[LICreator] - Bugs and Improvements

[Jarema]

I have developing next version of this tool. But I need discuss some topics with Remi Gagne. Did someone know how I can contact with Him.
And I have share work with some OSX user ready to test building process that depended on build.py script.

EDIT:
Repository: https://github.com/remig/lic
Release Date: chosen day of September 2016

[Willy Tschager]

I have developing next version of this tool. But I need discuss some topics with Remi Gagne. Did someone know how I can contact with Him.
And I have share work with some OSX user ready to test building process that depended on build.py script.

Try: remigagne[AT]gmail[DOT]com

BTW, did you work around lic.log as well as Lic.ini being stored in the program folder considering %AppData%\Roaming\LICreator, in order to include LIC in the AIOI?

w.

[Jarema]

I can do far more than this. You can create Wish List here - if you have.

[RickyKckao]

Hi! Can I report some bugs in Ver. 2.1.109?

[Jarema]

Yes. This is the correct and official place to speak about bugs and new features. Any important information I will be placed in the first speeches of this thread. OK.

[RickyKckao]

Here are the bugs I found in LICreator 2.1.109:

• In "Change Page Size and Resolution", the function of Rescale all Page Element is not working. All elements won't scale up or down corresponding to the image size.
  
• When using Auto Layout function, the page will be forced to change into vertical layout even the original setting is horizontal.
  
• When parts are moved from a step to another, the PLI won't display the new incoming parts correctly. It just displayed a blank with Qty. Label unless Auto Layout the page.
  
• When parts are moved from a step to another, the picture of both steps reamin intact after the change. It doesn't refresh autometically unless clicking CSI list of each step.
  
• When parts are dragged by using cursor (not by the function of Move to Previous or Next) from a step to another, LIC usually crashes without a reason. (Sometimes, merging steps and moving part can also result in crash)
  
• When the instruction is exported using "Generate Final Images",  the transparent parts lose their transparency in the exported picture.
  
• When rotating the whole CSI in a step, the CSI won't preview the the change when the digits are entered. 
  

If you don't understand what I mentioned, I can take screenshots.

And the next part is the functions I wish to be included into new LIC.
Here is my wanted list:

• Is it possible to turn the color of the brick's edge into white line when the brick's color is black or other dark colors? It is really hard to identify the black edge from black parts.
  
• Is it possible to remove bricks shadow? Maybe you can add a button which can turn on or off lighting effect?
  
• In old LIC, parts in Callout can be moved using Move to Previous or Next. However, the button has been moved in LICreator 2.1.109. Please add it back
  
• I wish users can adjust parts in Part List. Then users can move parts across Part List Pages or change the scale user's at will.
  

Thanks!
Sincerely,
RickyKckao

[RickyKckao]

Btw, I don't know whether it is a bug. In a certain angle, the edge between two bricks always disappears (see the attached picture). Any way to fix it?
 

[Jarema]

Here are the bugs I found in LICreator 2.1.109:
When parts are dragged by using cursor (not by the function of Move to Previous or Next) from a step to another, LIC usually crashes without a reason. (Sometimes, merging steps and moving part can also result in crash)

Always remember include LIC.LOG as attachment.

When rotating the whole CSI in a step, the CSI won't preview the the change when the digits are entered. 

OK. I need more explanation for this. Picture is Good.

[RickyKckao]

LIG.LOG is uploaded on File Dropper
Here is the link: http://www.filedropper.com/lic



Here is the example:

1. I try to rotate the CSI by using Rotate CSI
2. Change Rotation pop out. Before entering any digit, the angle of the CSI remain intact.
3. In the example, I entered "90" in Y axis, the CSI did not rotate correspondingly. The CSI only rotated after I clicked OK. In old version, the CSI will show how it rotate before clicking OK. That's the reason why I said there is no preview. (Sorry for my bad English)



Btw, I figured out another bug. Sometimes, when I remove a part from a callout, the part may just disappear in the CSI list, so I can't select that part anymore....

[Andrew A.]

• Is it possible to turn the color of the brick's edge into white line when the brick's color is black or other dark colors? It is really hard to identify the black edge from black parts.        
  

 I second this, having the ability to control the color of the bricks edge would be very helpful particularly with black parts.

[Jarema]

LEGO Instruction Creator for LDraw version 3.0 has now been officially released. Please see our download page for more information.

[Willy Tschager]

LEGO Instruction Creator for LDraw version 3.0 has now been officially released. Please see our download page for more information.

Thanks for this:

"On Windows operating system using %APPDATA%, in other case use os.getcwd method"

I'll add LIC to the AIOI and get back to you if I need support/information.

Thanks, w.

[Gezheng Qu]

First, I would like to say thank you, Jarema. Your program is very beautiful.
I have 2 questions though:

1. I would like to print the instructions out, which requires higher resolution than the default 800*600 to meet the 300 DPI printing criteria. And I know I can "change page size and resolution". But the problem is every elements in it does not enlarge automatically with the higher resolution.One solution is to change the default CSI/PLS scale from the template. But after it's done, every part list in the instruction does become larger. The problem is the pens enclosing the part lists don't get bigger accordingly. Do I have to manually adjust every pen?
2. After I convert a submodel into a callout, the part list for the submodel is gone. So how can I show the part list of a callout?

I am using the latest version(3.0). 
Could it be because of the errors in the log file?

