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Subject: 
Bricksmith 2.0: Mousing Around
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.announce, lugnet.cad, lugnet.cad.dev.mac
Followup-To: 
lugnet.cad.dev.mac
Date: 
Sun, 27 Jul 2008 22:47:43 GMT
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Bricksmith 2.0 adds the following features:
  • Use the mouse to drag parts within the model, and into the model from the Part Browser
  • Global color list is read from ldconfig.ldr
  • Anti-aliased drawing (much prettier)
  • Lines are drawn with a complimentary color to the main part
  • Part search improved
  • Hotkeys for viewing angles
  • Simplified some keyboard shortcuts
  • Colors can be searched by number, and entered entirely by keyboard
  • Dimensions panel also shows LDraw units
  • Added help pages for secret key shortcuts and unofficial parts
It also fixes the following bugs:
  • Eliminated drawing problems resulting in unilluminated polygons (ex. flowers.dat)
  • Fixed split-view state restoration under Leopard

Just shy of its three-year birthday, I proudly present Bricksmith’s most significant update yet. Mouse-dragging makes model-building with Bricksmith a whole new experience. Being able to just drag in a part from the Part Browser really lets you focus on building. Mouse dragging works whether a view is in 3-D mode or not, continuing the Bricksmith philosophy that no view is a third-class citizen.

The introduction of mouse-dragging played havoc with the former use of modifier keys. Because regular click-and-drag now moves parts, spinning the model now requires holding down the Command key. Until very shortly before this release, I had intended to make Command a second multiple-selection key as stipulated by Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines. However, I decided that modifier keys were too precious a commodity to use two of them for the same purpose, and that few people would figure out how to spin the model if it required holding down two modifiers at once. If you disagree, please write me. In the meantime, there is now a modifier key cheat-sheet in the Help menu.

This release also includes partial ldconfig.ldr color support. The global color list is read from LDraw/ldconfig.ldr, but locally-scoped !COLOUR statements within other files are not supported. The edge color specified in !COLOUR directives is also ignored; Bricksmith currently auto-computes a compliment color instead.

Over the last few years, mouse-dragging had become the White Whale of my labors. It is intensely satisfying to have finally stopped putting it off and actually written it. The last year has also been filled with happy but major changes in my life, including getting married, moving into our new house, and finishing the remodeling thereof. Hobby programming time has been scarce, but I have snatched it when I could. I hope you enjoy the result.

Bricksmith now requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later, and may be download it at http://bricksmith.sourceforge.net/. It is both Intel and PowerPC native.

Sincerely,
Allen Smith



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: Bricksmith 2.0: Mousing Around
 
(...) Allen, Thanks for developing a second release. Chris (16 years ago, 16-Aug-08, to lugnet.cad.dev.mac)

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