stephensmitchell-forks / fusion360_filteredexport

Exports STL and STP files. User can select components and logic filters duplicate parts

FilteredExport

Fusion 360 export mechanism do have a all or one mentality. If the user chooses everything Fusion 360 creates sometimes way to many objects and choosing one object could be time extensiv. This add-in solves some of the issues and provides following modules

Add-in	Description
	Export all or select components body by body as STL without exporting instances of a component.
	Export all or selected components without exporting instances of a component.
	Export all or selected components without exporting instances of a component.

Usage

Each of the modules takes the specific output formats into account and has a different configured.

Filtered STL Export

The export process is based on the existing export process in Fusion 360, but does not server all the available parameters. Triggering the export brings up following dialog:

The dialog is splitted into component selection, STL format and filename configuration:

Selection

Parameter	Description
Select Component	If no components are selected, the add-in processes all components. By selecting one or more components, the export is limited to the selection. The value behind the components shows the number of selected components. The x behind the value can be used to clear the selection.

STL Format

Parameter	Description
Format	Defines if the resulting export contains 'binary' or 'text' content
Refinement	The options 'High', 'Medium' or 'Low' correspond to the original definition. 'Custom' allows the user to manually define the 'Surface defiation' and 'Normal defiation' settings. The 'Ultra' setting is a predefined customization where 'Surface defiation' and 'Normal defiation' are half of the value of the 'High' settings.
Filter linked components	Check to ignore linked components otherwise uncheck

Filename configuration

This part is hidden by default and configures the filenames of the export. The default filename looks like '<Root_component_name>-<Component_name>-<Body_name>.stl'.

Parameter	Description
Add refinement name	If checked the refinement name (e.g. Low or High) is part of the filename
Add root name	If checked the first element of the filename is '<Root component name v[0-9]*>'
Add component name	If checked the '<component name v[0-9]*>' is part of the filename
Component name type	The option 'Last From Path' adds the name of the last component to the path, 'Full Path' adds all component names from the body path to the filename.
Remove version tags	If checked version tags matching the pattern ' v[0-9]*' are removed
Remove spaces	Leading and trailing spaces are removed, remaining spaces are replaced with underscores

Filtered Save Copy As Export

Like the original "Save Copy As" function, this module does not create local files but exports components to the data panel. In addition to this funcitonality it is able to "batch copy" components with some filtering to avoid manual selection or duplicate exports.

Following configuration is possible:

Selection

Parameter	Description
Select Component	If no components are selected, the add-in processes all components. By selecting one or more components, the export is limited to the selection. The value behind the components shows the number of selected components. The x behind the value can be used to clear the selection.

Filter Type

Parameter	Description
Top level	Only top level or selected componetns will be exported. Sub components will not be processed, filtered etc. separetely
Leaves	If a component contains only bodies and no sub components, it will be exported. If a component contains no bodies but sub-components, the sub component will be exported but not the current component. If a component contains bodies and sub-components, the sub component will be exported but not the current component. The add-in will report a skipped note but those bodies wil never get exported.
Mixed leaves	Like 'Leaves' but if a component contains bodies and sub-components, the sub component will be exported and the current component will be exported. No body gets lost, but duplicates are created

Filtered Save Copy As Export

UI configuration and filters are the same as the saveCopy function. The only difference is, that ans STP file will be exported.

Installation

• Download or clone this repo.
• Rename the directory to FilteredExport
• Move the folder into your add-ins directory. Click Here for more information

Change log

Date	Module	Description
2019/02/25	STL Export	Fixes #6 - Crash when exporting with version number. Remaining colons causes the crash.
2019/02/17	STL Export	Fixes #5 - Stl export does not respect meshRefinement. API was fed wrong values, but did not throw any error.
2019/02/17	STL Export	Closes #4 - Allow user to add custom stl export values. In addition an 'Ultra setting' was added that works better with e.g. spheres. Refinment name can be added to the export name, too.
2019/02/14	STL Export	Fix #3 - STP and CPY exports crashes if root and one ore more other components are selected
2019/02/13	STL Export	Closes #1 - Adds the choice between 'only last component name' or 'full path' for exported component names.
2019/02/13	STL Export	Fix #2 - Files will not be exported if they contain a dot (.) in the filename. The API doesn't reports an error. Issue is fixed by replacing dots with two underscores (__)
2018/10/28	STL Export	Filter / exclude linked components.
2018/10/28	ALL	Add-in throws an error if only the root component is selected. Fixed.
2018/10/01	Export STEP/STP	Like Save Copy As but for STEP/STP exports
2018/06/01	Save Copy As Export	Mixed leaves export added
2018/06/01	Save Copy As Export	Leaves export added
2018/06/01	Save Copy As Export	Top level export and basic documentation added
2018/06/01	STL Export	Reusable code moved to FilteredExportUtil
2018/05/31	STL Export	Basic documentation added (STL export)
2018/05/31	STL Export	UI simplified (filenam options are hidden by default, string entry for the export path is replaced with a folder dialog, icons added)
2018/05/31	STL Export	Filenames are more configurable
2018/05/31	STL Export	Minor bug fixes and code adjustments

Known Issues

• If a body has several instances (e.g. the body was source in a pattern feature) each instance will be exported
• Export does not protect existing files. They are overwritten without asking.
• The result message after the 'Copy Save As Export' might be prompted and exports are not visible. Synchronization might take some time. Pressing Refresh might speed up the process.

Wish List

• Add more STL export options
• Imporove STL UI
• Add Documentation
• Add "Save Copy As" option
• Add STP Exprot
• Add Fusion Archive Export
• Add project browser for "Save Copy As" option
• Add icons etc.