[LDPartEditor] 0.8.28 Beta Released (local/global transformation, col. 16, merge)

[Nils Schmidt]

Hey,

after I released a new version of LDPatternCreator (LPC) in the beginning of this month, it is now time for the "bigger brother" LDPE :)


As always, you can download LDPE from this page:
http://nilsschmidt1337.github.io/ldparteditor/

Changelog:
(4 new features and 4 bug fixes)

With this release you will be able to...

• ...override colour 16.
  
• ...set the distance meter length in the selection window.
  
• ...constrain "Merge to Nearest..." to operate in a fixed direction (X/Y/Z).
  
• ...choose between world axis X/Y/Z and manipulator axis X/Y/Z for transformation tools (translate / rotate / scale selection / set selection X/Y/Z)
  

The following critical issues were fixed:

1. The colour value for colour 16 was not read from LDConfig.ldr
   
2. If you split a distance meter you got two normal edge lines instead of two distance meters.
   
3. LDPE did not complain about some duplicated lines (TYPE 2, 3, and 4).
   
4. "Local" mode for the distance meter showed sometimes wrong values for dx / dy / dz
   

What will the next release 0.8.29 deliver? Bug fixes, more header validation features, usability improvements...

---

The program was tested intensively with "real world" files.
However, it is still a beta version and something can go wrong in about 100.000 lines of code.

Make sure that you choose the right architecture for your OS and Java Virtual Machine (JVM) (64bit or 32bit).
A short guide how to check if a 64bit JVM is installed on your system is located at the bottom of this message.

1. Download the zip-Archive
   
2. Extract the archive content to the location of your choice
   
3. On windows, double-click "run.bat" to start LDPE.
   
4. On linux, you have to excecute the shell script "run.sh" to start LDPE.
   

Please note that this software is in the beta stage. Although, LDPE 0.8.28 was tested, there are already known issues  for this release. There is a potential risk of data loss.

You can search for updates if you do the following steps:

1. On windows, double-click "update.bat" to search for updates.
   
2. On linux, you have to excecute the shell script "update.sh".
   

I listen carefully to your requests and possible complaints. Please leave me a message, with your thoughts and wishes to further improve the software.

LDPE is a 3D CAD application: The overall system requirements are higher. While I recommend to use a powerful 64-bit multicore system, it could be possible, to run LDPE on older machines as well.

System Requirements:


Minimum System Requirements:

• 64-bit Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 1.8
  
• OpenGL 2.1 compatible Graphics Card
  
• Operating System (64-bit): Windows [7 or newer], Linux [e.g. Ubuntu Linux >=14.4]
  
• CPU: Multicore-Processor e.g. Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon II (>2.0Ghz)
  
• RAM: 4GB
  
• Video-Memory: 1 GB
  
• Free Disk Space: 100 MB
  

Recommended Requirements:

• Operating System (64bit): Windows 7,8,10, Linux [e.g. Ubuntu Linux >=14.4]
  
• OpenGL 3.3 compatible Graphics Card
  
• CPU: Multicore-Processor with 4 cores (or more)
  
• RAM: >4 GB
  
• Video-Memory: >1 GB
  
• Free Disk Space: 512 MB
  
• For a faster start, LDPartEditor and the LDraw™ library should be installed on a SSD.
  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How to check your JVM version (32- or 64-bit):
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You can try on the command line:

Code:

java -d64 version

If it's not a 64-bit version, you'll get a message that looks like:
This Java instance does not support a 64-bit JVM. Please install the desired version.

[Philippe Hurbain]

Works great so far
One question: shouldn't "set x/y/z" set primitives origins to x/y/z? Currently AFAIK it does nothing.

[Nils Schmidt]

Works great so far
One question: shouldn't "set x/y/z" set primitives origins to x/y/z? Currently AFAIK it does nothing.

"Set x/y/z" only works with vertices at the moment.

But, what you want is a new feature! I created issue #504 for your request.

[Philippe Hurbain]

Really love the new features of this release... (OK, I asked for them )
Something I miss is a tool that creates vertex on line intersection (I generally start a part by drawing a skeletton of lines, and need to know where they meet). Currently I duplicate the lines, move them, create surfaces on them and use isecalc. Feasible, but a tad tedious...

[Magnus Forsberg]

Something I miss is a tool that creates vertex on line intersection ...

Me too...

[Nils Schmidt]

Something I miss is a tool that creates vertex on line intersection...

I am working on it! (issue #505)

Oh well... I'm tired...  After I did some testing, I thought that there was an implementation mistake whithin the new local/global rotation and scaling feature...
Local rotate and scale did not work as I expected, but I did not realize that I simply forgot to modify the pivot point during the regression test (everything is as it should be).
You can see that I hit the panic button too early when you take a look at the history of issue #505 I turned literally a bug into a feature

Today I closed issue #504, too ("Set x/y/z" should set the origin of subfiles and primitives to x/y/z).