ERROR: 2016-09-17 12:01:09,723: Uncaught Root Exception:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "F:\Workspace\eclipse\licreator\build\licreator\out00-PYZ.pyz\LicTreeModel", line 135, in index
  File "F:\Workspace\eclipse\licreator\build\licreator\out00-PYZ.pyz\LicTreeModel", line 536, in child
IndexError: list index out of range
INFO: 2016-09-17 12:01:09,723: ------------------------------------------------------
   
no part list for the callout.
Thank you so much.

[Jarema]

New release is on GitHub. For details look into changelog. Most liked features is:

• re-design Assistants
  
• Support GIMP gradient format /.ggr file/
  
• Colors is grouped by his prefix in color dialog box
  
• Can organize alignment of parts added to part list images /PLI/
  
• Padlock icon size set to 24 pixels
  
• Log file while be deleted after his size grow larger that 5MB
  
• Change logging level from DEBUG on ERROR
  

[RickyKckao]

Hi Jarema,

I cannot run v3.1.222 under Win10. A box popped out: "Failed to execute script Lic".

Btw, is it possible to close 3D lighting now? It really bothers me that a "white" brick shows "gray" color on its sides. I have tried to change ambient value of 3D model lighting to 100, but top side of the brick became to bright that I cannot distinguish colors between white and light gray, or between light gray and dark gray. So I think if it is possible to close 3D lighting, it would be better!

Thank you,

[Jarema]

Hi Jarema,

I cannot run v3.1.222 under Win10. A box popped out: "Failed to execute script Lic".

Btw, is it possible to close 3D lighting now? It really bothers me that a "white" brick shows "gray" color on its sides. I have tried to change ambient value of 3D model lighting to 100, but top side of the brick became to bright that I cannot distinguish colors between white and light gray, or between light gray and dark gray. So I think if it is possible to close 3D lighting, it would be better!

Thank you,

Personally I dislike every version of operating system Windows - that come after - 7. And I do not have access to machine with this OS.
So, sorry for the lack of support for this system.
For changing lighting what result you got when set Ambient & Line Width to 0 /zero/.

[RickyKckao]

Thanks for your prompt reply.

I see. Then I will work on Win7.

Hmm, I am not sure if my explanation is sufficient or not on the lightning.
Let me put some pictures to explain my thought.

Here, I tried to set ambient and line width to 0.
It became very dark both on the top and sides.



And here is the photo (see below) which ambient is set in 100.
There is no apparent difference between the brightness of top and sides. (This is what I want)



But, if I change the color into white, light bluish gray, dark bluish gray in such setting, it became difficult to distinguish colors between 'light bluish gray' and 'white' on the top of the bricks.
Seems that it is too bright on the top, the color of light bluish gray brick is quite similar to that of white bricks (see red arrows).




So, what I would like to ask is that is it possible to make the brightness the same on each brick?


Hope I won't bother you too much!

Thank you.

[Jarema]

At this moment... All you can do is set line with to 1/One/ or 2/Two/ value, for ambient value > 60.

[RickyKckao]

Hi Jarema,

I'm here to report some bugs in v3.1.222:

• Rescale all Page Element in "Change Page Size and Resolution" still isn't working. All elements won't scale up or down corresponding to the image size.
  
• When removing a part from callout using Remove from Callout, that part in CSI is gone. I can no longer select the part and do any change.
  

Wanted list:

• The parts in Callout can only be moved by dragging between steps, is it possible to add Move to Previous Step and Move to Next Stepbutton in Callout?
  
• Is it possible to add button to adjust the font size of Step Number in Callout?
  

Thank you!

Sincerely,
Rickykckao

[Jarema]

New release is ready to download. Thanks to your support. I added what you wrote, to my To Do List.

New Features:

1. Action Step.splitParts  method based on the sorted list with respect to the coordinate on the Y axis
   
2. Remember the location of the last used template
   
3. Locations of tools stored in configuration file need full path with base-name of existing file
   
4. Select Part  submenu of CSI contextmenu, displays only the first hundred of parts
   
5. Added the possibility of moving parts to the step within the a single page via contextmenu
   
6. Disable stretching for default message area  /MessageDlg/
   
7. Can change and restore submodel display name
   
8. Ability to pre-define custom page sizes in configuration file  /liceator.ini/
   
9. Can restore scale|rotation from template for PLIItem ,CSI ,SubmodelPreview classes
   
   
   
   
   

[Jarema]

due to the fact that LICreator have many internal issues and limitations, that comes from language and technology. Author abandoned this software.
But when something get down, then new adventure can start here...  

It is written in Java. So will be platform in-depended,  what is in Java technology nature.
File Manager:
 :: use explore.exe on windows
 ::  /usr/bin/open on MAC
 :: nautilus on UNIX

Storage:
 %APPDATA% or User Home Directory

Save/Write 3D Model:
 Only plain text file with native LDraw format using custom commands


STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES

[RickyKckao]

Looking forward to the new software! Thank you for your effort!

[Merlijn Wissink]

Well, I'm interested to see where this goes. Always nice to see some innovation and new software and such 

[Jarema]

I have noticed that LICreator is continuing with development on GitHub. Last commit is from May, and version is 3.2.153. I haven't tested it. But unfortunately this project is no longer maintained. He start developing web basted version of this tool.

GitHub repository: https://github.com/remig/web_lic