What kind of zip is the .3mf exported by OpenSCAD? I'd like to modify part names there
With an earlier question today I found out how to export models for multicolor prints (thanks again, Adam). I realized that the names of the parts appear to be not modifyable, just OpenSCAD Model #. Even though Glenn states (https://lists.openscad.org/empathy/thread/GZP6BLMAJOUX3EN3UDPOT3ARUWANB3AC, third message), in the export dialog this would be possible, I couldn't find that option there. I am on the latest nightly for MacOS. So I digged a little deeper and found out that the .3mf is a zip archive and tried to modify the names there. Unfortunately, after editing the 3dmodel.model XML
<object id="2" name="OpenSCAD Model 1" ...
with the MacOS built-in tools I couldn't create a valid zip that PrusaSlicer would load.
So, what is special about this zip? I couldn't find a checksum or whatever in the model file. Is there a known tool for MacOS that can create the correct zip format?
Thanks in advance,
Thomas
I can offer some partial help. In PrusaSlicer you can rename the parts and
save the 3mf file. It's not efficient if you have to do it often, but easy
enough for occasional use.
Dan
On Tue, Sep 1, 2026 at 11:50 AM Thomas Richter via Discuss <
discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote:
With an earlier question today I found out how to export models for
multicolor prints (thanks again, Adam). I realized that the names of the
parts appear to be not modifyable, just OpenSCAD Model #. Even though Glenn
states (
https://lists.openscad.org/empathy/thread/GZP6BLMAJOUX3EN3UDPOT3ARUWANB3AC,
third message), in the export dialog this would be possible, I couldn't
find that option there. I am on the latest nightly for MacOS. So I digged a
little deeper and found out that the .3mf is a zip archive and tried to
modify the names there. Unfortunately, after editing the 3dmodel.model XML
<object id="2" name="OpenSCAD Model 1" ...
with the MacOS built-in tools I couldn't create a valid zip that
PrusaSlicer would load.
So, what is special about this zip? I couldn't find a checksum or whatever
in the model file. Is there a known tool for MacOS that can create the
correct zip format?
Thanks in advance,
Thomas
OpenSCAD mailing list
To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org
On 01.09.26 12:49, Thomas Richter via Discuss wrote:
So, what is special about this zip? I couldn't find a
checksum or whatever in the model file. Is there a known
tool for MacOS that can create the correct zip format?
I'm not aware of anything special in regard to the ZIP
itself. Obviously the file structure is important, but
just changing some content has never caused any issues
for me. I don't see any reason why macOS ZIPs would cause
problem. The annoying extra data macOS tends to add also
should be no problem as the format normally allows for
extra files.
In general, 3MF is based on the Open Packaging Conventions
(OPC) specification originally created by Microsoft:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Packaging_Conventions
ciao,
Torsten.
Yes, that's possible, thank you. Nonetheless, I want to do it before opening it with a slicer because I want to distribute the model files but don't want to include any filament / printer settings what PrusaSlicer would do if I saved it there again as .3mf.
Thomas
Am 01.09.2026 um 13:47 schrieb Dan Perry via Discuss discuss@lists.openscad.org:
I can offer some partial help. In PrusaSlicer you can rename the parts and save the 3mf file. It's not efficient if you have to do it often, but easy enough for occasional use.
Dan
On Tue, Sep 1, 2026 at 11:50 AM Thomas Richter via Discuss discuss@lists.openscad.org wrote:
With an earlier question today I found out how to export models for multicolor prints (thanks again, Adam). I realized that the names of the parts appear to be not modifyable, just OpenSCAD Model #. Even though Glenn states (https://lists.openscad.org/empathy/thread/GZP6BLMAJOUX3EN3UDPOT3ARUWANB3AC, third message), in the export dialog this would be possible, I couldn't find that option there. I am on the latest nightly for MacOS. So I digged a little deeper and found out that the .3mf is a zip archive and tried to modify the names there. Unfortunately, after editing the 3dmodel.model XML
<object id="2" name="OpenSCAD Model 1" ...
with the MacOS built-in tools I couldn't create a valid zip that PrusaSlicer would load.
So, what is special about this zip? I couldn't find a checksum or whatever in the model file. Is there a known tool for MacOS that can create the correct zip format?
Thanks in advance,
Thomas
OpenSCAD mailing list
To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org
OpenSCAD mailing list
To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org
Thank you. So will first try to import my modded files into OrcaSlicer and if this should fail I will try to hunt the issue further down in my workflow.
Thomas
Am 01.09.2026 um 13:53 schrieb Torsten Paul via Discuss discuss@lists.openscad.org:
On 01.09.26 12:49, Thomas Richter via Discuss wrote:
So, what is special about this zip? I couldn't find a
checksum or whatever in the model file. Is there a known
tool for MacOS that can create the correct zip format?
I'm not aware of anything special in regard to the ZIP
itself. Obviously the file structure is important, but
just changing some content has never caused any issues
for me. I don't see any reason why macOS ZIPs would cause
problem. The annoying extra data macOS tends to add also
should be no problem as the format normally allows for
extra files.
In general, 3MF is based on the Open Packaging Conventions
(OPC) specification originally created by Microsoft:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Packaging_Conventions
ciao,
Torsten.
OpenSCAD mailing list
To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org
[SOLVED]
MacOS creates service folders (._DS_Store, ...) in every subfolder the Finder ever sees. When zipping and renaming this to .3mf the slicers (OrcaSlicer included) think the package is corrupted. I could solve it by running zip as following inside the .3mf folder:
zip -r ../renamed-parts-model.3mf * -x "*.DS_Store" -x "__MACOSX*"
HTH,
Thomas
Am 01.09.2026 um 12:49 schrieb Thomas Richter tomselektropost@googlemail.com:
With an earlier question today I found out how to export models for multicolor prints (thanks again, Adam). I realized that the names of the parts appear to be not modifyable, just OpenSCAD Model #. Even though Glenn states (https://lists.openscad.org/empathy/thread/GZP6BLMAJOUX3EN3UDPOT3ARUWANB3AC, third message), in the export dialog this would be possible, I couldn't find that option there. I am on the latest nightly for MacOS. So I digged a little deeper and found out that the .3mf is a zip archive and tried to modify the names there. Unfortunately, after editing the 3dmodel.model XML
<object id="2" name="OpenSCAD Model 1" ...
with the MacOS built-in tools I couldn't create a valid zip that PrusaSlicer would load.
So, what is special about this zip? I couldn't find a checksum or whatever in the model file. Is there a known tool for MacOS that can create the correct zip format?
Thanks in advance,
Thomas