Exporting and saving Files to enable working offline in other programs, SpaceClaim, Fusion360

james_mahoney

I am trying to learn how to convert and save my online OnShape files into a local file on my Hard disk on in iCloud so I can use other programs, SpaceClaim, Fusion 360, Geomagic to work off line and or to take advantage of features that OnShape does not have. I need to be able to work OffLine!

For security it makes since to be able to store and use local files in addition to the current " Online " work flow.

Everything I have seen so far is all pluses for OnShape, But saving a copy of work on line in different formats for backup storage and for editing in other programs, e.g., in .step or .dwg formats is important. 

I have determined for my self it is more practical to be able to use the features of several programs, e.g., Fusion 360 has some nice ways of using T-Splines to create unusual features. OnShape is a little easier to use, So combine the best features features of both by treating both as a single virtual program. I would even go as far as having an icon for switching from one program to another program ( the file given to the newly called program would be in the user defined format, .STEP ), and when clicking again, after doing some work in the called program, it would be imported in the called file type and reconverted back to the original file type. Or into a newly defined file type.


This would also address another problem of being able to work on one's project in different platforms off line too.

In the end I think we need to think about the project independently of what platform or program is being used. Use different tools to gain the advantage of what different tools have to offer.




Jim Mahoney

john_mcclary

You can export to almost all of the neutral 3D / 2D file formats.
make your updates in Fusion360.
Then upload them back to OnShape when your ready.

But Why bother? OnShape gets better every couple weeks. Eventually they will have what you need, just ask for the features in improvement requests. Or Learn Feature Script, and create your own features.

Please watch the following clips. They should answer your question why OnShape will (probably) never have an Offline Version
You will loose the whole point of OnShape if you go Offline
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlZZ0069vBo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acHE4lDSrnU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzI5GVPohjc

owen_sparks

You'd lose the parametric nature of the model not to mention any design intent by exporting / importing to dumb solids each time.

OwS

john_mcclary

owen_sparks said:

You'd lose the parametric nature of the model not to mention any design intent by exporting / importing to dumb solids each time.

OwS

Exactly,

Every time some CAD software starts saying you can work side by side with other CAD systems, and then they start importing / exporting. I just roll my eyes and say "Who in the right mind would do that within the same company". If you don't have the feature you need on OnShape and you export, the re-import it. The feature is lost anyways. At that point you could have just "Faked" the feature in OnShape. OS has all the tools to fake pretty much any primitive model at the very least. OS will even let you write your own features with feature script if it is a common thing.

michael3424

john_mcclary said:

Every time some CAD software starts saying you can work side by side with other CAD systems, and then they start importing / exporting. I just roll my eyes and say "Who in the right mind would do that within the same company". 

I'll give you one example - someone with a Free OS account who wanted the ability to revise a design in a private document after OS eliminated private documents from free plans.  Sorry - still a bit ticked off by that.  To concede your point, though, I'd hate to be converting designs frequently from one system to another and back.

john_mcclary

I'm not sure, but you cannot export anything with a free account?

Honestly I think everyone was upset about loosing the ability to have at least a couple of private free documents. But I didn't realize you can't download them.

Paul_J_Premakumar

@john_mcclary : Private free documents, can be exported - https://www.onshape.com/faqs : Who owns the data that I create?

john_mcclary

@Paul_J_Premakumar
thanks for link

Yea to me it sounds like you can do it free account or not. Which is how i thougt it was.

kevin_quigley

Interesting conversation. Yesterday we launched 5 new high end bathroom products at ISH that started on paper, moved to Rhino, concepted in T Splines, analysed in SolidWorks, final A surface completed in TSplines, then production data issued from SolidWorks. Then fitting instructions and customer data developed in Adobe Illustrator, SketchUp and Rhino.

the point is if you stick to one CAD system you limit your capabilities to the capabilities of that CAD system. onshape has developed into a reasonable CAD system for machine design but it is nowhere near the capabilities of apps like Rhino, SolidWorks or even Fusion for final surface development of mainstream consumer products. 

Why limit yourself? We are judged by the quality of the end product, not by our ability to to generate obscure workarounds in a CAD system to try to meet our needs.

brian_brady

Paul_J_Premakumar said:

@john_mcclary : Private free documents, can be exported - https://www.onshape.com/faqs : Who owns the data that I create?

I thought there was no such thing as private documents in the free plan? Are you foreshadowing a new plan or change in the free plan?

john_mcclary

brian_brady said:

Paul_J_Premakumar said:

@john_mcclary : Private free documents, can be exported - https://www.onshape.com/faqs : Who owns the data that I create?

I thought there was no such thing as private documents in the free plan? Are you foreshadowing a new plan or change in the free plan?

Originally OS let you have limited private documents on a free account. So some people have private docs they may not want to make public.
Also anyone who cancels their subscription.

brian_brady

john_mcclary said:

brian_brady said:

Paul_J_Premakumar said:

@john_mcclary : Private free documents, can be exported - https://www.onshape.com/faqs : Who owns the data that I create?

I thought there was no such thing as private documents in the free plan? Are you foreshadowing a new plan or change in the free plan?

Originally OS let you have limited private documents on a free account. So some people have private docs they may not want to make public.
Also anyone who cancels their subscription.

Yeah, I knew that. However, the free plan on its own does not have private documents. 

owen_sparks

I think you're all stating the same thing but from different veiws.

I believe @michael3424 was saying:-

He had private docs
He lost them on the policy change
He does not want to make them public
He can export from them

So:-

He has a workflow where he wants to export his OS docs and continue to work on them in different CAD, as per the topic of this thread.

Possibly.

OwS

Paul_J_Premakumar

brian_brady said:

Paul_J_Premakumar said:

@john_mcclary : Private free documents, can be exported - https://www.onshape.com/faqs : Who owns the data that I create?

I thought there was no such thing as private documents in the free plan? Are you foreshadowing a new plan or change in the free plan?

I was referring to the specific case above i.e. private document for a free user being no longer editable. The other situation where this applies is : https://www.onshape.com/faqs : What happens if I cancel my Professional or Enterprise subscription?

In summary:
1. Your private data, stays private.
2. You can export data you own.

michael3424

owen_sparks said:

He has a workflow where he wants to export his OS docs and continue to work on them in different CAD, as per the topic of this thread.
Possibly.
OwS

Pretty close.  There are around 60 parts in the design and it wasn't finished, so while I can export them in neutral format, I lose the design intent and end up with dumb solids for the parts, which makes revisions a bit clunky.