 | | some thoughts on ldraw parts
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i was thinking today about how many parts within what exists for ldraw that I actually use. It occured to me that I really only use about 1/3 to one half of what's in the program along with the updates. And to boot I'm only using a few parts out of (...) (24 years ago, 24-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad)
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| | Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts
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(...) I know what you mean -- there are a lot of parts in the library that I will *never* use in my creations, because I don't have those parts in my LEGO colleciton. (...) One thing you can do to manage your parts-searching is to use LDList, (...) (24 years ago, 25-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad)
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| | Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts
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my 2 cents: I probably use the library more for viewing than building. I love looking at the models, and have less time to build. I do build, it's just that the projects I have in mind are so large in scope that I have never finished one. I just (...) (24 years ago, 25-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad)
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| | Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts
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(...) I've found a solution for the "wading through non-interesting parts" with LEdit. What I do is simply to edit the file PARTS.LST and put all the parts I use most frequently first. That way I can easily grab the plates and technic items when I (...) (24 years ago, 25-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad)
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| | Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts
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(...) Another trick I use is to open PARTS.LST in a text editor while I work in LEdit. That way, when I need a specific part, I can do a search in the text editor for "tile 2 x 2" or "torso" to zip right to the category. Of course, you have to have (...) (24 years ago, 25-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad)
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| | Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts
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What I do is I make a new parts.lst file with the parts I want for that model in there and then if I have forgotten a part I an go back to the parts.old file with all the parts listed and get the number. For example I have a shuttle.lst file that I (...) (24 years ago, 26-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad)
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| | Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts
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(...) That's a pretty efficient idea; after you inventory the set, your search time must be greatly reduced if you're only selecting from among the parts in the set. Is there a way in LEdit that you can select which parts list you use, or does it (...) (24 years ago, 26-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad)
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| | Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts
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In lugnet.cad, Steve Bliss writes: <snip> I don't think that erasing parts is a good idea, you want every part you possibly can get your hands on... (...) I think the problem in general is the hierarchical organisation scheme. Trees are ALWAYS hard (...) (24 years ago, 26-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad)
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| | RE: some thoughts on ldraw parts
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(...) Not surprisingly, this is exactly what happens in circuit board layout. You draw a schematic, and then generate a parts list and net list. The PCB layout tool then puts all of the parts in a corner (or wherever) and you move the parts to where (...) (24 years ago, 26-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad)
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| | Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts
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(...) I agree, but Adam seemed to have made up his mind... (...) Yah, that would be good. That's the reason for the 0 KEYWORDS meta-statement on some newer part files: to provide a mechanism somewhere between text-searching and categories and (...) (24 years ago, 26-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad)
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| | Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts
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"Ralph Hempel" <rhempel@bmts.com> wrote in message news:000101c027c2$7f...@pro150... (...) each (...) Gathering (...) the (...) making (...) move on (...) You (...) layout (...) parts (...) For example: (...) parts (...) one (...) YES! As I was (...) (24 years ago, 26-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad)
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| | Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts
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(...) Probably would be better to have 'palette files' that you can load into the parts palette. If we coded the set information into each part file, we'd have to update large portions of the part-library every few months, as new sets were released. (...) (24 years ago, 26-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad)
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| | Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts
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Steve Bliss skrev i meddelandet ... (...) I put (one experimental implementation of) this into LDLIST a while ago, and we discussed a possible file format for 'sets'. But as long as no drawing program accepts a drag'n'drop from LDLIST, it's not a (...) (24 years ago, 26-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad)
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| | Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts
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(...) WOW! I didnt realize that I had started such a discussion. I think that the parts palettes are a great idea. That might be something for those working on the artemis project to take a look at. My annoyance from wading through endless seas of (...) (24 years ago, 27-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad)
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| | Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts
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I agree with you Adam. I think the list should be trimmed down. Currently there are a lot of parts that are simply short-cuts to other parts. These should be retired and removed from the list. The reason they exist it to support (...) (24 years ago, 27-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad)
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| | Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts
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(...) Don't be disrespecting the part authors. They all choose what parts to work on. They voluntarily, without compensation, contribute their time and effort to the LCAD Part Library. Which provides a valuable resource to *all* AFOLs. People who (...) (24 years ago, 27-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad)
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| | Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts
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Here's a list of the types of files in the ldraw\parts directory: General parts - like 3001.dat, the 2x4 brick. Components - pieces only released by TLC as part of an assembly, like 3149.dat, the base for the classic 2x5 plate-hinge. Composite parts (...) (24 years ago, 27-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad)
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| | Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts
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(...) Please don't misunderstand me here. Trust me, I as much as anyone depend on these parts authors. What it comes down to is with a rewpository if you really want the minifig torso with the zipper pattern slightly cocked to the left with the (...) (24 years ago, 28-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad)
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| | Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts
