LDraw.org, a system of free software tools for modeling Lego creations in 3D on a computer, is preparing to file a lawsuit against Bricklink Limited, for copyright violation. BrickLink.com is a venue for individuals and businesses from all around the world to buy and sell new, used and vintage LEGO. LDraw.org is furthermore sueing for trademark infringement, unfair trade practices and more, seeking damages for willful infringement.
LDraw.org, known for its parts library of over 5000 virtual representations of LEGO bricks, which is under continuous maintenance and extension by the LDraw community since 1997, might have decided not to file a legal objection to the use of images rendered from its library in the year 2000 when Bricklink started business, but the organization isn't ready to simply roll over on the intellectual property front, either.
The LDraw Steering Committee (SteerCo) decided to take legal action after Bricklink Limited rolled out new Terms of Service in September 2013. Bricklink appears to also be claiming the exclusive rights to the common naming system for LEGO pieces, through threatening legal action to competitors claiming: "you are using our unique numbering and naming systems for the LEGO pieces".
"It is evident that the online community of LEGO fans supplied much of the data and images and continue to do so to this day and that in the early days of Bricklink many names, numbering systems and even images came from co-existing sites such as LUGNET, Peeron or in our case LDraw" said Willy Tschager, member of the LDraw Steering Committee.
The committee set up policies on third parties capitalising on the considerable volunteer time, effort, and ingenuity represented by the part library and the LDraw System, which give the users almost total freedom in the usage of rendered images. "One thing is making cash with the efforts of others, but claiming it is yours is a total different story and we are going to demand to delete their image and text contributions to the database which have been drawn from LDraw", Tschager said.
In addition the LDraw Steering Committee is looking out for angel investors to back the lawsuit financially.
Donation can be made to Peeron.com as hosts of LDraw.org (a Paypal Donation Button can be found in the top right-hand corner of LDraw's homepage). However paying tribute to the fact that LDraw.org is a completely volunteer organization the SteerCo prefers workmanship contribution, such as part authoring, parts reviewing, writing programs or tutorials over financial return.
LDraw Content Management
On behalf of the LDraw.org Steering Committee
Hello to all,
I would like to suggest you the modifcation of the points of origin (or insertion) of parts with multiple horizontal floor or slope.
In Annex I report the current situation for two parts of this kind with respect to two normal parts (actual.jpg) and where it would be, for me, more convenient to move the origin point (proposal.jpg). The green points represent the points of origin of the parts, in the top you can see the list of parts (with their position) in both cases.
Currently, for parts with more coupling planes, there is chosen as the reference plane the highest plane.
For some parts of the slope, which does not expect to have pieces on himself, it is chosen as the origin the plan to which they support, while for others the highest floor, as if they were bricks of standard height.
This modification would allow you to use a simple sort function to sort the parts of a model from the bottom up, without having to re-check that the parts are in the right order for a real coupling.
I can imagine that it is a long job to find and change all the parts that require it, but then you would have the advantage of finding any alignment issues since only text files, without graphing.
At the end, I report a partial list of items that would be subject to change.
I am not aware of rules in the implementation of the parts against my proposal.
Massimo
Parts with multiple floor:
2339 - Arch 1 x 5 x 4
2399 - Wedge 3 x 4
4856 - Wedge 6 x 4 inverted
4865 - Panel 1 x 2 x 1 (both version a adn b and derivated like 4865d01, 4865d02, 4865p06 and 4865p18)
6055 - Panel wall 6 x 6 x 6 corner
6060 - Arch 1 x 6 x 3 & 1/3 with curved top
6066 - Brick 4 x 8 x 2.333 turret top
6072 - Brick 7 x 7 x 2.333 turret quarter
6081 - Brick 2 x 4 x 1 & 1/3 with curved top
6082 - Panel 4 x 10 x 6 rock rectangular
6091 - Brick 2 x 1 x 1 & 1/3 with curved top
6108 - Arch 1 x 12 x 3
6231 - Panel 1 x 1 x corner with rounded corners
13965 - Arch 1 x 3 x 3
30099 - Arch 1 x 5 x 4 inverted
30116 - Panel 14 x 14 x 2.667 quarter saucer top (and derivated like 30116ps0, 30116p6u and 30116p6v)
30117 - Panel 10 x 10 x 2.333 quarter saucer top (and derivated like 30117p6u and 30117p6v)
30201 - Panel 10 x 10 x 2.333 corner base
30272 - Arch 2 x 12 x 6 with grooves
30274 - Brick 2 x 3 x 3 with lion's head carving and cutout
