Problems with Ldview and Lpub

[Petter Lerdahl]

I have downloaded a model from internet (around 272KB) Its a Lego Technic NXT model.
First i get an subfile error on x538c01.dat i LDview. Then it shows up. But to use the program is terrible slow.
In LPub it takes up to 5-10 min before anything shows up.
I wonder what type of "super" computer i need if not a 3,2Ghz Intel quadcore CPU 12 GB ram running on windows 7 64bit can do it.
I also tied other computers but with different results. From error from visual C++ libary form LDview to slow computer.
But those had only 4GB ram but a 3 and 2 Ghz cpu.

If i do anything in Lpub it moves ok but when finished with the move the computer tinking in 5-10 sek before i can do anything again.
I also tried to find what type of part the x538c01.dat is but have not ben able to identify it.

[Max Martin Richter]

First I have no idea about your LPub problem but for your other problem there could be a solution

I also tried to find what type of part the x538c01.dat is but have not ben able to identify it.

I just did a google search and the second or third result showed me a parts list a such a robot.
There the part is called:

"Technic Axle Flexible 26 with Axle 4 and Axle 2 on Ends" - In our library its named as u334.dat
The name is a little bit different. But this doesn't matter.

/Max

[Petter Lerdahl]

Thanks for the part nr. I changed it in the file. I still have the slow Lpub program but have started to look for what to do.
Since it is my first time to use Lpub i found it hard to work with. I found a tutorial and with my model I cant do what the tutorial tell I shoukd do. I tried the small pyramid file and had no problems. My file is a multi part. But sine i can't start or add a callout page then i'm lost for what to do next. I have the mainscreen showing a part of the model and part list partialy on top of each other.

[Petter Lerdahl]

A small update on the problem.
I got a crazy idea to rename the file from Ldr to Mpd just to se if someting happend with the add of pages problem.
That problem was not solved but it got a mutch faster loading. That whas strange ?
Shuldn't the ldr and Mpd file be simular to each other. One taking 5-10 minutes but the other takes seconds

[Travis Cobbs]

As the author of LDView, I'd like to verify that the super slow load-time you're seeing is just with LPub when using LDView as its renderer, and not if you open the file directly in LDView. I can't think of any reason why LPub would take a super long time to load the file when it has a .ldr extension, but not with .mpd. I know that LDView ignores the extension, and simply looks at the file contents.

[Petter Lerdahl]

That was what i thougth too. I did the test again on this computer with a different file. It was a truck model made in Lego's LDD saved as Ldr. singe part. It loaded in 2-3 minutess. I changed the file extension to mpd and it loaded within 2-3 seconds.
I do not know the program the other file was made in since it was downloaded from the net. But it proves that the same happends on different files. My thrird computer is out of order at the moment. The first was my pc at work.

[Gerald Lasser]

I have this experience if the LPUB Meta Command "BOM" is included, that takes ages to load. I usually remove this statement and keep it away till the very end of processing.

[Gerald Lasser]

Did you try to rename it back to a *.ldr?

LPUB does some precalculation and rendering of parts, that might explain some of the duration during the first load.

Do you mind sharing the file to test it?

Gerald

[Travis Cobbs]

You never did answer my question. Does it take a long time to load directly in LDView, or just in LPub?

[Petter Lerdahl]

I renamed it back to ldr and it was as fast as the mpd. I think it was as you wrote that lpub writes files first time.
To ansver the other question. There is no problem loading the truck model in Ldview but get a crash on the downloaded model on this computer. I will check again on my work computer. I think i get som Visual C++ lib messages there.

[Petter Lerdahl]

The Ldview load just fine but sometimes gives the following error on Ldview.exe
"Runtime error ! This application has requested the runtime to be terminated in a n unusual way. Please contact the application's support team for more information. " Heading on this window is Microsoft Visual C++ Library.
If i press oK (only option) i can still use the program but it will popup later on.

[Travis Cobbs]

I have to assume that English is not your native language. Please find someone to translate my question into your native language, because after two attempts on my part, you still haven't answered it.

[Petter Lerdahl]

Yes you are correct about english is not my native language (it is norwegian) but I understand and read english good to understand what is written.

If i understod you right, I answered that question in my last message.
I answered that ldview loaded just fine. I see now that I could wrote it differently. What i ment to say here was that a model file loaded fast and no problems on this computer. Thats without Lpub

On the other hand i have the error message when i load a model on one other computer.

[Petter Lerdahl]

Travis
Was this the answer you wanted or have you given up to get the answer and I'm still not understand what you ask for?

Petter

[Petter Lerdahl]

Where can you disable this. I can not find it in Lpub. I have checked but cant find it.
Chould the reason for no adding steps be that there is no step commands in the file if i view it i MLcad ?

