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Ok, so I import a couple of models to generate the parts lists but to see each of the lists I have to click the imported model up the top to view it. How about a button that will merge the imported models and make one list of the parts and at the same time merge corrosponding rows that are the same coloured piece only and add up the count of those pieces.

What I have been doing is copy/pasteing them into excel/calc one under the other and then sorting the parts list by the BL item ID, then you end up with a fair few rows that have the same colour piece just a different quantity. I can't figure out how to merge the data through excel/calc and also keeping it together i.e. 2 rows of the same item have there quantity added but not any of the other numbers like the ID's and then one of the lines is deleted.

If anyone understands this and can figure it out please tell me or add it into LDD Manager.

Edited by Trainee

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Ok, so I import a couple of models to generate the parts lists but to see each of the lists I have to click the imported model up the top to view it. How about a button that will merge the imported models and make one list of the parts and at the same time merge corrosponding rows that are the same coloured piece only and add up the count of those pieces.

What I have been doing is copy/pasteing them into excel/calc one under the other and then sorting the parts list by the BL item ID, then you end up with a fair few rows that have the same colour piece just a different quantity. I can't figure out how to merge the data through excel/calc and also keeping it together i.e. 2 rows of the same item have there quantity added but not any of the other numbers like the ID's and then one of the lines is deleted.

If anyone understands this and can figure it out please tell me or add it into LDD Manager.

Could you please give a typicial scenario when you would need the feature? I'm guessing that you have made multiple models, and some of them may contain the same part in the same color (i.e. the same ElementID in Lego-lingo), and what you want is an aggregate, so you can pick/check/order all the physcial parts for those models at one time. Correct?

Also, have you tried the Model Commonality Analysis feature? Does that perhaps do what you want?

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Could you please give a typicial scenario when you would need the feature? I'm guessing that you have made multiple models, and some of them may contain the same part in the same color (i.e. the same ElementID in Lego-lingo), and what you want is an aggregate, so you can pick/check/order all the physcial parts for those models at one time. Correct?

Also, have you tried the Model Commonality Analysis feature? Does that perhaps do what you want?

I have the answer but I was going about it the wrong way, reading your post it suddenly popped into my head. What I was doing was, I'd make a model car for instance, save it, then make another one slightly different and then save that. So now I have 2 saved files that I would import into LDD Manager and generate the parts lists. But the parts lists are individually linked to the particular model you are viewing at the time. I was asking for a button to merge these lists together, sort them and add up all the same pieces so long as they match exactly apart from the count (which is added up).

The simple answer is to use LDD and import the models on to one file i.e load the first model then import the 2nd and do one save, then when it's loaded into LDDManager it will do what I want. It will take a bit longer especially when you have to import quite a few models but that's no prob.

Sorry to be so dumb :blush: I always seem to go the long hard way around things.

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Hey, I was playing around with pivot tables in Excel (half learned a long time ago in a class :laugh:) and found some really nice combination of information that could be really useful in LDD manager.

I barely remember how to work access, and relate excel files to access, so I have no idea if the same features work the same way, but I noticed that sorting, filtering, modifying info in excel was super fast compared to trying it in the LDD manager.

I was comparing 2 models (one made in LDD 4.0 that could only be opened in the highest compatibility mode, aka useless. The other, in LDD 3.0 that had deleted a bunch of pieces, but still ran). I copied both manager files to excel into one worksheet, and "filtered" by hand the pieces that were different (what LDD manager does easily). After that, all columns lined up, and I made a function column to find any piece counts that were different. I created a pivot table, sorted by only piece counts that were different, and added a subtraction column to find the number of pieces that were different.

This is basically what I got(pic is low file size):

Excel "pieces not in both" pic

capture.jpg

So basically, I could see which pieces were changed or deleted, and HOW MANY. This info would be super useful for those people wondering what those lost pieces were, instead of going through a complex LDDBrickDump file and doing guess work.

I don't know how easy this would be to do for the LDD manager, but just allowing the commonality feature to have a column where is says whether there is a difference in the piece count so you can filter to only the different counts, and then having a subtracting column to show the number of pieces difference could help.

Oh, and for some reason when I copy to excel, and excel adds the piece count, it gets to a different number than LDD manager. Any idea why?

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I'm not 100% sure exactly what you want to do, but there are two ways to find differences between LXF-files in LDD

Method 1: Compare two models

Will give you a list of bricks that exist only in one model, that exist in both, and that exist only in the other.This method will not give you the brick count, but is quick to use.

Method 2: Model Commonality Analysis

This method will give you brick count. To use this feature, you first need to add the models you want to analyse to Model Groups. You can inlude any number of models. This method will give you a pivot view of all the elements on one axis, and the models that use them on the other, including count.

About different totals in excel vs. LDD Manager, I'd really like to learn more about that. Can you send me some LXF and the corresponding Excel, and I'll look into it.

