293 replies to this topic

[xSergio74]

Hi everybody

I'm new in this forum.

I would like to submit you the results of my hard work. I'm writing a new Cad for building Lego models on your PC.
It's FREE and has many useful features you cannot find in any other such application like LDD or MLCad.

Maybe someone already known it.
Watch videos and download it from

http://staff.polito.it/sergio.reano/

please feedback your impressions (good and bad!) and your hints
I will answer in 2-3 days...

enjoy building

Sergio

[prateek]

i like it the screen shot looks better than MLCad and as good as LDD.

[CP5670]

Welcome to EB. I saw this program on TechnicBricks a while ago and it looked very impressive, much more sophisticated than MLCad or LDD, but I haven't had time to do a lot with it. The rendering engine is a huge improvement over MLCad in terms of both looks and speed, especially with antialiasing, and I love the animation mode for Technic models.

The main suggestion I have is interface related. It would be great if the camera and other controls could be manually configured by the user. The zoom control feels a little odd to me since you have to hold down the mouse wheel while scrolling, and it's a bit strange to select pieces with the mouse but unselect them with the escape key.

Does this support the STEP tag from MLCad, so you can create and view instructions? I couldn't figure out how to scroll through steps, but I might have just been missing something.

Edited by CP5670, 19 June 2009 - 05:18 PM.

[xSergio74]

CP5670, on Jun 19 2009, 07:12 PM, said:

Welcome to EB. I saw this program on TechnicBricks a while ago and it looked very impressive, much more sophisticated than MLCad or LDD, but I haven't had time to do a lot with it. The rendering engine is a huge improvement over MLCad in terms of both looks and speed, especially with antialiasing, and I love the animation mode for Technic models.

The main suggestion I have is interface related. It would be great if the camera and other controls could be manually configured by the user. The zoom control feels a little odd to me since you have to hold down the mouse wheel while scrolling, and it's a bit strange to select pieces with the mouse but unselect them with the escape key.

Does this support the STEP tag from MLCad, so you can create and view instructions? I couldn't figure out how to scroll through steps, but I might have just been missing something.

HI
Yes, you can build instructions and support the same STEP syntax of MLCad. To enable the features, go in the View->Preferences and "Enable loading view.Pause on Step" features.
Also use Tools->Instruction miner to order your model parts for correct instruction display. Select parts and move them using mouse wheel.
You can add instruction step either in the instruction miner or using the 6th icon on menu toolbar.

About interface, you can zoom also using the slide on the right of the toolbar.
There is good reason for the use of ESC for unselect parts: in some many models you will often use the copy capability to duplicate parts of model. The selection operation maybe long and accurate so this prevent to accidentally unselect what you have selected.
I'm working on some features about selection methods like a 'Plane' selector tool, the possibility to deselect last selected part(s) without deselecting all, and the possibility to reselect what was last selected.

Don't forget to read online manual: only 16 pages with many images so really quick to read.

Byes

Sergio

[The Cobra]

Hi Sergio! I DLed your program and started using it. I'll e-mail you with some feedback soon.

[xSergio74]

The Cobra, on Jun 23 2009, 07:32 PM, said:

Hi Sergio! I DLed your program and started using it. I'll e-mail you with some feedback soon.

... don't forget to read manual for a quick and 'productive' approach

byes

Sergio

[3m@ch]

DLing right now, cause im so PO'd at LDD for discontinuing SO MANY parts!!!! And the lack of being able to add parts from a model  into your library (probably everyone agrees w/ THAT) and very poor camera control, and half the time the parts arent even connected......

[xSergio74]

3m@ch, on May 18 2010, 07:36 PM, said:

DLing right now, cause im so PO'd at LDD for discontinuing SO MANY parts!!!! And the lack of being able to add parts from a model  into your library (probably everyone agrees w/ THAT) and very poor camera control, and half the time the parts arent even connected......

ehm...
sorry, but I'm Italian and not so glued with all that abbreviation...
Can someone translate it in near "scholastic English"?

thanks

[Plastic Nurak]

Hi Sergio, this guy is just trolling in the forum, don't care of* him.

(of or for ?)

Edited by Plastic Nurak, 18 May 2010 - 09:16 PM.

[NecroViolator]

xSergio74, on May 18 2010, 09:18 PM, said:

ehm...
sorry, but I'm Italian and not so glued with all that abbreviation...
Can someone translate it in near "scholastic English"?

thanks

Hes stating what I posted about the Camera (but is deleted ???) and pieces that dont "click" into/onto each other correctly...

