installed but can't open LDraw

[Shauna Boren]

I apologize, I'm trying to get LDraw running for my son to create his own Lego instruction manuals. We went through installation with the AIOI, selecting the option to have a desktop icon, and got the message that installation was completed successfully. Yet, there's no desktop icon, and when I search for "LDraw" I get no results. We're running Windows 8. The LDraw folder is in my Program Files (x86) folder, and contains folders: "LDView, LPub, LMCad, Tutorials, Web Links. Does LDraw not run on Windows 8?

Thanks!

[Max Martin Richter]

Hej!
The AIOI is just a collection of programs, that work/could handle the LDraw library. LDraw was an own program many years ago, it is no longer used anywhere. So don't be confused.
If you want to build a model, use MLCad (or LDCad, if installed too), build your models within this program.
LDView is for watching the model with better option and it supports POV-Ray export for great renderings.
If you want to create an instruction you can actually load your built model with LPub (actually there are more instruction softwares under development) and create the instruction.

If you need further assistance just ask!

/Max

[Travis Cobbs]

"LDraw" is the name of the parts library, and (more loosely) the system of tools that uses the parts library. To create models, you'll probably want to use MLCad or LDCad, which should show up in a search. (Note that while MLCad has long been the standard LDraw-based CAD program for Windows, it is no longer under development, and hasn't been for quite some time.) To view models you have created, or others have created (including the sample models in the AIOI), you'll probably want to use LDView, which is purely a viewer.

Once you have created a model with MLCad or LDCad, you'll probably want to use LPub to generate the instructions. (Note that you will almost certainly want to follow tutorials for using LPub.) Make sure to include steps when creating the model, or you won't be able to generate instructions.

[Steffen]

just for completeness,
for creating instructions, I also found program "lic"
http://forums.ldraw.org/showthread.php?t...6#pid13866
useful and easy to use.

there is probably even more other software available