LDCad 1.7 Beta 1 (win+linux)

[Roland Melkert]

Roland, I tried to search, but I could not find the sample for the interactive animation... where can I find it? thanks

It's 8848.mpd from the file/examples menu.

[Gerald Lasser]

It's 8848.mpd from the file/examples menu.

Thanks for the hint!

[Cam's Bricks]

I have most of my custom parts divided up into their sources and I would like to create a bin for them, ideally based on their file path. 

Is this possible?

[Cam's Bricks]

And while I am here, is it possible to get the categories as a text list similar to studio? I know that is kind of the forbidden name around here but I find the part navigation to be easier to manage than going up and down a folder structure. 

[Roland Melkert]

I have most of my custom parts divided up into their sources and I would like to create a bin for them, ideally based on their file path. 

Is this possible?

Interesting but I think it's currently only possible if they sit in subfolders (like s\ ) of if they have special keywords or categories.

For this to work cleanly I would need to add 'names' to libraries so you could filter on those. Currently bin rules can only filter on official/unoffical.

It put it on my nice to have list.

[Roland Melkert]

And while I am here, is it possible to get the categories as a text list similar to studio? I know that is kind of the forbidden name around here but I find the part navigation to be easier to manage than going up and down a folder structure.

Only if you make png's for each text and use those as the mascot

[Cam's Bricks]

Interesting but I think it's currently only possible if they sit in subfolders (like s\ ) of if they have special keywords or categories.

For this to work cleanly I would need to add 'names' to libraries so you could filter on those. Currently bin rules can only filter on official/unoffical.

It put it on my nice to have list.

Re reading my post I definitely could use some grammar edits but to be sure I understand you, in order for it to work, I would need to add a category meta to the custom files to then be able to sort in a pbg file?

[Cam's Bricks]

And even more questions, Do PBGs have to be in the main partBin folder to work or could I put them in the parts folder(s)?

[Roland Melkert]

in order for it to work, I would need to add a category meta to the custom files to then be able to sort in a pbg file?

Yes that is an option, a filtering pbg can than use an include rule on that category.

And even more questions, Do PBGs have to be in the main partBin folder to work or could I put them in the parts folder(s)?

All pbg files must be in the partBin folder. You can make subfolder inside it though.

If you're on Linux you could link to something outside the tree though.

[Roland Melkert]

I have two probably minor suggestions for the next round of updates:

1. I'd like to be able to set the default step rotation from the GUI. It could be a menu item under Prefs->Editing, and/or in the Step Properties dialog, the addition of a "Use as def" button. (Would only work for ABS step rotations I guess.) Right now you can set the default rotation by editing main.cfg, but you first need to know the matrix to use…

I've been looking into this and the default value is actually the same as used in LDView and LPub.
If you change it, things will look different in LPub etc. I think this is why I made it a main.cfg thing only.
The 'normal' way of changing the base is to put an abs rotation in the first step. (the step properties dialog has a sample view button.)
An alternative could be to add an option to automatically make the first step an abs rotation one with a custom rotation?

2. I'd like to be able to set default directories for Open and Save. (Or is there already a way?) Right now it looks like the only option is the last used directory, which is often handy. But I'd like to set my Models dir as the default, because for some reason I can't navigate upwards in the directory tree in the Save and Open dialogs. If I want to change to another directory, I have to drill down each time from the top level of my computer.

Is this still an issue as the clean way to do this, would be to make all folder io stuff aware of a 'the last used/static' option. And adding a new dialog to set those options. This is not something I put high on my 'fun to do' list 

The discussion about partsbin configuration above made me remember to put in this feature request, which I've been meaning to do for a long time: would it be possible to add to the "Part bin display filter" dialog the ability to inculde/exclude prints/stickers/duplo/quatro?  

I've been looking into this and there arn't any real universal ways to exclude those things like the other 'include' option checkboxes (those are all based on !LDRAW_ORG)

The only way I can think of, is to offer an (comma separated) category and/or description exclusion input field in the filter dialog below the 'match on' section.

I also still like my initial thought:

So the easiest way for me to add this would be extending the search group pbg format to include a base filter.

Anyone has additional thoughts about any of the above points?