PS: About sorting and filtering in Excel - I re-wrote a number of queries in the latest version (will be released soon), so that will make it a lot snappier, specially when working with really big LXF-files :classic:

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I guess the main thing I wanted to be able to do is filter the pieces so that only different piece count ones would show up. I guess subtracting the 2 isn't that hard to do in my head afterward :laugh:

Since there are like 700 different pieces, going through and reading every single pair of piece counts between models to find which ones are different is a bit hard when there are so many. So like in my screen shot, it only shows the pieces that have different piece counts in the two models.

For example, in the model commonality analysis, you have the 2 columns that show piece counts in each model.

Model 1____________Model 2

7 _________________7

342________________342

2 _________________1

49_________________49

19_________________18

84_________________84

Its not much fun trying to pick through that to find the "red" ones, or counts that are different. It would be nice to be able to filter out the "black" ones.

That, and have a bottom table that shows the pieces (and count) that are only in one model. That way it is all in one operation, to easily compare the differences. Just a streamlining, cause its a bit odd to have the two methods as separate (I have no idea how hard or possible it would be to combine those :blush:) . For example, I don't know how many people use the "average difference" in piece count, so that could be a column that is left off (unchecked)...That might just be me being lazy and wanting it unchecked at the start :laugh: .

In a sense, I'm suggesting having the two features be a "Difference Analysis" and a "Commonality Analysis". The commonality can stay the same, but the "compare models" feature would not just show pieces that are only in one model, but show piece count differences also.

I hope this helped in explaining what I was trying to say, and can be useful too :grin:

I also sent you a PM with the LXF that had different piece counts in Excel. I found that the regular "import model and view parts" list left out some parts, like "outer cables", but still counted them in the final piece count. So for my model, it had 33,430 pieces, but in Excel there were 33,410. Out of that 20 difference, 11 were outer cables. I still can't figure out what the other 9 are though.

I'm excited to test out this snappier functionality!

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Thanks for the input Alienwar. And I think I understand better now what you mean.

And as usual, I think your massive LXF-files are more then LDD Manager (and even LDD) was ment to handle :classic:

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Just a question: Is it possible to use OpenOffice.org Base instead of MS Access? It's free and can also be used on Mac and Linux. Should be a great advantage. As i heard OpenOffice porgrams aren't as different as MS's originals, or are there to big differences?

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Just a question: Is it possible to use OpenOffice.org Base instead of MS Access? It's free and can also be used on Mac and Linux. Should be a great advantage. As i heard OpenOffice porgrams aren't as different as MS's originals, or are there to big differences?

I don't know to be honest. I'm only familar with Access.

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I don't know to be honest. I'm only familar with Access.

In the most office 2010 programs (e.g. Word, Powerpoint) you can choose to save as an OPD (open office document). I just checked it, and it is'nt possible for Acces 2010.

Edited by legolijntje

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Funny you should mention this. I have been thinking of a real-time file monitoring feature, so that when you click the save-button in LDD, LDDManager will automatically re-import the file and give you the possbility to quickly see for example if a brick exists in that color.

This would be incredibly helpful as I am experiencing availability of color issues. There seems to be some discrepancy when importing LDD.lxf into LDDManager i.e: 199 - dark stone grey in LDD turns to Dark Bluish Gray in LDManager. Clearly I don't have a grasp of all this yet but I am willing to be enlightened. I guess I need to check out the color pallets here!

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This would be incredibly helpful as I am experiencing availability of color issues. There seems to be some discrepancy when importing LDD.lxf into LDDManager i.e: 199 - dark stone grey in LDD turns to Dark Bluish Gray in LDManager. Clearly I don't have a grasp of all this yet but I am willing to be enlightened. I guess I need to check out the color pallets here!

That's just because LDD Manager uses Bricklink color names, whereas LDD uses official TLG color names. In real life, the color LDD calls "Dark Stone Grey" is the same as the color Bricklink calls "Dark Bluish Gray".

If you want to learn which Bricklink color names correspond to which TLG color names, LDD Manager includes a "Color Reference" file. Just click "LDD Brick Finder and Color Reference" when LDD Manager first opens, and then click the second tab. It's not a perfect conversion chart since the Bricklink color names themselves are imperfect-- for instance, Bricklink often refers to several metallic colors with just one name, or alternatively sometimes has several names for a single metallic color. But with most colors this is one of the most accurate and up-to-date color conversion charts on the Internet.

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I have problem to getting import LXF file with LDD manager 0.97 which I get the error 53 which is LXF-file is not a LXF. Then i tried to ran test with banana bandit.lxf from this site and still getting error 53. Did i forget to process to run one of LXF file to using LDD Manager?

I do have Window 7 and Microsoft Access and Excel 2010.

I hope get feedback from them.

