Modifying your LDD

[Zerobricks]

This is a hack, i didnt make. It adds a lot more pieces and colors to LDD. Use it for modeling only!

Download this file and place it in "C:\Documents and Settings\name\Application Data\LEGO Company\LEGO Digital Designer\Palettes

http://www.medvedek.org/browse/LDD/Fa...

Check this link regulary for updates.

If you wanna see instructions or examples, go here:

Edited February 23, 2010 by Zblj

[xilefsson]

that's really cool, thanks for finding it!

[Aanchir]

That's totally against the Terms of Service. Not sure if LEGO will consider it important will consider it enough of a problem to ask for the link to be taken down, though. After all, we're all responsible adults here (or at least, as responsible as obsessive buyers of plastic toys can be), so we understand that an unlicensed download is not at all representative of the LEGO brand's presented quality.

I won't get this-- I like to see the limited parts pool as a challenge rather than a hindrance-- but it seems like it'll interest some people a great deal.

[Bojan Pavsic]

That's totally against the Terms of Service. Not sure if LEGO will consider it important will consider it enough of a problem to ask for the link to be taken down, though. After all, we're all responsible adults here (or at least, as responsible as obsessive buyers of plastic toys can be), so we understand that an unlicensed download is not at all representative of the LEGO brand's presented quality.

I won't get this-- I like to see the limited parts pool as a challenge rather than a hindrance-- but it seems like it'll interest some people a great deal.

Hey, i'm the one that made the "hack".

I just want to clear some stuff... All the bricks were already included in LDD. The only thing i've done, was to add them to the building palette, so i wouldn't really call it a "hack".

And i wouldn't call the limited parts pool a challenge, because some of the bricks really come in totally wierd colors...

For example the Arch 1 x 5 x 4 is only in a wierd dark brown color, with no other brick or plate in the same color. So basicly u can't use it at all, because it'll just stand out (in the bad sense) from your MOC.

Another thing that was bothering me were the door/window frames & glass for them. Frame 1x4x6 is in 3 colors, 1x4x3 is in 2, but 1x2x3 is in only one... So if you want to use all 3, the only viable color is the one from the 1x2x3... Glass for them is fixed too, because not all have both trans-colors.

I think LDD is a great tool and a great piece of software. I like it very much because of all it's functionality, but why did TLG include specifications for 1800!!!! parts in it, while putting on the palettes like 10% of that. I think there should be a palette added with all the bricks for the ones that want to use them and enjoy the software to the fullest.

These are the reasons why i choose to make the step to see what's hiding in the files that are included with LDD. If TLG wont like it (which i think they wont), i'll gladly remove the link. But i'd really like to know the reasons why they're letting the users of their software work with just a little part of what LDD really can do.

[Anders Nolberger]

Thank you!!! I like this very much.

There were rumours that Lego is going to release many more parts in LDD where Lego Universe goes live. Mayby the parts is in the file as a preparation for that?

LDD gets automatic updates some times. How will that affect this "hack"?

[thomassio]

link doesn't work

[Bojan Pavsic]

LDD gets automatic updates some times. How will that affect this "hack"?

It will automaticly overwrite the factory.lif, which means the hack will be gone. Same thing happens if u delete the file. LDD will just update it, so you can't really "break" LDD with using this file.

The data for the items is in db.lif, where i extracted the list and multiplied it with all the colors that existed in the original factory.lif. I that inserted that list (all times x all colors) into factory.lif and updated the file headers to new file size.

If the update will remove any of the items that i added, i don't really know how it will affect LDD, but i'm 99% sure the item just wont be on the palette anymore (because i tried to add a technic differetial and nothing happened).

@thomassio: http://www.medvedek.org/browse/LDD/factory.lif

Edited February 23, 2010 by Bojan Pavsic

[prateek]

That's a cool hack. Now I can use pieces I've always needed without them being akward colours

[AllanSmith]

Just installed it. It's so great to have the colours you need to make a design look right

[Superkalle]

Some comments on the posts by Bojan....

"All the bricks where in LDD anyway...."

I can respect the nobel cause Bojan, but at the end of the day, it's still illegal to reverse engineer/decompile/disassemble software. There was a discussion on Lugnet some years ago, but the decision was then not to go through with the de-compile, simple because it's not legal. (see here: http://news.lugnet.com/cad/ldd/?n=139)

"Why did not TLG release all the parts if they are in LDD anyway..."