[N. W. Perry]

I've been looking into this and the default value is actually the same as used in LDView and LPub.
If you change it, things will look different in LPub etc. I think this is why I made it a main.cfg thing only.
The 'normal' way of changing the base is to put an abs rotation in the first step. (the step properties dialog has a sample view button.)
An alternative could be to add an option to automatically make the first step an abs rotation one with a custom rotation?

For me it's not an issue if other programs look different. But to be honest, the whole issue isn't very big to me at all; I just thought it would be nice to have a "shortcut" to change the matrix in main.cfg without actually editing that file.

I suppose making the first step an abs rotation is a good solution—and any rel rotations following it would be based on the current (abs) rotation, not the default one, right?

(If I had to choose, the much bigger wish for me would be setting a rotation for the final step of a model without having to add an extra (blank) step at the end. It hurts me just a little bit to have 29 steps in my model when there are only 28 in the instructions. )

Is this still an issue as the clean way to do this, would be to make all folder io stuff aware of a 'the last used/static' option. And adding a new dialog to set those options. This is not something I put high on my 'fun to do' list 

Yeah, this one still happens. I'd be curious to know if others have the same issue, or if it's an effect of running under Wine? Heck, maybe there's even a Wine setting for this? It wouldn't be a problem at all if only there were a way to navigate up one folder in the open/save dialog, as there is in my native UI.

It would be good enough if I could just set my main ldraw library as the default open/save location. At least I can navigate downward from there.

Anyone has additional thoughts about any of the above points?

I may have mentioned this before, but is there a way to filter (or even sort) the part bin view by color? Makes it easier to cross-check against official set inventories.

[Roland Melkert]

I may have mentioned this before, but is there a way to filter (or even sort) the part bin view by color? Makes it easier to cross-check against official set inventories.

You want the partbiin contents limited to parts available in the current working color?

If so this is currently not possible closest thing would be if you make pbg's for each color and navigate the resulting tree.

To make this feature I would need a map file of some kind listing all available colors per official part.

This info could also be added using a new shadow meta. But a central map file would probably be easier.

[N. W. Perry]

You want the partbiin contents limited to parts available in the current working color?

If so this is currently not possible closest thing would be if you make pbg's for each color and navigate the resulting tree.

No, just a way to filter the view. So just as I can type "brick" or "2x4" in the search filter, I'd like to also be able to type e.g. a color number and have the view limited to only that color (plus whatever other filter I have entered).

For my purposes it would be enough to enter a search filter of "brick 2x color=4" and it would show me all the red bricks of 2x2, 2x4, 2x8 etc.

Another way might be to just add "color" to the "Match on" options in the filter dialog. Or, yes, maybe a checkbox to only display parts in the current working color.

I figured since the text of a pbg file already contains color tags it would be simple enough to search this text. But if it's complicated to implement I wouldn't worry about it.

[Roland Melkert]

No, just a way to filter the view. So just as I can type "brick" or "2x4" in the search filter, I'd like to also be able to type e.g. a color number and have the view limited to only that color (plus whatever other filter I have entered).

For my purposes it would be enough to enter a search filter of "brick 2x color=4" and it would show me all the red bricks of 2x2, 2x4, 2x8 etc.

So just filtering on the fixed colors as given in a pbg?

I could introduce a special token for it like the current nxn and !

Maybe # like "brick 2x4 #4"

[N. W. Perry]

So just filtering on the fixed colors as given in a pbg?

I could introduce a special token for it like the current nxn and !

Maybe # like "brick 2x4 #4"

Works for me!

[Roland Melkert]

Might it be possible to select how the pan/orbit functions work? 

I come from a heavy AutoCAD back ground. I use the Spin mode instead of the track ball. I would like the middle mouse button to be pan and Shift + middle mouse button to be orbit.

Currently left or right mouse button will orbit and shift + either will pan.

I've added this but I find it highly anoying myself


  mmb.png (Size: 40 KB / Downloads: 445)

As rotation/panning behaviour is now based on an toggle option, I was wondering if people would like to have a third option for panning and/or rotating the editing camera?

[Fredrik Hareide]

I've added this but I find it highly anoying myself



As rotation/panning behaviour is now based on an toggle option, I was wondering if people would like to have a third option for panning and/or rotating the editing camera?

Looking forward to this! When will you release it?

[Cam's Bricks]

Looking forward to this! When will you release it?

