During the attempt to rotate:

 ![S3D During](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/3/a/3a95c512dde9b5a571d3b858f5122bdd22ceaf22.jpeg)

And After:

 ![S3D After](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/2/0/2042c187bb0072f2fd6cd747a4fd99fba622b25d.jpeg)

Someone may call out that there is a change in what is highlighted in the outline view, I promise you it does not matter.

But it is also a bit moot at this point. I spent more hours on this problem than it would take to recreate the PCB shape in my EDA package. Hell I just exported the actual part that corresponded to the sketch, and imported it into unfolded, exported that to a DXF, and edited out the parts I didn’t need in under 10 minutes.

As much as I love Shapr3D (and I do!), I think parts of the UX are bad. If this sketched is somehow locked, it would be lovely if there a obvious way to know and to what. Why can’t I pick the view I want to export to DXF as opposed to the assumption it has to be on the XY… with on screen documentation that that is what is being exported. And I could go on.

It is such a great app in so many ways, and I want it to succeed, but every time I work on a model in it, I run into _something like this_. I love the bug where hidden sketches will just stay on the screen sometimes, and the only way to change that fact is to close the app and reopen.

This isn’t about grand pronouncements or ultimatums, but my god am I frustrated by an app I want to spend all my time using

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jean-philippe2](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/jean-philippe2/32/27353_2.png) [@jean-philippe2](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/jean-philippe2)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 6:23pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259/8 "2025-01-28T18:23:23Z")

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hi,  
Have you try to select your sketch and c choose Unlock in Constraint panel

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JockM](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/jockm/32/14292_2.png) [@JockM](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/JockM)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 6:36pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259/9 "2025-01-28T18:36:23Z")

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if you look at the screenshots you will see lock/unlock is greyed out. It is not locked as far as I can tell

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jean-philippe2](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/jean-philippe2/32/27353_2.png) [@jean-philippe2](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/jean-philippe2)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 6:41pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259/10 "2025-01-28T18:41:51Z")

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Can you upload just the sketch here ?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JockM](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/jockm/32/14292_2.png) [@JockM](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/JockM)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 6:57pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259/11 "2025-01-28T18:57:16Z")

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If someone can explain how to export just the sketch, everytime I try export to Shapr3D I get everything

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SCALEMODEL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@SCALEMODEL](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/SCALEMODEL)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 6:59pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259/12 "2025-01-28T18:59:40Z")

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You can send the Shapr file, that will include the sketch.

FYI the purple outlined sketch version is a projected linked sketch, those can’t be turned.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JockM](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/jockm/32/14292_2.png) [@JockM](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/JockM)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 7:10pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259/13 "2025-01-28T19:10:58Z")

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Sending the Shapr3d file is not an option

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JockM](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/jockm/32/14292_2.png) [@JockM](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/JockM)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 7:30pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259/14 "2025-01-28T19:30:02Z")

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And just for the sake of completeness, though I’ve done this many times in the past: it does not work with the blue version either.

I am sure there is a perfectly innocent reason, or it is just a bug, but it is not easy to find. And that is a failing of the program

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SCALEMODEL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@SCALEMODEL](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/SCALEMODEL)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 8:17pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259/15 "2025-01-28T20:17:32Z")

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If it’s blue Sketch you can change sketch plane.

If that doesn’t work its most likely some bug.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jean-philippe2](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/jean-philippe2/32/27353_2.png) [@jean-philippe2](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/jean-philippe2)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 9:12pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259/16 "2025-01-28T21:12:39Z")

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This is not a bug, it’s normal operation of the Constraints as I said above.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JockM](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/jockm/32/14292_2.png) [@JockM](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/JockM)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 9:26pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259/17 "2025-01-28T21:26:50Z")

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What constraint? Where? How can I see it? Again go back to my comment about the UX not being the best.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jean-philippe2](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/jean-philippe2/32/27353_2.png) [@jean-philippe2](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/jean-philippe2)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 9:51pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259/18 "2025-01-28T21:51:14Z")

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for infos : [Constraint-Settings](https://support.shapr3d.com/hc/en-us/articles/7394385784476-Constraint-Settings#auto-constraining)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JockM](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/jockm/32/14292_2.png) [@JockM](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/JockM)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 10:03pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259/19 "2025-01-28T22:03:29Z")

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Yes I did that, it gives me no information about any constraints.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jean-philippe2](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/jean-philippe2/32/27353_2.png) [@jean-philippe2](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/jean-philippe2)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 10:23pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259/20 "2025-01-28T22:23:16Z")

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here a mini video \>

[Next page](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-to-rotate-sketch-to-export-as-dxf-wont-rotate/36259.md?page=2)