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Code CAD – Use code to create CAD models

cadhub.xyz

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Re: Code CAD – Use code to create CAD models

#4

I'm not sure I understand the thing about the models not being live previews. Is OpenSCAD effectively being run on the server and the code needs to be sent to it every time you modify code or change the camera?

See the link to the explanation just above it: https://learn.cadhub.xyz/docs/general-cadhub/openscad-previe...

Re: Code CAD – Use code to create CAD models

#5
post #4

I'm not sure I understand the thing about the models not being live previews. Is OpenSCAD effectively being run on the server and the code needs to be sent to it every time you modify code or change the camera?

See the link to the explanation just above it: https://learn.cadhub.xyz/docs/general-cadhub/openscad-previe...

Honestly, that still doesn't really answer my question.

I can run OpenSCAD locally and there's never a lag like that when I pan/tilt/zoom the camera. I could understand if that lag occurs in this web app if OpenSCAD wasn't actually running in the browser but instead as an instance on a server, but the page you linked to doesn't state whether that's what's happening.

Or maybe it's just an approach to "bake" the model into an image to save resources or prevent potential freezes?

I'm not criticizing it but am just curious about the reasoning.

Re: Code CAD – Use code to create CAD models

#6
Honestly openSCAD is pretty cool but you quickly run into limitations because of it's DSL. One major reason I don't like it is that it uses mesh-based modeling and not boundary representation. With the former you can never get a "perfectly" smooth sphere for example. Most CNC shops require the latter. So a few years back I moved to CadQuery[1]. CadQuery uses boundary representation and uses Python as it's host language. This essentially makes it superior in almost every way to openSCAD.

[1] https://github.com/CadQuery/cadquery

Re: Code CAD – Use code to create CAD models

#7

Honestly openSCAD is pretty cool but you quickly run into limitations because of it's DSL. One major reason I don't like it is that it uses mesh-based modeling and not boundary representation. With the former you can never get a "perfectly" smooth sphere for example. Most CNC shops require the latter. So a few years back I moved to CadQuery[1]. CadQuery uses boundary representation and uses Python as it's host langua…

Oh wow, I've never heard of this and might have to check it out. I love OpenSCAD in contrast to other free CAD programs I've tried, but not being able to directly work with STEP has been a limitation.

Re: Code CAD – Use code to create CAD models

#8
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

See the link to the explanation just above it: https://learn.cadhub.xyz/docs/general-cadhub/openscad-previe...

Honestly, that still doesn't really answer my question. I can run OpenSCAD locally and there's never a lag like that when I pan/tilt/zoom the camera. I could understand if that lag occurs in this web app if OpenSCAD wasn't actually running in the browser but instead as an instance on a server, but the page you linked to doesn't state whether that's what's happening. Or maybe it's just an approach to "bake" the model…

For real this is almost unusable. Would be curious to see what's going on here, the rest of this tool looks well-designed.

Re: Code CAD – Use code to create CAD models

#9

Honestly openSCAD is pretty cool but you quickly run into limitations because of it's DSL. One major reason I don't like it is that it uses mesh-based modeling and not boundary representation. With the former you can never get a "perfectly" smooth sphere for example. Most CNC shops require the latter. So a few years back I moved to CadQuery[1]. CadQuery uses boundary representation and uses Python as it's host langua…

Worth noting that this product is able to operate on CadQuery and JSCAD in addition to OpenSCAD.

Re: Code CAD – Use code to create CAD models

#10
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Honestly, that still doesn't really answer my question. I can run OpenSCAD locally and there's never a lag like that when I pan/tilt/zoom the camera. I could understand if that lag occurs in this web app if OpenSCAD wasn't actually running in the browser but instead as an instance on a server, but the page you linked to doesn't state whether that's what's happening. Or maybe it's just an approach to "bake" the model…

For real this is almost unusable. Would be curious to see what's going on here, the rest of this tool looks well-designed.

Quick check in the network tab shows that each camera move sends the full buffer and camera coords to some aws server where it spends a second rendering then comes back with an image.

The JSCAD integration is however all in-browser and is far smoother. They should lead with it, IMO.

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