Big +1 here

[Roland Melkert]

Looking forward to this! When will you release it?

I still have to work trough some other requested features and one or two minor bugs.

After that I would like to do a small model/animation to test some of the internal changes I made.

So in short I don't really know, but should be this year

[Roland Melkert]

Still working on minor new features....

I suppose making the first step an abs rotation is a good solution—and any rel rotations following it would be based on the current (abs) rotation, not the default one, right?

(If I had to choose, the much bigger wish for me would be setting a rotation for the final step of a model without having to add an extra (blank) step at the end. It hurts me just a little bit to have 29 steps in my model when there are only 28 in the instructions. )

Yes only the first one would be abs by default, all others work like normal. The first one can also be changed later as it will only be applied once when starting a new subfile.

The extra step thing is indeed annoying, but it stems from LDraw models always having at least one step. So the 0 STEP line actually marks the END of a step while most people associate it with the beginning of a step. Although I do believe LPub ignores the last step if it's empty.

So just filtering on the fixed colors as given in a pbg?

I could introduce a special token for it like the current nxn and !

Maybe # like "brick 2x4 #4"

I've added this using '@' (# is already used to enter hexadecimal color numbers)

So you can now do, eg:

Code:

brick 2x4 @4

or

Code:

brick 2x4 @#8FFFFFF

or even

Code:

!brick !@15

Only one color can be given though so it works like a AND upon the other filter text.

[N. W. Perry]

Yes only the first one would be abs by default, all others work like normal. The first one can also be changed later as it will only be applied once when starting a new subfile.

One disadvantage I thought of, though, is that a ROTSTEP END would revert to the default rotation in the config, rather than the prior ABS rotation. So to get true default behavior you really do need to change it at the config level.

The extra step thing is indeed annoying, but it stems from LDraw models always having at least one step. So the 0 STEP line actually marks the END of a step while most people associate it with the beginning of a step. Although I do believe LPub ignores the last step if it's empty.

Right, and in particular from the STEP command being optional(?) for the last step. I think the LPub behavior is what I'd really like—ignore the final step unless it contains non-whitespace lines. (I would say unless it contains parts, but there are cases where official instructions have steps where no parts are added, such as connecting two assemblies, or swinging a hinge into place, etc. So you might use a comment line to make such a step appear.)

I've added this using '@' (# is already used to enter hexadecimal color numbers)

So you can now do, eg:

Code:

brick 2x4 @4

or

Code:

brick 2x4 @#8FFFFFF

or even

Code:

!brick !@15

Only one color can be given though so it works like a AND upon the other filter text.

This sounds brilliant! I think it will save a lot of scrolling, too, being able to filter parts both by size and color—especially with very big sets.

[Roland Melkert]

Right, and in particular from the STEP command being optional(?) for the last step. I think the LPub behavior is what I'd really like—ignore the final step unless it contains non-whitespace lines. (I would say unless it contains parts, but there are cases where official instructions have steps where no parts are added, such as connecting two assemblies, or swinging a hinge into place, etc. So you might use a comment line to make such a step appear.)

With LDCad being an editor, I don't think it should hide empty steps. But I have been thinking about a instruction/booklet mode for the 2.0 version.

As for the rotation step stuff, currently I'm leaning towards adding a 'favourites' for step configurations. And one of those can be set as a default.

[N. W. Perry]

With LDCad being an editor, I don't think it should hide empty steps. But I have been thinking about an instruction/booklet mode for the 2.0 version.

Fair, and to be honest, my complaint really isn't with LDCad but with the STEP meta (actually, the ROTSTEP meta). What I really want is just a way to rotate the view of a step without adding another step. Maybe something like a booklet mode is the place for that.

As for the rotation step stuff, currently I'm leaning towards adding a 'favourites' for step configurations. And one of those can be set as a default.

Sounds intriguing.

[Cam's Bricks]

With LDCad being an editor, I don't think it should hide empty steps. But I have been thinking about a instruction/booklet mode for the 2.0 version.

As for the rotation step stuff, currently I'm leaning towards adding a 'favourites' for step configurations. And one of those can be set as a default.

I have many ideas about something like this but have little experience on the coding side. Would it be possible to help without code? Maybe some mockups of layouts and features?

Would you also have it make the instruction books as png or pdf or just make the stepping better?

