[LDPE] 1.8.74 Released (stud-grid / axis labels / drafts / std. bricks / unit conv.)

[Nils Schmidt]

Hey,

I know, it is too early for presents. Nevertheless, here is one.
For the next version I will try to include a "cheat sheet" in the program. Search for "blender 3d cheat sheet" or something similar. Otherwise you can take a look here in the next year, when there is actually something to see.



As always, you can download LDPE from this page:

http://nilsschmidt1337.github.io/ldparteditor/

Changelog:

(5 new features and 1 bug fix)

With this release you will be able to...

• ...use a "stud" grid setting (Plate 1 x 1, Y = 8 LDU, XZ = 10 LDU half-stud).
  
• ...see an optional "x", "y", "z" on the coloured axes of the coordinate system (activate with "Tools..."->"Options..."->"Show Axis Labels", or with the 3D view context menu "View Actions"->"Axis Label").
  
• ...create a new file draft (Ctrl+Click on "New Part File"), without saying where it should be saved. When it is saved for the first time, the program will ask where to save it. Unsaved drafts are lost when the program gets closed.
  
• ...access a set of standard bricks, tiles and plates in the primitives view.
  
• ...benefit from a more precise unit converter (it avoids the division).
  

The following critical issue is fixed:

1. Creating/opening a project kept the "Part Review" active, when doing a review.
   

The program was tested intensively with "real world" files.
However, something can go wrong in about 140.000 lines of code.

Installation on Windows:

1. Download and extract LDPartEditor_win32_x64.zip
   
2. Run LDPartEditor-1.8.74.msi
   
3. Start LDPartEditor from the start menu
   

Installation on Linux:

1. Download and extract LDPartEditor_linux_x64.zip
   
2. Install ldparteditor_1.8.74-1_amd64.deb
   
3. Start LDPartEditor from the menu or via launcher
   

Installation on Mac OS X:

1. Download and extract LDPartEditor_mac_x64.zip
   
2. Mount LDPartEditor-1.8.74.dmg
   
3. Drag LDPartEditor.app to the Applications folder
   
4. Copy ldparteditor.sh to your home folder
       4a. Open a Terminal.app and run ./ldparteditor.sh
       4b. Or open a Terminal.app and run /Applications/LDPartEditor.app/Contents/MacOS/LDPartEditor
   

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:

• OpenGL 2.1 compatible Graphics Card
  
• Operating System (64-bit): Windows [7 or newer], Linux [e.g. Ubuntu Linux >=14.4], Mac OS X [>=10.6]
  
• CPU: Multicore-Processor e.g. Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon II (>2.0Ghz)
  
• RAM: 4GB
  
• Video-Memory: 1 GB
  
• Free Disk Space: 150 MB
  

Recommended Requirements:

• Operating System (64bit): Windows 7,8,10,11, Linux [e.g. Ubuntu Linux >=14.4], Mac OS X [>=10.6]
  
• OpenGL 3.3 compatible Graphics Card
  
• CPU: Multicore-Processor with 4 cores (or more)
  
• RAM: >4 GB
  
• Video-Memory: >1 GB
  
• Free Disk Space: 500 MB
  
• For a faster start, LDPartEditor and the LDraw™ library should be installed on an SSD.
  

[N. W. Perry]

• ...create a new file draft (Ctrl+Click on "New Part File"), without saying where it should be saved. When it is saved for the first time, the program will ask where to save it. Unsaved drafts are lost when the program gets closed.
  
• ...access a set of standard bricks, tiles and plates in the primitives view.
  

Ha, I was just wishing for both of these things, exactly today!

[Willy Tschager]

With this release you will be able to...

• ...use a "stud" grid setting (Plate 1 x 1, Y = 8 LDU, XZ = 10 LDU half-stud).
  
• ...see an optional "x", "y", "z" on the coloured axes of the coordinate system (activate with "Tools..."->"Options..."->"Show Axis Labels", or with the 3D view context menu "View Actions"->"Axis Label").
  
• ...create a new file draft (Ctrl+Click on "New Part File"), without saying where it should be saved. When it is saved for the first time, the program will ask where to save it. Unsaved drafts are lost when the program gets closed.
  
• ...access a set of standard bricks, tiles and plates in the primitives view.
  

