• Pro: single-step processor: there are no commands having range limits ("start-end"), the commands only set parameter ("from here on").
  
• Pro: stable behavior even for large projects (tested with >320 pages and >350 steps).
  
• Pro: most options may be changed for each step (for example highlight-color etc.).
  
• Pro: real WYSIWYG for current model step, option to use and/or overwrite LDCad/MLCad ROTSTEP angles.
  
• Pro/Con: not full-featured instruction commands (no arrows, no lines, no number editing), but fully editable in LibreOffice (free placement for all items, changing of all background/frame colors, adding elements like arrows and lines, editable text and numbers).
  
• Pro/Con: focus on steps instead of pages, so (pro) you can later change steps with LDCad without risking already done layouts but (con) you have to re-run the build process to see page layout changes.
  
• Pro/Con: orthogonal projection, no option to have perspective projection.
  
• Pro/Con: completely software rendered, no OpenGL/Vulkan/DirectX acceleration (a bit slow, but no special driver/hardware/library required).
  
• Con: no WYSIWYG-gui for pages.
  

(2021-12-13, 7:06)Stefan Frenz Wrote: I updated the snapshot jar file, it should now work with Java 8 or later.

(2021-12-13, 10:02)Philippe Hurbain Wrote: It works! Now I'd like to know why when I updated my Java I was not even proposed to update to Java 11 !!! (but of course that's not your problem  )

...still struggling to understand how to go from raw 603 model to your nice single page modified version...

(2021-12-13, 11:54)Stefan Frenz Wrote: There are several options which clearly need some documentation... I'm working on that.

(2021-12-13, 10:02)Philippe Hurbain Wrote: ...still struggling to understand how to go from raw 603 model to your nice single page modified version...

• The main file has some global settings. Those are tagged with "doc/" (for the whole document) or "scope/" (options for a specific part that is not a sub-part of the current mpd file).
  

• Each sub-model has container layout information (step/maxColumns=0 and step/maxRows=0 where "0" is the special value for "auto layout to fill page").
  

• The torso with arms and hands is added as submodel, otherwise those five parts would be listed as separate parts in the pli of step 6.
  

• step/noPli: if set to 1, the step will have no part list inventory (default 0 means "show pli")
  
• step/modelX=-2 and step/modelY=-1: place the model horizontally right aligned and vertically centered (0..n is fixed offset, -1 means "center", -2 means "right"/"bottom")
  
• step/maxColumns=0 and step/maxRows=0: either give a positive number as maximum cols/rows per page, or (indepently) value 0 means "auto".
  

• shiftX and shiftY: move the object after rendering before cropping
  
• pli/maxWidth and pli/maxHeight: set maximum size per part in part list inventory (there is one really big part)
  

(2021-12-12, 13:09)Stefan Frenz Wrote: I wrote a new module to generate instructions from a MPD model.

(2021-12-15, 23:18)Roland Melkert Wrote: This seems very interesting, it might actually motivate me to install Java (again) so I can give it a try.
Also nice to see someone adapting the LDCad meta line format 

• Screenshot_01 is taken directly without modification.
  
• After building the odg file and by the use of LibreOffice Draw, Screenshot_02 shows the inlined part assembly box moved to the right and lines with arrows added manually.
  

• All options can be set in the InstructionHelper GUI.
  
• All mcm values are milli-cm, i.e. a value of 1 is 0.001cm, 100 is 1mm and a value of 1000 is 1cm (because of OpenDocument standard).
  
• Each model or sub-model starts with the default values (only global ones are for main model and all sub-models).
  
• Setting an option does not affect any other option, the new value is used until the option is set again (no "start-end", only "from-here-on" behavior).
  
• In the GUI, activate "overwrite" checkbox to set a value; the value entered in the box right of overwrite is used only if the overwrite checkbox is selected. If it is not selected, the greyed value in the left box is used.
  

• doc/dpi: dpi; default: 150.
  
• doc/width and doc/height: page width and height in mcm; default is 29700/2100 resulting in DIN A4 landscape.
  
• doc/margin: margin in mcm; default: 1000.
  
• doc/specialStuds: activate special studs with edge color for better contrast (default: 0 meaning "off").
  
• doc/debugInfo: activate source and debug information for each step (default: 0 meaning "off").
  
• doc/bgModel and doc/bgPli and doc/bgSub: hexadecimal rgb color value for model background (default CFEFFF light blue), part list inventory background (default BFDFFF darker light blue) and inline sub-model background (default FFF0CF light yellow).
  

• step/skip: do not show this step (default: 0 meaning "show step").
  

• step/noResult: skip the resulting step but not the included parts (default 0 meaning "show result").
  
• step/noPli: do not draw the part list inventory (default: 0 meaning "show pli").
  
