Tutorials ModelCraft help Troubleshooting and limits
Not built yet
What this build of ModelCraft does not do yet, and what to do instead today.
Written for ModelCraft 0.3. The same help is inside the app: press F1.
ModelCraft is an early build. This page lists what it does not do yet, so you don't go looking for it, and the nearest way to get the job done today.
Drawing tools
| Not yet | Instead, today |
|---|---|
| Arc, freehand and curves | Use Circle or Polygon with the number of sides you need (48s), then erase the part you don't want |
| Offset | Use the Tape to place guide lines at the offset, then draw over them with Line |
| Follow me (sweep a profile along a path) | Build the shape from push/pulled pieces |
| Text in the model | Use a dimension for lengths, and name groups in Entity info |
| Angle, radius and diameter dimensions | Dimension between corners; type angles in Rotate |
| Dimensions in exported files and printed sheets | Dimensions are saved in the .modelcraft file only; annotate after exporting |
| Protractor and angled guides | Draw a line along an axis, then turn it with Rotate by a typed angle, and snap to it |
| Non-uniform scale, scale grips | Retype a group's width, depth or height in Entity info, or resize with a dimension |
| Intersect faces, solid tools (union, subtract) | Push/pull cuts through within one object: model the cut by drawing on a face and pushing it through |
| Choosing the rotation axis with the arrow keys | Click the Rotate center on a face that faces the way the axis should point |
| Locks on more than one inference at a time | Lock one direction with an arrow key, then snap to a point |
| Resizing along a slant, or from a dimension end that is not on a corner | Place the dimension on two corners, along an edge or along red, green or blue |
Organizing and viewing
| Not yet | Instead, today |
|---|---|
| Tags (layers) | Use groups, named in Entity info |
| Hiding and isolating geometry | Open the group you want to work on: the rest fades and cannot be clicked |
| Section planes and section cuts | Use Top or Front with Perspective off, and X-ray |
| Soften and smooth controls | Only the sides of pulled circles are softened automatically |
| A library of ready-made components | Make your own, or import Collada, OBJ or glTF models |
| Independent copies of a group | Make it a component, then Make unique (see Troubleshooting) |
Materials and colors
| Not yet | Instead, today |
|---|---|
| Paint, materials and textures | Faces are one neutral color. Colors in imported Collada and glTF files are kept and exported again |
Material files for OBJ (.mtl) | Export Collada or glTF if colors matter |
| Textures in glTF and Collada | They are counted and left out on import |
Files
| Not yet | Instead, today |
|---|---|
| Opening or saving SketchUp files | Export Collada (.dae) or OBJ from SketchUp, and import that |
| Saving DWG or DXF | Export Collada, OBJ or IFC for other programs |
| Splines, ellipses, hatches, text and dimensions from DWG and DXF | They are counted and left out: site plans come in as lines only |
| 3D solids, surfaces, regions, meshes, tables and multileaders from DWG and DXF | They are counted and left out too. Export the 3D parts from the CAD program as OBJ or Collada and import that |
| IFC with storeys, types, properties or materials | The IFC export has one storey and generic elements; add the rest in a BIM program |
| Sending a model straight to BimCraft | Export IFC for BimCraft (.ifc) and open it in BimCraft |
| Loose edges in glTF and STL | Use OBJ or Collada for line work |
glTF extensions, sparse data, separate .bin files | Export a single .glb from the other program |
| Collada skins, morphs, cameras, lights, look-at and skew transforms, external references | Left out on import and counted in the message |
| Save As with a name, autosave, backup files | Rename the downloaded file; save often |
| Cloud saving and sync between computers | Not available yet. Save files to your computer, and copy them where you need them |
Performance
Undo keeps a full copy of the model for each step, so very large imports make every edit slower. Keep imports lean, and save and reopen to clear the history.
Apps and platforms
- Desktop builds of ModelCraft are not available yet. It runs in the browser on Mac, Windows and Linux.
- Touch: one-finger tools and two-finger pinch and pan work, but there is no finger gesture for orbit (use the Orbit tool), and on a touch screen a new shape can start where the last gesture ended (see Troubleshooting).
- Printing and sheets: there is no printing or sheet layout in ModelCraft. Take a screenshot of the view, or export to another program.