LDCad 1.6 suggestions/plans

[Philippe Hurbain]

* I want to search any/all bins after a partnumber? Or is that only me, being a part author, knowing to many partnumbers?

Click on the search field, and in the popup window check "name". You can make this the default behaviour (set as default below options button). But I don't like this that much as default because it interferes when I search for say a 16L beam.

* Would it be possible to rotate the part in the bins? I want to see the pattern/sticker sometimes placed on the backside of the part.

Ctrl+drag on a bin. Right click + set as default if you want to keep orientation between bin tabs
edit: Roland was faster !!!

[Magnus Forsberg]

OK, thanks.
Rotating the parts was easy, but I don't get the search method. Checking the Name and entering a part number gives me nothing.

[Roland Melkert]

but I don't get the search method. Checking the Name and entering a part number gives me nothing.

You probably need to use the generic search group as the filter always acts on the current group's content only.

[Milan Vančura]

Hi.

It depends on where you try to search. If you have a part bin of some category open, the "search" field works as a filter for this category of parts only. If you want to search in all parts, select the "Search" bin. Then, type the desired part number and hit Enter. The advanced search window appears. Tick the "Name" checkbox and click OK. You should see your part(s) in the search results.

At least this is how I use it for about a year.

[Magnus Forsberg]

Got it working now.
Thanks again.

[Willy Tschager]

A setting to get rid off the "Getting started" dialog or at least add a "Clear screen" to it where I do not get any further dialog.

I could add this but why would you want that? the dialog goes away as soon you open a (new) file no matter how you do that.

I guess it all boils down to that I'm annoyed by this dialog:


  LDCad.png (Size: 14.58 KB / Downloads: 43)

When I wanna build I don't wanna think about names and description and such ... I just wanna build! This is most true when I don't even wanna save what I had build, when I launch the prog to just try something out. It might sounds silly but this dialog is a mouse click too much, it's in between the great idea I have in my mind and the workbench on the screen ...

What I want is a "ready to drag'n'drop screen". In case I open a file from the disk I get no further Save message in case I haven't added anything. You can present that header thing before I save but not at the beginning.

w.

[Philippe Hurbain]

I kind of agree with Willy on this one, when I started using LDCad I found it a bit frightening... now I just press esc as soon as I see it, so its usefulness for me is extremely doubtful. Would be much better to show it on save indeed.
In the same spirit (avoid unnecessary complexity to casual user) I'd simplify the subfile creation startup, just pop a window asking for a submodel name, along with "OK", "discard" and "Edit header" buttons. And please, don't create a dummy submodel if "discard" is pressed

[Milan Vančura]

I complete agree with this.

[Roland Melkert]

Ah I see, I though Willy was talking about the 'getting started' window listing the recent files etc.

I could make this dialog optional but wouldn't that cause people to forget entering their author name? Resulting in having to do it n times afterwards.

Maybe I should ask to keep showing the dialog when you first close it instead like the default name etc.

[Milan Vančura]

No. We are saying that if this dialog is missed at the moment of opening the file we expect it appearing at the moment of the first attempt to save it. So nothing gets lost, there will be the same window asking you for the author name, license etc...
It's just a matter of taste: one wants to be asked at the beginning and others think it may be delayed to the moment of (first) saving action. For fast sketches.

It's not a big issue for me but it makes a good sense.

[Philippe Hurbain]

What about possibility to insert a brckground image in 2D view, for this kind of work: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.ph...pic=128848

[Niklas Buchmann]

What about possibility to insert a brckground image in 2D view, for this kind of work: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.ph...pic=128848

That would be a helpful feature indeed. I had thought about this as well, but then forgot to post it here.

I do use Photoshop to check models against blueprints like this, but having the blueprint right there in LDCad would speed up things quite a bit.

[Roland Melkert]

Shouldn't be to hard to add, I'll add it to the low prio list.

In the mean time you could fake this using a textured quad.

[Michael Horvath]

I'd like to see:
- An OSX version.
- A more OS native "look and feel"

P.S.
It's been a bit since I used the flexible part feature, are fixed length bendable parts possible?

Native OS "look and feel" is a big deal for me two. LDCad is like looking at a foreign language. I don't even know where to begin.

