LDraw All-In-One-Installer 2022-01 v1 now available

[Willy Tschager]

An updated version of the LDraw All-In-One-Installer, in short AIOI, containing the LDraw Parts Library update 2022-01 with 821 new files (including 568 new parts and 22 new primitives) has been released.

The AIOI supports Windows XP (Home and Pro), Windows Vista or higher (all versions). There are two installer files available: Use the 64 Bit AIOI to install all the main 64 Bit programs, while the older 32 Bit programs are offered in a separated .exe file. Please note that only the 64 Bit version contains the LDraw Parts Library. If you want to use the 32 Bit programs it is mandatory that the library has been installed previously. The Installer will NOT run on Windows 95, 98, ME, NT Ver 4, 2000, or XP below SP2.

It contains the following changes:

* Update to Parts Library 2022-01
* Update to MLCad.ini 2022-01
* Update to Offline Parts Catalog 2022-01
* Update to LeoCAD 21.01
* Update to LPub3D 2.4.3.0.2557

You can download the AIOI from:

LDraw.org >> Help >> Get Started >> Windows >> LDraw All-In-One-Installer

Many thanks to all the programmers who contributed to this release.

Willy Tschager
(LDraw.org Content Manager)

[tom alphin]

The AIOI supports Windows XP (Home and Pro), Windows Vista or higher (all versions). There are two installer files available: Use the 64 Bit AIOI to install all the main 64 Bit programs, while the older 32 Bit programs are offered in a separated .exe file. Please note that only the 64 Bit version contains the LDraw Parts Library. If you want to use the 32 Bit programs it is mandatory that the library has been installed previously. The Installer will NOT run on Windows 95, 98, ME, NT Ver 4, 2000, or XP below SP2.

To my knowledge, this is the first time that the 32-bit apps were separated from the 64-bit apps.  Why was this done?... It only makes the install process more complicated and doesn't reduce the size of the AIOI very much, since the additional 32-bit apps are just 60mb.

My expectation is that:

• the 32-bit installer is for 32-bit OS - installs all of the 32-bit apps and parts library
  
• the 64-bit installer is for 64-bit OS - installs 64 bit apps (when available) and 32 bit ones if a 64-bit version isn't available - and the parts library too.
  

Instead the 64-bit installer is effectively required, and the 32-bit installer is supplemental. This feels like the worst of both worlds - can't install on 32bit PC, and can't get everything in a single AIOI.

---tom

P.S. Don't get me wrong - I'm glad to see an updated version for 2022 :-)

[Willy Tschager]

To my knowledge, this is the first time that the 32-bit apps were separated from the 64-bit apps.  Why was this done?... It only makes the install process more complicated and doesn't reduce the size of the AIOI very much, since the additional 32-bit apps are just 60mb.

My expectation is that:

• the 32-bit installer is for 32-bit OS - installs all of the 32-bit apps and parts library
  
• the 64-bit installer is for 64-bit OS - installs 64 bit apps (when available) and 32 bit ones if a 64-bit version isn't available - and the parts library too.
  

Instead the 64-bit installer is effectively required, and the 32-bit installer is supplemental. This feels like the worst of both worlds - can't install on 32bit PC, and can't get everything in a single AIOI.

---tom

P.S. Don't get me wrong - I'm glad to see an updated version for 2022 :-)

There is no installer-software that can install 64 bit and 32 bit simultaneously. I've been looking into this for years and ultimately decided for this approach. 64 bit OS are around since Windows Vista, 2006 to say. I think it is fair to say that 16 years were enough time to upgrade from an XP ecosystem to a 64 bit environment.

Furthermore it is is also to encourage the programmers of the remaining 32 bit progs to emigrate to 64 bit.

w.

[tom alphin]

There is no installer-software that can install 64 bit and 32 bit simultaneously. I've been looking into this for years and ultimately decided for this approach. 64 bit OS are around since Windows Vista, 2006 to say. I think it is fair to say that 16 years were enough time to upgrade from an XP ecosystem to a 64 bit environment.

Furthermore it is is also to encourage the programmers of the remaining 32 bit progs to emigrate to 64 bit.

w.

Thanks for the thoughtful reply.  

I am a bit unsure what changed in the last couple years - were older AIOI version 100% 32-bit (hence one installer), or were there two versions for longer than I realized?

[Willy Tschager]

Thanks for the thoughtful reply.  

I am a bit unsure what changed in the last couple years - were older AIOI version 100% 32-bit (hence one installer), or were there two versions for longer than I realized?

Til 2022-01 the AIOI was 32 Bit only and installed only the 32 Bit version of LDPub, LDCad, LeoCAD.

w.

[tom alphin]

Til 2022-01 the AIOI was 32 Bit only and installed only the 32 Bit version of LDPub, LDCad, LeoCAD.

w.

That explains my confusion perfectly - this is the first time where 64-bit software was included in the AIOI, and thusly the first time where two installers were needed.  I think it's misleading to refer to the 32-bit package as an AIOI since it only installs the supplemental apps.  Further, there doesn't seem to be a need to continue offering a 32-bit installer for the core apps and library, so maybe you don't need to emphasize that any longer.

