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Subject: 
Re: MLCad wishlist (was Re: Ice Cream
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.cad.mlcad
Date: 
Sun, 19 Dec 1999 14:35:22 GMT
Viewed: 
1726 times
  
Ok my friends, whats up now ...

1) The color requester: Beside the problem of not beeing compatible to LDraw
for the moment how do you like the new color box and dialogs?

2) The compatibility problem will be solved with the next version which
should store in its own file format from now on (".mlcad"), and have the
possibility to store the old format by exporting it ...

3) Rotation problems itself should be solved with version 1.6 now ... I
learned you want to set the roation point put user side seen how?

4) The MPD things: MLCad version 1.6 can export drawing operations only ..
would that be a help when releasing an mpd as a dat file? This exported file
does not include any other models anymore.

Best regards,
   Michael



Mike Poindexter wrote in message ...
I felt this should be in the MLCAD group and wrote my comments to each • item.

In lugnet.cad, Larry Pieniazek writes:
[snip]
#1 a "flip the two selected parts" button as fiddling with the parts
ordering chews up a lot of time for me. I think my ordering speed is
improving but still...

I would say instead allowing you to select a part and drag/drop it • elsewhere
in the list.


#2 would be a "snap to grid in This Direction Only" as sometimes when I
am fiddling I move something a bit in the wrong axis. Either that or a
"linear constraint" so I can only fiddle in one dimension instead of
both the dimensions that the view provides.

Perhaps using the control button while clicking allows is to move in either
the X axis or the Y (or the Z, depending on the window you are in), but not
more than one.  3D Home Architect works like this (not a very powerful
program, but easy to use).


#3 would be to specify other oblique views so I can look at the model
from other angles.

Probably allow something like that in the program default settings that • would
allow you to change the angle of vie for each window.

As a side wish, I would like to be able to close certain views, which would

speed up the rendering and also allow you to have a long (left to right)
window and two more squarish ones.  Or a tall one on the side with the • other
side having two squarish ones.


#4 would be to allow copying parts and groups of parts across submodels.
It is very hard to copy, say, a coupler assembly (getting the magnet
seated in the holder correctly takes fiddling) from one submodel to
another. I had to do it from notepad.

I think the trick to this is to make another submodel • (couplerassembly.dat?)
and using that to go into other submodels, which then basically nests • several
deep in submodel functions.


#5 would be to allow semipermanent groups so an inadvertant pick when
moving a group of parts doesn't force you to start grouping again.

Grouping would be AWESOME!!  I have often had to move 20-30 parts one at a
time just becuase I wanted to lenghten something a few studs.

#6 would be order preservation in rotation. If I have a bunch of parts,
I copy them all at once, then use rotate, the order of the parts seems
to get jumbled. (one bulkhead is a copy of the other, but not a subpart,
just a copy of the selected group...)

I haven't seen that.  Perhaps I need to play around with it some more.

#7 would be coalescing in the list. If I select a bunch of parts not
next to each other in the list, allow me to coalesce them around the
first one. This would be a way to get ordering right a LOT faster.

I don't quite get this one.  My gut tells me that it wouldn't be the way to
go.  Just drag and drop the order.  Also, allow multiple selections via the
control click, which allows you to select several items from random places
instead of all parts from A to B like when you do a shift click.  (But also
allow a shift click select, too).

#8 would be leaving me positioned in the parts list next to where I
deleted from instead of at the very top. Deleting a part is very
annoying, you have to find your spot in the list again. (I tend to work
on stuff, push it down to the bottom, then do other stuff in front of
it...)

OK, I am now not the only one who has gotten lost in a dat file...

#9 would be a "repeat this part" command so I could lay down a part and
they say "give me 8 copies offset 3 studs each in the Y direction"

I have seen that in MS Publisher.  Paste one and position it manually. • Paste
again and position it manually as well.  From then on, each successive past
gets places the same relative distance from the last as the first two were.

#10 would be to let Modify Part do something different. When I select a
part I want to be able to bring up its properties and fiddle the
position, rotation, color. Modify Part seems to bring up a list of parts
that I dunno what to do with.

Modify part should be named something like "Change part" or have the
additional options like Larry says.

#11 would be a "find in the parts list" so I could do a scan for all
parts that were of a certain type

I also highly agree here.  I have often not been able to find a part • because I
don't know what it is called, like the classic space laser.  ("1x2 plate • with
handles" - not to be confused with "1x2 plate with handle," which is the • town
jr rollbar)

Also, a question, what is the story on part organization? The categories
seem different than what VEC uses. If I install new parts how do they go
where they need to go? Is it just driven by the first name of the part?

What is VEC?

Some of these may be in the docs. This program is so good I mostly
haven't actually READ the docs! ML r00lz d00d...

The docs need some work, but I think that at this point, most of the
complexity that requires documentation is missing.  That is why there are • so
many things people would like to see.  It is also why it is so easy to use. • I
think, however, that the power can be added without sacrificing much
simplicity.

One other thing I would like to see is for the parts report to tally the • parts
inside the submodels instead of counting the submodels as a part.  Perhaps
there could be an option between total piece report, which would only list
grand totals, or submodel piece report, which would have breakdowns by
submodel.

I would also like to see it be able to save in POV-RAY file format.  That
would be much nicer than having to hassle with L3P, L2P and/or whatever • else
you can use.  I have been almost as lost in that as I was in LDraw.

Mike Poindexter

Does anybody else have anything else that should be in MLCAD?  (I also • think
that part authoring could be in the MLCAD package, making it the one stop • Lego
CAD program.)



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: MLCad wishlist (was Re: Ice Cream
 
(...) LDraw (...) I like it very much thank-you. (...) I think that: 1) The file format should be .mlc to retain 8.3 compatibility for those of us who are used to it. 2) You should not have to export the file to save as a DAT. Simply make DAT an (...) (25 years ago, 19-Dec-99, to lugnet.cad.mlcad)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: MLCad wishlist (was Re: Ice Cream
 
I felt this should be in the MLCAD group and wrote my comments to each item. In lugnet.cad, Larry Pieniazek writes: [snip] (...) I would say instead allowing you to select a part and drag/drop it elsewhere in the list. (...) Perhaps using the (...) (25 years ago, 27-Nov-99, to lugnet.cad.mlcad)

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