• step/modelX and step/modelY: exact x/y offset of rendered model image in mcm or special values -1 meaning centered or -2 meaning right/bottom align (default: -1 meaning "center").
  
• step/newPage and step/newColumn and step/newRow: start a new page/column/row for this step (default: 0 meaning no explicit page/column/row break).
  
• step/maxColumns and step/maxRows: maximum columns/rows in the current layout container or special value 0 for automatic (default: 1 meaning exactly one step per page).
  
• step/pliBoxMaxWidth: maximum width of part list inventory box in mcm or special value 0 for automatic size or -1 for model overlay (default: 0 meaning auto; GUI name: "step/pliBMW").
  

• inl/zoom: special inline zoom factor which is applied as factor.
  
• inl/boxMaxWidth: maximum width of inlined sub-model box in mcm or special value 0 for automatic size or -1 for model overlay (default: -1 meaning overlay).
  

• maxWidth and maxHeight: width and height of rendered image in mcm (default for model: 20000 and 14000, default for pli: 5000 and 7000).
  
• lineWidth: width of edge lines (default: 1).
  
• shadeWeight: factor to shade colors depending on absolute angle (default: 5.4).
  
• zoom: model zoom.
  
• centerX and centerY and centerZ: move center of model before rendering in LDraw coordinates (default: all 0).
  
• rotX and rotY and rotZ: rotate model before rendering in degrees (default: 30/45/0 for model, 30/-45/0 for pli).
  
• shiftX and shiftY: move rendered model image in mcm (default: 0/0).
  
• highlight and highlightRgb and highlightWidth: define highlighting for parts added in the current step if highlight=1: highlightRgb is hexadecimal color (default FF0000 red), highlightWidth is width of highlighting (default 1); if highlight=0 other parameters are ignored.
  

• inline: add steps of this model as inlined sub-steps in an inline-sub-model-box.
  
• aspart: treat this sub-model as part, do not add steps nor inline box.
  

(2021-12-18, 11:14)Stefan Frenz Wrote: the current version allows splitting the pli/inline/model container into separate boxes via new boolean parameter step/split. This results in top-down alignment of pli/inline/model, for example helpful in step 10 of model 40191 (modified version attached):

• Added part replace option tg/replace for pli parts.
  
• Added container split option step/split for top-down and separate container box layout.
  
• Added direct GUI-feedback for wrong input (background becomes red).
  
• Added part-list per step for easier access.
  
• Fixed major bug if page is overfull.
  

(2021-12-18, 17:33)Stefan Frenz Wrote: BOM is on about second position of my ToDo list   together with model title page. I'm still fiddling how to express my wishes to the program, and I would like to have not only "plain" BOM but BOM for building sections. Maybe some kind of a table? Still thinking how to tell the program... Or is this useless at all?

(2021-12-20, 7:51)Gerald Lasser Wrote: I would wish for a possibility to "sort" eventually parts by myself to get a space efficient layout.

(2021-12-20, 8:32)Stefan Frenz Wrote: Do you have an idea how to express your sorting wish?

(2021-12-20, 7:51)Gerald Lasser Wrote: I think a BOM in a list style is definately also a good idea, may be even a BL Style wanted List.

(2021-12-27, 17:10)Philippe Hurbain Wrote: - It seems that the page break when there is a new submodel is inserted AFTER the first step of that submodel. I expected the break to occur before that step.

(2021-12-27, 17:10)Philippe Hurbain Wrote: - Is there a way to apply common settings to all submodel of a file? I used a vertical model, and having to change each assembly max size from landscape to portrait is a bit daunting... Question applies also to change each submodel to multi-step per page.

• cmd=break: insert a break, possible flags are: [column], [row], [page] (default).
  
• cmd=text: insert a text heading (do not use brackets [] in the text parameter, this would break the meta parameter syntax).
  
• cmd=bom: insert a bom. Default is small list style with image above amount (right side of first example page). You may specify sort order, used is only first character of each word, so "color" is the same as "colour" is the same as "c" is the same as "clown". You may limit the BOM to a submodel with option part. You may specify flag [description] to change style to have a description right of the image (second example page). In this style you may specify the textwidth, otherwise this will default to 9000.
  

(2021-12-29, 13:19)Stefan Frenz Wrote: There is a new current version of LDInstruction that does not interfere with generated LDCad path file content.

• Added instruction commands, available are: text, break and bom.
  
• Redesigned text handling, updated pli/inline box layout.
  
• Fixed center of model step center in some corner cases.
  

• required [text=YOUR_TEXT]
  

• optional exactly one of [column] or [row] or [page] (if not given, default is [page]).
  

