Cartoform - 3D Models

Release Notes - February 18 - April 6, 2026 (9e5b5d91 - fb360375)

🎉 New Features

Marketplace: Buy & Sell 3D Terrain Models - The biggest update yet! Cartoform now has a full marketplace where you can browse, buy, and sell 3D-printable terrain models:
- Browse & Search: Explore a public storefront of STL terrain model collections, complete with cover images, animated previews, pricing, ratings, and tags — all searchable right from the Map Explorer
- Guest Checkout: Purchase models with just an email address — no account required! You'll get a confirmation email with a download link, and if you create an account later, your purchases automatically link to it
- Rich Cover Image Slideshows: Hover over any listing to cycle through previews of every individual tile in the collection, so you can see exactly what you're getting before you buy
- Model Dimensions at a Glance: Listings now show total model size, individual tile size, scale, and data source type (Terrain or 3D Scan) right on the card — with dataset info tooltips for deeper detail
- "Fits My Printer" Filter: Enter your printer's bed dimensions on the browse page and instantly filter listings to only show collections whose tiles will physically fit on your print bed (rotation-aware!)
- My Purchases: View and re-download all your purchased collections anytime. Your access is perpetual — even if a seller removes their listing
- Restore Purchases: Bought something as a guest? Enter your email to recover and re-download past purchases
- Star Ratings: Rate your purchases to help other buyers find the best terrain models
Sell Your Terrain Models (Premium — Closed Beta) - Premium users can now publish and sell their own terrain model collections:
- Seller Dashboard: Manage your listings, track earnings, and configure your seller profile — all from one place
- Easy Publishing: Turn any eligible project into a marketplace listing with a title, description, price, and tags
- Stripe Connect Payouts: Get paid directly to your bank account through Stripe Connect
- Staged Edits: Update your listing descriptions and tags without taking them offline — changes are reviewed while your current version stays live
- Marketplace selling and seller payouts are currently in closed beta. Interested in becoming a seller? Please contact support!
Public Map Explorer - The Map Explorer is now accessible to everyone without logging in! Anonymous visitors can search for terrain data and STL model listings right from the homepage, making it easier than ever to discover what Cartoform has to offer
Expanded LiDAR Dataset Support (Premium) - We now support NOAA LiDAR datasets that use alternate vertical datums (such as MLLW, MSL, GEOID12B, and more). If you previously had trouble loading certain coastal or survey-specific LiDAR datasets, they should now work seamlessly
Print Your Way: Bed Size & Target Model Size - The STL generation form has two powerful new tools that make sizing your prints effortless:
- Printer Bed Size: Enter your printer's bed X/Y (and optional max Z height), and Cartoform will automatically calculate the grid layout so each tile fits on your print bed. Rotation-aware warnings let you know if anything's too big, and Z height back-calculates the maximum vertical exaggeration that keeps your model under the height limit
- Target Model Size: Just say "I want a 1m x 1m model" and Cartoform derives the exact scale for you. Combine it with bed size and you get the full workflow in one click — e.g. "1m model on a 220mm bed" → scale 1:12,208, 5×5 grid, 200mm tiles
- Both settings are saved per project so they survive page refreshes
Elevation Units in STL Form - The Z Base label now displays the elevation units extracted from your project's coordinate system (meters, feet, etc.), so you always know what unit your base thickness is in
In-App Release Notes Page - Release notes now live right inside Cartoform at /release-notes! No more hopping over to Reddit to see what's new — every "Release Notes" link in the navigation menu and footer takes you straight to a dedicated page with the full history of updates
Better Error Messages - When something goes wrong, error notifications now include helpful advice text from our backend — like "try uploading a smaller file" or "check your subscription status" — so you know what to do next instead of just seeing a generic error

🐛 Bug Fixes

Double-Charge Prevention - Fixed a race condition where upgrading your subscription could create duplicate charges. If this happened to you, the extra subscription is now properly cancelled automatically
Subscription Activation Timing - Fixed a bug where first-time subscribers could experience a delay before their premium features activated, even though payment was successful. New subscriptions now activate instantly
Large LiDAR Jobs Completing Reliably (Premium) - Fixed an issue where very large LiDAR conversion jobs (running several hours) could get interrupted mid-process, leaving your project stuck in a "converting" state. Long-running jobs now complete reliably without interruption
Stuck Jobs Auto-Recovery - Fixed a rare issue where a queued job could get stuck in a "reserved" state and never start processing. Jobs now automatically detect this and release themselves so they pick up on the next worker — no more mysterious projects sitting idle
Seller Dashboard Showing Empty (Premium — Closed Beta) - Fixed a bug where sellers' own listings weren't appearing in the seller dashboard due to an account ID mismatch. All your listings are now visible
One-Click Approve & Publish (Premium — Closed Beta) - Approving a listing now publishes it in the same step instead of requiring two separate actions. Newly published listings also appear in the marketplace browse within ~30 seconds (down from a few minutes)
Free Listings & Price Display - Fixed listings priced at $0 to show "Download for Free" instead of "Buy for Free", and fixed an occasional "$NaN" price flicker on the marketplace
Tooltip Positioning in Scrollable Areas - Fixed tooltips that could drift away from their trigger when scrolling inside the marketplace listing sidebar — they now stay properly anchored
Zip Download Feedback - Clicking "Download as ZIP" now shows the preparing state immediately and auto-starts the download as soon as it's ready, instead of requiring a second click
Cover Image Flicker - Fixed a brief flicker when cycling through tile preview images on marketplace listing cards

