Ps.: and I am not right, but the users are 
It hadn’t even occurred to me, until Chris mentioned it. Interesting topic though.
from now on you will find it super annoying 
Istvan
I will compile a list of things that would have made the experience better for me and post it in the “Designers need your help” section if it will be useful.
That would be super helpful, thank you.
Istvan
not sure where to put this list so can I post it here and perhaps you can move it to the appropriate place?
Thanks
Chris
Here is a partial list of some of the things that I personally would find helpful, and it may be that some of them are already present and I have not yet discovered them.
-
The ability to “Save as…”. This would allow experimentation with a design so that any changes can be quickly abandoned and returned to an earlier version. Undo is useful but limited whereas saving versions can allow restoration to a known point.
-
The ability to lock down a plane so that the view doesn’t start rotating unnecessarily. This is mostly of use when laying down 2D sketches rather than when working in 3D. This is particularly noticeable when using a tablet as resting the hand on the screen can sometimes result in a failure of the palm detect and result in a movement.
-
The addition of a dedicated Select tool similar to the Arrow tool in other drawing programs. This prevents accidentally drawing a sketch object when you try to select an object and miss.
-
Group select by dragging a select box over or perhaps through objects rather than having to select one by one. This would be easy to implement if item 3 is implemented.
-
Adding a Cancel option to operations which only currently have a Done checkbox ( the Scale transform for example). That way if you have made an incorrect change you can just back out rather than having to close and undo.
-
Adding a “Don’t save” option to close a drawing in order to discard any changes that have been made and thus preserve the original design.
-
Intuitive rotation of the body in a plan view. This was discussed in my request for help.
2 Likes
Thank you, super helpful. Many of these are planned for this year. We find the lack of better selection functionality particularly painful, but all the other points are valid too.
Istvan
I just discovered that the screen shot rotation works in the way that I had been looking for.
I found this quite amusing
2 Likes
Not really, it works the same. In the previous example you looked at it from the top view, in this case you look at it from the side, this is why it feels different.
Ah, I hadn’t realised that it behaved differently depending on the view.
Hi,
I completely agree with Chris’s point. A point I raised some time back but with no response.
An intuitive way for a 3D object to rotate, is with the foreground to follow your finger. As Chris demonstrates, this is not always the case when you move away from the ‘default’ view.
If you rotate a model so it is upside down, without disengaging your finger the model will now rotate in the opposite direction to your finger. Lift you finger and then re-engage and all is well and the model rotates with your finger.
However the issue that Chris raises doesn’t go away with a break in finger engagement. When you are in top view you can’t rotate the model left and right. Only up or down, or it spins on the screen.
I guess I’ve become used to this odd behaviour but thought I’d support Chris with his concern.
Thanks
Simon
1 Like
I have to agree with Chris’s point as well. I find the rotation of view within Shapr to be non-intutive from the other programs we use like Fustion. I agree with Wrigley, that the fore ground should move in the direction of your finger and it should be independent of where you touch on the screen as your fingers are not accurate enough to create a rotation access dependent on how far away you are from the screen centers, etc.
It would make the program far more intuitive than having to figure out your view and what your movement will do. Just drag and rotate in that direction simple.
1 Like
And you are doing a blody good job:)
I love the constant updates and improvements, I’m looking forward for what to come:)
Thank you
I have to agree with Chris. I use NX, SOLIDWORKS and Fusion with a mouse with ease, however, the iPad with it’s hands on approach of navigating is something Shapr3D does excellently in different ways.
Navigating the model, however, sometimes leaves me questioning the intent of the gesture. Your control method seems to work similar to Apple Maps’ 3D globe, which forces the vertical positioning. This makes sense for a map which is required to be in that orientation, but it feels limiting and disorientating In this use case.
Secondary, at first when I originally was swiping the screen, I would expect the camera to rotate about the same spot…however, the camera seems to continue shifting, eventually moving off the screen.
I now realise where the issues stems from. I work on large assembly project with many individual parts. When swiping the screen, I assume Shapr3D rotates about the part that your finger touches.
This makes sense with a few parts, however, when you have hundreds of pieces and want to rotate about the assembly, It is nearly impossible to rotate with touching many different parts and so changing the the rotation origin. This causes major disorientation as I am used to touching large targets when using a finger. I think the problem lies with not being clear enough when first using the software as there is no indication as to what your touch movement is rotating about when it is a small target.
How could we make it better?
I’ve realized I have the same problem with the rotation, and it seems to happen ONLY when coming from a view (any view like left, front, back etc). That said, if I double tap the orientation cube and then drag my finger, i can rotate the model without any problems.
I’ve been using this app for just 2 days and I’m loving it so far. You guys have done and are doing an amazing work.
Hi,
Liamwazzo makes a good point about the rotation point about a small and sometimes unpredictable ‘target’. I like the idea that rotation is centred around the object under the initial finger contact or about the model centre if initial finger contact is outside the model. But, as Liamwazzo suggests, it can become somewhat unpredictable in a busy, large model.
Difficult to know how it might be improved, how to choose what you are rotating around? Maybe the rotate about model or object centre could be toggled with a second finger (thumb on other hand) on screen. Or possibly the ability to select an object with subsequent rotation about its centre.
Difficult one.
Thanks
Simon
Hi,
I have moved away from using the cube for anything other than getting me back to the default view once I get lost in the model.
The most disorientating aspect of the cube is after selecting a side or bottom view. You cannot then intuitively rotate back to the ‘front’ view, the model spins in funny ways. I find it easier to double click a side/bottom face to orient to side/bottom, then subsequent rotation back to the front is more intuitive.
Thanks
Simon
2 Likes
Regarding my first point, I think that orientation can make sense. I don’t, however, think enough user feedback is given. This may be causing the disorientation.
Apple’s Reality Composer is a good example of feedback. When reaching the top of your model, the camera stops, preventing you from continuing to move. In Shapr3D there is no feedback at this point. With the absence of feedback, I do not expect the gesture motion to shift. The subsequent sudden change in motion is a surprise. Adding feedback would help make the implemented orientation more obvious.
With my second point, when working with a large assembly at a distance, I only want to rotate about the full assembly. Although rotating about a single part is useful, I tend to only do this when closer to the model. A gesture that separates a part’s Centre of mass with the Assembly’s Centre of mass could be useful. A ‘tap and hold’ on a part could come into play…although I know you already have plans to use it with the cube.
Another small gripe occurs when rotating the camera. When moving the camera close to the horizon, the grid density rapidly changes which is slightly irritating. Although the camera does get closer to the plane, the density does not maintain consistent with the reverse side of the plane which instantly changes to the highest density.