"gui exe has stopped working"

[lawrence]

Last night, I started getting this error message when I try to "cut" a slice and the program stops working. I've never had this happen before. I'm wondering if completely re-installing the designer software might help... anyone see this as a possible solution?
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u313/ldr_klr/winchesterrifle.jpg

Also, I have a question about the STL importer function. I REALLY want to be able to "orient" the model like we can in the first import panel, but I want to be able to do so in incraments less than 90 degrees so that I can set up the angle I want for the model to be oriented for slicing. Is this at all possible? I've played with all the buttons as much as I can and nothing seems to work.

One third thing... what does the "save" button on the STL importer do? It does not seem to save it in a format that is usable.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u313/ldr_klr/orientation.jpg

Just a few questions... thanks in advance

Lawrence

[liquidguitars]

It possibly could be do to bad construction of the import model, I.E intersecting geomertry... STL has special requirements that most 3D models on the web don't. We are lucky that a lot do seem to load in the CW software... If you can go back to the model and remove or change some setting your model could work better and not crash.

[bergerud]

I do not know about gui locking up. Have you tried slicing other stls?

As for the orientation problem: Even though the model is fixed in the xyz system, you can still orient the slice planes how ever you want. With the ability to also change the view angles, I do not see any restriction. Maybe I do not understand what you want to do.

I have never used the .sws save. I suppose saving the workspace could be useful if you wanted to keep re slicing an already sliced model??

[liquidguitars]

I would look to the model for issues... STL has very strict requirements that most 3D web models do not use so you will see crashing from time to time. Could be as simple as merging a few points in Lightwave and exporting... but i will look at it...


"the model to be built as a closed polyhedron (http://forum.carvewright.com/wiki/Polyhedron) that could be sliced at the necessary horizontal levels.

A true STL model will be water tight without intersections.

and yes the save button is for saving you STL workspace environments.

[lawrence]

thanks guys-- yes, I went back, fixed some problem areas, resaved by saving the actual model as an STL rather than the entire page, and it worked... The problem is that I've tried out a lot of my old STLs that I know worked in the past, and they are no longer slicing.... some are and some aren't. I am sure they were working before.

bererud,

I understand I can orient the slices... but the problem then is that my view of the slices is "off" and I have to try to guess the actual front viewpoint to see the perspective the slice is taking place at... this is tedious at best and frustrating at worst. I was hoping that I was missing something that makes it where I can instantly view the "from directly in front of the slice view" without having to eyeball the view button.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u313/ldr_klr/viewa.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u313/ldr_klr/viewb.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u313/ldr_klr/viewc.jpg

I appreciate y'all's assistance and advice- thanks for taking the time.

Lawrence

[bergerud]

Maybe you can orient the model the way you want in the program where you create the stl.

[lawrence]

that's what I have been doing- (meshlab) but I was hoping there was a simpler and "designer friendlier" way as it is awkward to do in meshlab. Also, it seems amazing to me that we can so easily orient a model in 90 degree incraments without being able to do so in lower incraments and I was just hoping that I was missing something.

Thanks again,
Lawrence

[liquidguitars]

we can so easily orient a model in 90 degree incraments without being able to do so in lower incraments and I was just hoping that I was missing something.

you need to import the correct view port in Meshlab.



STL files are supposed to be closed and connected like a combinatorial surface, where every edge is part of exactly two triangles, and not self-intersecting. Since the syntax does not enforce this property, it can be ignored for applications where the closedness doesn't matter.


54832


Before and after the STL was saved.

54831

[lawrence]

Copy, thanks. I'll keep playing around with it. I still find it funny that STLs that worked a month ago are giving me problems now... but oh well as long as I can find a workaround I guess it'll be fine.

Thanks again!

Lawrence

[blantz]

I have been having the same issues with slicing stl files. I have opened some stl files in Autodesk and resaved as a stl file. This has been hit and miss also. Some files work after resaving and some don't.