Models
The highest-level object handled by Shaper is the model. A model is a collection of geometric and null objects and their properties.
Several related models can be stored in the same database. Shaper functions as a model explorer: you select the model on which you wish to work, by means of the model selector.
Operations on Models
Operations concerning models can be found in the Shaper Model menu or in the Shaper Geometry sidebar tab:
Icon | Function |
|---|---|
| Create a new model. |
| Duplicate a model. During the duplication of a model, Patchwork 3D shares the geometrical elements constituting the surfaces of the model between the original and the duplicate models. This means that duplicating a model uses very little memory. |
| Rename a model. |
| Import a model. |
| Export a model. |
| Delete a model. |
A 3D model can occupy a large amount of memory. A Shaper model is loaded into the memory only when it is to be edited. All the models loaded during your work session are held in the memory and are instantly available by means of a system of tabs located just below the top toolbar.
On the right, in the same bar as the tabs, the button 
can be used to close the current model. You can also clear a mode from the memory by closing it by means of the Model > Close menu option.