[Orion Pobursky]

Exactly. I understand the desire to have the same look across platforms but different OSs have diferrent user paradigms and different user expectations. Going for sameness across platform just ends up confusing everybody.

[Roland Melkert]

Maybe in LDCad 2.0 I go the full wxWidgets route instead of the max OpenGL panel one.

But nothing is set in stone as I'm not even sure 2.0 will come to being let alone in which programming environment it will run

[Orion Pobursky]

I feel obligated to point out that I'm not writing LDCad off as a whole just lamenting this one aspect of it (and the fact that you have a Linux version but no OSX version)  It's still an amazing program.

[Kai]

But I'm also open for any ideas / suggestions users might have so please don't hesitate to post some of yours in this thread.

Support for a SpaceNavigator/Spacemouse would be great.

I got used to them in a CAD system a while ago and miss them much with LDCad.

[Art]

Hi Everybody. I'm realy like LDcad and it's almost suitable for my needs. But is there a way to create arrows in LDcad 1.6 like in MLcad or better? Or maybe I can convert "LDcad permanent marker meta " into arrows which can be understood by LPub?

[Roland Melkert]

Hi Everybody. I'm realy like LDcad and it's almost suitable for my needs. But is there a way to create arrows in LDcad 1.6 like in MLcad or better? Or maybe I can convert "LDcad permanent marker meta " into arrows which can be understood by LPub?

I have considered adding an arrow generator in much the same way there are now path and spring generators but other features got priority.

In the meantime you can use a collection of unofficial parts for this as most arrows would be the same anyway. These can be arrows generated by e.g. MLCad or hand draw your self (using the basic LDraw format isn't that hard). Only requirement from LDCad's point of view would be to make sure those files are standalone parts  (so one arrow per file). Using 1.6 you can always embed those files into a mpd later on.

I still might add an arrow generator to 1.6 (>=beta 2) as it is an low impact feature. But nothing is set in stone

[Art]

Hi Everybody. I'm realy like LDcad and it's almost suitable for my needs. But is there a way to create arrows in LDcad 1.6 like in MLcad or better? Or maybe I can convert "LDcad permanent marker meta " into arrows which can be understood by LPub?

I have considered adding an arrow generator in much the same way there are now path and spring generators but other features got priority.

In the meantime you can use a collection of unofficial parts for this as most arrows would be the same anyway. These can be arrows generated by e.g. MLCad or hand draw your self (using the basic LDraw format isn't that hard). Only requirement from LDCad's point of view would be to make sure those files are standalone parts  (so one arrow per file). Using 1.6 you can always embed those files into a mpd later on.

I still might add an arrow generator to 1.6 (>=beta 2) as it is an low impact feature. But nothing is set in stone

Thank You Roland for your reply and your great job. So I'll be waiting for this future. Hope it'll be not long in coming.

[Willy Tschager]

In the meantime you can use a collection of unofficial parts for this as most arrows would be the same anyway. These can be arrows generated by e.g. MLCad or hand draw your self (using the basic LDraw format isn't that hard). Only requirement from LDCad's point of view would be to make sure those files are standalone parts  (so one arrow per file). Using 1.6 you can always embed those files into a mpd later on.

Arrows and other helper files might downloaded from my site:

http://www.holly-wood.it/ldraw/helper-en.html

w.

[Magnus Forsberg]

Arrows and other helper files might downloaded from my site:

I've used these for many years now. Very good indeed.

I have made many simple parts, like these helpers, on my own, mostly using only type 2 lines. Why can't I see them in LDCad ?
Willy has on his site a very useful helper called Her.dat. That one is not visible at all in LDCad, even though it uses some type 3 lines.

I've placed all these Helpers in a separate folder called ../Helpers/Parts/.. , but I can't get LDCad to read that folder.

[Roland Melkert]

I have made many simple parts, like these helpers, on my own, mostly using only type 2 lines. Why can't I see them in LDCad ?
Willy has on his site a very useful helper called Her.dat. That one is not visible at all in LDCad, even though it uses some type 3 lines.

I've placed all these Helpers in a separate folder called ../Helpers/Parts/.. , but I can't get LDCad to read that folder.

To add unoffical parts to LDCad's inventory you must add an (un)offical library location to the search paths.

