[LDPartEditor] 0.8.29 Beta Released

[Nils Schmidt]

Hi,

a new month starts with a new version!


As always, you can download LDPE from this page:
http://nilsschmidt1337.github.io/ldparteditor/

Changelog:
(7 new features and 2 bug fixes)

With this release you will be able to...

• ...use a tool that creates a vertex on line intersection.
  
• ...use a "Create Copy" button for the transformation tools (translate / rotate / scale selection / set X,Y,Z)
  
• ...see the manipulator while using the transformation tools (translate / rotate / scale selection / set X,Y,Z)
  
• ...set the translation to the manipulator position (translate selection)
  
• ...use "Set x/y/z" to set the origin of subfiles and primitives to x/y/z
  
• ...benefit from the fact that colour changes to the main colour are updated after leaving the options menu.
  
• ...benefit from the fact that the dialog for local rotation and scale transformations now initialises the pivot point with the manipulator position.
  

The following critical issues were fixed:

1. "Moved to" reference resolve function for subfiles, 8- and 48-primitives was incorrect.
   
2. "More Colours..." did not work after the colour palette was reloaded.
   

What will the next release 0.8.30 deliver? Bug fixes, more header validation features, usability improvements...

---

The program was tested intensively with "real world" files.
However, it is still a beta version and something can go wrong in about 100.000 lines of code.

Make sure that you choose the right architecture for your OS and Java Virtual Machine (JVM) (64bit or 32bit).
A short guide how to check if a 64bit JVM is installed on your system is located at the bottom of this message.

1. Download the zip-Archive
   
2. Extract the archive content to the location of your choice
   
3. On windows, double-click "run.bat" to start LDPE.
   
4. On linux, you have to excecute the shell script "run.sh" to start LDPE.
   

Please note that this software is in the beta stage. Although, LDPE 0.8.29 was tested, there are already known issues  for this release. There is a potential risk of data loss.

You can search for updates if you do the following steps:

1. On windows, double-click "update.bat" to search for updates.
   
2. On linux, you have to excecute the shell script "update.sh".
   

I listen carefully to your requests and possible complaints. Please leave me a message, with your thoughts and wishes to further improve the software.

LDPE is a 3D CAD application: The overall system requirements are higher. While I recommend to use a powerful 64-bit multicore system, it could be possible, to run LDPE on older machines as well.

System Requirements:


Minimum System Requirements:

• 64-bit Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 1.8
  
• OpenGL 2.1 compatible Graphics Card
  
• Operating System (64-bit): Windows [7 or newer], Linux [e.g. Ubuntu Linux >=14.4]
  
• CPU: Multicore-Processor e.g. Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon II (>2.0Ghz)
  
• RAM: 4GB
  
• Video-Memory: 1 GB
  
• Free Disk Space: 100 MB
  

Recommended Requirements:

• Operating System (64bit): Windows 7,8,10, Linux [e.g. Ubuntu Linux >=14.4]
  
• OpenGL 3.3 compatible Graphics Card
  
• CPU: Multicore-Processor with 4 cores (or more)
  
• RAM: >4 GB
  
• Video-Memory: >1 GB
  
• Free Disk Space: 512 MB
  
• For a faster start, LDPartEditor and the LDraw™ library should be installed on a SSD.
  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How to check your JVM version (32- or 64-bit):
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You can try on the command line:

Code:

java -d64 version

If it's not a 64-bit version, you'll get a message that looks like:
This Java instance does not support a 64-bit JVM. Please install the desired version.

[Philippe Hurbain]

Thanks for the "set to manipulator inverted button"!
...but it seems that the x/y/z enable checkboxes are always in enabled state...

[Nils Schmidt]

Thanks for the "set to manipulator inverted button"!
...but it seems that the x/y/z enable checkboxes are always in enabled state...

This was a bug. I fixed it ASAP (issue #512).

[Philippe Hurbain]

Looks like the TEXMAP is broken... Case in point this part: http://www.ldraw.org/cgi-bin/ptdetail.cg...204p01.dat
LDPE tells that the two subpart lines in FALLBACK section are circular references... and if I remove them I no longer have an error, but the texmapped subpart don't appear.