• optional [part=SUBFILE.ldr] to limit BOM to the given subfile (if not given, default is complete file).
  
• optional [zoom=123.4] to specify part zoom in BOM (if not given, default is 1.0).
  
• optional [maxWidth=1234] and [maxHeight=1234] to specify maximum render width and height in mcm (if not given, default is 5000/7000).
  
• optional [cols=12] and [rows=12] to specify maximum columns and rows (if not given, default 0 meaning "auto" is used).
  
• optional [sort=c,d,w,h,n] to change sort order (default color, description, width, height, name).
  
• optional [description] to change from simple list (image above amount) to list with description (image left of amount and description).
  
• optional [textwidth=1234] to specify description width only if list with description is used (if not given, default is 9000).
  

• [step/vLines=0/1] and [step/hLines=0/1]: vertical and horizontal helper lines to guide building order in complex layouts.
  
• [step/annotate=0/1]: add annotations for axles and tiles.
  
• [step/pliSort=SORTORDER]: sort parts in PLI (for SORTORDER, see BOM sort parameter).
  
• [step/donePage=0/1] and [step/doneRow=0/1] and [step/doneCol=0/1]: insert a page/row/col break after the current step (instead of "new..." which inserts the break before the current step).
  
• Most parameters can be prefixed by "default/" to set this parameter for all subfiles.
  
• Print warning if color-independent parts (submodels without color 16/24) are used in different colors (as they will appear for each used color).
  

• Button "Reset file": remove all LDINSTR meta lines.
  
• Button "Cleanup file": remove all effectless local LDINSTR options.
  
• Steps with local options are now marked in the part tree.
  

• [colorOrder=ABC] to specify the color-sort-order; ids must be separated by "," and can be merged into the same ranking by "+" (e.g. "0+256,3,4")
  
• [step/equalWidth=0/1] to make width of all columns in one container the same.
  
• [step/fillWidth=0/1] to to make multi-column container use the complete available width.
  
• New command "dirbom" to build a BOM manually (if you want the BOM to be in special order, want to replace parts or set special part rendering parameters, want to ensure page/column breaks...).
  
• New directive concept, at the moment only directive "pli" is available to build pli manually (if you want the PLI..., see "dirbom").
  
• Added tooltips for most options in the GUI.
  

• \n becomes a new line
  
• %n becomes the plain part name (e.g. "3001")
  
• %N becomes the full part name (e.g. "3001.dat")
  
• %c becomes the color name (e.g. "white" - can be replaced appropriate color file)
  
• %C becomes the color id (e.g. "15")
  
• %a becomes the count
  
• %d becomes the part description (e.g. "Plate 2 x 4")
  

(2022-01-07, 14:58)Stefan Frenz Wrote: Thank you, Philippe, for your very helpful feedback and your test file.  

1. Define default parameters, especially the zoom factor (and inl/zoom for inlined sub-models) has large impact. Here: zoom is between 1.5 and 1.8, the page layout is portrait instead of landscape, automatic annotation for PLI is enabled.
   
2. Enable "debugInfo" switch to have a backlink from the created instructions to your model.
   
3. Move "real" single parts into sub-files, for example technic joint parts or minifigure torsos.
   
4. Activate "aspart" switch for all top-level inlined parts like motors with cables (only the top-level ldr needs "aspart" switch to be turned on). Here for example for technic turntable and torso with hands.
   
5. Activate "inline" switch for small sub-models which are to small to have their own step. Here for example in step 58.
   
6. Define PLI/BOM replacement parts, for example to cables and hoses in non-buckled version. Here for example for technic joint parts in step 67, the motor with cable in step 28.
   
7. Build instructions.
   
8. Change render-parameters where needed, explicitly define PLI/inline box width.
   
9. Maybe temporarily enable "step/info" switch to have more information, for example about created PLI boxes. This helps if you want to define the PLI parts manually, perhaps if in a single step there are sub-models and additional single parts combined, like in step 24.
   
10. Maybe add vertical and/or horizontal lines, like on page 2 and 3.
    
11. Go back to step 3 until satisfied. Unfortunately this is very iterative, but can be limited if you focus first on the rendered images, then the PLI boxes, then the page layout.
    
12. Disable "debugInfo" switch and do a last rendering.
    
13. Fine-tune in ODG-editor like LibreOffice to add real-world images, more text or page numbers, move inline-boxes and add arrows. Here: title page is designed outside LDInstruction.
    

• fadeoutRgb: rgb value as fadeout target (default FFFFFF: white)
  
• fadeoutFacesPercent: integer value 0..100 specifying the fadeout impact towards fadeoutRgb (default 0: no fadeout)
  
• fadeoutTransPercent: integer value 0..100 specifying the transparency multiplier (default 0: transparency not changed)