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I have problem to getting import LXF file with LDD manager 0.97 which I get the error 53 which is LXF-file is not a LXF. Then i tried to ran test with banana bandit.lxf from this site and still getting error 53. Did i forget to process to run one of LXF file to using LDD Manager?

I do have Window 7 and Microsoft Access and Excel 2010.

I hope get feedback from them.

Well, it ain't much "them" - it's only me actually :tongue:

(but I wish some big company would make me an offer on the software, allthough I don't think that will ever happen) :laugh:

Anyway, about your problem. I got your mail, and I can import the file just fine. so there is nothing wrong with the LXF per se. Error 53 is a file-copy error. LDD Manager unzipps and copies the LFXML file within the LXF to your TEMP directory (from the TEMP environment variable). If you are not administrator of your computer, or do not have full read-write to the folder where the LXF is stored, or to the TEMP-folder, then you can get this error.

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That's just because LDD Manager uses Bricklink color names, whereas LDD uses official TLG color names. In real life, the color LDD calls "Dark Stone Grey" is the same as the color Bricklink calls "Dark Bluish Gray".

If you want to learn which Bricklink color names correspond to which TLG color names, LDD Manager includes a "Color Reference" file. Just click "LDD Brick Finder and Color Reference" when LDD Manager first opens, and then click the second tab. It's not a perfect conversion chart since the Bricklink color names themselves are imperfect-- for instance, Bricklink often refers to several metallic colors with just one name, or alternatively sometimes has several names for a single metallic color. But with most colors this is one of the most accurate and up-to-date color conversion charts on the Internet.

Nice thanks that's great. Love LDD,LDD Manager and Eurobricks and learning to love SR 3D Builder too.

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For some odd reason, when I use this piece, this piece comes up on the spread sheet :wacko:

Strange, it doesn't for me. Can give access to the LXF with the behavior?

Also, what versin of LDD Manager are you using - the latest one is 0.97

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Strange, it doesn't for me. Can give access to the LXF with the behavior?

Also, what versin of LDD Manager are you using - the latest one is 0.97

I just downloaded the version in the first post. I don't know which version that is. And I'll PM you the LXF if you still want it.

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@Superkalle where can I access the generated BrickLink xml upload file? I want to try to import it into AudBrick.

Edit: Well, I just pasted the resultant xml generated to the clipboard into notepad, saved it as an xml and then imported that into AudoBrick and it seemed to work.

Edited by treeboy

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@Superkalle where can I access the generated BrickLink xml upload file? I want to try to import it into AudBrick.

Edit: Well, I just pasted the resultant xml generated to the clipboard into notepad, saved it as an xml and then imported that into AudoBrick and it seemed to work.

OK, great you got it to work. Otherwise any generated files by LDD Mgr are created in the designated TEMP-directory on your computer

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I apologize for my lack of willingness to read 14 pages of most likely non-related material to get the answer to a very quick, simple question...

Is getting LDD Manager working on an x64 Win7 box a helpless cause? I've had zero luck. Any suggestions before I pull out a 32bit XP disc and fire up VMware? There are many other things I'd like to do with the next hour, but if that's the only way, I'm willing to sacrifice ;)

Cheers ~ Perry

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Is getting LDD Manager working on an x64 Win7 box a helpless cause? I've had zero luck. Any suggestions before I pull out a 32bit XP disc and fire up VMware? There are many other things I'd like to do with the next hour, but if that's the only way, I'm willing to sacrifice ;)

Nope, I run LDD on Windows 7 x64 and have for the last few versions so there is no inherent problem there.

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Nope, I run LDD on Windows 7 x64 and have for the last few versions so there is no inherent problem there.

I too run Win 7 64 bit and LDD Manager with no issues. I do have MS Access 2007 as apposed to the runtime or some other version.

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Nope, I run LDD on Windows 7 x64 and have for the last few versions so there is no inherent problem there.

Sorry... forgot to mention that I'm running x64 version of Office 2010 - which I think may be the culprit responsible for my problems (not the OS being x64). When you install the Office 2003 Runtime package (<complaintBox> wow that's old... any reason why you're still developing against this runtime???</complaintBox>) a test database is installed ("C:\Program Files (x86)\a2003rttest\a2003rt.mdb" on my system). I'm unable to successfully load that database normally - so I tried launching the .mdb while holding the SHIFT key (bypasses the startup screen). I'm presented with the following screens:

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/PerryMakes/LDDManagerProblems/lddmanager1.png

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/PerryMakes/LDDManagerProblems/lddmanager2.png

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/PerryMakes/LDDManagerProblems/lddmanager3.png

You can see on this last screen that the runtime has several 32bit Dlls that are most likely throwing a wrench into the system.

Finally, when I try running the VBScript to launch LDDManager Access opens and displays this message...

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/PerryMakes/LDDManagerProblems/lddmanager4.png

EDIT: photos are now deeplinked (I wasn't aware that folders needed to be approved by admins!)

Edited by PerryMakes

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