Project Management
There are several methods to manage netfabb projects, read and open files and save or export projects and parts. To save processing time, STL files with a great complexity can be split before adding them to a project. For further processing, projects can be saved as netfabb project files and parts can be exported into three-dimensional or two-and-a-half-dimensional file formats. Screenshots can be exported and saved for illustration purposes.
The basic functions for the project management are available in the project menu:
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[edit] Start and Manage Project
New
With this function, available in the Project menu, a new project without any content is created. New files or objects can be inserted. Warning: Any changes made on previously opened projects are discarded.
Undo/Redo
The Undo function in the Edit menu reverts the last operation on parts in the default module. Only simple actions such as moving parts or starting new modules can be undone. If an operation has replaced the original part (such as cutting or a repair), it cannot be retrieved and the operation cannot be undone. With Redo, you can perform the process you have undone again.
[edit] Open Files
You can open netfabb project files, STL files and other three-dimensional files created with CAD software or slice files previously saved in netfabb. The objects defined by those files are added to the project. From then on, it is possible to work on them. If you open a netfabb project file, the project is loaded and the previous project is discarded.
With this feature, three-dimensional parts saved as STL files or in other file formats can be added to the project. It can be accessed in the Part menu, in the context menu of any element in "Parts" section of the project tree, in the context menu of the viewing screen, if you do not click on a part, but on empty space, or by doubleclicking on the folder symbol next to "Parts" in the project tree.
You can also add parts by drag & drop, if you pull them from your windows folder into your netfabb window.
If the Advanced File Import is activated in the settings, you can duplicate, stitch or scale parts and you can change the level of detail before adding them to the project.
Files with different formats can be previewed and opened with the File Preview Browser, which is avaibable in the Project menu. It opens a file browser window in the tabsheet, where files can be chosen to be be displayed as a preview before being added to the project. It can be used for netfabb project files, three-dimensional files and slice files and allows a much quicker browsing of databases.
If you activate the option "Always use file preview" in the settings, the File Preview Browser is automatically started when you start the function "Add Part".
Effectively, this function performs the cutting of a part before opening it. STL files with a great complexity are split into smaller sections before loading them to a project. This saves a considerable amount of processing time. This function is only available for netfabb Studio Professional.
[edit] Save and Export
If you choose "Save" in the Project menu, the project is saved and its previously saved version is overwritten. If you choose "Save As" or if there is no existing version of the project, a dialog window is opened, in which target directory, file name and file type can be chosen.
Export Project to STL
The entire project, possibly consisting of many different parts, is saved as one single STL file. Target directory and file name can be chosen in a file browser.
This feature in the Part menu or in the context menu of a part saves a selected part as STL file, other three-dimensional file or as a slice file. The new file is then saved in a selected directory.
A list of available file formats can be found here.
If you export a part as slice, a slice file is created without the intermediate step of viewing and checking it in the Slice Commander. The options for directly exporting slice files are the same as for exporting slices. With netfabb Studio Basic, you can only save a slice of one part in one file, and you cannot export slices from the Slices section.
[edit] Prints and Screenshots
Print
This function in the Project menu directly prints the current view of the project. With "Configure Printer", you can edit the settings for the printer.
Screenshot to Clipboard
This feature is available in the Edit menu and copies a screenshot of the viewing screen into the clipboard. The screenshot then can be inserted into other files.
Save Screenshot
With this function in the Edit menu, a screenshot of the viewing screen is saved as PNG file in any chosen directory.
