I couldn’t find a way to add thickness to a plane. The two extrude would create a hole from the extrusion operation. I think the other extrude button on the right would be better replaced by a solidify modifier.
I just extrude. Select the open edges and either fill
That would work on a single poly/plane with no edgeloops. Or does it make it like fill in blender?
Shell/solidify is very important for 3d printing to create thickness, too.
Fill like Blender. No join option like in blender to create loop cuts.
For 3d printing I adjust the number of outter layers in Prusa Slicer. Not in Valence. I wouldn’t even try directly 3d printing from valence. I would bring it into Blender and use the 3d print plugin and run a check all.
I’m going to print the model I’m doing now in V3D but would like to avoid blender other than use the 3d print checker there.
Solidify is so essential. Or simple extrude but leave th original polygons intact is very much needed.
A simple logo extruded would need a properly filled back side.
There are workarounds I can think of to do solidify or extrude with shell in V3D but not for complex shapes.
I would say this is essential to add for basic modelling.
All 3d printing software will try to fix open manifolds or at least warn you before you create the .stl.
Stuff like that I dont let the slicer do its thing.