What software should I install for opening .stl files?

Question

I use Ubuntu 12.10. What software can I install that can open Physible .stl files? And what are the differences between these softwares?

Solution 1

Meshlab reads all kind of 3D meshes, also STL

sudo apt-get install meshlab
meshlab file.stl

Example with this file:

Solution 2

Blender is the best, just import the file.

Solution 3

From OpenSCAD's online User Manual

STL Import - http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/OpenSCAD_User_Manual/STL_Import

import_stl("filename.stl", convexity = <val>)

As of version 2019.01, if you do from the command line:

openscad file.stdl

it automatically opens the GUI with the right command to view the file e.g.:

import("/home/ciro/git/OSP/Hardware/CAD Files/P1 - X-Axis Motor Holder/P1 - X-Axis Motor Holder.STL");

Then you can click Design > Render, and it gives for this sample file:

Solution 4

You can use F3D for this task.

f3d yourFile.stl

Solution 5

You could try OpenSCAD. It is free and is available for Ubuntu.

View more solutions

Comments

[AmirRazoR]

but it couldn't open the .stl file i had..

[Rodrigo Guedes]

That's strange. The site says it opens and create stl files. Are you sure you're file is not damaged in some way?

[AmirRazoR]

yes i am absolutely sure my file is fine.

[Rodrigo Guedes]

Very odd, my friend. I will make some research and return if I find a solution.

[Dr_Bunsen]

It won't open .stl files indeed.

[Catskul]

Just a warning: meshlab is terrible for doing any per vertex or per surface rendering. I.e. you can't easily select faces and move them around.

[Cerin]

It might be a newer feature. The current version is 2014.03, but the version in the repo is 2013.02.28.

[Cerin]

That doesn't seem to work very well. And technically, that doesn't let you edit the STL file. It just converts the STL file to OpenSCAD's internal format using raytracing, which takes forever.

[NeilenMarais]

I think it is only meant to export to STL files, it is not a mesh viewer. At least, that is what my 5 minutes of tinkering with an scad file from thingiverse taught me. I used meshlab to view STL files exported from scad.

[s-ol]

you can import STL files using the import function: import("file.stl", convexity=3);. You will then be able to see the model in the preview window.