Improving GrabCAD

This feature has now been implemented into the site.

A private messaging service wouldn't hurt ...

since we are talking about renders, It would be nice to be able to upload multiple renderings at once. Currently you have to add a comment each time you want to add a render. time and space consuming!

I would like to have the ability to see who is downloading my models back. I know it kind of caused some problems before but disabling it isn't the answer.
I think everyone has the right to know who is using their models, for me ... I just get curious sometimes.

a great addition would be a (like) feature for the renders since there are some awesome renders and some done with no effort,
antoher one could be something to ease library browsing, mabe sorting it by date, downloads, likes...

I would like to quote a comment that Kevin Dobson made on another topic, regarding Ranking Calculations:

“Would a method for users to rate uploads help? Something along the line of 0 to 10 stars. This could be factored into the users rank. Higher quality models = higher ranking than simply lots of uploads.”

I think that quality should be valued more than quantity.

Maybe a "Quick Start" guide for new GrabCAD users. I haven't surfed the blog much so don't know if it's there, but putting pertinent information you want members to read in a easy location (maybe in the About section) would help them get started quicker, like explaining the "Your Profile" meter so people don't have to post questions in the Q&A or blog.

This feature has now been implemented into the site.

When I try to save a screen shot from a model it shows the name of the image is medium.*, so if the images are stored in their original resolution on the server, it would be nice to make them available for downloading.

Model request search function

Could we have a delete option for a question we have posted in the Q&A section?

I don't know if anyone agrees with me but I believe that a next improvement to the scoring system needs to be a render like feature, otherwise we will end up with lots of ugly renders I guess the way it could work is +5 points for a new rendering added to an other user's model, and +10 for each like you get on your rendering.. that way we ensure a high score for some one who is taking his time to get a good job done... GrabCAD doesnt only need to get a larger database it needs an always improving quality database!! hope you guys agree with me..

That could be nice, would also be cool if you could just add a render without typing anything.

Is there a way we can sticky this at the top of the Q&A maybe to collect all suggestions in one place..

I would like to suggest adding the "follow" button to the challenges sites.

This feature has now been implemented into the site.

It would be nice if we can see the date a member joined GrabCAD on their profile.

I was thinking of a rolling GrabCAD improvement list where members can "like" or "dislike" an improvement which would directly impact the position of the improvement on the list. The more likes the higher to the top of the list the improvement gets. As well the list could be open to member to add their suggestions (once filtered by an Admin). And once an improvement is implemented the status of the improvement could be updated so members can consult the list from time to time and see what has been newly implemented on their favorite web site. ;)

This would give GrabCAD admins a direct link to what the members are interested in hence what is relevant to it's members and the members a chance to voice their opinion.

I have noticed over the past few weeks on Q&A's about people asking for links and what sites to get CAD jobs from.

how about GrabCAD out a list of all these site some were on the site so people have a direct list of all of them.

With the rapidly increasing size of the GC community is coming the increased number of model requests by new members. How about a "model request" tab at the top? Either that or a rearrange of things to prevent model requests cluttering the Q&A?

GRABCAD merchandise! Would be easy to set this up through Cafe Press or a similar site. We could all have our mousepads, coffee mugs and even t-shirts with the Grabcad graphic or even our favorite model rendering! How cool would that be to have a shirt with YOUR render on it? (Obviously some renders will look better than others on a shirt, but we can also render specially to be printed on a shirt and look nice).

Please vote for this and show some support for GC merchandise!!!

Having the option to attach files to a PM so you can send someone a render, sketch or another type of file....
:)

It would be awesome to link the blog comments to the messaging or notifications I believe that way blog comments will work a lot better with faster responses

How about HD rendering preview option??
Recently I made a Hi res render and I really spent quite a while admiring it, I believe a great addition to GrabCAD could be something similar to Youtube's HD/low res options when reviewing renderings or perhaps just some info about the original files resolution so that you can tell if when downloading youll see a much larger Resolution
check out the last rendering I uploaded here XRAY T2009 RC Car and download the original file to see an example

I second this suggestion. Also, it would nice if there was on obvious link for the engineers to use to contact the admins.

I would like to suggest putting a User selectable options filter so us users can filter what is displayed on the main page. For example.. at the moment it shows EVERYTHING! i would like to be able to go into my options and select (or unselect) what i don't want ot show on that main page to make it easier to filter through the most recent uploads... or the most recent renderings. or the most recent comments.. or.. etc etc. And any combination or all of these things. :)

I would like to see some sort of mobile device app to follow GC. While I really can't upload anything useful from my phone, I do follow the site during the day a lot when I'm not around my computer to see what people are posting and to leave comments like this one. Unfortunately some mobile browsers don't handle all the site functions very well.

How about a list of software tools and their respective websites. CAD software, rendering software, simulation software, etc. where members could rate them, give comments about them (likes & dislikes), post costs associated to licenses, information associated to product changes or evolutions such as names (what up PTC??). It would be a great place for people to consult when looking into what software to buy for their needs.

This feature has now been implemented into the site.

What about adding a filter to the Library that says "Without a Screen Shot", to make things easier for whoever wants to help by making a render or two?

This feature has now been implemented into the site.

A 'Report' button for comments.

Why is not there an Grabcad App for Android?

