Usage and Features

Usage & Features

Once you have GyroidVault running and your library mapped, you're ready to start organizing. The interface is designed to be as intutive as possible.

The Dashboard & Library Views

Your main view shows all the 3D models found in your /library path. GyroidVault automatically extracts thumbnails if they are available (like in 3MF files) or generates them for STLs.

By default, the library is displayed as a flat grid of all your models. However, if you prefer to navigate your collection exactly as it is structured on your physical hard drive, you can switch to Folder View. You can enable this by going to Settings -> System Settings and changing the Library View Mode to "Folder View (browse disk)". This will replace the flat grid with an interactive file tree and folder navigation.

File Structure & How Models Are Created

GyroidVault is designed around the concept that a Folder on your disk represents a single Model in the database.

• When the background scanner reads your /library directory, every subfolder it finds that contains 3D files (.stl, .3mf, etc.) is imported as one "Model".
• All files inside that subfolder are grouped under that single model.
• If you have multiple .stl or .3mf files in the same folder, they will all belong to the same model.
• Documentation: You can also include .pdf, .md, or .txt files in these folders or upload them directly! GyroidVault will automatically separate them into a handy "Documentation" tab under the model, keeping your 3D files clutter-free. Ideal for assembly instructions or print guides.
• Tip: Avoid dumping all your raw .stl files directly into the root of your library. Always organize them into subfolders (e.g., Library/Vase/vase.stl), otherwise GyroidVault might group them all together or ignore them.

Organizing with Tags, Categories, and Collections

Finding that one specific calibration cube among thousands of files can be a pain. That's why GyroidVault gives you multiple ways to organize your library:

• Categories: The highest level of organization. Use these for broad groupings (e.g., Functional Prints, Miniatures, Household).
• Collections: Think of these as specific projects or folders. You can group related models into a single collection (like "Skadis" or "Gridfinity"). You can also set a Collection to Private, which hides it (and its contents) completely from anyone without an admin account.
• Tags: You can assign multiple tags to a model (e.g., calibration, print-in-place, needs-supports). This makes filtering and searching super easy.

Bulk Actions

Got a huge library that you need to organize quickly? Use the bulk selection tool to select multiple models at once. From there, you can apply tags, add them to a collection, or move them to a new category in one fell swoop.

The 3D Viewer & Previews

Clicking on a model opens the detail page. Here you can actually preview the STL or standard 3MF files right in your browser. You can rotate, zoom, and inspect the model before deciding if it's the right one to print.

A note on Bambu Studio 3MF files: Bambu Studio injects custom, proprietary data into their 3MF files that standard web 3D viewers cannot easily render. For Bambu 3MF files, GyroidVault will extract and display the static 2D thumbnail picture embedded inside the file, but it cannot currently render the full interactive 3D preview. Standard STL files and generic 3MF files will render in full 3D perfectly.