[Nils Schmidt]

Looks like the TEXMAP is broken...
LDPE tells that the two subpart lines in FALLBACK section are circular references... and if I remove them I no longer have an error, but the texmapped subpart don't appear.

Thank you for this error report! I found three bugs which are all related to LDPE's TEXMAP parser.
I was able to fix the first two of them, but the third one is a little bit more complicated.
I created a new test case for TEXMAP, too.

1. The TEXMAP parser did not search in the folder where the .dat file was located (the PNG file was not found)
   
2. The circular references error was triggered, because I forgot to remove the filename from a special list.
   
3. Somehow, the PNG loader has issues to load the 10204p01.png file. Even if it gets loaded, the colours are all black, but the transparency is correct.
   

I have to fix the PNG loader class now. This will take about a week.

[Philippe Hurbain]

For the first time since LDPE is released I cleaned up a 3D scanned mesh using it (http://www.ldraw.org/cgi-bin/ptdetail.cg.../20380.dat), and it went pretty well. Lots of vertices merging, triangle pairs flipping and vertices position adjustment...

Also made the pattern on the shoes (http://www.ldraw.org/cgi-bin/ptdetail.cg...380p01.dat) using LDPE. LPC is almost helpless here since the pattern is wrapped around the 3D object. Previously I used Meshmixer to create this kind of pattern, here I used only LDPE: triangle split/flip/coloring and vertices position adjustement (after making the manipulator more or less aligned with mesh surface), till the pattern visually looks like the real thing.

...and a wish for today: add a keyboard shortcut (F seems free) for Flip/Rotate vertices!

[Philippe Hurbain]

Wish of the day: a function to unhide the elements hidden by the last hide, leaving previous hiding active. Ideally, hiding should work like a multi level stacked hide/unhide, but having a "unhide last hidden" would already be great!

[Magnus Forsberg]

...and a wish for today: add a keyboard shortcut (F seems free) for Flip/Rotate vertices!

 +1

Also made the pattern on the shoes (http://www.ldraw.org/cgi-bin/ptdetail.cg...380p01.dat) using LDPE. LPC is almost helpless here since the pattern is wrapped around the 3D object. Previously I used Meshmixer to create this kind of  pattern, here I used only LDPE: triangle split/flip/coloring and vertices position adjustement (after making the manipulator more or less aligned with mesh surface), till the pattern visually looks like the real thing.

Could you please describe your work process, Philo? 
I made an atempt to make the pattern on the feet in this part using only one picture.
  20380p02.dat (Size: 4.1 KB / Downloads: 1)
I used an uncoloured subfile as a"canvas", to have something to draw on.
Next step would be to start replacing all the surfaces, one by one, so that I don't loose the shape of the foot.

• ...use a tool that creates a vertex on line intersection.
  
• ...use a "Create Copy" button for the transformation tools (translate / rotate / scale selection / set X,Y,Z)
  
• ...see the manipulator while using the transformation tools (translate / rotate / scale selection / set X,Y,Z)
  
• ...set the translation to the manipulator position (translate selection)
  
• ...use "Set x/y/z" to set the origin of subfiles and primitives to x/y/z
  

 
I still find it difficult to move a "new" vertice along the edge of a tri/quad. Moving a vertice on the surface is easy.
Here, I had to use merge to edge/face a lot.

How am I suposed to use the new dialogs under the Merge/Split button? (Set XYZ/Translate/Rotate/Scale)
They seem to be connected to the Manipulator, but I cant figure out how to use them.

How do I use the line intersection tool?

[Philippe Hurbain]

Could you please describe your work process, Philo? 