In my opinion, should be improved search functions.
Given the large number of models, what appears is just the tip of the iceberg!
Usual we can see the latest charged models or that subject to a thread.
The classification by categories made ​​by users is not reliable because every user thinks differently and assigns the category with its head, should be corrected by Grabcad redactors, but this will be a huge work.
We can only search over the model title.
The search form with a set of 12 images is too slow and search functions are elementary.
Here's an example:
if I had to look up the word "lamp", I would find 43 screens for models of lamps and clamps etc..
Slide 43 screens is too slow.
It should add a screen showing the search result as text line and then you click to display the image.

I think that all new members should receive an E-mail when they sing up to GrabCAD explaining how to upload models. I have went to do renders again on the question mark ones in the models without renders tap and have gave up as I am downloading models without all parts and assy's....
This would help to keep GrabCAD question mark free and also to have a render with every upload.

Im not sure this has been discussed, but with the recent number if great tutorials being written by users here, how about a separate tutorials section? If we had a separate section that looked and worked just like Q&A with a search function you could search tutorials without having to read through pages of other unrelated content.

Can we have the options for allowing renders and revisions on our models go back to a default of checked and let the uploader decide to uncheck them? I want to upload renderings again.

Since the default is unchecked, do we have to go back through all of our old uploads and chek the boxes for these options?

What about some new badges for the community to collect?

This feature has now been implemented into the site.

A 'subscribe' button would be nice.

This is a small suggestion and not as important as some of the others, but maybe think of another place to put the grey navigation bar at the bottom of the page. On static pages it's fine, but if you want to use it on the home page with either the Most Recent / Following / My Feed tabs selected the page keeps pushing it out of reach as it uploads more content if you scroll down too far. Just find it a little counter intuitive to what it's there for.

Well, I've been nagging here since September 23, so I would like to thank GrabCAD's staff for what they're doing to improve this site and keep it running ... now to more nagging.

I noticed recently some changes here, adding features and removing some. Few I think shouldn't been removed; getting notifications for all comments for questions I asked, the ability to see who is downloading my files, the ability to moderate on my questions and just noticed models too.

So, my suggestion is, making a public poll or asking for opinions when the staff wants to change something in the site, like what you did with the 'Add another version', it's very nice to consider our opinions in these matters ... after all, members are part of this community.

I have recently been searching for CAD jobs online just out of curiosity and a lot of these jobs sites and employers are asking for a portfolio.

I think it would be a great idea if GrabCAD could give its community a little section in there profile under a portfolio tab to put some of there best models and a little information about them, more about there education and also what they have worked as in industry and just a general little private portfolio section were the link could be sent to a job site or potential employer.

The ability to capitalize words in the model title.
I know it isn't important but it's a little annoying not to be able to.

Guys, sorry for being little bit slow, there have been important stuff happening.

we made slight improvement that you guys have mentioned here: to see models without renderings you can find a filter from Library page or use this link - http://grabcad.com/library/without-renderings

i think its a good idea to organize GrabCad Charity that would help others that need our help.another idea is that we can have GrabCad Institude in lots of countries and the teachers will be top grabcad engineers in those cities.

Maybe add option to create "design teams"; let's say we are creating design/engineer team "XYZ" and we can add/remove user to/from this team.
For example: this "XYZ" team can work on some project for design challenge...

This feature has now been implemented into the site.

The ability to delete my renders for other members' models.

I'd like to have another tab on my profile and 'My Files' page for models I did for requests.

In the Q&A's section there is 60 questions unanswered....
on the right hand side of that page you can only see
around 8 questions that have been unanswered @ a time.
I don't think people will go and search for the unanswered questions but maybe if there was a little section for all unanswered questions (( maybe unanswered questions under there own tab then there might be a lot more questions getting answered? ))

I jus wanted to make a suggestion . U c there are badges awarded for many achievements or involvements inside GC . But there's one thing i think that has been missed out . Its the number of times a persons model has been downloaded . One thing that determines the quality of a persons model is how useful it has been for ppl . Something like a badge for someone who's produced a model that has been downloaded 1000 times , or a badge for someone who's got 5 models thats downloaded over 100 times . Somethin like that , which'll make ppl upload more n more useful models into GC :) Jus a suggestion . .

dont you think there should be a badge for uploading formats to other's models? :) like rendering has two badges,, formats are more usefull than renderings, specially IGS...

What about a spell check in the Q&A's section when someone is asking a question there also have the option to spell check it before they put there question on main screen and even a translator. This could also be implemented through out GrabCAD to make it a more universal web site for people that do not know English.

This feature has now been implemented into the site.

One of the great features on GrabCAD that I tried recently is Private Share, you can upload something and give access permissions for certain individuals you want to share the model with ...
A really great improvement would be if these individuals can upload files too, similar to the Q&A page, it would be great to share ideas and modeling techniques and getting help with certain problems ...

This feature has now been implemented into the site.

I think the ability to choose if someone wants other members adding another version for their models is becoming more important everyday, and I add to that adding renders.
It's someone's right if they don't want others adding rendered images or versions to their models. Avoiding awkward situations when deleting them.

Copy-pasting a grabber's profile URL doesn't work anymore. They seem as URL not name.

How about being able to upload models. All of us? I promised some people to upload a bunch of files, and I hate when I can't fulfill my promise. "Sorry something went wrong" is not being good enough anymore =(