Subject:
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Re: Proposal for Revised Memorial
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.cad.dev
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Date:
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Tue, 9 Feb 1999 18:15:35 GMT
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Viewed:
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1811 times
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On Tue, 9 Feb 1999 15:16:35 GMT, lehman@javanet.com (Todd Lehman) wrote:
> How would you classify a Blacktron I prisoner pod? The exactly same sub-
> assembly is used 6 times in 5 different sets. It's not really set-specific,
> but it's certainly not a part, right?
It w/could be classified as a sub-model. At least, that's how I'd
classify it.
> I'm not trying to be difficult, I just wanna understand:
>
> (a) if it's possible to draw a line between elements and sub-assemblies
> (meta elements), and
>
> (b) if it's further possible to draw a line between sub-assemblies (meta
> elements) and sub-sets and sets.
>
> It sounds like both are possible, but with (a) making more sense than both
> (a) & (b).
A line can certainly be drawn. Elements are what's in (or destined to
be in) the ldraw\parts directory. Anything else is not a part.
Usually, the only files in ldraw\parts are elements released by TLG.
LDraw itself doesn't make any distinction between primitives, parts,
models, or any or category of dat-file. But for human consumption,
classifications make life easier. Here are the 5 'types' of dat files
I'd recognize, mixed into your list:
Primitives - geometric (or LEGO-centric) objects, such as discs,
cylinders, and boxes. These are useful for a large number
of different parts. These all go in ldraw\primitives\.
Sub-parts - non-element subfiles which are useful for a small number of
part-files (usually only one). These go in ldraw\parts\s\.
> 1. Atomic elements: single hunks of plastic
Parts - These are the 'single hunks of plastic'. These may not be
complete elements. In some cases (often electric or
hinged elements), several parts are combined to make up a
common element. These go in ldraw\parts\.
> 2. Factory-fused elements: still single hunks of plastic as far as anyone
> cares -- example: 2x2x5 lattice girder
Compound Parts
- These are parts made of other parts. There are two types
of compound parts, blurrily separable. One type is an
element which is actually made of several parts (like the
classic 2x4 plate hinge). The other type is a shortcut,
provided as a convenience for the modeler. Sometimes these
are all refered to as shortcuts. These go in ldraw\parts\.
> 3. Cohesive composite elements: they come apart but were meant to stay
> together -- example: 1x4/2x2 plate hinge
> 4. Loose composite elements: they come apart and were meant to be
> intermixed -- example: 1x2 tilting-bearing hinge
> 5. Meta-elements: useful entities in their own right which happen to be
> made up of smaller things, each of which is useful in its own right --
> example: minifigs
Sub-models - These are assemblies of parts, used by one or more
model-files. These go in ldraw\models\.
> 6. Sub-assemblies: specially assembled collections of elements which
> together comprise a useful sub-component of a model -- example:
> 8-element symmetric laser cannons on a large battlecruiser
> 7. Sub-sets/sub-models: useful or semi-useful models in their own right
> which happen to be part of a larger thing -- examples: Blacktron
> prisoner pods as part of a Space Police ship, Adventurers vehicle as
> part of a temple set, scout ship as part of space base.
Models - These are assemblies of parts, sub-models, and occasionally
other file-types (very occasionally). These represent what
the typical lego user would build by putting together lego
bricks. These go in ldraw\models,
> 8. Sets: a "LEGO set" :) -- sets of elements as purchased in a box or
> bag -- normal store sets as well as service packs.
> 9. Meta-sets: A collection of LEGO sets bundled together in a value pack
Typical usage is that a dat-file may reference other types of files
which are at a lower level (appear earlier in the list above), but not
files which are at a higher level. The exact customary usage depends on
the file-type: primitives often refer to other primitives, but parts
never refer to other parts (or else they'd be a compound part). Also,
compound parts typically don't reference primitives.
> The line between 8 and 9 is actually very blurry -- see
> http://www.lugnet.com/news/display.cgi?lugnet.admin.database:101
> and followups for head-splitting fun. :)
Ditto for 6 and 7.
> Anyway, would it make sense to draw the line either between 2 & 3 or between
> 3 & 4 for purposes of distinguishing between lugnet.cad.dat.xxx and
> lugnet.cad.dat.yyy, where xxx means parts/elements and yyy means sub-
> assemblies/models/sets?
Mostly. I think a better way to split things is by whether or not it
will be released in a parts distribution. Would Terry put it the next
L-CAD update? This parallels a split between 5 and 6, or compound parts
and sub-models.
Steve
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Lugnet.cad.dat heirarchy
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| Hey, folks. Now that we're a newsgroup, we should pay more attention to the subject line. (...) I tried to send an extended post on this subject, but I'm not sure where it went. It was basically along the same lines as Steve, though. I would only (...) (26 years ago, 9-Feb-99, to lugnet.cad.dev)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Proposal for Revised Memorial
|
| (...) How would you classify a Blacktron I prisoner pod? The exactly same sub- assembly is used 6 times in 5 different sets. It's not really set-specific, but it's certainly not a part, right? I'm not trying to be difficult, I just wanna understand: (...) (26 years ago, 9-Feb-99, to lugnet.cad.dev)
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