LPub3D How to Add Rotation Step

[Sean]

Hello,

The feature list for LPub3D mentions being able to add a rotation step with the 3D viewer.  I can get it to add a ROTSTEP tag to the code, but I can't get it to insert any rotation information.  Does it not do that, or am I missing something?  I can't seem to find any mention of this feature outside of that one list.

Thanks!

[Sean]

Just to add some info for anyone who happens across this thread:

1. LPub3D is one quirky, buggy piece of software.  Despite this, it is usable and there's no alternative anyway so...

2. The rotation viewer has two different rotation tools.  One rotates the camera, and the other rotates the actual step (hover you mouse over each to see which is which).  After you've rotated your part with the rotation viewer, click the insert ROTSTEP icon to insert the step. NOTE: the graphic showing the part rotate in the rotator does NOT reflect the actual final rotation of the part.  When using graphic rotation, pay attention to how many degrees it's showing that it's moving.  You'll get a feel for how you want it to move.   

3. The LPub user interface does in no way replace editing the markup code.  If you don't learn how to edit the tags directly, you'll probably quickly run into trouble.

4. When LPub crashes (yes, when)  it often doesn't crash all the way.  Don't close the dialog box, go back to the program and immediately save any changes.  Clear the cache and continue working, it should keep going.

5. Are you trying to click and highlight a step, but it just keeps refreshing and redrawing without highlighting it?  Time to clear the cache.

6. For some reason, dragging a step's image to where you want on a page just doesn't work.  Drag your call-out to where you want it relative to the step image (make sure the step with the call-out isn't already on a page with another step, cause it won't move then) , and then use right click -> move step to move the step (center, upper right, etc..).  It's weird, I know.  Strangely, dragging does in fact work in other situations. 

7. Make sure your model was placed correctly relative to the grid in your design software.  If it's not, and the part's faces end up in between two axis you'll hate yourself.

8. Sub-models.  Make every assembly you can into a sub-model.  The last model I built had approximately 70 sub-models.


Anyway, as I mentioned earlier, this software is very quirky.  It will make you mad before you get the hang of it.  I more than once almost wrote it off as unusable before finally coming up with a workflow that worked.  I've just completed a 150 page manual, so it is usable.

Also, I'm using version 1.2.3 the program on Windows 10.

[Philippe Hurbain]

Thanks for the detailed bug sidetrack write-up! Will be handy for many people for sure!

[Trevor Sandy]

Sean, thanks for the feedback. I'm working on some of the items you mentioned in your write-up. If you think using the software is challenging, you certainly would not want to try enhancing and maintaining it. Cheers :-)

[reinout]

Hello,

The feature list for LPub3D mentions being able to add a rotation step with the 3D viewer.  I can get it to add a ROTSTEP tag to the code, but I can't get it to insert any rotation information.  Does it not do that, or am I missing something?  I can't seem to find any mention of this feature outside of that one list.

Thanks!

I think i have a simular problem. When i want to rotate my submodels, to better see the steps, LPub3d crashed. It is so bad it crashed even if i click on the 'rotate model' buttons.
Can anyone help me with this?

[David Manley]

Hello,

The feature list for LPub3D mentions being able to add a rotation step with the 3D viewer.  I can get it to add a ROTSTEP tag to the code, but I can't get it to insert any rotation information.  Does it not do that, or am I missing something?  I can't seem to find any mention of this feature outside of that one list.

Thanks!

I think i have a simular problem. When i want to rotate my submodels, to better see the steps, LPub3d crashed. It is so bad it crashed even if i click on the 'rotate model' buttons.
Can anyone help me with this?

Could you post and let us know
(a) which version of LPub3D you are using and
(b) which operating system you are using

If you use LDCad as your modelling tool, the alternative is to define your rotations within LDCad. I find it easier with LDCad than LPub3D. Using LDCad you can right mouse click on the "Step" in the text source window, select the "Properties..." menu item and change the step type to be a rotation related step.

