Hi all,
Perhaps some of my (Dutch) friends read about my project of creating the Golden Tulip Hotel in Noordwijk from LEGO.
The huge model features 3 flagpoles with custom sticker with the logo from the hotel.
Though there are no full instructions for the whole model, I thought it would be nice to do some more testing with texture mapping on the flagpole.
Also see discussion on texture mapping here: https://forums.ldraw.org/thread-22181-post-25512.html
I created simple instructions for the flagpole in LPub3D (see attached PDF and LDraw file).
Please note this technique is aimed at advanced LDraw users with some basic Windows computer skills, but I will try to explain and tell what I’ve learned so far. Please reply if you have any questions or additions.
This is tested on a machine with Windows 7 Professional with a standard LDraw installation.
It does not seem to work on older PC’s with Windows XP.
So, a bit described in above mentioned thread too, how to do this?
First of all you need a nice PNG image file for the custom sticker or print you want to use.
The image has to have the same width and height ratio as the size of the sticker or part in LDraw units.
The PNG file should be placed in a folder called “textures” within the unoffical parts folder of your LDraw installation.
In this case, the 2x2 FLag (part 2335) measures 40 by 40 LDraw units (LDU). One stud is 20 LDU. The surface of the flag is 2 studs wide and 2 studs high. I use 3 flags so the total height is 3x40=120 LDU and width is 40 LDU.
Using Roland Melkert ‘s sticker generator (http://www.melkert.net/test/stickerGen.html) you can fill in these values and generate the LDraw code for the sticker. Dat-file also attached.
Save this dat-file for the sticker in the Unofficial parts folder. You can then use this as a regular part and place it in your model.
If you use LDCad as editor and LDView (4.2) as viewer, you should be able to see the image rendered. In LDview you must check "Primitives > Textures > Use texture maps" in the preferences for this to work.
Now if you want to create instructions in LPub3D do the following:
First find out where LPub3D looks for the unofficial parts to render the images.
On a standard Windows LDraw installation this is in a zip file lpub3dldrawunf.zip located at
C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\LPub3D Software\LPub3D\libraries\
Open the zip using the file explorer or you favorite zip file program. Copy or add the “textures” folder containing the PNG image to this zip in the parts folder. There is also a subfolder called “s” in there. Next, copy or add the dat file for the custom part to the “parts” folder too.
Start LPub3D and make sure your renderer is set to LDView.
LPub3D should now render instructions with custom pattern applied and even show “the sticker” as a part in the PLI content.
Happy rendering!
Perhaps some of my (Dutch) friends read about my project of creating the Golden Tulip Hotel in Noordwijk from LEGO.
The huge model features 3 flagpoles with custom sticker with the logo from the hotel.
Though there are no full instructions for the whole model, I thought it would be nice to do some more testing with texture mapping on the flagpole.
Also see discussion on texture mapping here: https://forums.ldraw.org/thread-22181-post-25512.html
I created simple instructions for the flagpole in LPub3D (see attached PDF and LDraw file).
Please note this technique is aimed at advanced LDraw users with some basic Windows computer skills, but I will try to explain and tell what I’ve learned so far. Please reply if you have any questions or additions.
This is tested on a machine with Windows 7 Professional with a standard LDraw installation.
It does not seem to work on older PC’s with Windows XP.
So, a bit described in above mentioned thread too, how to do this?
First of all you need a nice PNG image file for the custom sticker or print you want to use.
The image has to have the same width and height ratio as the size of the sticker or part in LDraw units.
The PNG file should be placed in a folder called “textures” within the unoffical parts folder of your LDraw installation.
In this case, the 2x2 FLag (part 2335) measures 40 by 40 LDraw units (LDU). One stud is 20 LDU. The surface of the flag is 2 studs wide and 2 studs high. I use 3 flags so the total height is 3x40=120 LDU and width is 40 LDU.
Using Roland Melkert ‘s sticker generator (http://www.melkert.net/test/stickerGen.html) you can fill in these values and generate the LDraw code for the sticker. Dat-file also attached.
Save this dat-file for the sticker in the Unofficial parts folder. You can then use this as a regular part and place it in your model.
If you use LDCad as editor and LDView (4.2) as viewer, you should be able to see the image rendered. In LDview you must check "Primitives > Textures > Use texture maps" in the preferences for this to work.
Now if you want to create instructions in LPub3D do the following:
First find out where LPub3D looks for the unofficial parts to render the images.
On a standard Windows LDraw installation this is in a zip file lpub3dldrawunf.zip located at
C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\LPub3D Software\LPub3D\libraries\
Open the zip using the file explorer or you favorite zip file program. Copy or add the “textures” folder containing the PNG image to this zip in the parts folder. There is also a subfolder called “s” in there. Next, copy or add the dat file for the custom part to the “parts” folder too.
Start LPub3D and make sure your renderer is set to LDView.
LPub3D should now render instructions with custom pattern applied and even show “the sticker” as a part in the PLI content.
Happy rendering!
Jaco van der Molen
lpub.binarybricks.nl
lpub.binarybricks.nl