LDD is a tool supporting a business - to sell bricks via DesignByMe. That's why LDD is made available for free. Allowing full access to all bricks would just make the target group (children) use even more bricks in their models that they cannot buy later on, hence making them more annoyed. There is a trade off point, which can be seen in the "Check Buyability tool" and is manifested in that most "non-buyable" elements are just color variations of existing DesignIDs (molds).

Edited February 23, 2010 by superkalle

[thomassio]

I click on it and it says error.

Edited February 23, 2010 by thomassio

[Bojan Pavsic]

Some comments on the posts by Bojan....

"All the bricks where in LDD anyway...."

I can respect the nobel cause Bojan, but at the end of the day, it's still illegal to reverse engineer/decompile/disassemble software. There was a discussion on Lugnet some years ago, but the decision was then not to go through with the de-compile, simple because it's not legal. (see here: http://news.lugnet.com/cad/ldd/?n=139)

"Why did not TLG release all the parts if they are in LDD anyway..."

LDD is a tool supporting a business - to sell bricks via DesignByMe. That's why LDD is made available for free. Allowing full access to all bricks would just make the target group (children) use even more bricks in their models that they cannot buy later on, hence making them more annoyed. There is a trade off point, which can be seen in the "Check Buyability tool" and is manifested in that most "non-buyable" elements are just color variations of existing DesignIDs (molds).

Well, tbh, i did this for me, because i live at 2 locations and i don't drag my lego collection with me. With the understanding of the file format, i'm able to create a "countable" palette with all the bricks that i own with the count of them in each color. That way i can play with lego my lego collection virtually when i'm not at the place where i have them. While doing this, i just thought maybe someone else would appreciate it and i made a palette with everything LDD has. It's was not targeted at children & DesignByMe, but more at AFOLs that make virtual designs.

[Siegfried]

Some comments on the posts by Bojan....

Yes. I sell software for a living and I completely agree. We're discussing this now. Even so, considering it's just an XML file TLG have made this too easy...

But i'd really like to know the reasons why they're letting the users of their software work with just a little part of what LDD really can do.

It's already been said. LDD is a free tool made to sell LEGO via Design ByBE. This mod conflicts with that purpose by enabling people to add parts that aren't sold via the service.

[Bojan Pavsic]

Yes. I sell software for a living and I completely agree. We're discussing this now. Even so, considering it's just an XML file TLG have made this too easy...

It's already been said. LDD is a free tool made to sell LEGO via Design ByBE. This mod conflicts with that purpose by enabling people to add parts that aren't sold via the service.

No worries, i can remove the link. But i don't agree about the purpose of LDD, because there's a lot of bricks included in the LDD instalation that do not support the DesignByMe service (creator palette, mindstorms palette).

[Superkalle]

It's was not targeted at children & DesignByMe, but more at AFOLs that make virtual designs.

I understand that you did not aim your hack for children, but if you read my post carefully I was simply replying to your question why not all elements are available in the public/official version of LDD. That said, I can't help but to be impressed by your programming skills and that you managed to de-compile the db.lif-file.

@ Siegfried - it's actually not simply an XML-file. The db.lif file is a compiled XML/binary file - that's why I'm taking my hat off for Bojan. However, the file format for describing a model (the LXF-file) is indeed an XML-file, maybe that was what you were thining of?

[Siegfried]

But i don't agree about the purpose of LDD, because there's a lot of bricks included in the LDD instalation that do not support the DesignByMe service (creator palette, mindstorms palette).

True, but this is on the "getting started" page.

The Creator parts probably were added to encourage people to buy Creator sets, and since Mindstorms is an expensive thing to trial it makes sense adding a way to demo it. Adding parts that TLG can't/don't sell has no business value.

[Johnnhiszippy3]

Thanks Bojan! I really appreciate you posting this for others to use. I'd heard it was possible to do, but wasn't sure how. I also agree that the sole purpose of LDD is NOT for DesignByMe purchases. I think the purpose of LDD is so that people can experiment with designs before building with bricks; hence the inclusion of Creator set palettes and Mindstorm palettes.

I wish Lego had an option to unlock all of these bricks/colors built into the program, but I can understand why they wouldn't, as people would probably complain that they couldn't buy bricks in all these colors and shapes.