⚡ Optimizations

Faster STL Preview Throughput - Increased the maximum number of parallel STL preview workers, so previews render faster when multiple users are generating models at the same time
Snappier Marketplace Browse - Newly published listings now show up in the browse page in seconds instead of minutes, and approving a listing removes it from the moderation queue immediately for a more responsive feel
Updated Terms of Service & Privacy Policy - Legal documents have been updated to cover marketplace buying and selling, ensuring clear terms for all participants

What's Next? We're continuously working to improve Cartoform based on your feedback. If you encounter any issues or have suggestions, please don't hesitate to reach out through our bug report form or support email!

Release Notes - February 15-18, 2026 (b214812b - f3af8b98)

🎉 New Features

Self-Service Account Deletion - You now have complete control over your account and data:
- Delete your account directly from the Privacy tab in your account settings
- Comprehensive deletion process that removes all your projects, data, and billing information
- Secure verification with password and CAPTCHA to protect against accidental deletions
- Automatic cancellation of active subscriptions when you delete your account
- Email confirmation when your account deletion is complete
- Updated Privacy Policy and Terms of Service to reflect your data deletion rights
Tip Jar for Supporting Development - Love Cartoform? Now you can show your support!
- New "Tip Jar" option in the navigation menu, footer, and account page
- Quick and easy way to support ongoing development and improvements
- Fun, rotating messages with playful animations to brighten your day
- Optional way to say thanks beyond your subscription
Complete Dark Mode Overhaul - Dark mode just got a major upgrade:
- New theme selector in the navigation bar with one-click switching between Light, Dark, and System modes
- Fully redesigned Map Explorer with proper dark mode support for both the map and search results
- Improved contrast and readability across all pages in dark mode
- Smooth transitions between themes
- Your theme preference is saved and persists across sessions
- Helpful tooltips show which theme mode you're currently using

🐛 Bug Fixes

Subscription Renewal Permissions - Fixed a critical bug where users would temporarily lose access to their premium features during subscription renewals, even though their payment went through successfully. Renewals now work seamlessly without any interruption to your service!
Subscription Grace Period - Added a 24-hour grace period for subscription expirations to handle delayed payment processing:
- Prevents false positives when payment webhooks are delayed
- Automatically restores your entitlements if payment is confirmed within the grace period
- No more unexpected service interruptions due to payment processing delays
- Your applications and projects remain accessible during the grace period
Provisioning Page Improvements - Fixed several issues with the post-purchase provisioning flow:
- Eliminated an infinite reload loop that could occur during account setup
- Added a "finalizing" step to ensure your entitlements are properly validated before redirecting you
- Smoother transition from purchase to using your new subscription features
- Better error handling and status updates during provisioning

⚡ Optimizations

Enhanced Subscription Reliability - Improved handling of subscription renewals and webhook processing to ensure your premium features are always available when you need them, even if payment notifications are delayed

Release Notes - February 9-15, 2026 (909c38a2 - 8c8f6b97)

🎉 New Features

Subscription Plan Version Upgrades - We've streamlined how subscription plans evolve over time:
- Automatic migration to updated plan versions when your subscription renews
- Email notifications before your renewal to inform you of any pricing or feature changes
- Transparent communication about what's changing and when it takes effect
- You'll always know exactly what you're paying for and what features you're getting
Enhanced Email Management - Better control over the emails you receive:
- All subscription-related emails now include clear instructions for reducing your email notifications
- Easy access to adjust subscription directly from any regularly occurring email
- More transparency about which emails are transactional (required) vs. optional
Updated Legal Documents - We've refreshed our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy:
- Clearer explanations of subscription pricing changes and version migrations
- Enhanced notification policies so you're always informed about important changes
- Updated effective date: February 15, 2026
- All changes are designed to provide more transparency and protect your rights

