Display and Export

show

Render and display one or more objects in the PythonSCAD viewport. This is the primary way to make objects visible.

Syntax:

Python

show(obj)
show(obj1, obj2, ...)
show([obj1, obj2, ...])
obj.show()

Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Description
`obj`	solid, or list of solids	Object(s) to display

Passing a list of solids implicitly creates a union.

Examples:

Python

from pythonscad import *

cube(10).show()

show(cube(5), sphere(3).right(10))

show([cube(5).right(5 * i) for i in range(5)])

export

Export an object to a file. Supports STL, 3MF, OFF, AMF, and other formats based on the file extension.

Syntax:

Python

export(obj, file)
obj.export(file)

Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Description
`obj`	solid or dict	Object to export, or a dict of `{"name": solid}` for multi-object 3MF
`file`	string	Output file path (format determined by extension)

Examples:

Python

from pythonscad import *

cube(10).export("mycube.stl")

Multi-object 3MF export

Passing a dict instead of a single solid emits one 3MF part per entry, all packed into the output file:

Python

from pythonscad import *

c   = cube(10)
cyl = cylinder(r=4, h=4)
export({"cube": c, "cylinder": cyl}, "myfile.3mf")

Keys become part names in the 3MF metadata, so they must be str / Unicode -- non-string keys are not supported and may error or crash at runtime. Values are the solids. Insertion order is preserved (CPython 3.7+ dict semantics).
3MF only. For non-3MF extensions, dict values that aren't recognised as solids are filtered first; TypeError: This Format can at most export one object is raised only when more than one recognised value remains. STL / OFF / AMF / etc. therefore still work for a dict that yields zero or one recognised value after filtering.
dict only (including dict subclasses). Mapping types that do not subclass dict -- collections.UserDict, generic collections.abc.Mapping implementations, ... -- are rejected with TypeError: Object not recognized.
Value conversion. Recognised values are :class:PyOpenSCADObject instances and lists of them (the list is unioned). The sentinels behave specially: None and False resolve to the built-in empty object and True to the full universe -- they are not dropped, they pass through as parts. Other values (numbers, strings, ...) are silently filtered out. If no value is recognised at all, export() raises TypeError: Object not recognized rather than writing an empty file.

This is a lower-level form that can be used with dict(exporter.parts()). For most multi-tool / multi-color models, prefer exporter.export(single_file="model.3mf"); it computes the cumulative-difference split and writes the named parts into one 3MF file.

render

Force full geometry evaluation of an object. This computes the exact geometry, which can be useful before export or when preview mode gives incorrect results.

Syntax:

Python

render(obj, convexity=2)
obj.render(convexity=2)

Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
`obj`	solid	—	Object to render
`convexity`	int	`2`	Maximum number of front/back faces a ray can intersect

Examples:

Python

from pythonscad import *

cube(10).render().show()

OpenSCAD reference: render

projection

Project a 3D object onto the XY plane, producing a 2D shape.

Syntax:

Python

projection(obj, cut=False, convexity=2)
obj.projection(cut=False, convexity=2)

Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
`obj`	solid	—	3D object to project
`cut`	bool	`False`	If `True`, only the cross-section at Z=0 is returned; if `False`, the entire silhouette is projected
`detail`	bool	`False`	If `True`, preserves all the edges during creating the projection, only valid when cut is False
`convexity`	int	`2`	Convexity for rendering

Examples:

Python

from pythonscad import *

# Silhouette projection
sphere(10).projection().show()

# Cross-section at Z=0
sphere(10).projection(cut=True).show()

OpenSCAD reference: projection

group

Group objects together without performing any boolean operation. The children remain separate but are treated as a single node in the CSG tree.

Syntax:

Python

group(obj)

Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Description
`obj`	solid	Object to group

Examples:

Python

from pythonscad import *

g = group(cube(5) | sphere(3))
g.show()

highlight

Mark an object for highlighting in the preview. The object is rendered in a distinct color (typically translucent red) to aid debugging. Equivalent to the # modifier in OpenSCAD.

Syntax:

Python

highlight(obj)
obj.highlight()
+obj

Examples:

Python

from pythonscad import *

show(highlight(cube(5)) | sphere(3).right(10))

# Operator form
show(+cube(5) | sphere(3).right(10))

OpenSCAD reference: Debug Modifier

background

Render an object transparently and exclude it from CSG operations. Useful for showing reference geometry. Equivalent to the % modifier in OpenSCAD.

Syntax:

Python

background(obj)
obj.background()
-obj

Examples:

Python

from pythonscad import *

show(background(cube(10)) | sphere(5))

# Operator form
show(-cube(10) | sphere(5))

OpenSCAD reference: Background Modifier

only

Show only this object, ignoring everything else in the scene. Equivalent to the ! modifier in OpenSCAD.

Syntax:

Python

only(obj)
obj.only()
~obj

Examples:

Python

from pythonscad import *

show(cube(10) | only(sphere(5)))

# Operator form
show(cube(10) | ~sphere(5))

OpenSCAD reference: Root Modifier