Howto treat submodel as inlined in LPub3D

[Lutz Gehlen]

Hi all,

Sometimes I use small and deeply nested submodels just to make it easier to handle coordinate system transformations. For example, I might just put a liftarm and a pin into a submodel so that I can move them around together.

In these cases it is not always useful to show the submodel as a submodel in the building instructions. Hence, I would like to treat the submodel as inlined in LPub3D. However, I cannot find an option to achieve this. I can choose "Convert to callout", which can sometimes be used as a workaround, but not always, specifically with nested submodels. I can "Ignore this submodel", which does almost achieve what I want except that the parts are then also removed from the PLI. Or I can "Treat as part", which also almost does what I want except that the submodel is shown assembled in the PLI. What I need is something like "Treat as inlined". Is this possible somehow?

Thanks for your help
Lutz

[Philippe Hurbain]

Sometimes I use small and deeply nested submodels just to make it easier to handle coordinate system transformations. For example, I might just put a liftarm and a pin into a submodel so that I can move them around together.

- If you use LDCad (recommended ) once you are done with your placement, inline the submodel (select submodel -> right click -> inline)
- Or you could use groups instead of submodels.

[Lutz Gehlen]

- If you use LDCad (recommended ) once you are done with your placement, inline the submodel (select submodel -> right click -> inline)
- Or you could use groups instead of submodels.

Hi Philippe,

thanks for your reply. Inlining is not a good option if you want to retain the ability to move around the entire submodel. In fact, I like the file as it is :-), I hope to just make LPub3D treat it differently.

Maybe LDCad groups could be a workaround. I'll look into them and their corresponding meta commands. Unfortunately, the documentation of this feature is currently missing.

Thanks for your help and best wishes,
Lutz

[David Manley]

Hi all,

Sometimes I use small and deeply nested submodels just to make it easier to handle coordinate system transformations. For example, I might just put a liftarm and a pin into a submodel so that I can move them around together.

In these cases it is not always useful to show the submodel as a submodel in the building instructions. Hence, I would like to treat the submodel as inlined in LPub3D. However, I cannot find an option to achieve this. I can choose "Convert to callout", which can sometimes be used as a workaround, but not always, specifically with nested submodels. I can "Ignore this submodel", which does almost achieve what I want except that the parts are then also removed from the PLI. Or I can "Treat as part", which also almost does what I want except that the submodel is shown assembled in the PLI. What I need is something like "Treat as inlined". Is this possible somehow?

Thanks for your help
Lutz

Does the attached model achieve what you are aiming for?

It shows;

1. two bricks as a sub-model done as a callout then
   
2. placed on a single brick. Followed by
   
3. the same sub-model (but ignored) and then
   
4. using the LPUB PLI BEGIN SUB command twwice to insert the two parts from the ignored sub-model
   
5. with a single brick, to list the three bricks in the part list
   
6. the bill of materials at the end is correct.
   

David

[Lutz Gehlen]

Does the attached model achieve what you are aiming for?

It shows;

1. two bricks as a sub-model done as a callout then
   
2. placed on a single brick. Followed by
   
3. the same sub-model (but ignored) and then
   
4. using the LPUB PLI BEGIN SUB command twwice to insert the two parts from the ignored sub-model
   
5. with a single brick, to list the three bricks in the part list
   
6. the bill of materials at the end is correct.
   

David

Hi David,

very interesting, I would never have thought of such an approach. Yes, I think it does achieve what I am aiming for. I am not sure whether I want to apply it large scale, but it's certainly an eye-opener.

Thank you,
Lutz