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Best Of

Improvements to Onshape - August 29th, 2025

This update to Onshape delivers groundbreaking improvements to parametric design intent with Query Variables in Part Studios. It also includes highly requested drawing enhancements and a new Notes panel to capture and share design context more clearly.

CAD IMPROVEMENTS

QUERY VARIABLES

The new Query variable tool allows you to create parametrically-defined selections. These selections are available to be used downstream as input selections in virtually all Onshape features. Since they automatically update and rebuild based on design changes to your model, they maintain design intent in ways that previously would not be possible.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/1jlegsdgll

Query variables are incredibly powerful, have wide-reaching use cases, and a large depth of functionality. Please be sure to review the Help Documentation for more information.

DERIVED PROPERTIES

When using Derive, there is now a checkbox to include properties from the derived part, and if they are not included, the properties are automatically cleared in the new Part.

DRAWINGS IMPROVEMENTS

TRIM SKETCH

The new Trim tool in Drawings quickly cleans up excess geometry by trimming to intersections or removing entire entities and points.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/xqqr9kb9uz

COSMETIC THREAD PROPERTIES

Onshape Drawings now includes controls for cosmetic thread style and appearance. Choose ANSI, ISO, or JIS standards, and adjust color or line thickness to match your templates.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/rn8prfq6o8

REVISION TABLE CALLOUT NOTIFICATION

Onshape Drawings now provides a blue notification when revision callouts are hidden. Right-click the revision row and select Show Revision Callouts to unhide them, giving you clear visibility and control.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/qxigqf3ohl

DATA MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENTS

DOCUMENT NOTES

Document Notes bring design context directly into your work. Add text, Markdown, and links inside any document, and see the same notes on the Documents and Search page. Notes are for the entire Document, and are not version or workspace specific.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/8r65qk1n4o

IMPORT IMPROVEMENTS

When importing files in Onshape, you'll now find a more detailed status notification. This shows the specific steps required, and if an error occurs you can more clearly understand where in the process it occurred.

DXF EXPORT WITH WORKSPACE UNITS OPTION

When exporting DWG & DXF files from Part Studios there is now an option to use the workspace units. You can uncheck this option and choose any other units you prefer.

Image: https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdwYYdZtK1KRk2227L00pacHkgvSZRePAQ77YWsS6rTAVCh0r6In0_e3sKrLseWEw35kZAz3_jeGSR5_JOh_9L7ceapoHLV_0rmty1IP5V-nFYQKGVNR6AxmIcV5wthZsQj7_kWrg?key=KlTAvFaa5kJOAksO5c_5Rg

UPDATE WORKSPACE

When Onshape pushes a new release, all documents and workspaces must also be updated. This process is automatically completed in the hours just after the release. In fact, you may have noticed this statement at the bottom of our forum post always accounts for this by including the following statement:

Remember: The updates listed here are now live for all users when creating new Documents. Over the next few days, these features will also be available in Documents created before this update.

The upgrade process applies only to active workspaces, not older versions or workspaces. In cases like restoring or branching from an older version or worksapce, a manual update option is available in the Document menu when needed. This option does not replace, nor is it a substitute for automatic document updates - which will still occur as normally scheduled after an Onshape update is released. It is only advised to use this option in the rare scenarios that it is required.

CAM STUDIO IMPROVEMENTS

PROGRESSIVE SELECTION FILTER FOR HOLES

CAM Studio now includes powerful selection tools for machining. Quickly select all blind or through holes, then filter by diameter or depth to set up drilling operations faster.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/3hj4r98mk4

NEW MACHINE SUPPORT

New posts available for these machines.

Haas VF-2SSYT vertical mill
Thermwood CS45 5 x 10 foot router

To have a post included in Onshape CAM Studio, simply file a support request.

PCB STUDIO IMPROVEMENTS

PCB STUDIO TREE

PCB Studio now displays a full feature tree for imported ECAD data. IDF data show boards, components, and keep-in/out areas, while IDX data also include layers, stack-ups, and regions.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/jgbb2pnae6

Please take a moment to try out these new features and improvements and leave your comments below. For a detailed list of all the changes in this update, please see the changelog.

Remember: The updates listed here are now live for all users when creating new Documents. Over the next few days, these features will also be available in Documents created before this update.

mlaflecheCAD

Re: Loft between ends of two tubes in different planes.

@oliver_richards_grubb …. the best approach would be to use a Sweep Feature for the primary shape..and then a series of Revolves and Extrudes to add the details…

Screenshot 2025-08-19 at 11.54.05 AM.png

john_lopez363

Re: Improvements to Onshape - August 29th, 2025

Query variables! Never thought I'd see the day.
I made a video a few months back about how queries in selections were technically possible through the API, and how powerful they would be.
Like many things in Onshape, I really appreciate the implementation of them is accessible through featurescript. This means that a custom feature can as part of its "output" can create query variables to be used by the used downstream. Opens up some interesting workflow potential.

Document notes is also fantastic.

Caden_Armstrong

Re: when a sketch is not fully defined, is there a way to change the highlight from blue

ChatGPT tells a lot of nonsens when days are long, but in point 1 it is right with the orange: That is in fact the complimentary contrast colour for blue. I don't agree with the idea to differentiate partly and unconstrained curves with more colour tones. How many subtle tones does it take to visualize a curve with 26 vertices gradually becoming fully constrained? An entity is either fully constrained or not. It is not that we have too few shades of constraints, it is just that we cannot spot the important one.

So I'd agree with ChatGPT to highlight that one, EG like I outlined above. It causes no clutter and is simple and effective.

martin_kopplow

Re: when a sketch is not fully defined, is there a way to change the highlight from blue

I agree 1000%. It's especially painful if it's an unconstrained endpoint under one that is. One thing that sometimes helps is to switch - even temporarily - to dark mode. The contrast with the dark mode colors is a little better.

S1mon

Re: Improvements to Onshape - August 29th, 2025

https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/comment/120541#Comment_120541

I have a youtube deep dive I'm about to upload…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aNM5dsUnyw

GregBrown

Re: when a sketch is not fully defined, is there a way to change the highlight from blue

In my opinion, any unconstrained end point or vertice is pretty close to a "serious issue" or on it's way to become one any time. I see no reason not to use a more alerting mark for these. Since sketch vertices can exist on top of each other, it might be worth while thinking of always displaying unconstrained vertices on top of others AND giving an unconstrained one a red halo, do it shines out even if obscured by something else on top of it.

Also, as can be seen in the above screen shots, a blue point on a light blue backgrund (the plane, which typically goes along with a sketch) reduces contrast even more and the combination is certainly a bad choice.

martin_kopplow

christopher_luckenbill