To do this select the main library and click 'new' this will copy the line and append it at the bottom. Next change its type to 'unofficial library'  and then change its 'location' using the browse folder/archive button (use archive if you want to add a zip file). In your case use the folder one and point it to the (absolute location of) ../Helpers   if this folder hasn't got a 'p' subfolder it will warn you about it but if so chooise 'use it anyway'.

See also
http://www.melkert.net/LDCad/faq#faq_unoflib

[Magnus Forsberg]

To add unoffical parts to LDCad's inventory you must add an (un)offical library location to the search paths.

I tried all of these steps. It didn't work, but then I noted that I had it set as a "User Folder".
When I changed it to be a "Unofficial library", my parts started to show up after a restart of the program.

When do I use the "User Folder" option?

[Roland Melkert]

When do I use the "User Folder" option?

You can use it to point to your central models folder, this makes it possible to use any of them in other models without creating long/absolute path references when the new model is at a different location (just like the .dat's but without the p and parts subfolders).

[Karen M]

Two things that have frustrated me:

1) No manual zoom.  I have to hit Z or C and pray I have a nice zoom capacity.
2) Although one can hide parts, there is no way to make parts semi-transparent outside of nested editing mode.  Is it possible to allow arbitrary parts to be semi-transparent?

[Philippe Hurbain]

Welcome here!

Two things that have frustrated me:
1) No manual zoom.  I have to hit Z or C and pray I have a nice zoom capacity.
2) Although one can hide parts, there is no way to make parts semi-transparent outside of nested editing mode.  Is it possible to allow arbitrary parts to be semi-transparent?

1/ Not sure what you mean with "manual zoom". Mouse wheel does a good zooming job for me...
2/ Yes, could be handy. Sometimes I change a part color to trans clear for that purpose, but it's a bit cumbersome (and you need to change back color after).

[Karen M]

Welcome here!

Two things that have frustrated me:
1) No manual zoom.  I have to hit Z or C and pray I have a nice zoom capacity.
2) Although one can hide parts, there is no way to make parts semi-transparent outside of nested editing mode.  Is it possible to allow arbitrary parts to be semi-transparent?

1/ Not sure what you mean with "manual zoom". Mouse wheel does a good zooming job for me...
2/ Yes, could be handy. Sometimes I change a part color to trans clear for that purpose, but it's a bit cumbersome (and you need to change back color after).

1// Well there's my problem!  Because I can't use a standard mouse I tend to disable mouse wheel on my pointing device and expect numeric +/- keys to zoom in and out.  I'll try re-binding hot-keys.  Thanks team!

[Jaco van der Molen]

Another request:

Can the "main" model always be the first in the row of submodels in both part bins and modellist

Now models is sorted alphabetically by name and "main" is somewhere betweed L and N.
Building a model that has named submodels it can be hard to find Main.

Lately I just name my submodels "submodel-1, 2, 3" ect. like LDCad suggests when creating a submodel, but when it comes to further process the model file in LPub3D it is far more conveinient to have named submodels.

I know Ctrl-end activates the main model, but when using external files this does not work.

Hope you know what I mean?

[Roland Melkert]

Another request:

Can the "main" model always be the first in the row of submodels in both part bins and modellist

Now models is sorted alphabetically by name and "main" is somewhere betweed L and N.
Building a model that has named submodels it can be hard to find Main.

Lately I just name my submodels "submodel-1, 2, 3" ect. like LDCad suggests when creating a submodel, but when it comes to further process the model file in LPub3D it is far more conveinient to have named submodels.

I know Ctrl-end activates the main model, but when using external files this does not work.

Hope you know what I mean?

You could try editing or copying the "allModelsUsedByCur.pbg" (I assume you use that bin as you say its non mpd) and set  sortOn=none

[Jaco van der Molen]

Another request:

Can the "main" model always be the first in the row of submodels in both part bins and modellist

Now models is sorted alphabetically by name and "main" is somewhere betweed L and N.
Building a model that has named submodels it can be hard to find Main.

Lately I just name my submodels "submodel-1, 2, 3" ect. like LDCad suggests when creating a submodel, but when it comes to further process the model file in LPub3D it is far more conveinient to have named submodels.

I know Ctrl-end activates the main model, but when using external files this does not work.