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(...) [snip] (...) Speaking for me personaly, I happen to like it, as it is now. I want the part library so complete as it possibly can be, and I want it sitting on my own hard disk. We should also remember that our programs are very internationaly (...) (24 years ago, 28-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad)
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| | Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts
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(...) when (...) Thanks Manfred, its nice to have some re-assurance that the time I have put into the decorated torsos is considered of value to the community. Decorated parts should be easy enough for parts categorisation algorithms to identify (...) (24 years ago, 28-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad)
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| | Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts
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(...) THIS user of LDraw tools considers decorated torsos of GREAT value. I only wis they were all done or that there was an easier way to do what are essentially bitmaps tiled onto a flat surface. Too bad the LDraw standard didn't allow for tiling (...) (24 years ago, 28-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad, lugnet.cad.mlcad)
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| | Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts
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(...) Well, here's another "satisfied customer". ;-) Chris, keep up the good work! Thanks, Franklin (24 years ago, 28-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad)
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| | part skins (was Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts)
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okay, were going to try and post something without getting anyone angry this evening. Where to begin? Well first off I'll apologize to all the minifig torso fans out there. In the original post it was the first thing that came to mind. So anyone who (...) (24 years ago, 29-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad, lugnet.cad.mlcad)
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| | Re: part skins (was Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts)
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(...) I don't think we where realy angry. It's basicly a good point you've bring forward, and we encourage everyone to discuss subjects like these openly. Please consider the reactions you've got more as different opinions than as angry (...) (24 years ago, 29-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad, lugnet.cad.mlcad)
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| | Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts
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(...) A keyword field can be a very good way to implement this. At one time, I was running an RPG which had a single set of spells, but different types of spell casters could use different ones. I was using a database on the Apple II which had a (...) (24 years ago, 29-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad)
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| | Re: part skins (was Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts)
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(...) :) That sounds like a good prayer/meditation to/for me. (...) I'd like to also apologize. My responses (to both Adams) were somewhat overdone. Good thing I toned them down before posting them, eh? (...) For me, it wasn't your chosen example -- (...) (24 years ago, 29-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad, lugnet.cad.mlcad)
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| | Re: part skins (was Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts)
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(...) <snip> I feel this suggestion as worded combines two different, separable ideas, both of which merit discussion. One would be the introduction of subcategories for decorated versions of parts within the authoring tools. The other is a new, (...) (24 years ago, 29-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad, lugnet.cad.mlcad, lugnet.cad.dev)
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| | Re: part skins (was Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts)
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I'm surprised that this hasn't been mentioned yet, but 'skins' wouldn't be very hard to implement at all...in fact it HAS been done (although not in this context *). Simply make a two-dimensional part for each graphic and create a Graphic or Decal (...) (24 years ago, 29-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad, lugnet.cad.mlcad)
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| | Re: part skins (was Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts)
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(...) Two small problems... 1. you have to create the graphic. For a complex torso this is hard. 2D helps but there still are a lot of triangles. Hence my suggestion for an authoring tool to help with this task. (if MLCad could allow display a (...) (24 years ago, 30-Sep-00, to lugnet.cad, lugnet.cad.mlcad)
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| | Re: part skins (was Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts)
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(...) Whoa. Deja vu. (...) [snip] (...) I'm not seeing how this affects file-naming standards, except from the POV of not changing what we're doing. Also, do you (or anyone) have any suggestions for modifying the Partsref site to follow this (...) (24 years ago, 2-Oct-00, to lugnet.cad.dev)
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| | Re: part skins (was Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts)
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Larry Pieniazek skrev i meddelandet ... (...) present (...) are (...) I have the beginnings of such a program, it puts the bitmap as background, and you can draw polygons (triangles and quads) on top of that. You can zoom in/out quite a bit, and it (...) (24 years ago, 2-Oct-00, to lugnet.cad.dev)
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| | Re: part skins (was Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts)
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(...) both (...) We were composing at the same time I think, and independently posted. Either that or its some sort of Ada resonance. (...) Continue to enforce the naming convention for decorated parts that makes it easy to derive what the base part (...) (24 years ago, 4-Oct-00, to lugnet.cad.dev)
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| | Re: part skins (was Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts)
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(...) Yes indeedy, and coincidentally I slung together the beginnings of such a program tonight. You feed it the outlines of the features of the printed element, along with a "color seed" inside each colored region, and it generates the triangles (...) (24 years ago, 4-Oct-00, to lugnet.cad.dev)
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| | Re: part skins (was Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts)
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(...) Cool beans! (...) Define "feed" in this context... an ordered vertex list? That's still hard to do, what is needed is an app that lets me create these regions superimposed on a bitmap. (...) Er, ah, kind of like that. (...) I think this is an (...) (24 years ago, 4-Oct-00, to lugnet.cad.dev)
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| | Re: part skins (was Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts)
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(...) You are correct on both points. The primary value of the tool at this point is that it removes the tedium of defining polygons to connect vertices. It's a start! (...) Your edge-detection suggestion is certainly the ideal, but would get a bit (...) (24 years ago, 4-Oct-00, to lugnet.cad.dev)
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| | Re: part skins (was Re: some thoughts on ldraw parts)
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(...) It's not always this easy. Some parts just cannot be constructed out of the primitives - or the scaling/transformation is just too difficult to figure out. Examples are those with complex curves (like the wizard's hat), or complex (...) (24 years ago, 4-Oct-00, to lugnet.cad.dev)
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