How to add non TLG parts to the system

[Michael Heidemann]

I have already seen many system toys that are visual build based on the LDraw System of Tools. That is good.

I also have created one of them. But now I run into a problem, at least for me.
I have split the newly created files according our scheme - parts - primitives.
As place for this files (it is the toy plasticant) I think the best is a folder named plasticant in the same place where the unofficial folder is located.
In this folder I have (analog to ldraw) the folders 'parts' and 'p'.

In LDView I have added both pathes.

My problem is, that a file in 'parts' that uses a file in 'p' is not correctly displayed!
Sorry, my bad. I had to restart LDView first to also search in the added pathes!

But my main question remains. If I am right with my thoughts, then we should have a document that shows how this can work together with the tools we have today and that our library do not need to be cluttered with other files (also unofficial).

[Roland Melkert]

As long you work with the same core folders any program should be able to use it as if it were the LDraw library.

In LDCad I have an easy option for this which let you add as many library's you need (it automatically searches the p and parts subdirs based on a single location just as with the normal ld lib).

In other software you usually need to add the p and parts locations manually (in the right order).

Second step is to setup correct bins / grouping and you should be able to use it like any normal parts.

[Michael Heidemann]

Code:

In other software you usually need to add the p and parts locations manually (in the right order).

Please let me know what is "the right order", as I do not understand why the order is important ! ?

[Roland Melkert]

It should look in the parts folder first, if not found there it should look in the p folder next.

On a side note you do not need to worry about the s and 48 sub sub folders, those are referred to relative by parts so they do not need additional search locations.

[Michael Heidemann]

Thanks for clarification!

I just stumbled over an issue with the new win8 that I wasn't aware of.

The AIOI install all files in the folder "C:\Program Files (x86)\LDraw" by default. Also MLCad has an own folder under this path.
But if I changed the MLCad.ini file - nothing happend to the behaviour of MLCad.
Digging a bit deeper I found the correct file at the following place:
C:\Users\%CurrentUser%\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\LDraw\MLCad
I am sure that this information is not new to some, but for me.

So to include also other files in MLCad you need to add the folders of the new parts to the mlcad.ini located at that position.

[Roland Melkert]

Yes this issue will come into play on win vista and higher if the UAC stuff is enabled. It basically means you can only store readonly files in "program files". Config and other user writable stuff should go in "appData" or some general document dir for the current user depending on the nature of those files. Older programs will ignore these rules, so the virtualstore stuff is a fallback mechanism for those programs.

On topic: This plasticant stuff looks kinda like a Duplo version of Fischertechnik (something I also wouldn't mind seeing in LDraw format).

[Michael Heidemann]

Thanks for you comments.

Regarding Fischertechnik I can not be of any help as I never owned that toy.