Subject:
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Re: Proposed solution for Building Instruction scale issue
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.cad, lugnet.inst
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Date:
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Sat, 18 Jan 2003 12:42:28 GMT
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Viewed:
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3830 times
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Hi Mike,
I've wanted the sub-model selection stuff you talked about for a while
also (whether you use MPD or not.) I think it would be very handy. I think
that the form of this solution is in a GUI addition to LPub itself, where
you get a list of the sub-models and a check box for each indicating that
you want them generated (this would eliminate the "include sub-models"
checkbox).
One of the things I like about LPub is that it is a fire and forget tool,
meaning that once you tell it to start genreating building instruction
images, no user intervention is required. Trying to map this forward, it
seems like sub-model level control of LPub settings would be handy (along
with sub-model generation enabling/disabling). My inclination is to have
this take the form of a new pseudo-command in the LDraw file that describes
the resolution you want the model images generated at, possibly the scale as
well.
I've also wanted the sub-model as a callout picture feature. Where you
can have small sub-models generated as you showed in your first example. I
also want to be able to make multi-step callouts with the steps/and part
list images tiled nicely into one picture. You would want them outlined,
and be able to choose a background color. This is not available in MLCAD.
I also think the best solution for this is to control it using pseudo-commands.
I've got generated-file placement controls on the todo list: DATs, POVs,
images, web-pages, could each probably use their own controls for placement
in sub-directories (all could be the same or different if you like). This
would be controlled through LPub's GUI.
I'm a computer engineer working for Sun Microsystems on the largest ASIC
they've ever made ;-).
Kevin
In lugnet.cad, Mike Walsh writes:
>
> "Kevin Clague" <kevin_clague@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:H8vv2I.6M3@lugnet.com...
> > <snipped>
> > >
> > > I have a couple of ideas that I think would improve the LPub usage • paradigm.
> > > How would you like them presented to you (if at all)? Would you prefer • them
> > > posted or e-mailed?
> >
> > Mike,
> > I think posted is good.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Kevin
>
> I have added lugnet.inst to this post as there seems to be a lot of LPub
> related traffic in that group and the topic of my post is very much related
> to instructions.
>
> It has been a long time since I put together a model that didn't use
> sub-models. I think of a design hierarchically. Most of my designs are
> train related so I will context my thoughts in those terms.
>
> For a simple passenger wagon like the middle car on the Metroliner, I would
> probably end up with about 10 sub-models within a MPD. Simple things like
> train windows and doors are actually a two step process - the train window
> or door and the glass that goes in it.
>
> The original Metroliner instructions show this process in instructions like
> this:
> http://library.brickshelf.com/scans/4000/4558/4558-10.html
>
> I imagine it is possible to do that same type of thing in ML-CAD although I
> don't personally know how to do it. To be honest, I haven't even looked
> into it although I'm not sure why. Probably because I've never seen a set
> of instructions from ML-CAD that did that so I simply assumed that it can't.
> What I have been doing is showing the glass addition process as a two step
> call out.
>
> See page 13 of this document to see an example:
> http://www.carolinatrainbuilders.com/fmotm/0201/CTB-1116-std.pdf
>
> So I will have a sub-model for the window, a sub-model for the left hand
> door, one for the right hand door, one for the truck, one for the under
> carriage, one for the roof and possibly one or two more depending on the
> interior.
>
> I have a top level model that puts all of these together in the right order
> and wa-la - I have my model. Historically I have used LD-Lite to generate
> instruction quality images. I export all of the sub-models to a
> sub-directory and then invoke LD-Lite on the sub-models with the
> appropriate arguments to achieve the result I want in the final printed
> instructions.
>
> I exported all of the sub-models and operated on them independently so work
> quickly and fine tune my LD-Lite arguments. If I rendered the entire model
> each time it made the process painfully long.
>
> I would like to see LPub incorporate a similar ability. It already
> understands the hierarchy of an MPD file as per the discussion that began
> this thread several days ago. I would love to see some sort of list in the
> GUI of all of the sub-models contained within the MPD and then under user
> control, select one or more (check boxes?) to be processed by LPub. I may
> choose one set of settings for some of the sub-models and another group of
> settings for another sub-model, and yet another group of settings for
> something else. Right now I would have to run LPub three times and save the
> generated images in another location between runs to get the result I want.
> As ean example, I will work on one sub-model at a fairly low resolution
> until I am happy with all of the steps and their viewing angle. Once I am
> done with that, I want to fire off LPub with the high quality settings and
> come back to it when it is done.
>
> Ideally I would like to build up a recipe for LPub generation for a model.
> I would iterate through my sub-models refinining settings, tweaking my MPD
> until I was happy with each step. For example, I may want to generate the
> images for all of the sub-models that will end up as call outs in the final
> instruction book with a light yellow background. Once my recipe was
> complete I would crank up a top level run on the whole design for a final
> set of images.
>
> For any of you electrical engineers out there, my thought process is not
> unlike an ASIC design. Perform all of the block level synthesis
> independently until each block is correct. Once all of the blocks are done
> (well they're never really done but you have to tape out at some point) then
> tie it together with a top level, top down synthesis.
>
> So I guess what I am asking for is the ability to work with the sub-models
> of my design without having to manually decompose my MPD file in order to do
> so.
>
> I hope this makes sense, let me know if something is confusing.
>
> Mike
>
> PS: One other thing - I would like to be able to specify an output
> directory so all of my generated images end up in a particular directory.
>
> --
> Mike Walsh - mike_walsh at mindspring.com
> http://www.ncltc.cc - North Carolina LEGO Train Club
> http://www.carolinatrainbuilders.com - Carolina Train Builders
> http://www.bricklink.com/store.asp?p=mpw - CTB/Brick Depot
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