Here's my suggestion to reduce confusion:

1. Refer to the 64-bit installer as the "LDraw-AIOI-Installer" and de-emphasize or even remove the 64-bit language.
   
2. Refer to the 32-bit installer as the "LDraw-Supplemental-Apps-Installer_(32bit)"
   

Also, it is not clear what someone who is actually running a 32-bit OS should do.  Is there a page they can go to manually install the core parts library and individual 32-bit apps?  That seems like a sufficient workaround for an increasingly uncommon scenario.  (Technically speaking, even Windows 10 comes in a 32-bit version.)

---tom

[Willy Tschager]

Here's my suggestion to reduce confusion:

1. Refer to the 64-bit installer as the "LDraw-AIOI-Installer" and de-emphasize or even remove the 64-bit language.
   
2. Refer to the 32-bit installer as the "LDraw-Supplemental-Apps-Installer_(32bit)"
   

Also, it is not clear what someone who is actually running a 32-bit OS should do.  Is there a page they can go to manually install the core parts library and individual 32-bit apps?  That seems like a sufficient workaround for an increasingly uncommon scenario.  (Technically speaking, even Windows 10 comes in a 32-bit version.)

---tom

* You've got a point. I will consider this for the next release which is planed for March.

* Step 1 at https://www.ldraw.org/article/104.html explains that a manual install procedure can be found at: http://www.holly-wood.it/mlcad/install1-en.html

w.

[tom alphin]

* You've got a point. I will consider this for the next release which is planed for March.

* Step 1 at https://www.ldraw.org/article/104.html explains that a manual install procedure can be found at: http://www.holly-wood.it/mlcad/install1-en.html

w.

Glad to hear that the feedback was helpful, and could result in less confusion in the next update.  You might want to make the "manual installation" instructions more prominent, and include explicit text about the manual process.

Here's a proposed before and after...

Current text:
Use the LDraw All-In-One-Installer, in short AIOI, if you want a quick and easy way to install LDraw parts library and many of the popular 3rd party tools as well.

The AIOI supports Windows XP (Home and Pro), Windows Vista or higher (all versions). There are two installer files: Use the 64 Bit AIOI to install all the main 64 Bit programs, while the older 32 Bit programs are offered in a separated .exe file. Please note that only the 64 Bit version contains the LDraw Parts Library. If you want to use the 32 Bit programs it is mandatory that the library has been installed previously. The Installer will NOT run on Windows 95, 98, ME, NT Ver 4, 2000, or XP below SP2. If your version of Windows is different, follow the manual install instruction at http://www.holly-wood.it/mlcad/install-en.html.


Proposed Text:
The LDraw AIOI (All-In-One-Installer) is the easiest way to install the LDraw parts library and many of the popular 3rd party tools on a Windows PC running a modern 64-bit operating system (such as most versions of Windows 7/8/10/11).  A supplemental installer allows you to install those older apps which have not been updated to a 64-bit version.

The AIOI requires the 64-bit edition Windows XP or newer — If you are using an older version of Windows (such as Windows 95, 98, ME, NT4, 2000, or XP below SP2), or a 32-bit version of a newer version (not common), you will need to follow the manual install instructions at http://www.holly-wood.it/mlcad/install-en.html.

[Willy Tschager]

Glad to hear that the feedback was helpful, and could result in less confusion in the next update.  You might want to make the "manual installation" instructions more prominent, and include explicit text about the manual process.

Here's a proposed before and after...

Current text:
Use the LDraw All-In-One-Installer, in short AIOI, if you want a quick and easy way to install LDraw parts library and many of the popular 3rd party tools as well.

The AIOI supports Windows XP (Home and Pro), Windows Vista or higher (all versions). There are two installer files: Use the 64 Bit AIOI to install all the main 64 Bit programs, while the older 32 Bit programs are offered in a separated .exe file. Please note that only the 64 Bit version contains the LDraw Parts Library. If you want to use the 32 Bit programs it is mandatory that the library has been installed previously. The Installer will NOT run on Windows 95, 98, ME, NT Ver 4, 2000, or XP below SP2. If your version of Windows is different, follow the manual install instruction at http://www.holly-wood.it/mlcad/install-en.html.


Proposed Text:
The LDraw AIOI (All-In-One-Installer) is the easiest way to install the LDraw parts library and many of the popular 3rd party tools on a Windows PC running a modern 64-bit operating system (such as most versions of Windows 7/8/10/11).  A supplemental installer allows you to install those older apps which have not been updated to a 64-bit version.

The AIOI requires the 64-bit edition Windows XP or newer — If you are using an older version of Windows (such as Windows 95, 98, ME, NT4, 2000, or XP below SP2), or a 32-bit version of a newer version (not common), you will need to follow the manual install instructions at http://www.holly-wood.it/mlcad/install-en.html.

I updated the text. I'll come up with a naming scheme for the files once I made up my mind about the 32/64 Bit naming issue.

w.

[tom alphin]

I updated the text. I'll come up with a naming scheme for the files once I made up my mind about the 32/64 Bit naming issue.

w.

Cool, that was fast!  Glad that I could help.