Hope you know what I mean?

You could try editing or copying the "allModelsUsedByCur.pbg" (I assume you use that bin as you say its non mpd) and set  sortOn=none

Hmm, tried this, but does not seem to have Any effect on sorting.
Perhaps I used the wrong bin.... 
are the more values for sortOn?

[Roland Melkert]

Hmm, tried this, but does not seem to have Any effect on sorting.
Perhaps I used the wrong bin.... 
are the more values for sortOn?

The valid values are: "none",  "name",  "description",  "id",  "timeStamp"

'none' depends on the loading order (I think, it's very old code) so if you opened other (depended upon) models before the main.ldr it won't be at the top.

Also be sure LDCad is closed while editing pbg files, as it sometimes writes to them upon closing for caching purposes.

[Willy Tschager]

Another request:

Can the "main" model always be the first in the row of submodels in both part bins and modellist

Well I wish I could sort the order via GUI like I was used to in MLCad and since you already have all those .pbg for the category I wish I could also edit those (or LDCad would come with a set of predefined parts shown in the Parts Bin Window) Honestly that "42236.dat - Duplo Plate 1 x 2 with Overhang" as representative for the Plates category is ridiculous.

w.

[David Manley]

Another request:

Can the "main" model always be the first in the row of submodels in both part bins and modellist

Now models is sorted alphabetically by name and "main" is somewhere betweed L and N.
Building a model that has named submodels it can be hard to find Main.

Lately I just name my submodels "submodel-1, 2, 3" ect. like LDCad suggests when creating a submodel, but when it comes to further process the model file in LPub3D it is far more conveinient to have named submodels.

I know Ctrl-end activates the main model, but when using external files this does not work.

Hope you know what I mean?

Hi Jaco,

one possible approach is to name of the sub-models with some form of numeric prefix. I put a two-part numeric prefix as part of my models' name and my main model is always numbered 0. For example;

000-00-main
010-00-foundation
010-10-foundation_01
010-20-foundation_02
010-30-transfer_shaft
...
050-00-input_box
050-10-input_wall_left
...

This allows me to control the sequence and group "like" sub-models together. Where a sub-model is formed by a group of other smaller sub-models, I name the top of the sub-model group with a "-00-" (e.g. 010-00-foundation) and the smaller related sub-models in increments of 10 (e.g. 010-10-foundation_01). I use increments of 10 for the sub-models as it provides an allowance in the numbering if a sub-model is subsequently split (e.g. I can add sub-models with prefixes of 010-12- and 010-14 without requiring any renumbering).

Regards,

David

[Roland Melkert]

Honestly that "42236.dat - Duplo Plate 1 x 2 with Overhang" as representative for the Plates category is ridiculous.

I can't help a Duplo part being in the Plate category (Chris?/Philo?), the def by cat bins use the first part as the mascot. Those groups are only a fallback anyway, as the 'sorted' branch is the one intended for normal modelling work and thus has more (handpicked) recognizable mascots.

2.0 will have more GUI oriented bin group options.

[Willy Tschager]

Another request:

Can the "main" model always be the first in the row of submodels in both part bins and modellist

Now models is sorted alphabetically by name and "main" is somewhere betweed L and N.
Building a model that has named submodels it can be hard to find Main.

Lately I just name my submodels "submodel-1, 2, 3" ect. like LDCad suggests when creating a submodel, but when it comes to further process the model file in LPub3D it is far more conveinient to have named submodels.

I know Ctrl-end activates the main model, but when using external files this does not work.

Hope you know what I mean?

Hi Jaco,

one possible approach is to name of the sub-models with some form of numeric prefix. I put a two-part numeric prefix as part of my models' name and my main model is always numbered 0. For example;

000-00-main
010-00-foundation
010-10-foundation_01
010-20-foundation_02
010-30-transfer_shaft
...
050-00-input_box
050-10-input_wall_left
...

This allows me to control the sequence and group "like" sub-models together. Where a sub-model is formed by a group of other smaller sub-models, I name the top of the sub-model group with a "-00-" (e.g. 010-00-foundation) and the smaller related sub-models in increments of 10 (e.g. 010-10-foundation_01). I use increments of 10 for the sub-models as it provides an allowance in the numbering if a sub-model is subsequently split (e.g. I can add sub-models with prefixes of 010-12- and 010-14 without requiring any renumbering).

