Metafold Docs
Metafold Docs

Editor overview

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  1. Clicking the Metafold Icon reveals a file menu:
    1. Back To Home returns you to the Home Page
    2. File>Import / Export pops up an import or export menu
    3. Edit>Undo / Redo …
    4. View>Frame All (f) zooms the view to the center of the Extend Box
    5. Theme>Light / Dark changes the theme to suit your preference
  2. The Shapes Panel is the main way to interact with the app.
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    1. The Blending Mode dropdown controls the boolean operation assigned to the selected shape.
    2. The Group button allows you to nest shapes within collections. (learn more about groups)
    3. The Duplicate button duplicates the selected shape
    4. The + button contains Presets
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      Presets are the workhorse of the Metafold application. Read more about them here.
    5. As you add presets/shapes, they will appear as layers. Through a right-click menu, these can be Renamed, Deleted, Grouped, or you can set the Extent Box to a selected layer.
  3. Assets and Exports are how you import and export geometry files into Metafold. Clicking the + button within the Assets or Exports tab reveals the relevant menu.
    4. STL, OBJ, PLY, and STEP files are supported imports. As files are imported they are converted to the Metafold volumetric representation. You can select the resolution at which the imported files are sampled using the
    STL, OBJ, PLY, and STEP files are supported imports. As files are imported they are converted to the Metafold volumetric representation. You can select the resolution at which the imported files are sampled using the Asset Resolution options. Checking Add to Scene will immediately add your import to the Shapes Panel as a Primitive>Mesh Preset
    There are multiple export options available out of the Metafold app. Mesh (STL, OBJ, PLY),
    There are multiple export options available out of the Metafold app. Mesh (STL, OBJ, PLY), OpenVDB, Image Stack, Graph JSON, and CLI are currently supported export formats. (”Can you export to STEP?” - No! And here’s why!) Selecting an option from Export Type reveals additional context dependent options (e.g. Resolution, and File Type for Meshes, Image Resolution for Image Stacks)
  4. The Project Title - “Untitled” by default, double click or use the down arrow to name your project.
  5. View Options
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    1. Camera options change between Perspective and Orthographic camera displays
    2. Slice view take a section cut through your model
    3. Simulation view view the results of your simulation runs
  6. The Properties Panel is context specific to a selected shape layer. This menu enables you to change settings and parameters (e.g. Lattice Type, Shape Position, etc.)
  7. The top right of the Editor window has action buttons for simulation, sharing, and gives you access to your account settings.
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    1. One-Click Simulation (beta) run ISO standard piston compression tests on models created with Metafold
    2. Share your creations! Making your project public adds it to the Community page on the Home Screen. You can also copy a link to your project and share it directly.
    3. The Account menu
  8. Filters are effects that you can apply to a selected Shape. Currently there are two available filters: Shell and Redistance. The Shell filter hollows solid shapes by applying a thickened wall to the surface. You can remove filters you’ve added by right-clicking and deleting them. They can be re-ordered by dragging them.
    9. Example of a shelled Sphere+Box smooth-union
    Example of a shelled Sphere+Box smooth-union
  9. The Shape Info tab gives you insight into the volume, surface area, and relative density of your design.
  10. View cube - click on an axis to snap adjust the view. Useful when in the Orthographic camera mode.