[Roland Melkert]

I have many ideas about something like this but have little experience on the coding side. Would it be possible to help without code? Maybe some mockups of layouts and features?

Would you also have it make the instruction books as png or pdf or just make the stepping better?

My initial idea is to process the LPUB metas. It would display this in a read-only matter maybe add some WYSIWYG editing in a future version.

But any alternative ideas are welcome as this is all still very much in the planning stage.

[Philippe Hurbain]

Is it possible to create an MPD embedding ALL official and unofficial parts? My use case is to render (or create BIs)  a model with Studio without fiddling with all part incompatibilities, libraries not in sync causing missing subparts and so on...
The complete scenario would be to embed all parts, add a prefix to avoid any conflict with existing Studio parts, extract these parts from MPD with MPDwizard, and place them in Studio CustomParts folder. After that, the model _should_ import flawlessly in Studio.

[N. W. Perry]

Is it possible to create an MPD embedding ALL official and unofficial parts? My use case is to render (or create BIs for)  a model with Studio without fiddling with all part incompatibilities, libraries not in sync causing missing subparts and so on...
The complete scenario would be to embed all parts, add a prefix to avoid any conflict with existing Studio parts, extract these parts from MPD with MPDwizard, and place them in Studio CustomParts folder. After that, the model _should_ import flawlessly in Studio.

A devilishly brilliant plan. I’m in.

[Roland Melkert]

Is it possible to create an MPD embedding ALL official and unofficial parts?

I thought setting the library to unofficial would do it combined with the cleaning feature, but I forgot headers proceed the library status

Adding an second check box to the embed section of the cleaner should make it possible though.

[Philippe Hurbain]

Adding an second check box to the embed section of the cleaner should make it possible though.

That would be awesome 

[N. W. Perry]

Dynamic parts would still require some manual processing, no?

[Philippe Hurbain]

Dynamic parts would still require some manual processing, no?

Maybe not, depends on template. The LQ ones based on existing part segments should work. Need to experiment

[Jaco van der Molen]

Can I post a feature request here?

I'd like to be able to add a (modern style) comment line in LDCad.
During modelling it is sometimes very convenient to make notes a long the LDraw code to point out certain things in a model.

So a line like this:

Code:

0 //Comment text

Right click in the LDraw code and choose: Add comment

And be able to highlight the line in a color. Comments are now greyish.

Lastly it would be very convenient to navigate (jump) to comments and display a list of comments in the model?

For now I just type my comment in notepad and past the line in the LDraw code structure...

[Cam's Bricks]

Could a "Connect" button be added where it reveals the snap data and allows a user to select a part/group of parts/sub model, then select a snap point (ie stud), then select another snap point (ie anti-stud) and then it moves the selection accordingly?

Studio has this feature and I saw a different post about snapping and thought this might be something that isnt too hard to implement because of the robust snapping library you have already created.

[Philippe Hurbain]

Right click in the LDraw code and choose: Add comment

I agree that the right click method would be more convenient, but you can already add a comment using the comment "part" in parts bin top/special parts/misc non visual Ldraw items/comment

[Roland Melkert]

Could a "Connect" button be added where it reveals the snap data and allows a user to select a part/group of parts/sub model, then select a snap point (ie stud), then select another snap point (ie anti-stud) and then it moves the selection accordingly?

Studio has this feature and I saw a different post about snapping and thought this might be something that isnt too hard to implement because of the robust snapping library you have already created.

I added snap point selection to 1.7, while selected press the tab key to rotate trough the available snap points (the editing pin will jump to them).

To visualize them press F11, although that's more a developer tool that used to be just available in debug builds

[Jaco van der Molen]

I agree that the right click method would be more convenient, but you can already add a comment using the comment "part" in parts bin top/special parts/misc non visual Ldraw items/comment

Ah yes, totally forgot that part of bins.
Tnx.

[Jaco van der Molen]

I added snap point selection to 1.7, while selected press the tab key to rotate trough the available snap points (the editing pin will jump to them).

To visualize them press F11, although that's more a developer tool that used to be just available in debug builds 

Good tip F11. Forgot about that one too ;-)

[N. W. Perry]

Tiny little minor thing, but maybe a possible UI enhancement…(or maybe I just need some advice).