Regards,

David

[reinout]

I think i have a simular problem. When i want to rotate my submodels, to better see the steps, LPub3d crashed. It is so bad it crashed even if i click on the 'rotate model' buttons.
Can anyone help me with this?

Could you post and let us know
(a) which version of LPub3D you are using and
(b) which operating system you are using

If you use LDCad as your modelling tool, the alternative is to define your rotations within LDCad. I find it easier with LDCad than LPub3D. Using LDCad you can right mouse click on the "Step" in the text source window, select the "Properties..." menu item and change the step type to be a rotation related step.

Regards,

David

I use stud.io with steps to create instructions. I then export the file as Ldraw. I open Lpub3D and it makes instructions, it works really good only for the viewpoint.
I use the latest version of Lpub3D in windows 10 , but i don't know what version that would be of Lpub3D

[David Manley]

I use stud.io with steps to create instructions. I then export the file as Ldraw. I open Lpub3D and it makes instructions, it works really good only for the viewpoint.
I use the latest version of Lpub3D in windows 10 , but i don't know what version that would be of Lpub3D

If you are willing to post a link to your Ldraw file, I'm willing to have a look to see if there's anything which might be wrong with it. For example, there might be something like a LPUB CALLOUT BEGIN without a matching LPUB CALLOUT END.

To see which version of LPub3D you are using, select the menu item "Help/About LPub3D ...". It will open a window in which, at the top, you will see something like "Version 2.2.2 Revision 0 Build 848".

David

[reinout]

I use stud.io with steps to create instructions. I then export the file as Ldraw. I open Lpub3D and it makes instructions, it works really good only for the viewpoint.
I use the latest version of Lpub3D in windows 10 , but i don't know what version that would be of Lpub3D

If you are willing to post a link to your Ldraw file, I'm willing to have a look to see if there's anything which might be wrong with it. For example, there might be something like a LPUB CALLOUT BEGIN without a matching LPUB CALLOUT END.

To see which version of LPub3D you are using, select the menu item "Help/About LPub3D ...". It will open a window in which, at the top, you will see something like "Version 2.2.2 Revision 0 Build 848".

David

i am using version 2.2.2 Revision 0 Build 848.
How do i post a link to of my Ldraw file?  When is crashes it says = Lpub3D just crashed, crash info send to AppData/Local/Lpub3D Software/Lpub3D/dump/Lpub3ddump.dmp.

[David Manley]

How do i post a link to of my Ldraw file?  

Upload it into something like Google Drive, OneDrive, DropBox or BrickSafe. Make sure you grant access rights to read for whomever has the link and then send me a personal message on LDraw (use https://forums.ldraw.org/private.php?action=send) which contains the link.

David.

[reinout]

How do i post a link to of my Ldraw file?  

Upload it into something like Google Drive, OneDrive, DropBox or BrickSafe. Make sure you grant access rights to read for whomever has the link and then send me a personal message on LDraw (use https://forums.ldraw.org/private.php?action=send) which contains the link.

David.

[David Manley]

I think i have a simular problem. When i want to rotate my submodels, to better see the steps, LPub3d crashed. It is so bad it crashed even if i click on the 'rotate model' buttons.
Can anyone help me with this?

Diagnosis has identified that this is an issue in LPub3D. When a sub-model does not contain a "0 STEP" command and the 3D viewer within LPub3D is used to rotate the sub-model, then the "Insert ROTSTEP" button is clicked, LPub3D crashes. This issue has been logged  with Trevor.

The workaround is to ensure a sub-model is ended with a "0 STEP" command before inserting a ROTSTEP using LPub3D. This could be achieved either by editing the file directly using the LDraw File Editor within LPub3D or by making the change using your preferred modelling tool (e.g. LDCAD).

As an aside, one may wish to consider adding step rotations using your preferred modelling tool (insert LDCAD plug here   ). When using LPub3D to specify the rotation, I find the correlation between rotating the model via the 3DViewer and the resulting rotation displayed in the image is "interesting".

Regards,

David