Onshape desktop app using Electron

develar

There is no official desktop application since you can use Onshape on a desktop computer using web browser.

But using web browser in this case is not always convenient — you lost all standard ways to open app or to switch to it. What if you want to easily switch to Onshape using cmd+tab? And not to lose Onshape among other web pages?

I created Onshape desktop app using Electron — onshape-desktop-shell (OS X is a primary OS, but Windows app is also available). May be it will be useful for someone else

3dcad

Interesting, after your figure out those current couple todo's - it might be worth trying (auto login is a must have).

Could you please add clear instructions for installation / configuration + some screenshots.

Can you also explain a little bit more for non-coders what this application does? I suppose you didn't code a browser but some app that uses some browser somehow different? 

develar

3dcad said:

auto login is a must have

The problem is that Onshape itself doesn't implement it (using cookies or local storage) — there is no "Remember me" checkbox. And in standard browser it works only because you use password manager (OS X Keychain, for example). So, additional effort is required. I will implement it in a few days (it is boring to type password every time).

3dcad said:

Could you please add clear instructions for installation / configuration + some screenshots.

Nothing special. It is a standard OS X packed application (dmg). Application is signed and you don't need to change sequrity settings to run it (I am identified Apple developer). Just download dmg, open it and move Onshape.app to Application.


Windows installer is not signed (unidentified developer) because anyway Windows allows to run it. Just run installer, application will be installed as any other windows application and desktop shortcut will be created.

3dcad said:

Can you also explain a little bit more for non-coders what this application does? 

Electron used under the hood. non-coder can think about it as a "branded browser" — Google Chrome (currently, Chrome 47).

develar

@3dcad Auto sign in (across all devices if iCloud Keychain enabled on OS X) and auto update (once installed, application will be updated automatically (in the same way as Google Chrome)) implemented, installation notes added (windows app is not yet signed — certificate issue in progress).

Mitch_Pricer

@develar
This is awesome. Thanks for sharing with everyone!

develar

@Mitch_Pricer Thanks for feedback. In the upcoming 0.4 version History menu implemented.

Any other desktop functionality are possible to implement — for example, "prevent display sleep" mode (if you want to present your model / use it as an reference to build) or automatically reload Onshape (to overcome "you are disconnected") when system is resuming from the sleep mode. 

Use https://github.com/develar/onshape-desktop-shell/issues to file issues and feature requests.

3dcad

RMB command 'Open in new browser tab' - where did it go?

Is it possible to support tabs inside your app or otherwise open multiple instances so that it's easy to recognize the name of each window?

This is truly awesome - especially with small screen laptops where all space is needed for modeling rather than 'favorite websites' -menus..

develar

3dcad said:

Is it possible to support tabs inside your app or otherwise open multiple instances so that it's easy to recognize the name of each window?

Previously it works using "Open in new Window (cmd+click on OS X) on the Documents page (new app window was opened). Currently it doesn't work.

> Open in new browser tab


I will fix it in a few days, tabs will be supported.