# Shapr3D saves files as .stl but cannot open .stl files?

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/shapr3d-saves-files-as-stl-but-cannot-open-stl-files/2909>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [September 16, 2018, 8:05pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/shapr3d-saves-files-as-stl-but-cannot-open-stl-files/2909 "2018-09-16T20:05:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![JPV](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d9b06d/32.png) [@JPV](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/JPV)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2018, 8:05pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/shapr3d-saves-files-as-stl-but-cannot-open-stl-files/2909/1 "2018-09-16T20:05:25Z")

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I’m using the free version of shapr3d and I’ve been quite impressed with it’s functionality and tech support. For some reason my three files that I have been working on have disappeared from the shapr3d menu of recent work. I have had them 3D printed multiple times and would now like to print them in metal.

Here’s the problem: I cannot open the .stl files that were saved by shapr3d. I need to make some adjustments on the designs before reprinting. Any solutions? Thank you.

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**Author:** ![Paulr](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/paulr/32/1997_2.png) [@Paulr](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Paulr)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2018, 10:48pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/shapr3d-saves-files-as-stl-but-cannot-open-stl-files/2909/2 "2018-09-16T22:48:47Z")

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Buy the pro version and give back to the guys that are working so hard to build a fully functional exceptional product.  
Regards  
Paul

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**Author:** ![Istvan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/istvan/32/23668_2.png) [@Istvan](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Istvan)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2018, 6:13am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/shapr3d-saves-files-as-stl-but-cannot-open-stl-files/2909/3 "2018-09-17T06:13:53Z")

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You can’t import and edit STL files in Shapr3D, and even if you could that wouldn’t work like you expect it . Read more about it here: [Explanation of export/import formats supported by Shapr3D](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/explanation-of-export-import-formats-supported-by-shapr3d/279)

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**Author:** ![uber.geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b782af/32.png) [@uber.geek](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/uber.geek)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2018, 4:04pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/shapr3d-saves-files-as-stl-but-cannot-open-stl-files/2909/4 "2018-09-19T16:04:13Z")

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.stl is a “lossy” format, so some data from the original file is discarded in the conversion process. It is not possible to discern the exact original shape from the exported file.

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**Author:** ![JPV](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d9b06d/32.png) [@JPV](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/JPV)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 3:41am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/shapr3d-saves-files-as-stl-but-cannot-open-stl-files/2909/5 "2018-09-26T03:41:38Z")

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Thank you @Istvan for the link to your write up! Thank you @uber.geek for your informative response. It all makes sense to me now. Thank you thank you.

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**Author:** ![Yepher](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/yepher/32/8902_2.png) [@Yepher](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Yepher)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 2:22pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/shapr3d-saves-files-as-stl-but-cannot-open-stl-files/2909/6 "2022-08-26T14:22:38Z")

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I fully understand that importing STL into Shapr3D and treating it like a native STEP or Shap3D body will never be supported… I often find myself where I want to “reverse engineer” or convert some part of an STL to a drawing for 2D cutting. Here are some features that I “think” are possible and would be super helpful:

1. After the import of an STL, being able to project its outline onto a 2D plane would be great. Something like this [https://all3dp.com/2/stl-to-dxf-how-to-convert-stl-files-to-dxf-autocad/](https://all3dp.com/2/stl-to-dxf-how-to-convert-stl-files-to-dxf-autocad/) this, I hope, would at least get rid of some of the tedious tracing workflow.

2. Being able to measure points directly on an STL (like digital calipers). (essentially a helper to snap a line to the point that is local maxima or minima, let the user choose )

3. With each of the features above being able to set an arbitrarily positioned plane where those actions are performed at the “binary” intersection of the STL that the plane passes through. Or maybe tracing the intersection of the plane and the STL gets rid of the need for 1&2 above?