I sometimes have trouble visualizing exactly where the origin is in a subfile. I select some things to make the grid visible, but in 3D view only two of the three axes are visible at a time, depending on the active editing plane. So I usually use 2D view to be sure, but then if one of my selected parts aligns with an axis, then the white axes of the selected part will override the main axes.

Is there an easier view to visualize exactly where the origin is?

[Sam Potter]

is it possible to for the partbin to show parts count usage in the main partbin (like the "model content category" does) e.g, if i add a 1x1 brick to my model it should show up in the brick category with a 1? if not please add the option

thanks

[Roland Melkert]

Is there an easier view to visualize exactly where the origin is?

Not except for the static grid (you are already using this, I think)
I guess you could use a marker part from the special tools bin. But that's not really what it was supposed to do.

is it possible to for the partbin to show parts count usage in the main partbin (like the "model content category" does) e.g, if i add a 1x1 brick to my model it should show up in the brick category with a 1? if not please add the option

Sorry not at the moment. It only works for part bin items having a non zero count set in their pbg.

I will look into adding it to the other items trough some option. But Beta 2 is close to completion so it probably wont be available in that version.

[Sam Potter]

Not except for the static grid (you are already using this, I think)
I guess you could use a marker part from the special tools bin. But that's not really what it was supposed to do.

Sorry not at the moment. It only works for part bin items having a non zero count set in their pbg.

I will look into adding it to the other items trough some option. But Beta 2 is close to completion so it probably wont be available in that version.

Thanks for quick reply 

Since I have your attention

Is it possible to have different grid options for each axis (1 stud for horizontal, 1 plate for vertical ?
Also are you planning I guess for ldcad 2 to have an outliner like blender doe's, (or like stud.io) it makes it so much easier to control parts like hide, move ect?

[Roland Melkert]

Is it possible to have different grid options for each axis (1 stud for horizontal, 1 plate for vertical ?

Yes, by editing or adding the grid configuration. 'Mesh with spanner' icon in toolbar just before the two hart ones.

Also are you planning I guess for ldcad 2 to have an outliner like blender doe's, (or like stud.io) it makes it so much easier to control parts like hide, move ect?

I'm not sure jet how 2.0 will do selection indication, it is still very alpha.

[Sam Potter]

Yes, by editing or adding the grid configuration. 'Mesh with spanner' icon in toolbar just before the two hart ones.

thanks 

searching the forum i found this
"Philippe Hurbain Wrote:
What is the Freq parameter in grid stepping configuration?
It's used for the rendering of the grid lines / rotation disc segments. With move it governs the frequency of the the white lines vs the grey ones, with rotation it controls how many steps a segment on the disc represents."

i'm not sure i get it,  also what is "slide"?
can you please elaborate

[Roland Melkert]

i'm not sure i get it,  also what is "slide"?
can you please elaborate

Slide is the stepping used when part snapping 'sticks' to something, eg as bush to an axle.

Frequency is only used for the rendering of the visual grid like described in that old thread.

[Sam Potter]

please add the ability to remember permanently each pieces pivot/origin point (selection center trough) custom position (it shouldn't revert back to its default origin when you deselect it) 

fyi i'm aware of your workaround in this thread just find it very cumbersome

thanks

[Roland Melkert]

please add the ability to remember permanently each pieces pivot/origin point (selection center trough) custom position (it shouldn't revert back to its default origin when you deselect it) 

I'm wondering why you'd want this, LDraw piece origins are thought about extensively so you can't be needing this often?

If this is purly because of eg hinge rotation points etc, you can also rotate trough the snap points using the tab key.

That said I will look into to it but other then adding some shadow meta for it, I don't see a practical solution to this.

[Orion Pobursky]

If this is purly because of eg hinge rotation points etc, you can also rotate trough the snap points using the tab key.

I did not know this. Yay to an increase in productivity.

[N. W. Perry]

Would it be very tricky to add a Go To Step… menu option, which opens a dialog box where I could just type in the step number I want to view? Having just finished a 400-step build, it would be a little quicker than scrolling through the list of steps!

[Roland Melkert]

Would it be very tricky to add a Go To Step… menu option, which opens a dialog box where I could just type in the step number I want to view? Having just finished a 400-step build, it would be a little quicker than scrolling through the list of steps!

Shouldn't be too much work I'll try to squeeze it in the upcoming beta 2