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is there way to add non-printing text to STL file?

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memsfactory

is there way to add non-printing text to STL file?

Maybe you guys have this same problem.... I export many STLs with variations
from my openscad code. Then I forget what type of variations they are. What
I would like is a way to have the key details of my particular STL embedded
in the STL file so in the future I can see what variables were utlized in
the original Openscad file to create that STL.

Anyone have any thoughts. My first thing was to use text command and write
out the text next to the object, but the program does not allow me to have
2D objects inside a 3D stl file.

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RobWLakes

Re: is there way to add non-printing text to STL file?

Could OpenSCAD have an option to write to the STL' file's meta-data for that? Something like MP3 files or digital photographs?

On 10 October 2017 3:58:03 am AEDT, memsfactory <[hidden email]> wrote:


Maybe you guys have this same problem.... I export many STLs with variations
from my openscad code. Then I forget what type of variations they are. What
I would like is a way to have the key details of my particular STL embedded
in the STL file so in the future I can see what variables were utlized in
the original Openscad file to create that STL.

Anyone have any thoughts.  My first thing was to use text command and write
out the text next to the object, but the program does not allow me to have
2D objects inside a 3D stl file.





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Rob W
Lake Tyers Beach,
Victoria, Australia

codifies

Re: is there way to add non-printing text to STL file?

http://www.fabbers.com/tech/STL_Format

oh that the STL format had a facility to include META data....

On 09/10/17 18:36, Rob Ward wrote:

Could OpenSCAD have an option to write to the STL' file's meta-data for that? Something like MP3 files or digital photographs?

On 10 October 2017 3:58:03 am AEDT, memsfactory [hidden email] wrote:

Maybe you guys have this same problem.... I export many STLs with variations
from my openscad code. Then I forget what type of variations they are. What
I would like is a way to have the key details of my particular STL embedded
in the STL file so in the future I can see what variables were utlized in
the original Openscad file to create that STL.

Anyone have any thoughts.  My first thing was to use text command and write
out the text next to the object, but the program does not allow me to have
2D objects inside a 3D stl file.





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RobWLakes

Re: is there way to add non-printing text to STL file?

I thought provision for meta data was a function of the filing system, not the primary contents of the file. Image files just have a lot of consistently named tags that have evolved as popular over time across camera makers, STL's do not, but it is possible without rewriting the STL data format?

On 10 October 2017 4:47:10 am AEDT, Mr C Camacho <[hidden email]> wrote:

http://www.fabbers.com/tech/STL_Format

oh that the STL format had a facility to include META data....

On 09/10/17 18:36, Rob Ward wrote:

Could OpenSCAD have an option to write to the STL' file's meta-data for that? Something like MP3 files or digital photographs?

On 10 October 2017 3:58:03 am AEDT, memsfactory [hidden email] wrote:

Maybe you guys have this same problem.... I export many STLs with variations
from my openscad code. Then I forget what type of variations they are. What
I would like is a way to have the key details of my particular STL embedded
in the STL file so in the future I can see what variables were utlized in
the original Openscad file to create that STL.

Anyone have any thoughts.  My first thing was to use text command and write
out the text next to the object, but the program does not allow me to have
2D objects inside a 3D stl file.





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Rob W
Lake Tyers Beach,
Victoria, Australia

Ronaldo

Re: is there way to add non-printing text to STL file?

In ASCII format, there is no provision to metadata but the 80 bytes header of the binary format might be used to short metadata. This header seems to be disregarded by most softwares,

2017-10-09 15:08 GMT-03:00 Rob Ward <[hidden email]>:

I thought provision for meta data was a function of the filing system, not the primary contents of the file. Image files just have a lot of consistently named tags that have evolved as popular over time across camera makers, STL's do not, but it is possible without rewriting the STL data format?
On 10 October 2017 4:47:10 am AEDT, Mr C Camacho <[hidden email]> wrote:
http://www.fabbers.com/tech/STL_Format

oh that the STL format had a facility to include META data....

