As opposite to strictly technical topics I start this one as kind of "an evening talk in a pub" or "brainstorming" if you wish: I'm really interested in your ideas and opinions.
I start with a question: do you know the difference between old geographic maps (==pictures) and modern ones, like the openstreetmap project? Modern map is considered being a list of discrete objects and each such object is defined in the text: a path joining points etc. See? Very similar idea to our ldraw format! But there is an important addition, comparing to ldraw: they have very well defined system of metainformation: object types, their capabilities... And the result is: such a map can not only be rendered to a picture form (with any graphical style) but it can be used for completely different tasks. One such task is well known for everybody, nowadays: a car navigation. But even a simple search in the map is a task - de facto it is a database query.
What about thinking more about ldraw format in this way? Isn't there another space then part pictures where ldraw could help, if having proper metadata? Ideally the metadata we already have or could get easily from already existing information in ldraw files.
For example: every time I work on shadow/snapping information for LDCAD ideas of this kind come into my mind: part snapping is one example of non-pictural ldraw usage. What more can we use it for? What about queries? "Hey, my editor, show me gears matching this one", "show me a list of parts with a clip" etc. I slightly remember old SR3D editor did some magic in this way to animate models automatically (bending a hinge moved the attached parts of the model, technic drivetrain worked automatically etc.) but it's so long I do not remember details.
What do YOU think? Do you have any ideas?
I start with a question: do you know the difference between old geographic maps (==pictures) and modern ones, like the openstreetmap project? Modern map is considered being a list of discrete objects and each such object is defined in the text: a path joining points etc. See? Very similar idea to our ldraw format! But there is an important addition, comparing to ldraw: they have very well defined system of metainformation: object types, their capabilities... And the result is: such a map can not only be rendered to a picture form (with any graphical style) but it can be used for completely different tasks. One such task is well known for everybody, nowadays: a car navigation. But even a simple search in the map is a task - de facto it is a database query.
What about thinking more about ldraw format in this way? Isn't there another space then part pictures where ldraw could help, if having proper metadata? Ideally the metadata we already have or could get easily from already existing information in ldraw files.
For example: every time I work on shadow/snapping information for LDCAD ideas of this kind come into my mind: part snapping is one example of non-pictural ldraw usage. What more can we use it for? What about queries? "Hey, my editor, show me gears matching this one", "show me a list of parts with a clip" etc. I slightly remember old SR3D editor did some magic in this way to animate models automatically (bending a hinge moved the attached parts of the model, technic drivetrain worked automatically etc.) but it's so long I do not remember details.
What do YOU think? Do you have any ideas?