30413 - Panel 1 x 4 x 1 with rounded corners
30613 - Arch 3 x 6 x 5
41761 - Wedge 6 x 8 x 2 triple inverted
42021 - Wedge 6 x 8 x 2 triple inverted (and derivated like 42021d01)
43713 - Wedge 6 x 4 tripple curved inverted
48490 - Panel wall 3 x 8 x 6
50373 - Wedge 3 x 4 with stud notches
76768 - Zrch 1 x 5 x 4 with reinforced tip
87611 - Plane bottom 6 x 10 x 1
87615 - Plane top 6 x 10 x 1
87616 - Plane rear 6 x 10 x 4
88292 - Arch 1 x 3 x 2
93095 - Panel 1 x 2 x 1 with thin central divider and rounded corners
91501 - Panel 2 x 2 x 1 corner with rounded corners
Parts slope
2875 - Slope brick 45 2 x 6 x 0.667
3299 - Slope brick 33 2 x 4 double
3300 - Slope brick 33 2 x 2 double
4515 - Slope brick 10 6 x 8 (and derivated like 4515p02 and 4515p03)
4854 - Slope brick 45 4 x 4 double inverted with open center
4871 - Slope brick 45 4 x 2 double inverted with open center
6191 - Brick 1 x 4 x 1 & 1/3 with curved top
6192 - Brick 2 x 4 with curved top
11477 - Slope brick curved 2 x 1
15068 - Slope brick curved 2 x 2 x 0.667 (and derivated like 15068p01)
52501 - Slope bricj 45 6 x 1 double inverted with open center
54200 - Slope brick 31 1 x 1 x 0.667
61068 - Slope brick curved 2 x 4 without underside studs (and derivated like 61068p01)
72454 - Slope brick 45 4 x 4 double inverted with center holes
85984 - Slope brick 31 1 x 2 x 0.667
88930 - Sloep brick curved 2 x 4 with underside studs (and derivated like 88930p01)
93273 - Slope brick curved 4 x 1 double (and derivated like 93273pk0)
I am in the process of creating LDraw models of VEX IQ robotics kit parts, allowing you to document your robots using LDraw editors.
Parts done are available here. The job is far from beeing completed yet (eg. none of electronics parts are available!) but structural parts and connectors are done so you can start to play with them...
Available parts are listed here.
I'm working on tool which allows to easily publish LEGO building instructions. It works in a few steps:
1. create LDraw building instruction including building instruction steps
2. upload file at http://www.cubiculus.com/building-instruction/create
3. In a few minutes you'll receive email that building instruction is generated. Email also contains link to generated building instruction.
I would like to ask help with testing. It's quite sure that there will be problems. Please let me know when you meet them. Also if you have any question please let me know.
Hello to all,
I will upload the Space police I models that I made .
You can use it freely, I give it 'Free ONLY for NON-Commercial Use' .
At the time are referred as "Unofficial model" but only because they were not verified by other people.
In case of errors or problems reported me. Thanks.
Here are some notes for possible improvements.
They collected all the models of the Space police I series.
There are 6 box-sets that I organized in the following way:
1 ldr file for each box-set with only a vehicle;
1 mpd file for each box-set with more than one vehicle and/or with independent structure (buildings, track, ...).
If there are moving parts (hooks, trailers, tippers, ...) I created more ldr files for a single object in order to simplify a possible next animation .
In order not to complicate the archive, however, the wheels have been incorporated into the one file ldr of the vehicle.
In the mpd file of a box-set, each vehicle has its own independent structure (ldr file).
The basic idea is to assign names to the following :
xxxx [x ] - [ yyy ] - [ z ] - [ u]
xxxx [ x ] is the code box ( four or five digits)
yyyyyy is the option code for the second box , if the vehicle is a combination
z is the progressive optional for different independent models inside the box
u is a letter optional for the parts that make up the model , and that can move between them.
As for the choice of colors, I tried to respect those provided by Lego, but it is possible that some have escaped me.
I did not use stickers: I do not like in real life and I prefer not to use them even in the virtual world.
I did not realize the minifiugres in the box-sets.
Ldr files were introduced in the steps for building: do not reflect the official ones of the instruction manual.
The models are built bottom-up.
The vehicles are all oriented with the longitudinal axis x and muzzle in a positive direction.
The tubes (in 6986) were made with LDSynth in an appropriate ldr file.
Now stop write, it's time to load the models!
I hope you enjoy them as I liked building them!
Posted by: Jono - 2014-03-22, 5:36 - Forum: Help
- Replies (2)
HI. Does anyone know how to get LPub to show colour again? I haven't changed any settings since my last instructions that I did, now what ever LDraw file or previous completed instruction file I open they all look like a colouring picture page. There are no colours except a black outline. Cheers Jono
![[Image: vexlogo.jpg]](http://philohome.com/vexldraw/vexlogo.jpg)