On 09/10/17 18:36, Rob Ward wrote:
Could OpenSCAD have an option to write to the STL' file's meta-data for that? Something like MP3 files or digital photographs?
On 10 October 2017 3:58:03 am AEDT, memsfactory [hidden email] wrote:
Maybe you guys have this same problem.... I export many STLs with variations
from my openscad code. Then I forget what type of variations they are. What
I would like is a way to have the key details of my particular STL embedded
in the STL file so in the future I can see what variables were utlized in
the original Openscad file to create that STL.

Anyone have any thoughts.  My first thing was to use text command and write
out the text next to the object, but the program does not allow me to have
2D objects inside a 3D stl file.





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atnbueno

Re: is there way to add non-printing text to STL file?

In reply to this post by memsfactory

It's an ugly hack but I work with ASCII STL files and I add whatever I want after the "endsolid" line without any problems.

The software I use (OpenSCAD, Cura & Netfabb) does not complaint about it. But of course, it doesn't survive any extra save operation.

Before trying that I played with really thin 3D text (~0.001mm) but the extra ASCII is more scriptable, which fits my needs better.

2017-10-09 18:58 GMT+02:00 memsfactory <[hidden email]>:

Maybe you guys have this same problem.... I export many STLs with variations
from my openscad code. Then I forget what type of variations they are. What
I would like is a way to have the key details of my particular STL embedded
in the STL file so in the future I can see what variables were utlized in
the original Openscad file to create that STL.

Anyone have any thoughts. My first thing was to use text command and write
out the text next to the object, but the program does not allow me to have
2D objects inside a 3D stl file.

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Regards from Spain,
Antonio

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memsfactory

Re: is there way to add non-printing text to STL file?

Thanks... that's a start. :)

It's an ugly hack but I work with ASCII STL files and I add whatever I want
after the "endsolid" line without any problems.

The software I use (OpenSCAD, Cura & Netfabb) does not complaint about it.
But of course, it doesn't survive any extra save operation.

Before trying that I played with really thin 3D text (~0.001mm) but the
extra ASCII is more scriptable, which fits my needs better.

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moshel

Re: is there way to add non-printing text to STL file?

Hi, very new to this so probably my advice is not that useful but you can add
the comments in 3d fonts (linear extrude it). It will complicate and make
the stl much larger and you will have to remember to remove it before
machining but... Its a start.

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MichaelAtOz

Re: is there way to add non-printing text to STL file?

Administrator

OpenSCAD currently starts the (ASCII) STL with 'solid OpenSCAD_Model', which
is the spec 'solid <name>'
I have not seen anywhere further specification of <name>, so I presume it is
anything until EOL.
The binary has an 80-character header which can be anything, except for
starting with 'solid'*.

AMF has metadata capability too.

I have been thinking OpenSCAD could use the binary header (when it supports
binary) and the <name> to store relevant info.

Thus the name would be limited to 80 chars, it & binary header start with
'OpenSCAD,', then perhaps the OpenSCAD version (? - waste of limited space -
maybe at end?), then user data (truncated to fit).

Perhaps as simple as:
$meta=<user data string>;

??

* From Wikipedia: A binary STL file has an 80-character header (which is
generally ignored, but should never begin with "solid" because that will
lead most software to assume that this is an ASCII STL file

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* click on my MichaelAtOz label, there is a link to email me.

Unless specifically shown otherwise above, my contribution is in the Public Domain; to the extent possible under law, I have waived all copyright and related or neighbouring rights to this work.
Obviously inclusion of works of previous authors is not included in the above.

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cacb

Re: is there way to add non-printing text to STL file?

On 2017-10-09 23:36, MichaelAtOz wrote:
> * From Wikipedia: A binary STL file has an 80-character header (which
> is
> generally ignored, but should never begin with "solid" because that
> will
> lead most software to assume that this is an ASCII STL file
>

If you rely on "solid" for identifying ASCII STL files you will run into
problems at times, as there are binary STL files out there that have
headers beginning with "solid".

For metadata I think the "best" option is a second file named
appropriately. Or use AMF as suggested, as it allows embedded metadata.

Carsten Arnholm

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