293 replies to this topic

[xSergio74]

Hi again,
many updates in these days: hoping not boring you too much :)

The last update of the application is available as usually from http://sr3dbuilder.altervista.org/
It does not contains many news, but just a few but necessaries fixes.
The only significant new is the ability for unregistered users to try the STICKER feature by adding up to 2 sticker to their models.
Loading model with more sticker will causes only first 2 sticker being displayed.

Following the list of what is changed.

Enjoy

Sergio

0.7.3.17 - Changes to previous version (2012.08.29)

Fixed
- Parts with a filename ending with 'H' were not displayed at all
- Connection snapping prevents some parts to correctly align
- Studs connected to a transparent part were incorrectly hidden by the application
- Modifying a Flex do not updates its boundaries box causing problems in reselecting it

Changed
- Unregistered users can add up to two stickers to model to evaluate program feature
- Selecting parts should now be a bit faster due to code optimization
- Updated tire manager association

[Carsten Svendsen]

I love this program and it has got so many things that other tools don't. It's easy to work with once you've set up a few macros on your mouse and then it's practically a 1-hand process.

There's a bug that I think is majorly underestimated. I wonder why it hasn't been fixed yet...
If you've set your machine to use 125% or 150% screen size (in personal settings -> monitor) the tools window where you select your parts are very difficult to work with if it can be done at all before you rage quit the program.... My monitor is a 1920x1080 and if I use 100% monitor size everything is so small that I can barely read it from a normal distance. I like the option to resize the tools window but it should be split so you would be able to resize the text part of it too (beam, pin, cross, connector etc.) to be bigger. Im any case the first mentioned is the biggest issue.

Then there's this thing that I find a little annoying. The hinge mode function needs to be more sensitive instead of those small increments. I'm holding the shift button down btw, so the increments can't decrease any further.



Other than that it's a great program and I will use it to build my airplane once I get the time.

BTW is it possible to fuse two or more different models in to the same program instance?

I also remembered that the new parts such as and have a wierd texture. The 2 new PF motors are not in the program as well

Edited by Carsten Svendsen, 10 September 2012 - 05:51 PM.

[xSergio74]

Hi,
I know about fonts bug. It require the whole toolbox to be redesigned and I still have not found the time to do that long (even not too complex) work.

About hinges problem, try a different mode to assembly your model: it is a bi strange start placing parts from by rotating around a universal joint.
It is a better practice to fix the remaining parts to the rest of the model and finally place the universal joint and connect it using the HingeSolver tool if required.

You can join two or more model into your current model by simply importing them. Please notice that importing models with flex parts may cause some crashes (not deeply tested)

enjoy building!!

Sergio

[Carsten Svendsen]

There's nothing called Hinge Solver but I assume you mean Connection Solver. Even if I try to use that it won't connect the axle with the selected beam hole.

Speaking about something else (and which I forgot to tell earlier), sometimes when there's a group of selected pieces that's all been built together and you want to connect that seleceted group pice with another pice, it won't autosnap to either the pin or axle. The only way is to build a model with no seperate steps.

[xSergio74]

Carsten Svendsen, on 11 September 2012 - 03:56 PM, said:

There's nothing called Hinge Solver but I assume you mean Connection Solver. Even if I try to use that it won't connect the axle with the selected beam hole.

Speaking about something else (and which I forgot to tell earlier), sometimes when there's a group of selected pieces that's all been built together and you want to connect that seleceted group pice with another pice, it won't autosnap to either the pin or axle. The only way is to build a model with no seperate steps.

Hi,
Yes, it is the connection solver...! It is strange it wont work, since the connection solver is a very effectiveness tool. Be sure to follow the right steps in using it.

About group snapping problem, you have to "set group reference brick" in your group that is the one the program checks for connections matching. To do that, right click on the correct brick (the one in your group you need to snap to the main model) and choose the specified option. This should solve your problem.

I also highly recommend you to have a look at to the manual. You will discover some simple instructions to let things work better.

byes

Sergio

[Philo]

Carsten Svendsen, on 10 September 2012 - 05:46 PM, said:

I also remembered that the new parts such as and have a wierd texture.

I just checked, noticed nothing wrong with them...

Quote

The 2 new PF motors are not in the program as well

You know, it takes (a lot of) time to create LDraw models for these complex parts. I am actively creating them...!!! (the servo is almost completed)

[Carsten Svendsen]

Philo, on 13 September 2012 - 03:37 PM, said:

I just checked, noticed nothing wrong with them...

