Action

Action settings control how a part is evaluated when GCrafter generates intersections.

Intersections are what allow parts to cut into, slot through, pocket into, or join with other parts. Most of the time, you do not need to change these settings. But when you start creating custom parts, subtractive tools, dowel holes, shaped intersections, or more complex assemblies, Action becomes very useful.

Operation

The operation setting controls what the part does during intersection generation.

Options are:

• Intersect
• Subtract
• None

Intersect

Intersect is the default.

This means the part participates normally in intersection generation. If it overlaps another part, GCrafter evaluates that overlap and creates the appropriate joinery, opening, pocket, or finger behavior based on the part settings.

Use Intersect for normal parts that should connect with other parts.

Subtract

Subtract turns the part into a cutting tool.

A subtract part does not appear in the layout as a part to cut. Instead, it removes material from anything it touches.

Think of it as a boolean cutter.

For example, imagine you want to use a dowel to connect two side panels.

You could:

1. Create a new part.
2. Set its width and height to the dowel diameter.
3. Set its thickness to span from one face to the other.
4. Set the operation to Subtract.

That subtract part can then create matching circular cutouts in both side panels.

This is useful when you want to mix real-world stock or hardware into a GCrafter project, such as:

• Dowels
• Dimensional Lumber (think 2x4)
• Tenons
• Pins
• Tubes
• Alignment holes
• Pass-through openings

The subtract part is not something you cut as a panel. It is a tool used to remove material from other parts.

None

None means the part is not evaluated during intersection generation.

Use this when a part should exist visually or structurally in the project, but should not create intersections with other parts.

This can be helpful for reference parts, placeholders, or parts you want to position without affecting the surrounding geometry.

Intersect With

By default, a part can intersect with any other part it overlaps.

The Intersect With setting lets you limit that behavior.

It contains a list of other parts in the project item. If you select specific parts, the current part will only generate intersections with those selected parts.

Use this when a part overlaps several things, but you only want it to interact with one or two of them.

For example:

• A divider should intersect the top and bottom, but not the back.
• A subtract tool should cut only two side panels.
• A decorative insert should affect one panel, not every nearby part.
• A support should ignore a panel it visually passes near.

This gives you finer control over which intersections are actually generated.

Apply PartLab Shapes

By default, PartLab changes are not always used during intersection generation.

That is intentional.

The more complex a part shape becomes, the longer intersection calculations can take. A simple rectangular bounding box is much faster to evaluate than a detailed sculpted shape with curves, points, cutouts, text, or custom geometry.

GCrafter normally uses simplified bounding boxes to compute intersections quickly.

This works well most of the time, but it can create cases where fingers or openings appear where the final sculpted part does not actually intersect.

Enable Apply PartLab Shapes when the actual edited shape of the part should be used for intersection generation.

Use this when:

• A rounded or pointed shape passes through another part
• A sculpted PartLab part needs accurate intersections
• The default bounding box creates fingers in the wrong place
• The part no longer behaves like a simple rectangle

Just remember: more accurate geometry can take longer to compute.

Apply Corners to Intersection

Apply Corners to Intersection works similarly.

By default, corner radius may not be included in intersection calculations. That keeps things faster and simpler.

When enabled, the rounded or cut corners are considered during intersection generation.

Use this when the corner shape matters for how the part intersects another part.

This may be useful when:

• A rounded corner passes through another part
• A clipped corner should avoid creating an intersection
• Fingers appear where the rounded corner removed material
• The part’s actual outline matters more than speed

Like PartLab shapes, this can create more complex operations.

Bounding Box View

If you switch to Bounding Box View, you can see the shapes GCrafter is using before intersection generation.

This is helpful when troubleshooting.

In the default mode, parts may look like simple rectangles with material thickness, because that is the faster representation used for intersection calculations.

When PartLab shapes or corners are applied to intersections, the pre-intersection shape may look more like the final sculpted part.

Use Bounding Box View to understand:

• Which parts are being evaluated
• What shape GCrafter is using for intersections
• Why an unexpected finger or opening appears
• Whether PartLab shapes are being included
• Whether corners are being included

The Main Idea

Action settings decide how a part participates in intersection generation.

Use:

• Intersect for normal joinery
• Subtract when a part should cut material away
• None when a part should not affect intersections
• Intersect With to limit which parts are affected
• Apply PartLab Shapes when the sculpted part shape matters
• Apply Corners to Intersection when corner radius should affect intersections

Most projects can stay with the defaults. Advanced projects use Action settings to control exactly how parts interact.