Edited February 23, 2010 by Johnnhiszippy3

[Siegfried]

@ Siegfried - it's actually not simply an XML-file. The db.lif file is a compiled XML/binary file - that's why I'm taking my hat off for Bojan. However, the file format for describing a model (the LXF-file) is indeed an XML-file, maybe that was what you were thining of?

The file is 99% XML. That's what I meant. I don't know anything else about it. I was just saying that TLG probably should have added at least some basic encryption to make this harder.

[Bojan Pavsic]

I understand that you did not aim your hack for children, but if you read my post carefully I was simply replying to your question why not all elements are available in the public/official version of LDD. That said, I can't help but to be impressed by your programming skills and that you managed to de-compile the db.lif-file.

@ Siegfried - it's actually not simply an XML-file. The db.lif file is a compiled XML/binary file - that's why I'm taking my hat off for Bojan. However, the file format for describing a model (the LXF-file) is indeed an XML-file, maybe that was what you were thining of?

I removed the factory.lif from the web to not cause any more trouble.

About the files...

I did find out how the *.lif files are made up (basicly a simple file system with folders & files). The db.lif has png and jpg pictures (decals) for the elements, xml (collisions, connection points - studs, ways of rotation - hinges) and binary (3D vertices, normals and polygons - indexes to vertices) definitions for the parts, assemblies (groups of parts). Palette lifs have a list of elements with colors, availability (count) and assemblies and premade models, parameters like buyable, countable for the parts on the palette... etc...

Nothing was encoded, there's no CRC, so it's basicly fairly easy to decode, but i wont go into details here because that would probably be against the ToS too.

Well... was a nice project and anyone with a little programming knowledge and a hex editor could do that. I never disassembled the ldd.exe or debugged it to find out how it works.

Edited February 23, 2010 by Bojan Pavsic

[Superkalle]

I was just saying that TLG probably should have added at least some basic encryption to make this harder.

You're probably right about that!

[Bojan Pavsic]

Adding parts that TLG can't/don't sell has no business value.

I totally agree with that, but the fact is those parts are already in LDD, on everyones computers that have LDD installed. They're just not visible on the palette. They could just make the 4th type like "All the bricks u ever wanted" and it would take them 5 mins to create that.

Edited February 23, 2010 by Bojan Pavsic

[Siegfried]

I removed the factory.lif from the web to not cause any more trouble.

Thanks. This does remove any issue.

I totally agree with that, but the fact is those parts are already in LDD, on everyones computers that have LDD installed. They're just not visible on the palette. They could just make the 4th type like "All the bricks u ever wanted" and it would take them 5 mins to create that.

Yes, I do agree with that. They should add that mode and have a giant disclaimer/warning explaining to explain that it's just for fun. That kind of stuff is great PR and could also be used as market research into what people want.

But clearly they don't want to do this for some reason.

[Perterz]

I've always wanted this!! But the link doesn't work for me apperantly.

[alienwar9]

AHHH! Missed it. I actually really need that for this large project I'm doing. It would be an absolute pain to physically build such a large model and have to guess always what kind of pieces I need and test different ways of building, and there are points where I really need the aid of some pieces that aren't available (or colors to test the look). On normal builds I'd understand "the workaround" creative process for finding piece combos that work, but on a large build, I need to keep prices down and be efficient with my piece usage.

I have to pick through my collection to find pieces that might work in situations. Sometimes the test requires large amounts of pieces that I just don't have at the moment.

I do understand why it is taken down too though. Just wish TLG allowed it themselves.

On another note, they should add different ways of sorting pieces by their purpose/usage. On my large project it gets to be a pain trying to find which piece fits a situation. Don't get me wrong, I love the process, but when it comes to making hundreds of these decisions, its a little overwhelming (my fault too for shooting sky high).

Not to mention a piece count for the model currently being worked on, and a breakdown page of the pieces used like at the end of set instructions.

Also, it would be nice if they had a little "mini" price next to each piece in the palette, and a breakdown of the final price and what its made of.

Oh, and it would be great if someone integrated bricklink (though I see how that may be an issue).

Come to think of it, is there a way we can suggest ideas for future LDD updates/versions to them?

[Anders Nolberger]

Oh, and it would be great if someone integrated bricklink (though I see how that may be an issue).

http://www.nolberger.se/lego/wantedbricks