So glad Santa Claus is making night shifts to work on my wish list.

Tell him there is more to come.

w.

[Philippe Hurbain]

Thanks Nils!

...use a "stud" grid setting (Plate 1 x 1, Y = 8 LDU, XZ = 10 LDU half-stud).

...see an optional "x", "y", "z" on the coloured axes of the coordinate system

A minor one: the labels are all red, color of the x-axis, slightly misleading. I suggest either to use a neutral color (black) or use the color axis for each label...

[Philippe Hurbain]

Maybe this is not directly related to this version, but new text/source now appear as a new window instead of a new tab (I use separate text/3D windows)

[Nils Schmidt]

Maybe this is not directly related to this version, but new text/source now appear as a new window instead of a new tab (I use separate text/3D windows)

"Separate Windows", the first option, should create only one text window instance and open a tab.
"View files in a new text editor window", the last option, should create a new window for a new file.
In theory, it should not be possible to create another text editor window, when using the "Separate Windows" option.

I would need the LDPE version, to check if there is a potential bug somewhere.

[Nils Schmidt]

A minor one: the labels are all red, color of the x-axis, slightly misleading. I suggest either to use a neutral color (black) or use the color axis for each label...

You can change the colour in the options. It is currently named "Text (2)" which is misleading. I created an issue to update the naming for that colour.
Currently, this will also affect the text colour of the view perspective label. This is not a bug. I found it more comfortable to read all the text just in one colour to get less distraction on the view.

[Rene Rechthaler]

Hello, thanks for the new version...

Some ideas for the next versions (all non-critical):
- panning the view with the right mouse button interrupts drawing (lines, triangles and quads), zooming and rotating with the middle wheel doesnt...
  (this makes it hard when you have to draw something you cant see in one view...)
- I dont know why, and its only LDPE which has some kind of parrallel line around the Program in windowed mode (only bottom and right side)
- is there any way of multi-display support instead of running different instances of the program on different screens? (are these still linked? (for example if you edit a subpart in an instance, does the main part in the other instance also get affected)

thanks in advance, René

[Nils Schmidt]

- panning the view with the right mouse button interrupts drawing (lines, triangles and quads), zooming and rotating with the middle wheel doesnt...
  (this makes it hard when you have to draw something you cant see in one view...)

When you hold Ctrl while pressing the right mouse button for panning it will not interrupt drawing (lines, triangles and quads).
LDPatternCreator has the same behaviour.

- is there any way of multi-display support instead of running different instances of the program on different screens? (are these still linked? (for example if you edit a subpart in an instance, does the main part in the other instance also get affected)

LDPE instances are not linked, but you can edit a subpart in another instance and save it and the reload it in the main part instance with the "Update/Compile Subfile Data" button (it has two bright yellow arrows on it.)

- I dont know why, and its only LDPE which has some kind of parrallel line around the Program in windowed mode (only bottom and right side)

This has technical reasons. On the right side there is the embedded text editor which adds two border lines at the bottom and right side.

[Philippe Hurbain]

I would need the LDPE version, to check if there is a potential bug somewhere.

1.8.74, but no need: it was a problem on my side, probably a mouso while changing another option. Now working fine

[Philippe Hurbain]

• ...create a new file draft (Ctrl+Click on "New Part File"), without saying where it should be saved. When it is saved for the first time, the program will ask where to save it. Unsaved drafts are lost when the program gets closed.
  

Hi Nils,
This is working fine, but the old method does have a quirk. If I create a new file in the location I need, then later try on save the file using the save button (or through ctrl+s), the "save as" window opens and don't let me use the initial file name (a "file name already allocated" warning pops up).

[Fredrik Hareide]

Feature request (maybe wrong thread) 

Not sure if everyone agrees, but could we get "Exclude Unmatched Edges" as default in Edger2 and a toggle to NOT create linetype 2 at all?

[Philippe Hurbain]

Feature request (maybe wrong thread) 

Not sure if everyone agrees, but could we get "Exclude Unmatched Edges" as default in Edger2 and a toggle to NOT create linetype 2 at all?

+1

[Fredrik Hareide]

Also the issue Philo pointed out with new files also happens with Update linkes subfile data. It is not possible to save over after making the changes

[Nils Schmidt]

+1

I created an issue (#1022).