Prusaslicer: [Feature] Measurement tool / Ruler

[ModischFabrications]

Behavior

• _Describe the problem_

I need to validate a few sizes whenever I print a design made by somebody else, e.g. hole diameters.
Right now I need to start Meshmixer to make measurements, which makes iterations cumbersome, especially if I need to scale something (based on these measurements).

I feel like a simple ruler or measurements tool would allow users to switch less between programs.
My most used measurement types in Meshmixer are:

1. (click) point normals in (measure wall thickness)
2. point normals out (measure diameters and fits)
3. generic point to point (fallback if 1 & 2 fail)

This could also lead to a "scale until dimension is X mm", but I don't want to get greedy, measurements are already a big step.

_Is this a new feature request?_ Yes

[ModischFabrications]

Looks like someone has thought of a similar idea https://github.com/prusa3d/PrusaSlicer/issues/1655. I didn't find it due to the typo, but I feel like this one has a more extensive description.

[danielkorczak]

I see both issues are closed and refer to each other. While I understand meshmixer is a good resource for this, my workflow would benefit from only needing one piece of software. Currently I only use meshmixer as a ruler 😁

Can we continue the discussion on the merits of having a measurement tool?

[pedjas]

I second this proposal. PrusaSlicer only shows total dimensions of an object. There is need to be able to measure specific part of the object to make size adjustments.

[adam-wood]

Seconding this. Especially when scaling objects, it gets cumbersome having to measure elsewhere, then fiddle with scale calculation across two programs.

[foreachthing]

@ModischFabrications : I got a question for you:
HOW do you measure a diameter that is actually no diameter? It's all triangles... It's not like a CAD where you can measure a diameter. So, how accurate do you expect your measurement to be?
Would it not suffice to display a scale on screen (like ANSYS does) to guesstimate the size of an object/feature?
See the scale (which changes according to camera-distance (zoom factor)) at the bottom of the model view.

And then again, how about you make your bed-shape svg like a millimetre-paper?

[pedjas]

Almost each time I need to rescale object it was based on some feature on the object that has to match exact size, not dimensions on whole object.

[foreachthing]

.. I need to rescale object it was based on some feature on the object that has to match exact size, not dimensions on whole object.

For this, I use Blender with the 3D-Print addon.... Scale, click export, F5 in PS. Done.

[pedjas]

I believe this is about PrusaSlicer, not Blender.

[foreachthing]

I know. But why should someone reinvent something that already exists and works...? Next thing, someone wants to model directly in PS. This is just my opinion!! ;-)

[ModischFabrications]

Sorry, late to the discussion, I was on vacation.

@foreachthing I would propose to measure diameters similar to the way meshmixer handles it with "Normal to face -> next intersection". I don't think that the precision "lost" due to the mesh is that important, everything is better than guessing by eye.

I like your idea to show a millimetre-grid on the bed, but I think that is outside of the scope of this discussion.

I agree that it's easy to overload a tool, I feel the same way about a lot of tools, but this case I would disagree with you. I feel like measurements are a core feature that is part of the workflow of many users. Sure, it's possible to do this blender or meshmixer, but something used that closely to the slicer feels fair to be included into it.

Let's not start a big discussion about the "need" for this feature until the development team has voiced their opinion, they are the ones that will decide if it's worth it or not.

[pedjas]

I agree that application should not be overloaded with options but this is something what is needed. I believe this is necessary option in PrusaSlicer.

Common work path is download STL from somewhere, load it in PrusaSlicer, slice and print. It is often needed to adjust print size and having just outer dimensions of the object is not enough.

It would be gret if user could set one or more measurement lines on object and that would update values as user changes object dimensions.

Ideally, user would be able to enter new value for dimension line and have whole object resized to match that.

[peros550]

+1 this is extremely needed

[git-jonathankinney]

I arrived here after searching for this feature, assuming I was missing something that already existed. I would vote for this as well. In memory objects have coordinates, that translate to dimensions in mm, that is how we know external object extent width, so it does not sound too far out of the scope of a slicer. Its one step away from printing, where often it is not your model, and the description is lacking about inner diameter or some such dimension. A measure tool seems like a reasonable request, not outside of scope for a slicer. Like everything, this is a request for a feature, it requires someone to dedicate time and effort to make it happen, who knows what they are doing in this context, and currently that is not me.

[Stroop14]

I agree that we need a quick basic measurement tool within prusaslicer to measure between two points for more efficient resizing.

[pedjas]

I just had situation where i needed measurement tool. I run slice on object with very small artifacts. So small that it could not match extrusion line width, so artifacts ended up smaller or larger than expected after slicing.

If there is measurement tool in slicer I could check it before print.

[lachyc]

It's cumbersome to have to open a model from Thingiverse in a CAD program just to measure and scale in PrusaSlicer rather than just measuring and scaling in the slicer.

[LongDono]

Came here via Google Search. It seems odd that you can adjust the scale of an item, with have the software know ing precisely the details of every part of the object, but you need to download another piece of software to measure between two points in order to get the scaling right. PrusaSlicer is by far a great tool that we know and love; this ability is just more of what you would expect from a Prusa product.

[ssvenn]

I think one feature that would be extremely useful is the ability to measure the distance between two points, even if it's just on a 2d plane, and then have the ability to automatically calculate a new scale-by percentage simply by adjusting the measured distance to your desired distance. It would be great for quickly tweaking an existing object to fit your custom need.

[willbelr]

I use FreeCAD solely for this feature.. It would be so useful to do simple measurements directly in PrusaSlicer

[smallouki]

Simple measurement between two points would be awesome indeed. Quick adjustments within STL are often required and it's most cumbersome to leave the slicer to do this.

[jonnyhifi]

Developers time is limited. I would like a simple measurement tool that measures between the last two points clicked on, we as users can then use that data in many ways. (Ie not get bogged down with inferring wall thickness hole diameters etc).

The solidworks evaluate measure tool would be a good model - once measurement mode is selected (eg a button in the stack on the phd side of the screen "lay on base" "rotate object" etc), highlight the first point in the workspace highlighted with a mouse click, then it displays lines along x, y and z primary axis jointing the two points now highlighted, being measured on the model in the gui- with the distance for each primary axis dimension, and lastly a line for "direct distance" between the two point being labelled. Easy to implement as those different flavours of the same info can be so illuminating. (Sometimes one just wants to know "x width" as it were for example ... if one wants to check if holes or features are offset along x correctly for example)

Solidworks measuring tool also decides how to handle what is clicked on from context - so such a measuring interface - easy to implement to start could be extended later if there was an inclination without rejigging the initial interface (eg it thinking ... "oh" it's a circle I display diameter here ... "oh two planes ... I display angle between them" etc but I stress These complications I think would be lovely but very low priority as clearly non trivial with stl (rather than parametrised solid model) files to implement) so
Please don't discount this idea on the basis of the benefit / time taken for the advanced version isn't worth it but do please give us the basic version, with x,y,z and "as the crow flies" distance between two points.

[QUAKEULUS]

How about a simple texture for the 'build plate' texture? instead of unmarked black lines on grey, have a ruler from the origin/center? as we zoom in numbers grow in precision on the build plate? This won't require any meshing

[Zewwy]

How about a simple texture for the 'build plate' texture? instead of unmarked black lines on grey, have a ruler from the origin/center? as we zoom in numbers grow in precision on the build plate? This won't require any meshing

What a great n simple idea for now, def beats adding complexity.