Problems loading STL files from OpenSCAD and Google SketchUp

I think that BOTH OpenSCAD and Google SketchUp are great programs.
BOTH support exporting to STL format.
I have been unsuccessful in loading the created STL files into the RepRap software.

Does anyone else have this problem?

---

Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

With openscad, are you making sure all the units are in mm? Both skeinforge and the reprap software seem to crash when the model is tiny.

james glanville Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> With openscad, are you making sure all the units are in mm?

YES. In OpenSCAD the units are always in millimeters (mm)!

For example, the Footed Parametric Frame Vertex by vik on Thingiverse I can load the STL file but don't see anything on the RepRap screen.

When I load the STL file above I get the following ERROR MESSAGE:

loadSingelSTL(): Exception loading STL file from: file: X:\Bob\XFER\RepRap\frame-
vertex_with_foot.stl
java.lang.StringIndexOutOfBoundsException: String index out of range: -1
at java.lang.String.substring(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.String.substring(Unknown Source)
at org.j3d.loaders.stl.STLASCIIParser.parse(STLASCIIParser.java:251)
at org.j3d.loaders.stl.STLASCIIParser.parse(STLASCIIParser.java:177)
at org.j3d.loaders.stl.STLFileReader.(STLFileReader.java:68)
at org.j3d.renderer.java3d.loaders.STLLoader.load(STLLoader.java:108)
at org.j3d.renderer.java3d.loaders.STLLoader.load(STLLoader.java:78)
at org.reprap.gui.STLObject.loadSingleSTL(Unknown Source)
at org.reprap.gui.STLObject.addSTL(Unknown Source)
at org.reprap.gui.RepRapBuild.anotherSTLFile(Unknown Source)
at org.reprap.Main.onOpen(Unknown Source)
at org.reprap.machines.GenericRepRap.addSTLFileForMaking(Unknown Source)

at org.reprap.gui.botConsole.PrintTabFrame.loadSTL(Unknown Source)
at org.reprap.gui.botConsole.PrintTabFrame.access$600(Unknown Source)
at org.reprap.gui.botConsole.PrintTabFrame$7.actionPerformed(Unknown Sou
rce)
at java.awt.Button.processActionEvent(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Button.processEvent(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Component.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(Unknown Source)


Likewise for anything I have created with OpenSCAD and exported to STL.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/23/2010 09:37AM by rhmorrison.

---

Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

Can no one help with this problem?

---

Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

I can confirm the issue loading this STL file into the current reprap host software. Running it through one of the mesh fixup software tools (netfabb? I forget the name) might help?

I'm guessing that those who printed this file must have used Skeinforge or some other host software, rather than the reprap.org host code.

---

---

Jonathan

same prob here. tried opening STLs from thingiverse and got the exact same 'out of range error'. model doesn't load to platform. prob with java 3D? i'm running ubuntu. anyone know what to do?

Can you confirm which version of the RepRapHost software you are using?

I have just done this.

Downloaded the OpenSCAD file
Loaded it in OpenSCAD, rendered the item
Saved it as as an STL file
Started up the very lastest build of the RepRapHost software from the SVN source and it loaded with no problem at all


David

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/27/2010 04:30PM by davmj.

davmj: Please also try downloading the STL file from Thingiverse and loading that into RepRap host... I think you will see the issue then.

I suspect this issue was caused by a bug in OpenSCAD that has recently been fixed, and that (in the past) some Thingiverse uploaders did not check that their STL files were loadable by RepRap host before uploading them to Thingiverse. Result: the .scad files on Thingiverse are fine, but the corresponding STLs there are flawed.

If I am correct, then a usable workaround should be:

(1) Update to a current copy of OpenSCAD

(2) Download the .scad file from Thingiverse

(3) Open that file with OpenSCAD, render it, and then export as STL.

(4) Load this new (locally-created) STL file into RepRap host and print the object.

Either that, or we need to track exactly which version of the RepRap host we are using to test this, as well as what version of OpenSCAD.

---

---

Jonathan

I tried it out Jonathan and you are correct the STL file does not show up in RepRap. I also noted that this was mentioned in the comments to this object back in March as well.

David