You know, it takes (a lot of) time to create LDraw models for these complex parts. I am actively creating them...!!! (the servo is almost completed)

Apparantly the new triangle does not have a weird texture anymore but the mini pump still does
 Unavngivet.jpg   18.33K   4 downloads

I'm not aware of how difficult it is to make components in a program - I just pointed out that they were missing, not that I'm upset that they're not there yet.

[Philo]

Carsten Svendsen, on 13 September 2012 - 03:43 PM, said:

Apparantly the new triangle does not have a weird texture anymore but the mini pump still does
Unavngivet.jpg

Mhhhh... definitely nothing here, looks perfectly smooth.

Quote

I'm not aware of how difficult it is to make components in a program - I just pointed out that they were missing, not that I'm upset that they're not there yet.

That was just to make things clear ;)

[EdmanZA]

Carsten Svendsen, on 13 September 2012 - 03:43 PM, said:

Apparantly the new triangle does not have a weird texture anymore but the mini pump still does
Unavngivet.jpg

Are you using the high-res primitives option in SR3D? That sometimes causes those artefacts.

[Carsten Svendsen]

I've set every graphical setting to MAX. It doesn't consume much GPU power; a 5 year old laptop could probably handle this program well.

[Alasdair Ryan]

I have finally got round to purchased the full version of SR3D in order to use the animation console.
However I need some help to understand if I can animate the things I want to and how that is done in SR3D.

1) Can I animate gear racks to slide under gear wheels in the console?
2) Can I animate motors to turn along with a drive train?

I have attached two files so people can have a look in order to help me.

Gear rack

[DLuders]

@ Alasdair Ryan:  Recommend posting your question on the SR 3D Builder Support Forum so that the software designer (xSergio74) can see it, and respond to it.

[Alasdair Ryan]

DLuders, on 25 September 2012 - 01:26 PM, said:

@ Alasdair Ryan: Recommend posting your question on the SR 3D Builder Support Forum so that the software designer (xSergio74) can see it, and respond to it.

Why can I not post it here instead since he is still a active member on Eurobricks?

Edited by Alasdair Ryan, 25 September 2012 - 01:48 PM.

[xSergio74]

Alasdair Ryan, on 25 September 2012 - 12:47 PM, said:

I have finally got round to purchased the full version of SR3D in order to use the animation console.
However I need some help to understand if I can animate the things I want to and how that is done in SR3D.

1) Can I animate gear racks to slide under gear wheels in the console?
2) Can I animate motors to turn along with a drive train?

I have attached two files so people can have a look in order to help me.

Gear rack

Hi,

I've checked and found an error in the application preventing the correct loading of your submitted model. Correcting the bug your sample works perfectly.
As a workaround to the problem, do not use the "State Button" in the animation console since this cause application crashing when you try to load your saved model.
This up to next application release...

On the other side I'm not sure to well understand what you mean at point 2. If you mean you want to motorize a steering, then things should work if the steering system is not too complex. Please consider that the application is not able to correctly detect and manage too much complex mechanisms...

Sergio

[Alasdair Ryan]

Thanks Xsergio74 for your fast reply.
About point 2,I can not seem to animate any motor in the console to make the motor turn the axle.Instead I get a error box telling me that it could not find any rotation points.

In point 1 I was trying to make a crane boom and then I was going to try to animate it.But instead the hole rack slides forward or back and not left and right when I was using the animation console.

[zulfiqar]

Just saw the 10221 super star destroyer built in sr3d after failing to build it in LDD. Can't wait to try this out!

[xSergio74]

Alasdair Ryan, on 25 September 2012 - 02:26 PM, said:

Thanks Xsergio74 for your fast reply.
About point 2,I can not seem to animate any motor in the console to make the motor turn the axle.Instead I get a error box telling me that it could not find any rotation points.

In point 1 I was trying to make a crane boom and then I was going to try to animate it.But instead the hole rack slides forward or back and not left and right when I was using the animation console.

Hi,
there is another bug I'm still not able to find in the animation console causing some kind of malfunctioning (or even application crash) when loading a model with the animation console and starting animating it. The temporary workaround is to "manually" animate one of the starting animation point defined on the console.
After pressing <ESC> to terminate the manual animation, everything in the console should work fine.
Also consider that if you change any part in the model defined as a starting point in the animation console, things could not work 'till you save and reload your model...

About animation with motors I need a deeper analysis...

Sergio

Edited by xSergio74, 27 September 2012 - 07:59 AM.

[xSergio74]

Hi everybody,
after about 2 month of hard work, here is my application latest release.