I first identify the triangles that will receive the pattern, and refine them by splitting them. This creates quads that are difficult to work with, so in the text window I run unrectifier to convert them into triangles. Then I color all the triangles that more or less match the pattern, and finally adjust vertices and flip triangle pairs to get smooth curves.
In order to move vertices without too much distorting the shape, I first orient the manipulator: selec the vertex I want to move, 'A' to move manipulator to the vertex, then "adjust manipulator to nearest face normal". Then I adjust the vertex. Of course sometimes I need to refine mesh even further to get something smooth enough. Note that if I don't want a full triangle split (that generates 6 triangles) I add an edge line on the side I want to split in halves, then split that edge thus splitting the nearby triangle. Then I remove the extra edge lines...

I made an atempt to make the pattern on the feet in this part using only one picture.
I used an uncoloured subfile as a"canvas", to have something to draw on.
Next step would be to start replacing all the surfaces, one by one, so that I don't loose the shape of the foot.

Your method looks very interesting too (and maybe you started from a better image? what you did looks a bit better than my part...). Questions is, how do you draw lines on the mesh? I think there is something I don't know about LDPE here...

I still find it difficult to move a "new" vertice along the edge of a tri/quad. Moving a vertice on the surface is easy.
Here, I had to use merge to edge/face a lot.

...actually I think this anwers more or less my question above... I hoped for something more powerful, allowing to really draw on the mesh. This would be tremendously useful! (I faintly remember that LDForge had a tools more or less allowing this, need to check)

To move vertice along an edge: place vertex "close enough" to the edge, then Merge to nearest edge. 'A' to move manipulator to vertex. Then "Move manipulator to the nearest edge". Since manipulator was already on the edge it doesn't move, but its z axis gets aligned with edge, allowing to move things along the edge.

How do I use the line intersection tool?

easy, just select 2 (or more) edge lines, then click the icon. Vertices are generated
- exactly on intersection(s) if lines really meet
- on the point of one line that is closest to the other line. At first I found this choice a bit weird but it makes a lot of sense since mathematically (considering rounding errors) chance that two lines EXACTLY meet in space is 0...

How am I suposed to use the new dialogs under the Merge/Split button? (Set XYZ/Translate/Rotate/Scale)
They seem to be connected to the Manipulator, but I cant figure out how to use them.

I'll try to write something about this... hopefully tomorrow.

[Magnus Forsberg]

Note that if I don't want a full triangle split (that generates 6 triangles) I add an edge line on the side I want to split in halves, then split that edge thus splitting the nearby triangle. Then I remove the extra edge lines...

My method is similar to yours. I added edge lines between vertices in the subfile. Then select the line and split them into shorter sections and move the new vertex onto the surface, thus creating a bent line. This works fine, as long as all the surfaces are kept in the subfile.

Your method looks very interesting too (and maybe you started from a better image?)

Yes, I was looking at more than one picture. I found some videos reviews of the set too.

Then "Move manipulator to the nearest edge". Since manipulator was already on the edge it doesn't move, but its z axis gets aligned with edge, allowing to move things along the edge.

I think I got it. I'll have to try this.

[Magnus Forsberg]

what you did looks a bit better than my part...).

I've completly missed this part and went ahead, and now have it ready for an upload, but the PT told me it was already present.
Good exercise, anyway.


  20380p02s01.dat (Size: 25.53 KB / Downloads: 5)

  20380p02s02.dat (Size: 5.23 KB / Downloads: 1)

[Philippe Hurbain]

The pattern itself looks better... not so sure for the part itself: I used the fact that the pattern creates more triangles allowing to smooth the shape a bit, while your metod strictly preserved the initial shape.

[Nils Schmidt]

...and a wish for today: add a keyboard shortcut (F seems free) for Flip/Rotate vertices!

I implemented this shortcut today (#515).


PS: The TEXMAP issues were solved (#513, #514, #516).

[Philippe Hurbain]

Wish of the day...
When drawing edge lines we generally need to draw successive segments forming a continuous contour. Problem is that LDPE tries to find the best vertice to go on and more often than not it chooses the wrong end of last drawn segment. The guessing method of LDPE generally works rather well for surfaces, but it's a pain for lines, I would prefer the new segment to simply use the last selected vertex as new start point.

