LDCad 1.7 Alpha 1 (win+linux)

[Milan Vančura]

As for the "Part usage not allowed in this kind of subfile" message, !DATA subfiles can only be used with !TEXTURE lines, but most of the time you won't be doing this manually as it will be generated by embedding unofficial content.

I must admit using the !DATA from 'scratch' is more of a part editing thing, which LDCad was never designed for. But I had to include creating !DATA subfiles manually as it is deeply tight into the the 'normal' way of doing things.

From my (user's) POV: one of great features of LDCAD is the possibility to edit/add snap info for parts. Because... ...psychologically: imagine my situation: I'm working on some project and in the worst moment (Murphy's law), under time pressure, I find some part does not behave as I need. And then the difference: instead of waiting for a new LDCAD release with a fix (and reporting the bug and discussions about the fix etc.) I may solve it myself. Quickly. Immediately. In time of the project. That's the difference.

Yes, from your (developer/architect) POV, it is something near to part editing which LDCAD was not designed for, originally. But see how important it is.

And, for the same reason, I was so glad and curious about !DATA support: I hoped it adds a possibility to add a part with pattern to my part set. Again: quickly and immediately. Instead of waiting an unknown time for somebody creating it, at least as an unofficial version in the tracker. Because I'm not a part designer and although I understand some basics I highly respect people who know to really design a part. Just if I could not only add !DATA submodel but use it as well At least somehow. For example if you integrated your WWW script creating stickers from png into LDCAD...

BTW, another feature from this rank would be to set and save the rotation center of a part. Currently I can set it but this setting disappears when I deselect the part or so. It would be very helpful if it can be saved in shadow or something like that. Again - to be able to solve a problem quickly.
And more, if it was possible to select snap objects and use them, for example for this purpose: imagine a part with several snapping points/objects and being able to select among them which one is the part rotation center.