XYZmaker User Manual
Menu Bar
Menu Bar consists of File, Edit, View, Plugin, and Help. The entire Menu has different sub – menus which will help you to perform some operations that you will surely like.
File
There are different sub menus under File, it includes New File, Open, Open Recent, Save, Save as, Add Item, Print and Exit.
New File
This function will just reset the workplane. If there is an object in the workplane and you want to create a new one, just simply go to File then click New File.
Open
To open a certain file just click File then Open. File type supported to open by XYZmaker are STL, AMF, PLY, OBJ, 3MF and 3w.
Save and Save As
There are two different way of saving file in XYZmaker. First is “Save As” then the other one is “Save”. Choosing Save simply saves your work by updating the last saved version of the file to match the current changes you have on your screen.
Choosing “Save As…” brings up a prompt to save your work as a file with a different name. For example, you might choose to save a document called “Test.amf” as “Test.stl”. This way, you can save your file at different format.
Add Item
This function will help you to combine several objects in the workplane. Once you use the Add Item, you can add any object as many as you can in your current project.
Edit
The function inside the Edit menu is just the same with the command in the Toolbar. It has Undo, Redo, Copy, Paste, Clone, Delete, Group, Ungroup, Mirror, Align, Land, Hole and Preferences. However, one of the most important functions is included in the Edit function. You can change the language based on the language you want. You can also customize XYZmaker by choosing your preferred background and object color. In this chapter, I will just discuss the Preferences function since some of the commands in Edit are already described earlier.
Preferences
Preference Window under the Menu Bar -Edit tab, is where we can see the General and Appearance Properties. Coming from the word itself Preference, users like you can choose your own design, color, language, where to save the project, thus this means, and this software is for all your preferences!
General
In General, this is where you can set the language that you want. After setting the language you selected, all string in the software will be translated. You can also change the settings of auto save function.
Language
XYZmaker comes in different languages translations to make it user friendly enough for the users. It includes English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Thai and Russian.
Auto save
This will automatically save your project in your preferred span of time (minutes). Preference auto save time can be set into minimum value of 1 maximum of 15 minutes. The value will not increment if the auto-save is unchecked.
Display
In display, you can customize XYZmaker. You can set the color of the main window depends on the shade that you wanted. Object color can also be change depends on what you want.
Background
This will use to change that color of the main window into your preferred color. In short, you can customize your window.
Object Color
This function is applicable only to STL and 3mf. In this function, you can set the color of STL and 3mf object when opening it in XYZmaker. In example, you want o make your object color is pink when opening. In this page, I’ll show you how.
View
The View Tab is almost the same with the View Tool. It only consists of Zoom in and Zoom out, wherein this function will help you to adjust the size of the workplane for better viewing of every small detail.
Zoom In and Zoom Out
A Zoom In function will help you to increase rapidly the magnification of the workplane and object on the workplane while Zoom Out function is vice versa of Zoom In.
Plugin (Editing Tools)
In XYZmaker, you cannot just combine the objects in the model bar to create an objects but you can also use some built in plug-in to make your project extra awesome. It consists of Standard Geometry Plugin, Copy by Array, Subdivision Triangle, Photo Board and Simplify Mesh. This page will show you how to use the plug-in function in order to boost more your creativity.
Geometry Generator
This function will help you to create several objects by just adjusting the triangles in the objects. Out of one object, you can create different style by just adjusting the value given per object. All the objects in Geometric figure are the contents of the object in this function.
Object Array
An object array plug-in is a function wherein you the object are duplicated in a certain position. The 3 different submenus of Copy by Array plug-in are Array Copy 1D, Array Copy 2D and lastly is Array Copy Circle. You will learn how to use this function on this page, just keep on reading.
Array Copy 1D
This will allow you to duplicate your selected object in 1 direction only. It means it will just duplicate in X axis direction only.
Array Copy 2D
This will allow you to duplicate your selected object in 2 directions. It means it will just duplicate in X and Y axis direction only.
Array Copy Circle
An Array Copy Circle function will help you to duplicate your selected object in circular direction by just adjusting the Num and Radius value.
Triangular Subdivision
In order to change the number of the vertices and faces of the object, you can use the Triangular Subdivision Plugin. This will help you also to smoothen the surface of the object.
Photo Emboss
Your creativity will be more awesome by XYZmaker because this software will help you to convert your 2D image into 3D image. Well, yeah that’s true! As easy as 1, 2, 3, you can convert your Jpeg, PNG image easily. It consists of two types in turning your image into 3D.
Reduce Mesh
It is a function wherein the user can reduce or decimate the number of vertex and faces count of an object.
Help
Help Tab will help you to access the About, Feedback, Tutorials and Shortcut Keys. It will surely help you to have more idea about the software.
About XYZmaker
This function will show you the version of XYZmaker, as well as the copyright link wherein you can have more idea about the software; you can also send emails to the developer whenever you found some issues on the software by clicking the link in Info.
Tutorials
Object drawing and usage of XYZmaker is easier because of the Tutorials provided. By clicking Tutorials, it will help you to redirect on the website that contains several Tutorials in order to create objects.
Shortcut Keys
Shortcut Keys help provide easier and usually quick method of navigating and executing commands in XYZmaker.
Guidelines:
About XYZmaker
System Requirements and Installation
Quick Start
Tool Bar
Menu Bar
Printer Plugin
da Vinci nano Plugin