The Steering Committee has voted for the inclusion of helper parts in the Official LDraw Parts Library. As helper parts have to go through the LDraw Parts Tracker via "Fasttrack" for the inclusion in the package, this won't happen in a timely fashion as the current PT is technically not ready. However we agreed on the following specs:

Quote:Helper Part General Rules

Helper parts are non-LEGO text, arrows, and other icons intended to be used in building instructions or other renderings. In some cases these parts can be used to position non-brick elements (such as lights) in a LDraw scene.

Helper parts will not be subject to review on the Parts Tracker and will qualify for admin "fast tracking".

Helper Description

As for the third party parts it starts with '|' or '~|'

    |Helper <2D/3D qualifier> <Type> <additional description> <lenght/height/depth>

<Type> Arrow, Dot, Line, Letter, Number, Light, LSynth Constraint, String Knot ...
<additional description> Straight, Rotation, "3", "F", Vertical
<lenght/height/depth> 2L, 3 Studs, 20 LDU, 10 mm

Helper Part Numbering

Name as description without blanks: Helper3DEasyRotation.dat

Helper Category

Not needed. From the !CATEGORY and !KEYWORDS spec: If a part has no !CATEGORY meta-statement, the category is assumed to be the first word in the part name (ie. the first word of the first line of the part file).

Helper Keywords

Not needed, as the description should contain all relevant information.

Helper Location

<Library Root>\parts\helper

Helper Dimensions

Numbers and letters should fit into a x-z grid of a: 20 x 20 LDU

Based on a discussion on the PT forum, I'd like to proposed the following change to the Official Library Spec.

https://www.ldraw.org/article/512.html#pattern_desc
(changes in bold)

Quote:The description of a patterned part should in the following format:
<base part description> with <pattern description> Pattern

Where:

•     <base part description> is the description of the non-patterned version of the part. Note: For parts with mold variants (e.g. tiles with or without groove), the additional qualifier for the mold is only required if the same pattern is printed on more than one variation. Example: "Minifig Head with Solid Stud with ... Pattern" can be shortened to "Minifig Head with ... Pattern" if the pattern being modeled only appears on the "Solid Stud" variation.
  
•     <pattern description> is a reasonably detailed description of the pattern. If unsure, use of the description on other inventory websites is encouraged.
  

I think it has already be answered somewhere, but can't find it. How can I move a flexible part from one model to another? I can detach the flex part from model1, then use it as external file in model2, but how do I make model2 a self-contained mpd? Of course I don't want to use a text editor, there would be no challenge 

As suggested by Philo, let's move the discussion into the forum.

The initial long description was reduced as suggested by me. But doing this wasn't in line with our specs. Now the pattern part would have a missing stud qualifier. For now I added this qualifier, but as there is no other stud variant of "Cylinder 3 x 3 with Dome Top" I would like to see the stud qualifier removed completely for all 49308 parts, as suggested by Magnus.

Other opinions?

LDView 4.4.1 is now available.

You can download this release from the LDView Downloads Page.

This is a minor version update, with only two changes:

1. Support tndis primitives.
   
2. Fix for -SaveSnapshotsList command line argument.
   

It seems that primitive substitution doesn't work on some hires cones. Case in point, 48\1-4con19 used in this part: https://www.ldraw.org/cgi-bin/ptdetail.c...s/2745.dat
At high substitution levels cone no longer matches cylinder.
This concerns all LDView versions I could test, from 4.1 to 4.4.1beta2

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We need to focus on certifying all the official part fixes for:
axlehole
axlehol2
axlehol3
axlehol4
axlehol5
axlehol6
axlehol8
axl5end

I don't want to hold these back from release.

Right now the only official part fix with a hold vote is /s/57028s01.dat, the rest just need votes.

I have built a very large model which I currently have saved as Ldraw files.  This is a model consisting of over 157,000 pieces. I have attached a few still images to give you the sense of how large this model is.  The model is of a town I grew up in and my dream and end goal was to produce a video flyover that looks like a realistic lego model so I can share it on social media.  The problem is that coming in at 157,000 parts, it is just too large for 3D programs to handle and render 3D video. I have tried outsourcing the project to a skilled 3D artist and after a week of trying he admitted defeat and said even though he has a top-end system, the 157,000 pieces was too much.  He said the only solution he can think of is to combine many of the individual legos into solid pieces to reduce the complexity of the file. I don’t know if that is even possible.  I am currently opening the files with LeoCad which allows me to render them as 3DS or DAE file (however, since the model is so large I have to separate it in 4 sections to render it then put the sections back together after it is rendered)

If there is anyone out there that has advice, either combining legos or rendering enormous files into video via other routes I would be very grateful.  This project has been shelved for two years because this problem proven so difficult. I am willing to pay for professional services to make this happen.  If you would like me to upload the files just let me know.

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I have built a very large model which I currently have saved as Ldraw files.  This is a model consisting of over 157,000 pieces. I have attached a few still images to give you the sense of how large this model is.  The model is of a town I grew up in and my dream and end goal was to produce a video flyover that looks like a realistic lego model so I can share it on social media.  The problem is that coming in at 157,000 parts, it is just too large for 3D programs to handle and render 3D video. I have tried outsourcing the project to a skilled 3D artist and after a week of trying he admitted defeat and said even though he has a top-end system, the 157,000 pieces was too much.  He said the only solution he can think of is to combine many of the individual legos into solid pieces to reduce the complexity of the file. I don’t know if that is even possible.  I am currently opening the files with LeoCad which allows me to render them as 3DS or DAE file (however, since the model is so large I have to separate it in 4 sections to render it then put the sections back together after it is rendered) 

If there is anyone out there that has advice, either combining legos or rendering enormous files into video via other routes I would be very grateful.  This project has been shelved for two years because this problem proven so difficult. I am willing to pay for professional services to make this happen.  If you would like me to upload the files just let me know.

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The link Take it further under Step 3 goes nowhere, on the page now promoted at Brickset.