[Philippe Hurbain]

Great
Yes it works as expected, but indeed it's easy to forget something... eg. forget to copy paste before mirroring, check the global/local method, use the right axle (maybe it would be interesting to display somewhere the local directions? currently I switch to move mode -but often forget!- just to get the arrows). Oh well, it's a feature rich tool problem

[Nils Schmidt]

I just had the idea to initialise the pivot point coordinates with the manipulator position (local mode only).
...and implemented it in five minutes.

maybe it would be interesting to display somewhere the local directions? currently I switch to move mode -but often forget!- just to get the arrows.

I could always display the manipulator while the dialog is open...

...and... without further ado:
I implemented it in two minutes (issue #508).

[Philippe Hurbain]

Awesome!

[Willy Tschager]

Any suggestion where to store LDPE on Linux Mint 17.3?

w.

[Nils Schmidt]

Awesome!

Version 0.8.29 is complete.

[Nils Schmidt]

Any suggestion where to store LDPE on Linux Mint 17.3?

w.

I just created a folder within my home folder.
It is sufficient that LDPE can read and write within that folder.

For windows I will write some special code to support the "AppData" folder in the future.
I know that there is a feature request to store LDPE in the "Program Files" folder, but I have to work on other issues first.

[Philippe Hurbain]

Got a minor, low priority request: make the menu bar tools button (currently a teeny down arrow) a normal sized "Tools..." button. My mind knows it's there, but my finger so often hits the merge/split button instead!

[Nils Schmidt]

Got a minor, low priority request: make the menu bar tools button (currently a teeny down arrow) a normal sized "Tools..." button. My mind knows it's there, but my finger so often hits the merge/split button instead!

Done! (issue #511)

[Willy Tschager]

Suggestions for a desktop icon entry in order to run the shell script from the desk? This one doesn't work:

[Desktop Entry]
Comment=
Terminal=true
Name=LDPE
Exec= sh /home/willy/LDPE/run.sh
Type=Application

w.

[Philippe Hurbain]

What about integrating Ytruder? Sometimes miss it, and shouldn't be very difficult...

[Willy Tschager]

Suggestions for a desktop icon entry in order to run the shell script from the desk? This one doesn't work:

[Desktop Entry]
Comment=
Terminal=true
Name=LDPE
Exec= sh /home/willy/LDPE/run.sh
Type=Application

w.

I would still appreciate some hints from the Linux wizards out there.

w.

[Nils Schmidt]

I would still appreciate some hints from the Linux wizards out there.

w.

1. Adjust the path within the txt-files to match your installation directory (where the ".jar" file is located, Path=..., e.g. /home/username/LDPartEditor)
   
2. Remove the ".txt" file ending (ldpe.desktop.txt -> ldpe.desktop and ldpeupdater.desktop.txt -> ldpeupdater.desktop)
   
3. Copy the ".desktop" files into the /home/your_user_name/.local/share/applications folder
   
4. Copy the ".png" files into the /home/your_user_name/.local/share/icons folder
   

[Philippe Hurbain]

Sometimes, deselected elements are re-selected when selecting a subpart.
Reproducing scenario:
- Select a few simple elements (lines and/or surfaces)
- Press Esc to deselect them
- change to subfile selection mode
- click on a subfile to select it.
all (but last one) simple elements are now selected with the subpart.

[Philippe Hurbain]

Wish of the day (conveniency)
As a user, I'd like to have a "select all types" and a "select none" check box along with select vertices/lines/triangles etc

With these buttons I can - for example - quickly select all condlines ("select none" then "condlines") then come back to normal usage ("select all types"). I have a similar feature in my electronics CAD program, and it proves very convenient.

[Philippe Hurbain]

Another issue with select filter... Even if an element is filtered out, clicking on it still selects it. Generally this is only mildly annoying, but it becomes a real pain when trying to select edge lines and nearby (invisible) condlines get selected at the same time, even if condlines are unchecked in selection filter.

[Magnus Forsberg]

Another issue with select filter...

Yes,
How do I select only one, single vertex on a surface, when I have two, or more, adjacent surfaces.
I want to grab that single vertex, and move it away from the other one.
As a user I want to select a single vertex in the Text Editor, click on Show Selection in 3D view, and move that vertex in the 3D Editor with the Manipulator.

Workaround:
Select a quad in the 3D Editor, look at it in the Text Editor, Select the vertex in the 3D Editor, and let the Sync Edit show which vertex it is.
Turn of both Move Adjacent (in 3D) and Sync Edit (in Text Edit) and edit the vertex in the Text Editor. Grab it in 3D Edit and move it.

