How To Take High Resolution Exploded View Screen Shots

john_hauck

I need high resolution images of my exploded assembly.

These paths did not work:
* When exporting an exploded assembly in Parasolid format, the exported assembly is not exploded. Otherwise I could generate a nice image in another CAD program.
* When creating drawings of exploded assemblies, often many exploded steps are not executed or not executed properly. Otherwise I could export the drawing to PDF which can be enlarged very nicely.

So here is what I have been doing:
* Open OnShape in Chrome (Windows in my case) and view the exploded assembly.
* Select the three little dots in Chrome (upper right), More Tools, Developer Tools - or Ctrl + Shift + I
* Select the "Toggle Device Toolbar" of the new panel (second icon from left) - or Ctrl + Shift + M
* Select "Responsive" from the drop down that might say "Galaxy S5"
* Enter the resolution you want to the right of "Responsive"
* Select "Run Command" from the three little dots below the original three little dots - or Ctrl + Shift + P
* Type Screenshot and click on "capture full size screenshot"
* Close developer tools (X) upper right area.

Paul_J_Premakumar

>> When creating drawings of exploded assemblies, often many exploded steps are not executed or not executed properly. Otherwise I could export the drawing to PDF which can be enlarged very nicely

Can you contact support or share a link to the document where the drawing of the exploded is incorrect? If this is happening it is a bug.

john_hauck

Here is a link to a document that does not properly explode in the drawing.
Notice the feet and boiler cap explode, but not much else.

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/4833676df7d2a808ac4b52b7/w/1779c4496f69618947b539b5/e/fe0ed1a038c8fed5ad8dce86

romeograham

The Onshape "Print" tool does a great job of creating high resolution .png images with transparent backgrounds, quickly and easily.
Head over to the hamburger menu next to the Onshape logo, and select Print:


Once you select Print, you'll get a simple frame on your graphics area, output size, and orientation selector. 



If you click the "Download Image" option, it will generate a transparent .png file, and you'll find it in your Downloads folder on your machine.
The size you select (A3, above) drives the pixel resolution of the output image. The A3 size above produces a 4956 x 3504 image on my setup. These images are great for presentations etc because they come in with the transparent background.

You can manipulate the view or your model with the print frame overlay - when you're happy, click Download Image.
Be careful your cursor isn't hovering over your feature or instance list, because any highlighted features or instances will get captured with the image. You could use that to provide focus, if necessary. Check your downloaded images before you move on to make sure they are correct.

"Print" sends the image to your printer (which could be a PDF, I'd guess, if you prefer).

Good luck!
Romeo

Paul_J_Premakumar

john_hauck said:

Here is a link to a document that does not properly explode in the drawing.
Notice the feet and boiler cap explode, but not much else.

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/4833676df7d2a808ac4b52b7/w/1779c4496f69618947b539b5/e/fe0ed1a038c8fed5ad8dce86

Thank you. We are looking into this.

john_hauck

romeograham said:

The Onshape "Print" tool does a great job of creating high resolution .png images with transparent backgrounds, quickly and easily.
Head over to the hamburger menu next to the Onshape logo, and select Print:

Thank you!
Waaaaaay easier than that mess I wrote!
I hope no one follows my directions.
Maybe we should just delete this whole thread!

- John (humbled yet again) Hauck

owen_sparks

john_hauck said:

Here is a link to a document that does not properly explode in the drawing.
Notice the feet and boiler cap explode, but not much else.

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/4833676df7d2a808ac4b52b7/w/1779c4496f69618947b539b5/e/fe0ed1a038c8fed5ad8dce86

Sorry not a drawing expert.  Is that yellow highlighted icon in the drawing toolbar indication that the drawing is offering an "update to current view" or is it always that color?  Just wondering if it's not a bug after all and hitting that button is all that is required.

Cheers, Owen S.

john_hauck

owen_sparks said:

Sorry not a drawing expert.  Is that yellow highlighted icon in the drawing toolbar indication that the drawing is offering an "update to current view" or is it always that color?  Just wondering if it's not a bug after all and hitting that button is all that is required.

Cheers, Owen S.

Owen,

Yes, if the little yellow circle is highlighted, it does mean the drawing is out of date.
Unfortunately that was not the root problem.

Time Rice opened up a ticket on the exploded issue.
https://onshape.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/232251

- John

john_mcclary

Also i have noticed you can confuse the update drawings button. If you go back and forth between the drawing and updating the model. Every once in a while the button stops highlighting. The ony way i get it working again quickly is to insert another view of the out of date assembly/part so the drawing has a fresh view to question whether or not the drawing is outdated

I wish there was a force regen button too. Or just make that button work whether it is highlighted or not 

romeograham

@john_mcclary
When you see that the button stops highlighting - have you tried the keyboard shortcut in that case too (Ctrl+Q) ? I'm trying to remember if I've seen the stalled behaviour you're talking about or not. I tend to use the Ctrl+Q almost reflexively when I return to a drawing, so I'm not sure.

john_mcclary

Yea ctrl q  doesn't work unless the drawing sees an update pending 

romeograham

Got it. thx.