[Magnus Forsberg]

I agree.
I think something must have been changed since it used to behave much better. I sometimes have difficulties even adding a tri/quad.

[Philippe Hurbain]

I agree.
I think something must have been changed since it used to behave much better. I sometimes have difficulties even adding a tri/quad.

Yes, could also be a bug on next vertex guessing... seems weird that even placing mouse cursor at exact opposite of currently selected line vertex doesn't change vertex choice.

[Nils Schmidt]

Wish of the day...
When drawing edge lines we generally need to draw successive segments forming a continuous contour. Problem is that LDPE tries to find the best vertice to go on and more often than not it chooses the wrong end of last drawn segment.

I was aware of this since the first release. There is already an undocumented helpful feature:
Pressing Ctrl will suppress the vertex finding.

You can also press Shift to find the nearest vertex or the nearest edge.

These features are "cloned" from LDPatternCreator. LPC has a very similar behaviour.

I will go on to document this features when I have time to implement the context sensitive help and to write the manual.
Prio 1 on my list is currently the 0.8.30 release at the end of March or in the first week of April.

[Willy Tschager]

Prio 1 on my list is currently the 0.8.30 release at the end of March or in the first week of April.

Any news on LPC?

w.

[Philippe Hurbain]

I was aware of Ctrl / Shift usage (as you say, it's direct inheritance of LPC usage!), and I use ctll a lot to draw surfaces and lock the active edge. But shift doesn't seem to work very well, I can have my mouse just over a vertex and when pressing shift another one is chosen. And on a complex mesh (eg. minifig wig) calculation time seems to makes this unusable.

[Philippe Hurbain]

Wishes of the day...
- as a user I'd like to be able to "show selection in 3D view" of a !LPE VERTEX line in text editor
- as a user I'd like to be able to "show selection in text editor" of a selected !LPE vertex in 3D view
- as a user I'd like to be able to delete a selected !LPE vertex in 3D view

[Nils Schmidt]

Wishes of the day...
- as a user I'd like to be able to delete a selected !LPE vertex in 3D view

This is already possible. But I only recommend to do this, if the vertex is isolated (not connected to something). Otherwise the connected object will be deleted, too.

1. Activate "Move Adjacent Data"
   
2. Select the vertex you want to delete
   
3. Press delete
   
4. Deactivate "Move Adjacent Data"
   

Should I change the behaviour of the deletion (if "Move Adjacent Data" is not activated)?
How should I proceed?

[Nils Schmidt]

Any news on LPC?

Time is limited.

[Philippe Hurbain]

Should I change the behaviour of the deletion (if "Move Adjacent Data" is not activated)?
How should I proceed?

I think that once it is possible to check selection between text editor and 3Dview, it should be possible to delete a !LPE vertex without "Move Adjacent Data" beeing on.

[Philippe Hurbain]

A little bug:
After a move/rename operation, the part disappears from the project tree.

[Nils Schmidt]

A little bug:
After a move/rename operation, the part disappears from the project tree.

What was the source path and what was the target?

[Philippe Hurbain]

A little bug:
After a move/rename operation, the part disappears from the project tree.

What was the source path and what was the target?

Path: G:\Mes_documents\Lego\2994, files art0041.dat (before) and art0042.dat (after move)

[Nils Schmidt]

What about integrating Ytruder? Sometimes miss it, and shouldn't be very difficult...

I finished my work and testing on it (#517).
Ytruder will be released with 0.8.30. It's a 1:1 copy from Philo's version, but it is not limited to 1000 lines.

[Nils Schmidt]

What was the source path and what was the target?

Path: G:\Mes_documents\Lego\2994, files art0041.dat (before) and art0042.dat (after move)

I can't reproduce this...

[Philippe Hurbain]

I can't reproduce this...

Weird. I see now that it CAN work. I'll try to better diagnose the conditions when this happens.

[Philippe Hurbain]

I finished my work and testing on it (#517).
Ytruder will be released with 0.8.30. It's a 1:1 copy from Philo's version, but it is not limited to 1000 lines.

Yeah!