Here is a brief of what is new:

0.7.5.2 - Changes to previous version (2012.10.23)

Added
- New DrawBrickMode allows you select a brick from toolbox by simply drawing its shape
   Refer to the following video for detailed instruction on how to use it

Fixed
- Better part positioning when using Alternative UI (really recommended now)
- A lot of changes and fixes in hinges managements. Now the 8258 robotic arm is working !!
- Racks movevent are sometimes along a wrong direction
- Instruction Miner does not always shows all controls
- Occasionally selecting hidden grouped parts causes application crash
- Using State Buttons in Animation console cause application crash when loading a saved model

Changed
- Updated available part library
- Selecting parts should now be a bit faster due to code optimization

And here are the two videos:
1. DrawBrickMode Instructions:
2. Near like real world working 8258 robotic arm:

[Alasdair Ryan]

This program gets better and better.
Thank you for working on the rack movements this will help me allot.Is there any special instructions on how to use this in order to make a working rack like you shown above?

Edited by Alasdair Ryan, 23 October 2012 - 04:54 PM.

[legolijntje]

That "Draw Brick" function looks so cool, and it is very original
I'm going to try the new version in a minute, when it has finished installing.

BTW; you recommend the ALternative UI, but you don't use it in both of your videos

[xSergio74]

legolijntje, on 23 October 2012 - 05:43 PM, said:

That "Draw Brick" function looks so cool, and it is very original
I'm going to try the new version in a minute, when it has finished installing.

BTW; you recommend the ALternative UI, but you don't use it in both of your videos

Hi,

I do not use it to avoid effects overlapping when trying to explain how it works.
I recommend using it especially when building non-technic models since part placing is mostly one over another and the tool works really fine in auto setting part elevation.
Also in technic model is good enough, but when you need to place non symmetric parts or beams in a vertical position, then it is probably better to switch back to standard UI.
Some hints on how to properly operate with Alternate UI:

• Switch AUI on/off by pressing U key
  
• placing part is moved to a position allowing at least one connection having the same orientation of the one evidenced by the mouse to connect with it
  
• placing part is NOT re-oriented according to evidenced connection
  
• to rotate placing part you NEED to use keyboard (using RGB arrow in model space it is not possible since selection will move !! like in LDD )
  
• since in AUI mode the part is moved without the need to press mouse button, it is quite easy to make adding part AutoOrienting by simply pressing LMB. This way AUI is suspended, part is correctly oriented and will be easy to place it in correct position
  
• to fix a part in AUI simply click LMB (like in LDD)

This way you can take advantages of both LDD and SR3DB user interface (LDD part positioning and SR3D part orienting)

Alasdair Ryan, on 23 October 2012 - 04:53 PM, said:

This program gets better and better.
Thank you for working on the rack movements this will help me allot.Is there any special instructions on how to use this in order to make a working rack like you shown above?

There are no special needed, but take care that rack and connected gear must be PERFECTLY aligned to let thing work properly.

Sergio

[xSergio74]

Sorry, forget an important information:

I've added a little click delay (250ms) to avoid involuntary parts selection or animation starting.
It maybe someone find this a bit annoying, but this let me manage the double click needed to start the DrawBrickMode functionality.
Anyway, holding CTRL when starting to select, will avoid this delay.

Sergio

[xSergio74]

Hi everybody,

I have just released, 31 new parts patches. Most of them about Pneumatic parts that will be the highlight of my application next version.
It is recommended you clean your c:\lDraw\Conn folder before unpacking the new patches

To let things go the right way, in your model use only the RETRACTED version of pneumatic parts and the CENTER position switches. These way your model should be ready when animation will be implemented.

Please notice that with this part update pneumatic will continue to NOT WORK, but you should be able to assembly models properly .

One more thing: It is near two weeks from my last release and I suppose someone of you tried the new DrawBrickMode. I really would like to know about your experience. Please feedback (even bad impressions are appreciated if they can help to make the program working better...)

Edited by xSergio74, 05 November 2012 - 03:41 PM.

[Palathadric]

I have to say that I haven't really used the draw brick function much as of now. The MOCs I am currently working on in SR 3D Builder use a lot of the same pieces so I haven't really had the necessity of using it yet, but I will definitely get back to you when I have a bit more experience with it.

[legolijntje]

I used the draw brick function only to try it out. Because I'm building mostly sets last couple of days, I didn't need it, but I'm sure it will be very handy when I'm building MOCs; it zan give one inspiration or new ideas by looking what bricks would pop up.

BTW; I have a little bug; sr3d builder doesn't remove its .BAK files anymore, I have to delete them everytime by hand