Also, about that the "user" using your program cannot "Import" Pieces (from a model) into your program...

If I understand his post correctly...
Or maybe hes talking about LDD ???


This is why I asked about if you used Serious Editor (Serious Sam2 Editor) because you can twist/turn in any direction any Mesh/Model you want...

Edited by NecroViolator, 19 May 2010 - 10:12 AM.

[xSergio74]

NecroViolator, on May 19 2010, 12:03 PM, said:

Hes stating what I posted about the Camera (but is deleted ???) and pieces that dont "click" into/onto each other correctly...

Also, about that the "user" using your program cannot "Import" Pieces (from a model) into your program...

If I understand his post correctly...
Or maybe hes talking about LDD ???


This is why I asked about if you used Serious Editor (Serious Sam2 Editor) because you can twist/turn in any direction any Mesh/Model you want...

About the camera, I imagine it was on the other thread about SR 3D Builder 0.5.1.3 and not on this!
I can figure out that he's talking about LDD since in my application parts connections fits exactly and automatically each others
A bout importing, probably he was saying that cannot import LDD models into SR3DBuilder due to the different file formats.
An finally, No, I'm not using Serious Editor. The whole application is a my creation!

byes

Sergio

[ipwnlego]

when i tell it where the LDraw part library is i get a message saying "please specify a valid path"

[KimT]

Moved into LDD Sub forum.

[ipwnlego]

can someone help me to install it please

ok i worked it out

Edited by ipwnlego, 29 May 2010 - 08:43 AM.

[nnndoh]

sergio.

i like your program, i really do
played with it for some days and decided to buy a real lego technics set ( my first one)  :D

what i like to see is

- able to resize the (library) window with all the parts in it, maybe that the preview window gets bigger too?
- better camera control and zooming, sometimes its a bit annoying when your model gets upside down from the current view.
  don't know if it is called , able to  "dolly" the view ?
  and maybe with zooming just the mouse wheel instead of ctrl + mouse wheel?

- maybe to much to ask but 3dconnexion 3d mouse support ? :D, would be awsome
- sometimes i forget to hit the spacebar when i put a part into place , and when i pick another part, the current one changes.
  can you change it so that when we drag and drop a part from the library it stays that way ? except when we select it with the rightmouse button to change the  part

- shortcuts ? like G for grab object?

other than that, keep up the good work
wish i could program like that.

[xSergio74]

Hi,
happy you like it!!
You requests are good, but not so easy to implement, or , better, I have not the time to do that all since I'm the only programmer!!
Anyway:
- Part library image resizing is not too difficult to do
- The camera control is not that bad, even if I know that many of you are used with LDD and it keeps the horizon line fixed while rotating a model. It maybe I will implement it as an option in a next release
- You can zoom with just the mouse wheel if you press it while rotating, as you can pan view while pressing the wheel and moving the mouse
- About changing UI is not so easy at all since changing some functionality somewhere causes a probable effect overlapping with other functionality. Please take the patient to get used with the application...

Now working on flex parts like tube and hose!!

best regards
...and talk with your friend about SR 3D Builder

Sergio

nnndoh, on Jun 7 2010, 03:50 PM, said:

sergio.

i like your program, i really do
played with it for some days and decided to buy a real lego technics set ( my first one)  :D

what i like to see is

- able to resize the (library) window with all the parts in it, maybe that the preview window gets bigger too?
- better camera control and zooming, sometimes its a bit annoying when your model gets upside down from the current view.
  don't know if it is called , able to  "dolly" the view ?
  and maybe with zooming just the mouse wheel instead of ctrl + mouse wheel?

- maybe to much to ask but 3dconnexion 3d mouse support ? :D, would be awsome
- sometimes i forget to hit the spacebar when i put a part into place , and when i pick another part, the current one changes.
  can you change it so that when we drag and drop a part from the library it stays that way ? except when we select it with the rightmouse button to change the  part

- shortcuts ? like G for grab object?

other than that, keep up the good work
wish i could program like that.

Edited by xSergio74, 07 June 2010 - 03:10 PM.

