Welcome to uMake
Welcome to the uMake User Manual. We’ve put this together to help you be able to use uMake even better and to be able to refer to whenever you have a question. This manual is always being updated and is quite dynamic, so if you find any information that is not consistent with your experience, please let us know.
Table of Content
Downloading uMake
To download uMake, simply head over to the App Store on your iPad and search for uMake. uMake should be the first result in the list of results. Look for red and orange icon with the white ‘U’ symbol. Tap ‘Get’ to download uMake and follow the on screen prompts.
Creating an Account
When you first open uMake, you will be greeted with an intro screen and prompted to create to ‘Sign up’ or sign in.
Since uMake stores your creations and projects in the cloud, creating an account is necessary so you can access your projects on other devices in case you change devices, or work on multiple devices.
To create an account, tap ‘Sign up’. Next choose one of the three methods for creating an account. You can choose to log in with Facebook, Google, or an e-mail address.
Once you choose a method, follow the on screen prompts. Depending on the method you choose to sign up, the next steps will differ from one another. Follow the on screen prompts and you will have a new uMake account in just a few easy steps.
Logging in
If you’ve already created an account, and were logged out for some reason, or need to log in on a different device, simply tap ‘Sign In’ below the ‘Sign Up’ button.This will take you to a screen that will prompt you to choose a method to sign in. Follow the on-screen prompts and you will be signed in to your uMake account in just a few steps.
'My Designs' functions
uMake features two primary interfaces that you will encounter when using the app. These are the ‘File Manager’ interface, and the ‘Editor interface.The File Manager is the first interface you will interact with when you log in. This is where your designs will live and where you will access your designs. You will also delete files from the file manager, organize files, and change some general App settings. We will go into detail about all of this later on.
For now, the graphic below is an overview of the uMake File Manager
The uMake editor is where all of the magic happens. This is where you will sketch in 3D to create your creations. The editor is packed with powerful tools that make it easy to bring your ideas into 3D space. We will have a whole section on the editor later, but for now, the graphic below is the general overview of the uMake Editor.
Working in 3D Space:
To work in 3D, you will need to have a basic understanding of space. In 3D, you will work with 3 axes. The X axis is your Width/ Length axis. Your Y axis is your height axis, and your Z axis is your Depth axis. These three axes pertain to the 3 Dimensions of Length, Height, and Depth. When you work in 3D, you will be creating curves and surfaces that flow between these axes to create 3D objects. To get a better understanding, see the graphics below.
The File Manager:
Interface: The file manager interface features a top bar where file sync, import, and edit/ manage functions are located.
The middle section is where you will view content that you navigate to from the options in the bottom - My Designs, tutorials from the Learn Section, the Forum, or Settings.
My Designs Functions:
File Syncing:
uMake automatically syncs files every few minutes to make sure your files are backed up. In the event that you lose connection to the INTERNET, uMake will show you wich files are not synced. Tapping ‘Synced’ in the upper right of the File Manager interface will show you the last time files were synced, and will give you the option to ‘force sync’ your files by tapping ‘Sync Now’.
Import Files:
Tapping on ‘Import’ in the upper part of the File Manager interface will prompt you to open the iOS ‘Files’ app. From there, you will be able to import 3D files that you might have added to your iCloud Drive. You can import SKP (SketchUp), IGES, STEP, OBJ and STL files.
Edit:
The ‘Edit’ Function found in the upper right corner of the File Manager interface lets you manage your files with ease, report problems with files, and even share files. There is a lot that can be done with the Edit Function so let’s break it down.Tapping the Edit Function will enable ‘Edit Mode’ which will modify the interface. The bottom of the interface will change with options that let you manage your files, and tapping on your files will select them instead of opening them.
As you select files with Edit Mode enabled, the options in the bottom part of the interface will change.
Create Folder:
With one or more files selected, tapping ‘Create Folder’ will let you create a folder with 1 or more files inside. This lets you easily keep your designs organized. You can always move files to this folder or take them out later.
Report Problem:
If you have a file that is not opening properly, select that file, and then tap ‘Report Problem’. This will auto-generate an e-Mail to send to uMake support with the file that is not working.
Duplicate:
Selected files will be duplicated.Share:
If you want to share or export a file, or multiple files simultaneously, you can do it from the file manager. Select the files you would like to export, and then tap ‘Share’. You will be prompted to choose a format to export to, and then a method of sharing - Sending to FIles, sending via iOS Mail App, or sending via AirDrop. NOTE: The files you want to share must have already been open at least once before you can share them. This is to ensure that the proper file data is loaded locally on your iPad.
Delete:
This will delete an selected files. You will be prompted to confirm the deletion before files are deleted.
Learn:
Tapping on Learn will take you to the Learning section inside uMake, complete with courses to help you get started, and learn uMake with ease. Tap on the images/ icons to enter various categories of tutorials, and watch lessons.
Forum:
Tapping on ‘Forum’ will take you to the uMake Forum. Here you can participate in ongoing discussions, ask questions to others, and share your designs for feedback.
Settings:
Tapping on Settings will take you to the general app settings. This is where you can edit your profile information, find more support information, view your subscription information, restore purchases and sign out. Tapping on any of these categories will give you more options and information.
Creating a new Design:
Under My Designs, you can easily create a new design by tapping on the square in the upper left labeled ‘Create New Design’. In addition to this, you can also tap 'New' on the top bar of the File Manager in the upper right. Tapping on both options will open up a new file, thus taking you to the editor, where you will then be able to start creating in uMake.
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That covers the uMake File manager in this portion of the User Guide. To learn about the uMake Editor (where you create) Please see this thread here: uMake user Guide: uMake Editor Interface
To learn about how to work in uMake and tips and tricks for creating, please see this thread here: uMake User Guide: Moving Around, Sketching, and Creating in uMake