LDCad Feature Request

[Jeff Boen]

One thing I find myself constantly doing that would make life easier (and, to me at least, seems in line with the "standard" way modern software works) would be to be able to double click a part (or any line, actually) in the .ldr source window and have it bring up the properties for said object.
I know you can right-click and select "Properties" to get there, but a double click seems quicker, easier and more intuitive. In fact, maybe even having it do the same thing when parts are double-clicked in the editing views might also be a good idea.

Second, once the part properties dialog is up, would it be possible to have a part selector list available next to the Main | Reference textbox? Just a standard "..." button maybe that brings up another dialog allowing you to see the complete list of parts by both name and part #? The idea being that I often find myself needing to change an existing part in a model (after a copy of a section, or just a change in design) but currently I have to delete the existing part and drag in a new one from the part bin or look up the part # beforehand that I want to use instead and enter it manually. Being able to just change the number on a part with a double-click and then a click for a list would speed up my process greatly.

And if there is already a way to do the step above faster but I'm just not seeing it, please let me know!

Just some thoughts after using the package for a few weeks. I'm starting to *really* like it and greatly appreciate all of your work, Roland. Thanks so much again!

[Philippe Hurbain]

The idea being that I often find myself needing to change an existing part in a model (after a copy of a section, or just a change in design) but currently I have to delete the existing part and drag in a new one from the part bin or look up the part # beforehand that I want to use instead and enter it manually.

One thing you can do for that is to select the part you want to change, then double click on the new part in the parts bin. The part is then replaced (keeping position and orientation). This is also useful for parts that don't have yet snapping information: place a similar part that does have snapping information, then change it with the correct (but not snapping) part.

[Jeff Boen]

The idea being that I often find myself needing to change an existing part in a model (after a copy of a section, or just a change in design) but currently I have to delete the existing part and drag in a new one from the part bin or look up the part # beforehand that I want to use instead and enter it manually.

One thing you can do for that is to select the part you want to change, then double click on the new part in the parts bin. The part is then replaced (keeping position and orientation). This is also useful for parts that don't have yet snapping information: place a similar part  that does have snapping information, then change it with the correct (but not snapping) part.

Ah! Very cool. That will definitely speed things up for me. Thanks, Philippe!

[Roland Melkert]

One thing I find myself constantly doing that would make life easier (and, to me at least, seems in line with the "standard" way modern software works) would be to be able to double click a part (or any line, actually) in the .ldr source window and have it bring up the properties for said object.

You can also use middle mouse button or the enter key to open the property window of the selected object.

I did consider adding a '...' button with the parts but in the end I thought of it to be redundant, as the method Philo described is the intended way of changing the part.

Just some thoughts after using the package for a few weeks. I'm starting to *really* like it and greatly appreciate all of your work, Roland. Thanks so much again!

Thanks.

[Jeff Boen]

You can also use middle mouse button or the enter key to open the property window of the selected object.

I did consider adding a '...' button with the parts but in the end I thought of it to be redundant, as the method Philo described is the intended way of changing the part.

As usual, anytime I want LDCad to do something it doesn't... I find out it already does, I just hadn't found out how yet!

You and Philippe are correct, this process negates the need for any part list picking. I've been using it all afternoon and swapping parts is totally painless now. 
And a middle mouse click will get me what I need on the Properties if you decide not to implement a dbl-click for it. Improves my process substantially.

Thanks as always, guys!!!

[Milan Vančura]

I know you can right-click and select "Properties" to get there, but a double click seems quicker, easier and more intuitive. In fact, maybe even having it do the same thing when parts are double-clicked in the editing views might also be a good idea.

This reminds me my older problem: there is a dialog for hotkey setting but I cannot set/change mouse clicks there. I'd really appreciate if not only keys but also mouse actions could be set there (left, middle, right clicks, same for doubleclicks, scroll wheel up, down, left, right) and actions currently/default set to mouse actions becoming configurable via this hotkey dialog, too.

For example, for me traveling with laptop on my lap and having trackpoint only, no real mouse, it was impossible to do 'zoom' in LDCad. I had to learn how to configure Linux to simulate a fake scrollwheel. I doubt how many Linux users could do it too so it would be really great if LDCad helps here.

[Roland Melkert]

This reminds me my older problem: there is a dialog for hotkey setting but I cannot set/change mouse clicks there. I'd really appreciate if not only keys but also mouse actions could be set there (left, middle, right clicks, same for doubleclicks, scroll wheel up, down, left, right) and actions currently/default set to mouse actions becoming configurable via this hotkey dialog, too.

For example, for me traveling with laptop on my lap and having trackpoint only, no real mouse, it was impossible to do 'zoom' in LDCad. I had to learn how to configure Linux to simulate a fake scrollwheel. I doubt how many Linux users could do it too so it would be really great if LDCad helps here.

I'm looking into this for 2.0, but its not as easy as with the keys.

If I do a 1.6c I will add hotkeys for in/out zooming.

[Jeff Boen]

Is it possible to insert comments into the source?
I tend to heavily comment my models but haven't been able to find a method to drop in "WRITE" statements. I assume, once again, that I'm missing something obvious but I've checked the docs, googled, etc. with no luck.

[Philippe Hurbain]

Is it possible to insert comments into the source?
I tend to heavily comment my models but haven't been able to find a method to drop in "WRITE" statements. I assume, once again, that I'm missing something obvious but I've checked the docs, googled, etc. with no luck.

Top level parts bin -> special parts -> misc non-visual ldraw items -> Comment (drag and drop in souce window). Note that it is not a write statement but modern style comment (0 //Comment)

[Jeff Boen]

Top level parts bin -> special parts -> misc non-visual ldraw items -> Comment (drag and drop in souce window). Note that it is not a write statement but modern style comment (0 //Comment)

Oh wow. I *never* would have found that. Heh. Thanks again!

[Milan Vančura]

I'm looking into this for 2.0, but its not as easy as with the keys.

If I do a 1.6c I will add hotkeys for in/out zooming.

Thanks for both good messages, Roland. And with 1.6c... we'll see

BTW, is there any page/thread summarizing features and feature requests for 2.0 (the best would be to have them sorted by group: GUI, scripting, snapping...) ? I cannot find it now.

[Roland Melkert]

BTW, is there any page/thread summarizing features and feature requests for 2.0 (the best would be to have them sorted by group: GUI, scripting, snapping...) ? I cannot find it now.

I only started the GUI one a (long) while back.

Currently I'm still working on the foundations / OpenGL engine, I'm a bit behind my own schedule though.

Once I got the GUI and part bin stuff up and running I was planning to seek more feedback.