[Philippe Hurbain]

BOM generation is controlled by a meta command in your LDraw file, something like

Code:

0 !LPUB INSERT BOM

If you remove that line, the bom and huge time it takes to create will go away.

And for sure, if you have no STEP command you'll get only one page per submodel!
Otherwise, if you post your LDraw file here, someone can make a test to see if lpub loading time is indeed excessive...

[Petter Lerdahl]

I think we found the problem about the long delay. It was the first time generation of files into Lpub that made this. Second time it was fast loading.
I have attached the file. Found it on a page where someone had buildt a lego building machine. I wanted to take a closer look on it and downloaded the file.
Lpub only make first page with part list and a picture of the model. It has several sub models.
On some computers the Ldview just crash when loading it. Thats when loading it in Ldview alone. Have tested with another model on the same computer and it loaded fine in Ldview.
May be there is a problem in the file?

[Philippe Hurbain]

May be there is a problem in the file?

Indeed, the file is strangely built. All submodels are properly stepped, but main model duplicates them in (non-stepped) groups. Attached a tentative correction. It does load in LPub and generates a 450 pages BI! But it may not be directly usable, it should probably need rotation steps in some places to display the interesting area. Creating good building instructions is an art, that requires a lot of patience!

[Petter Lerdahl]

Thanks, I tested the file and got a first page with first step. I shall see what i going to do with it.
I have seen the sub models file with no step. That is why I suspected the step command was the problem.
But Ldview still crash with this file also. But not when used with Lpub.
The instruction for the robot was found here http://www.battlebricks.com/makerlegobot/

[Travis Cobbs]

You answered my question. If LDView itself were having huge problems with the file (or differences based on the file extension), then it would be something for me to investigate, but since the slowness is in LPub, it's not something I can do anything about.

[Philippe Hurbain]

But Ldview still crash with this file also. But not when used with Lpub.

LPub does force some LDView parameters, that might explain the different behaviour. On my side, I had no problem with this file and LDView, either directly or through LPub. It's nonetheless a BIG file, with significant loading time.

[Petter Lerdahl]

Thanks. This problem is now solved. But I have problems to run Ldview on some computers. It just crash on one and getting message about C++ library closing on another computer. Chould this bee that those computers only have 4 GB ram?
The one with C++ messages happend when exit the proram and the message pop up few seconds later saying that "the visual C++ library wanted to be closed by Ldview.exe please contact program support". I loaded a small model and it came up OK but got error when i exited the program.

[Petter Lerdahl]

I have Travis on another part of the tread about the crash and error message when only using ldview.
But thanks for the help with the file.

[Travis Cobbs]

It's highly likely that you're running out of memory. I believe that LPub instructs LDView to run in low-memory mode. You can set "Memory Usage" to "Low" on the General tab of LDView's preferences to have it run in low-memory mode when loading the file directly. It's also worth noting that LPub creates a custom file for LDView for every step, and until it gets to the last step, the file won't have all the parts in it, so will be smaller and use less memory than the whole file would.

[Travis Cobbs]

Looking at the file, I see that it's large, but it doesn't seem to be THAT large. You might also check the "Curve quality" setting on the Primitives tab of LDView's preferences. I would strongly recommend setting it to its default value, which is the second notch (the one right next to the left-most one).

[Petter Lerdahl]

Hi
I have change the setting and it looks like it works. But i think the problem realy is the robot file. When i load the old one i put up here, It crash the LDview on exit. If i load the changed one. The one i got from Phillipee, it works fine. I tested with some small lego models from the models catalog and one big space ship of MOC and the Cafe Corner model. All worked fine. At one time i had the robot model and Cafe corner loaded up at one. Around 5000 pices together. Had no problems. thanks for all help.

[Petter Lerdahl]

Back again.
I was playing with the settings in perference with loaded a standard brick 2x4 (3001.dat)
When i checked Use high primitives when avaliable, the border of the brick disapeard. I unchecked it again and applied but no change. Suddenly I got black background and i changed it back to white but i still got no border. I tried a reboot and fixed the color problem. Even a reset of setting did not change the border problem.

I also tried the BFC setting but turned those back to default when problem appeard.
I have been playing around with the code of the BFC tool program and having a strange colour problem. But when i saw the BFC setting in Ldview, i wanted to see if the same happend here. That was the reason for messing with the setting.

[Petter Lerdahl]

I think i fixed the problem again. But why is Ldview changing background color when click reset on the General screen.
I tested now and when i press reset the color goes from white to black.
The default colore is white is it?. I have not changed this.

[Travis Cobbs]

LDView's default background color is, and always has been, black.