[Philippe Hurbain]

Yeah, I have this problem too from time to time. My workaround is to move the entire surface, then move the vertex I want to modify, then replace the surface (with the vertex now disconnected from neighbour elements).

[Willy Tschager]

1. Adjust the path within the txt-files to match your installation directory (where the ".jar" file is located, Path=..., e.g. /home/username/LDPartEditor)
   
2. Remove the ".txt" file ending (ldpe.desktop.txt -> ldpe.desktop and ldpeupdater.desktop.txt -> ldpeupdater.desktop)
   
3. Copy the ".desktop" files into the /home/your_user_name/.local/share/applications folder
   
4. Copy the ".png" files into the /home/your_user_name/.local/share/icons folder
   

Did, but who do I get them on the desktop? I copied it from the applications folder to the Desktop but it doesn't show up even if I remove the hidden feature. Recopying tells me that the file is already there.  

w.


PS. Why is there such a huge difference on the primitive icons? On linux you can tell what prims are shown while you cannot at all on Windows?

  Bildschirmfoto vom 2017-06-05 13:14:24.png (Size: 7.99 KB / Downloads: 99)

[Nils Schmidt]

Why is there such a huge difference on the primitive icons? On linux you can tell what prims are shown while you cannot at all on Windows?

Hi Willy,

I would like to see how it looks on your Windows system, too. Your screenshot looks normal.
There are two buttons below the primitive icon area: plus (+) and minus (-) to enlarge or shrink the primitive icons.

Cheers

Nils

[Willy Tschager]

Now I know what's wrong. The windows version shows a frontal view and I have no idea how to rotate it to 3D.



  LDPE1.jpg (Size: 72.44 KB / Downloads: 84)



w.

[Philippe Hurbain]

Now I know what's wrong. The windows version shows a frontal view and I have no idea how to rotate it to 3D.

Click in the primitives preview window. Then you can rotate them exactly the same way as you rotate model in main window.

[Nils Schmidt]

Now I know what's wrong. The windows version shows a frontal view and I have no idea how to rotate it to 3D.

a) Click in the primitives preview window. Then you can rotate them exactly the same way as you rotate model in main window (middle mouse button or 'M' key). You can use the scroll wheel or the right mouse button to scroll and ctrl+scroll wheel zooms in/out.
b) I created an issue (#542) for a tooltip
c) This is not the default behaviour anymore (#422). If you reset your settings on Windows, you'll see the same view .

Hope this helps :)

[Nils Schmidt]

Sometimes, deselected elements are re-selected when selecting a subpart.

I was able to fix this issue (#536).

[Philippe Hurbain]

Sometimes, deselected elements are re-selected when selecting a subpart.

I was able to fix this issue (#536).

Good new, was a pretty annoying one (often I didn't noticed and got duplicated things...)

[Willy Tschager]

I would still appreciate some hints from the Linux wizards out there.

w.

1. Adjust the path within the txt-files to match your installation directory (where the ".jar" file is located, Path=..., e.g. /home/username/LDPartEditor)
   
2. Remove the ".txt" file ending (ldpe.desktop.txt -> ldpe.desktop and ldpeupdater.desktop.txt -> ldpeupdater.desktop)
   
3. Copy the ".desktop" files into the /home/your_user_name/.local/share/applications folder
   
4. Copy the ".png" files into the /home/your_user_name/.local/share/icons folder
   

I installed Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia and the above starter seam not working anymore. My paths are:

java: /usr/share/java
LDPartEditor.jar: /home/willy/LDPartEditor


  Bildschirmfoto vom 2018-09-19 19-55-15.png (Size: 7.58 KB / Downloads: 54)

Any ideas?

w.

[Nils Schmidt]

I installed Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia and the above starter seam not working anymore. My paths are:

java: /usr/share/java
LDPartEditor.jar: /home/willy/LDPartEditor/

Create a new launcher (right click / context menu on desktop) with this command:

Code:

/usr/share/java/bin/java -Djava.library.path='/home/willy/LDPartEditor/natives/' -jar /home/willy/LDPartEditor/LDPartEditor.jar

[Willy Tschager]

Move your config.gz file to /home/willy/config.gz
and create a new launcher (right click / context menu on desktop) with this command:

Keep please in mind that you're talking to a very dump linux user. Where do I find the config.gz file?

w.

[Nils Schmidt]

Keep please in mind that you're talking to a very dump linux user. Where do I find the config.gz file?

I included an unnecessary step... The config.gz file contains your user settings for LDPartEditor.
It does not exist on a fresh installation! Sorry for the confusion...