Thank you.
Well, to be honest, MLCad is by far the most complete and LDraw spec. compliant editor to date. Until Konstruktor comes out (very soon ^_^) or LeoCAD's dev decides to implement all of the necessary features, it'll have to be the #1 recommendation.
I am very much aware of the fact that it isn't the best recommendation as it is not Linux native. But having tried to use all other Linux native ones such as LDCad and LeoCAD, both seem to lack many of the required basics to enable full blown use of all the aspects of the LDraw LDR/MPD specification as well as other elements that make the user experience enjoyable.
Then again, MLCad does have its share of downers (developer's inexistent communication, as well as impossibly slow development cycle/updates).
Bare with me as I promised frequent updates to the Wiki, with more prominent Linux native and utmost LDraw compliant solutions, but that only depends on how fast the developers are willing to work for me to update such elements.
I am in constant communication with the developers and the process would obviously benefit some expert programmer input (as I am not one even though I can do some hacking around) and since the projects are technically open source and that the developers do seem to be keen in using proposed patches, solutions and recommendations.
By far, the biggest issue seems to be the developer's lack of time to invest in finishing the projects or their reluctance to improve their application in a more drastic/radical manner based on user experience feedback.
Let me explain:
LeoCad is well in line to be the editor of choice for Linux based platforms as it seems to offer much of the necessary flexibility in terms of UI and user input customization. Most of the LDraw spec. compliance seems to be present as the application reads, parses and draws dat ldr and mpd files.
I have been in constant communication with Leonardo Zide over the past few weeks to help him improve the application's current compliance status and even provided extensive feedback and reasoning as to how and why it could benefit from fully implementing the LDraw spec, notably, the full and proper parsing of mpd files into main and submodel assembly, as well as their editing, the addition of more flexible tool panels, the addition of a live model parts list and sub-assembly model list. For some odd reason, he avoids responding on such matter and even showed what seemed to be reluctance to implement such features... why, I have yet to know. Though, together, we have made significant improvements on how the appication UI (quad ISO pov and custom tool panels) will come to be in the next few updates and that is already much of an improvement on its own!
On the other hand, Park Joon Kyu's Konstruktor, when finished, will be fully LDraw compliant (it already is actually..), and OS agnostic. We have been working together to get it up to speed and have as many of the standard required tools and features, including many customizable panels, features, floating panels/modular UI and other cool things implemented form the get go. While he is utterly busy and only partly available to spend time on the application's development, I assure you he does so when he can and is even getting the latest code prepped for a new beta phase.
Now, when it comes to LDCad, I'm afraid that the UI is its biggest Achilles heel and that even I wasn't able to cope with it. Also, adding the standard ISO viewing and editing features as well would greatly enhance the experience. Might I recommend a full UI/codebase overhaul? I think you get the idea and it is needless to add more.
Well, to be honest, MLCad is by far the most complete and LDraw spec. compliant editor to date. Until Konstruktor comes out (very soon ^_^) or LeoCAD's dev decides to implement all of the necessary features, it'll have to be the #1 recommendation.
I am very much aware of the fact that it isn't the best recommendation as it is not Linux native. But having tried to use all other Linux native ones such as LDCad and LeoCAD, both seem to lack many of the required basics to enable full blown use of all the aspects of the LDraw LDR/MPD specification as well as other elements that make the user experience enjoyable.
Then again, MLCad does have its share of downers (developer's inexistent communication, as well as impossibly slow development cycle/updates).
Bare with me as I promised frequent updates to the Wiki, with more prominent Linux native and utmost LDraw compliant solutions, but that only depends on how fast the developers are willing to work for me to update such elements.
I am in constant communication with the developers and the process would obviously benefit some expert programmer input (as I am not one even though I can do some hacking around) and since the projects are technically open source and that the developers do seem to be keen in using proposed patches, solutions and recommendations.
By far, the biggest issue seems to be the developer's lack of time to invest in finishing the projects or their reluctance to improve their application in a more drastic/radical manner based on user experience feedback.
Let me explain:
LeoCad is well in line to be the editor of choice for Linux based platforms as it seems to offer much of the necessary flexibility in terms of UI and user input customization. Most of the LDraw spec. compliance seems to be present as the application reads, parses and draws dat ldr and mpd files.
I have been in constant communication with Leonardo Zide over the past few weeks to help him improve the application's current compliance status and even provided extensive feedback and reasoning as to how and why it could benefit from fully implementing the LDraw spec, notably, the full and proper parsing of mpd files into main and submodel assembly, as well as their editing, the addition of more flexible tool panels, the addition of a live model parts list and sub-assembly model list. For some odd reason, he avoids responding on such matter and even showed what seemed to be reluctance to implement such features... why, I have yet to know. Though, together, we have made significant improvements on how the appication UI (quad ISO pov and custom tool panels) will come to be in the next few updates and that is already much of an improvement on its own!
On the other hand, Park Joon Kyu's Konstruktor, when finished, will be fully LDraw compliant (it already is actually..), and OS agnostic. We have been working together to get it up to speed and have as many of the standard required tools and features, including many customizable panels, features, floating panels/modular UI and other cool things implemented form the get go. While he is utterly busy and only partly available to spend time on the application's development, I assure you he does so when he can and is even getting the latest code prepped for a new beta phase.
Now, when it comes to LDCad, I'm afraid that the UI is its biggest Achilles heel and that even I wasn't able to cope with it. Also, adding the standard ISO viewing and editing features as well would greatly enhance the experience. Might I recommend a full UI/codebase overhaul? I think you get the idea and it is needless to add more.
Industrial Design, Linux, Lego.