🐛 Bug Fixes

Email Sync with Billing Provider - Fixed a critical issue where changing your email address in your account settings wouldn't update your email in our billing system, which could cause subscription notifications to go to your old email address. Now when you update your email, it syncs everywhere automatically!
Account Deletion Improvements - Enhanced the account deletion process to be more thorough and reliable, ensuring all your data is properly cleaned up when you delete your account

⚡ Optimizations

Improved CAPTCHA Experience - Fine-tuned our spam protection system to be less intrusive while maintaining security, with better support for development and testing environments

Release Notes - February 4-9, 2026 (24345560 - 909c38a2)

🎉 New Features

Enhanced Security & Spam Protection - We've implemented Cloudflare Turnstile CAPTCHA verification to protect against automated abuse:
- CAPTCHA challenges on signup, password reset, and email verification pages
- Smart rate limiting to prevent API abuse while maintaining a smooth experience for legitimate users
- Automatic cleanup of unverified accounts to keep the platform secure and efficient
- All security measures work seamlessly in the background - you'll only see a CAPTCHA when needed!
Smarter LiDAR Upgrade Experience - Upgrading for LiDAR conversion is now more intuitive:
- Direct links to Premium tier plans when you need LiDAR processing capabilities, prevents confusion about which tier includes LiDAR
- Smart payment term matching - if you're on a monthly plan, we'll suggest monthly Premium; annual users see annual Premium
- No more confusion about which tier includes LiDAR - we guide you straight to the right plan
- Available from the map explorer, projects page, and LiDAR conversion interface
Release Notes Access - Stay informed about what's new! You can now access release notes directly from the navigation menu and footer

🐛 Bug Fixes

SKU Display Fix - Fixed a rare issue where subscription plan names wouldn't display correctly on the confirmation page

⚡ Optimizations

Improved Caching Architecture - Refactored our caching system for better performance and reliability across the platform

Release Notes - January 17 - February 4, 2026

🎉 New Features

GDPR Compliance & Privacy Controls - We've rolled out comprehensive GDPR support for our European users! You can now:
- Update your profile name and email address directly from your account settings
- Export all your personal data with a single click
- Manage cookie preferences through a new consent banner and settings modal
- Access updated Privacy Policy and Terms of Service with enhanced data protection provisions
- New Privacy tab in your account page for easy access to all privacy controls
Map Explorer Enhancements - The map explorer just got a major upgrade:
- Project Backlinks: Create projects directly from the map explorer and easily navigate back to see which datasets you've already used
- Improved Search: Faster, more reliable search results with better handling of distributed searches across our infrastructure
- Better Guidance: Clear next-step instructions to help you go from finding data to creating your 3D model
- Dark Mode Support: The entire interface now properly supports dark mode for those late-night mapping sessions
Email Notifications - Stay informed about your project progress:
- Get notified when your LiDAR data downloads are complete
- Receive clearer purchase confirmation emails that include renewal information
Enhanced Account Management - Your billing and subscription information is now easier to access:
- Simplified subscription page with current and historical plan details
- Quick access to Stripe billing portal for managing payment methods
- Better visibility into your subscription status and entitlements
Improved Onboarding - New users now land on the map explorer instead of an empty projects page, making it easier to get started right away

🐛 Bug Fixes

Password Reset Fixed - The password reset flow now works correctly, and you'll see password requirements upfront before submitting (no more guessing!)
Preview Image Issues Resolved - Fixed a frustrating bug where preview images would sometimes show stale/outdated versions instead of your latest changes
Map Explorer Zoom - Corrected an issue where the map would zoom to the wrong region when viewing search results
Tile Gap Handling - Improved how we handle gaps in data coverage, resulting in more accurate preview images and better project boundaries
Subscription & Billing Fixes:
- Fixed proration refund calculations when downgrading subscriptions
- Resolved race conditions during subscription verification and redirects
- Fixed a redirect bug affecting hobby tier users on the pricing page
- Subscription upgrades now use immediate proration invoicing for instant access to premium features
Processing Status Improvements - Better handling of failed data processing with clear error messages and recovery options
UI Polish:
- Fixed polling logic bugs that could cause the UI to show incorrect processing status
- Improved real-time updates when data layers are added or removed from projects
- Better handling of unsupported datasets with clearer messaging

⚡ Optimizations

Faster Data Processing - Reduced memory usage during LiDAR processing, allowing us to handle larger datasets more efficiently
Improved Search Performance - Enhanced tile search caching using our database layer, making repeated searches significantly faster
Better Resource Management - Optimized database connection pooling to prevent connection exhaustion during high-traffic periods
Smarter Preview Generation - Preview images now use dynamic scaling to generate consistent, reasonable file sizes regardless of dataset density, resulting in faster load times
STL Generation Improvements - Added helpful download instructions and better default settings to get you printing faster