[CP5670]

I agree with the previous poster that the camera handling and interface could use a few tweaks. I've been using SR3D Builder on and off for a while but still find several aspects of the interface awkward, especially the way it handles the grid and how the keyboard controls to move bricks are camera-relative. I have also remapped some keys and mouse buttons through my Logitech drivers to customize the controls to my liking, but it would be nice to have those options in the program itself.

I think if the interface is cleaned up and made more intuitive, a lot more people would start using this program. It otherwise puts LDD and MLCad to shame in terms of how powerful and feature-packed it is. You have really done some excellent work with this program, and it deserves to be in more widespread use.

Also, is there an option to render the seams/boundaries between bricks? This is especially useful when viewing instructions. LDView has an option like this, for example.

[xSergio74]

Hi,
I don't know if you have tried latest 0.5.1.4 version of the application.
It has some enhancement in the UI even if the camera control is still not what you expect. As author of the program I don't find its control so bad after you get used with. It's better than LDD when part of the model get out of view and you cannot add the part where you need!

The keyboard parts movement on the grid will be abandoned  since now everything can be controlled just with the mouse of touchpad (except for PGUP/PGDOWN) and the AutoOrienting feature work correctly...

The application purpose is not to create paper instructions. Anyway you can add building step to your model and pause loading on step (or on brick if you prefer) in order to show model construction steps while loading.

byes

Sergio

CP5670, on Jun 7 2010, 08:39 PM, said:

I agree with the previous poster that the camera handling and interface could use a few tweaks. I've been using SR3D Builder on and off for a while but still find several aspects of the interface awkward, especially the way it handles the grid and how the keyboard controls to move bricks are camera-relative. I have also remapped some keys and mouse buttons through my Logitech drivers to customize the controls to my liking, but it would be nice to have those options in the program itself.

I think if the interface is cleaned up and made more intuitive, a lot more people would start using this program. It otherwise puts LDD and MLCad to shame in terms of how powerful and feature-packed it is. You have really done some excellent work with this program, and it deserves to be in more widespread use.

Also, is there an option to render the seams/boundaries between bricks? This is especially useful when viewing instructions. LDView has an option like this, for example.

[nnndoh]

sergio.

you should take a look at the modeling tool blender (blender.org) and see how the camera works.
if you drag your mouse at a side of the screen you are able to dolly or angle the camera so that you look strait to the object rather then upside down
if you can make that too in your program it would be a big +++

[xSergio74]

Hi,
Maybe many of you still don't know deeply the UI, since the manual is still far from being complete.
I want to say that you can set the rotation center of your model to whatever part inside your model. Just hover on it, right click and select "set rotation center" option.
If nothing is selected, model rotates around your selected rotation center, otherwise it will rotate around your first selected or adding part.

Here is a link to a new video I just upload to youtube to show what I'm working on: flex parts



enjoy... and wait

Sergio

[xSergio74]

Flex part video update.
You can't do this with any other Lego application
UNBELIEVABLE!!



Sergio

[xSergio74]

Hi everybody,
the new release of SR 3D Builder has been published.

Now with a basic (really basic) support for FLEX PARTS

refer to video for how to use it!

Available as always from
http://staff.polito.it/sergio.reano

enjoy

Sergio

[ElGabbu]

Hi Guys

It's my first post here. Lately I also installed SR 3D and I must congratulate Sergio for his work. I really enjoying using it :)

I am pretty happy with how the camera operates.

My suggestion as some other have mentioned is the part library window. I think it would be of great use if when you have a dual monitor scenario one can move the part library window to the other screen and maximize the window such that on one screen you have the model space on the other screen you have the library.

I also would like to ask Sergio about the parts them selves I have come across various situations now where I couldn't find the parts I am looking for. I enjoy building models from real Lego Technic instruction manuals but sometimes the manual asks for certain parts that are not available. Can I do anything about this?

Thanks again for your hard work Sergio :)

Regards
Gabriel

[ElGabbu]

Mean time I updated to the new version Sergio to try out the new flexible stuff. I understand it is still at an early stage of development but I am finding it very difficult to control the final shape of the tube. Can't wait for more updates :)

[xSergio74]

Hi everybody,

new version 0.5.5.2 of the application has just been released with many, many fixes and some new interesting functionality (like selecting by color)
Read history tab for a list of changes.

Also an official forum for discussing the application has been created.
This does not mean that I will stop reading this...

as always, you can download from
http://staff.polito.it/sergio.reano
and yes, it is STILL free

Sergio