/me Now that I’ve typed this, I wonder if I can proto-type #3 and render as DXF???!!! (like a virtual MRI 🙂 )

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**Author:** ![Yepher](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/yepher/32/8902_2.png) [@Yepher](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Yepher)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 8:13pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/shapr3d-saves-files-as-stl-but-cannot-open-stl-files/2909/7 "2022-08-26T20:13:54Z")

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**Holy Cow!!!** I think it is working!!! I cannot believe it.

 ![stlToDrawing](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/1/a/1aa32f41a9bb7556e37faa9a3b9f2d77f31ca3ed.png)

I exported this as STL from shapr

(sorry wrong slice direction illustrated in pic)

 ![sphereVisualExample](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/e/c/ec0ed7f38556961a76a9d35808c124e76f192182.jpeg)

[shapr3d\_export\_2022-08-26\_15h13m.shapr](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/uploads/short-url/bgsFwcnVlK74n8BNi2jgKo3zlpl.shapr) (16.1 KB)

And this is the resulting DXF:

[test.dxf.zip](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/uploads/short-url/fBNYd5tUtojHaB3vpgjksynXCo3.zip) (9.6 KB)

And this is an example of equally spaced slices along the Z-Axis

 ![slices](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/e/4/e4780ace3cc6d8f075f498a9ab233237308745ef.png)

=============

Super simple conversion test. Downloaded this things file: [My Customized Hose Connector - Customizer by Moutix - Thingiverse](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5449435/files)

Ran it through my stl to dxf converter then used revolved in Sharp3d to make the part fully editable. This took me ~1 minutes to produce.

 ![stl2dxf_test](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/c/f/cfdac858bc5648d55abd8bb9c555117877502770.jpeg)

======  
Another Example. Did not do z-axis capture only the x/y. This would have taken me hours the way I did it before. I did this in 10 minutes.

> **[Iron Banner Coaster by Bahgera](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5469409/files)**
>
> Destiny Iron Banner coaster

output dxf:  
[wolf.dxf.zip](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/uploads/short-url/2mNiVwVhwcttDN2iMhdmy9Q0WyK.zip) (210.3 KB)

![wolfCoaster](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/0/8/0811302731d270c219e2980ccb62eb46960a9a77.gif)

Shapr3D project  
[wolfcoaster\_and\_hose.shapr](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/uploads/short-url/A4dtgVH3V85mFjDydBqlhSoE42G.shapr) (4.8 MB)

======  
Desktop Organizer. This took me ~3 minutes to reproduce.

> **[desktop organizer by matthias69](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5445659/files)**
>
> für Werkzeug - Stift etc.

 ![desktopOrganizer](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/5/1/5199b82f8963f62405b83afa16a523cf7b31c79b.jpeg)

Project and sliced dxf files:  
[desktopOrganizer.zip](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/uploads/short-url/fFfsvull8E6z7ZqvpYmgxcDILdH.zip) (6.2 MB)

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**Author:** ![Stephen](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/stephen/32/16350_2.png) [@Stephen](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Stephen)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2022, 7:00am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/shapr3d-saves-files-as-stl-but-cannot-open-stl-files/2909/9 "2022-08-27T07:00:51Z")

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Very interesting Yepher. Well done 👍

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**Author:** ![Yepher](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/yepher/32/8902_2.png) [@Yepher](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Yepher)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 2:03pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/shapr3d-saves-files-as-stl-but-cannot-open-stl-files/2909/10 "2022-08-29T14:03:38Z")

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As another test this one was a challenge

 ![IMG_1737.PNG](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/5/c/5c8154158b3f46811f0d01b9759ab0bc35fbe5d8.jpeg)  
[https://www.printables.com/model/267196-brain-circuit](https://www.printables.com/model/267196-brain-circuit)

Shapr3D chokes on the generated DXF file probably because so many points. I was finally able to get it imported but took me a lot of tries and patience. I wonder how hard it would be to use OpenCV to try and simplify the drawing to prefer circles and lines instead of polylines to produce a much less complex DXF… Seems like something that could be done… Maybe a project for next weekend or this winter. Something like this [OpenCV shape detection - PyImageSearch](https://pyimagesearch.com/2016/02/08/opencv-shape-detection/)