How do you like our new upload page?

We just released the first step towards a completely overhauled and improved upload experience. This release includes Initial Printability Check (checking bounding box) for ALL materials, allowing you to immediately update and re-upload your file if needed, a WebGL model viewer (only available to the model owner) so you can see your model render right away, and a full redesign of the entire page.

We're exposing our checking process to show you all the steps we take to ensure printability. This is something we've always done, its just clearer to see now.

For the first time ever, we've been able to beta-test this feature with a small group of community testers - they gave us heaps of good feedback during the last week. Thanks guys!

This is really just the tip of the iceberg of what we're working on here, and we felt that everyone would benefit from this first improvement already. Expect more soon!

What do you think so far?

Cheers,

Bart

Cannot try the new page at the moment, but I can already say that I think that this promising recent thread seems to already have been abandoned (after a certain islander started pounding you with the old currency issue) :confused

Not sure if it's me being stupid, but where has the option gone to update the STL file on an existing model?

Tom

Awesome! I thought I'd give it a go with one of the most complex models I've got, a Sierpinski tetrahedron level 7, 971512 faces.
The preview works great and the tests were pretty fast considering the complex shape.

Some minor changes I'd like for the preview: the perspective is quite extreme, can this be changed with keys or mouse? And the lighting might look nicer if the light source wasn't placed exactly straight along the z-axis.

Here's a problem though, this model consists of 322 separate rings (and I am 100% sure they are really separate) of about 1mm thickness. But it returns with "Number of Separate Parts: 1" and says that it is printable for every material except precious metals (too big) and FCS (no color).

I imagine that this data item could be renamed 'Dear Operator, please fish this number of parts out of the printer to give a complete Model'. While your Model is made up of many parts, they are all interlinked, therefore finding one part allows you to find them all - assuming nothing breaks, of course...

I see what you mean, it depends on the definition of separate. But still this should not be printable in ceramics and steel, for these materials no degree of separation is acceptable... not to mention the 1mm wires.

Yes, I agree with you on that, I was just addressing the one specific point.

As a separate issue I disagree with the inclusion of Buy in 'Upload and Buy'. There are many other places to purchase a model, especially if it is one's own model, and the Buy aspect does not logically group with Upload at all. Upload is about the mechanics of getting the model into Shapeways, Buy is a completely different subject.

The only part of the original re-vamp of the site I agreed with was the separation of the Shop and Make+Sell functions, and this is imo a retrograde step. And very confusing too.

@AmLachDesigns is correct. This 'parts' definition is a bit new for us designers here at Shapeways, so we need to get used to a new term.

A MESH or SHELL is an independent closed surface. It must be manifold, watertight, etc. There can be more than one of them per file

A PART is one or more meshes that will "stay together". That includes intersecting meshes, but also includes non-intersecting meshes. That means that interlinking loops (chain mail), but also includes things that are caged, etc.

This model: http://shpws.me/oIBC is considered to be "one part". Even though the 80 rings are "loose", they are "trapped" by the cage around them, and won't come free inside the printer.

This new definition would also include a box with only 1mm holes that is filled with 2mm spheres. - if the spheres can't escape from the box, then the assembly can be considered to be one single PART.

I'm rather proud to say that this model http://shpws.me/oBCu is ONE part. It has FOUR rotating axles and the two large sets of tires are on swing arms that will rotate up and down, all within about a half inch cube. The shells are separate, and can move freely, but it's considered to be ONE PART.

While I do like the new upload page, why on Earth is the "Edit" tab called "Share & Sell"? It is an EDIT tab! It goes to an EDIT page! Hiding things with incorrect titles does nobody any favours...

Oh, and with the new Checkout, why am I FORCED to give a phone number? And why is it inserted in the shipping address? I'm sure having it on the shipping label (accessible to any third parties who read the box) violates the UK's Data Protection act.

I just updated some models and the WebGL display is useful. The zoom in/zoom out scroll wheel direction seems to be the opposite of what my scrolling finger is expecting to do. Maybe I need to hold the mouse upside down!

In case you haven't figured it out yet you can pan and drag the image by pressing the control button while you drag it with your mouse. That enables you to see close in detail after the magnification factor pushes the area of interest outside the viewer window. A reset view button would be a nice addition.

I'm not sure why some stuff auto-saves when you change it while there still being other update buttons for other things (as before). Personally I prefer a system where you make all your changes and then press a save button that saves everything, or lets you quit and abort the process.

I prefer the two-column layout of the old model editing page. The buttons and menus on the new editing page are so elooooooooooooooongated now and it looks weird. Before, all the important stuff was above the fold, now you have to scroll down to complete the editing of a model. But I do like the tabs and the immediately available render. Nice job on that front.

@tebee - it should be on the 'Upload & Buy' tab when editing a model. For some older models it may not show though (see link below) - if this is the case, please give me a shout (or mail to bart@shapeways.com)

https://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=msg&th=15860 &start=0&

@Wahtah - Stony's explanation is correct, but I imagine we should make the terminology clear. And please know that the 'Initial Printability Check' really only does the basic checks: is the file format correct, and will the model fit in the printer for this material? More checks are coming up

@AmLachDesigns - combining uploading and buying is done mainly for Makers - we've found that a large group of people uploads a model and immediately purchases it. So we do see them, in fact, as logically grouped in this screen.

@barkingdigger - I'll pass that on, thanks! We've had the phone number requirement on checkout for a while now. We pass it to UPS so they can contact you if there are issues with the delivery, and have found that this has greatly reduced the number of complaints (although there's still enough to complain about with UPS

@MrNib - I think we're moving a page where everything is automatically saved. Basically you'll be able to work on your model description etc during uploading, similar to YouTube.

@ppoz - Agreed, there are some layout issues, but we'll surely tackle those!

Cheers,

Bart

Well, I don't agree, but it's SWs website so you can do as you wish, just offering my opinion.

As a separate question, once one has uploaded or edited a model how do you navigate away from the Edit page? Obviously it's possible to <Backspace> or click on a Tab but don't you think there should be a 'leave Edit Mode' button as there used to be?

I assumed "view product page" was the exit/save button, but with it not being clear I was left wondering if all the changes were actually registered. I'm old school and haven't Youtubed in years. I like clear and concise directions without things changing every week or so (like Facebook did, OY!, before I abandoned it). But that's just me.

Sometimes I wonder if there is some kind of language/computer methodology gap between countries and continents. Things can be lost in translation or communities of programmers simply develop different interface styles around the globe, just like language dialects. You can even see such differences within companies in the same country. I suppose it's to be expected despite the planet getting smaller every day. Progress!

@stony - I like your version better.

@MrNib - I think you may be right.

When I update a model the WebGL viewer seems to appear immediately while still in the editor mode, or when you return to the edit page later. But I just uploaded several new models and all I get are static model views with no ability to rotate or zoom. Is there some delay time for background processing before this works? Is this a bug? I did the updating over the weekend and the uploading of new models today so maybe there was an update in between?

Barkdigger, the phone number helps UPS deliver your package. If no one is home or there is something wrong with the address, they can get in touch with you to ensure delivery.

Today's release has some upload improvements like you asked. We changed the tabs to say "Edit Model" and "Edit Details" so its clearer what you are working on.

More updates coming soon!