New Meta command PREVIEW

[Manfred Schaefer]

Hello,
I have noticed that Willy Tschager is using the new meta-comannd PREVIEW and uploading parts to the parts tracker. Is there a recommendation for the individual parts or specifications as to what the viewing angle should be. For example, the minifigure head 3626, frontal or rather from the top right or left?

Greetings

Manfred

[Rene Rechthaler]

The PREVIEW is there to generate a different Preview image, if the pattern/sticker isnt visible by default...
patterned/stickered parts have to be the same origin and orientation as the base part, so it is possible that the pattern/sticker is on the backside of the part.
to be visible in the Preview, the meta tells the preview generator to turn the part first.
Minifig heads are mostly printed on the front, so it doesnt need the command.
but for example, panels or other bricks which can be decorated on different sides.
a minifig head brick will always be decorated on the front, because it can be rotated -> printed side "defines" the front side
for example, this part: https://library.ldraw.org/parts/44196
the base part is with the hinge to the front, so the long side with the sticker is on the back.
the part cant be rotated itself, so the preview wouldnt show the sticker.
Minifig heads should keep the standard view, also to show the stud type and sometimes its also to see if the head has a back print...

[Magnus Forsberg]

Is there a recommendation for the individual parts or specifications as to what the viewing angle should be.

This should/need only be applied on those part or shortcuts where the pattern or sticker is placed on the backside of the default position.
https://www.ldraw.org/article/398.html#opmeta

[N. W. Perry]

Looks like this would have been useful for all these new torso parts…differing only on their back sides.

[Chris Böhnke]

Looks like this would have been useful for all these new torso parts…differing only on their back sides.

I thought about that too, but that would make the front not visible.

Actually I think the front  (denoting the individual team and making clear this torso is from the 2000 football line) is more important here. There are other "team numbers" torsos out there which also differ only on the back number. Whilst the numbers do differ a bit, it might not be different enough to easily distinguish different teams with the same number.

[Orion Pobursky]

My philosophy is that all parts will be oriented the same unless there is a print/sticker on the "backside" with no print/sticker on the "front".

[SNIPE]

Can I add the PREVIEW directive to all .dat files in the shadow library?
I have icons & filenames of all LDraw primatives in excel as well as macro to open them in LDCAD/notepad.

But I want icons of the shadow library dat files too, and want to link these with their respective LDraw primatives, so that people can find it easier to look up existing LDraw primitives or check if an existing shadow lib file exists in order to add snapping information.

[Orion Pobursky]

The shadow library is not an official LDraw.org product. It's controlled by Roland on his GitHub repo so PREVIEW implementation there is up to him.
https://github.com/RolandMelkert/LDCadShadowLibrary

[SNIPE]

The shadow library is not an official LDraw.org product. It's controlled by Roland on his GitHub repo so PREVIEW implementation there is up to him.
https://github.com/RolandMelkert/LDCadShadowLibrary

yes, but the thing I don't get is how it would work on ldraw .dat files but not the shadow lib .dat files, I'm not sure if the dat file has to ve opned in an editor for the image to be generated or not, which is what the PREVIEW meta-statement is for right?

[Roland Melkert]

yes, but the thing I don't get is how it would work on ldraw .dat files but not the shadow lib .dat files, I'm not sure if the dat file has to ve opned in an editor for the image to be generated or not, which is what the PREVIEW meta-statement is for right?

A repeat of the message I wrote you on eurobricks' pm (if other are interested).

The current LDCad version doesn't support preview, the next one will though.

That said you can add whatever you want to a COPY of the shadow, their content will be merged with the normal part files during loading.

But I won't accept them in the shadow as found on github, as its outside the scope of its purpose (a supplement to existing .dats, so no duplicate meta's).