Regards,

David

I further advocate to return to 8.3 filenames.

w.

[Roland Melkert]

I further advocate to return to 8.3 filenames.

Why?

[David Manley]

I further advocate to return to 8.3 filenames.

Why?

Roland,

I think you may find that was perhaps Willy's way of saying he doesn't like my approach in naming sub-models rather than actually advocating a return to 8.3 filenames.

David

[Jaco van der Molen]

Hope you know what I mean?

Hi Jaco,

one possible approach is to name of the sub-models with some form of numeric prefix. I put a two-part numeric prefix as part of my models' name and my main model is always numbered 0. For example;

000-00-main
010-00-foundation
010-10-foundation_01
010-20-foundation_02
010-30-transfer_shaft
...
050-00-input_box
050-10-input_wall_left
...

This allows me to control the sequence and group "like" sub-models together. Where a sub-model is formed by a group of other smaller sub-models, I name the top of the sub-model group with a "-00-" (e.g. 010-00-foundation) and the smaller related sub-models in increments of 10 (e.g. 010-10-foundation_01). I use increments of 10 for the sub-models as it provides an allowance in the numbering if a sub-model is subsequently split (e.g. I can add sub-models with prefixes of 010-12- and 010-14 without requiring any renumbering).

Regards,

David

OK, good suggestion. Nice approach. I will give this some thought. Thanks.

[Willy Tschager]

Why?

Roland,

I think you may find that was perhaps Willy's way of saying he doesn't like my approach in naming sub-models rather than actually advocating a return to 8.3 filenames.

David

I'm fine with your naming for what it's worth. I find it absurd that such a fine and powerful tool like LDCad requires a naming convention at all. The 10243 - Parisian Restaurant I'm currently working on is named 10243 - Ground floor - Column, 10243 -  First floor - Balcony, 10243 - Roof and I don't see why I should name them differently just because a prog cannot handle them.

w.

[Roland Melkert]

I think you may find that was perhaps Willy's way of saying he doesn't like my approach in naming sub-models rather than actually advocating a return to 8.3 filenames.

Ah missed that

I'm fine with your naming for what it's worth. I find it absurd that such a fine and powerful tool like LDCad requires a naming convention at all. The 10243 - Parisian Restaurant I'm currently working on is named 10243 - Ground floor - Column, 10243 -  First floor - Balcony, 10243 - Roof and I don't see why I should name them differently just because a prog cannot handle them.

It still needs rules for sorting, current version uses natural sorting on description by default (so "1, 2, 10, 11, 20" without the need of a 0 prefix for single digits).

Maybe sort on keywords?, or introduce a new meta for forcing sorting?

[Willy Tschager]

It still needs rules for sorting, current version uses natural sorting on description by default (so "1, 2, 10, 11, 20" without the need of a 0 prefix for single digits).

Maybe sort on keywords?, or introduce a new meta for forcing sorting?

No, no, no, I'm not looking for any kind of automated sorting at all. I'd like something that leaves the order entirely to the user:

   

with the prog rearranging and   writing the 0 FILE statements in the chosen order.

w.

[Jaco van der Molen]

It still needs rules for sorting, current version uses natural sorting on description by default (so "1, 2, 10, 11, 20" without the need of a 0 prefix for single digits).

Maybe sort on keywords?, or introduce a new meta for forcing sorting?

No, no, no, I not looking for any kind of automated sorting at all. I'd like something that leaves the order entirely to the user:

with the prog rearranging and   writing the 0 FILE statements in the chosen order.

w.

Exactly what I was looking for.
"Sort" on hierarchy in the model file's structure, which is basically no sorting at all.

[Michael Horvath]

Could you please add a mode where part selection is disabled, so I don't accidentally move a part when trying to move/rotate the camera? Thanks.

[Roland Melkert]

Could you please add a mode where part selection is disabled, so I don't accidentally move a part when trying to move/rotate the camera? Thanks.

This is available in the session panel (right top where you also can select nested and animation)

[Philippe Hurbain]

This is available in the session panel (right top where you also can select nested and animation)

In case you wonder (like me...) it's the "View" mode!