Beginner LDD Question - Modular Design

[JayLJohnston]

Hi Everyone,

I'm starting to create a building in LDD and am wondering h ow you go about creating multiple floors. Do you have 1 LDD file for the entire building, or create separate files for each floor? I'm leaning towards keeping everything in a single file, but am not sure if that's recommended. Thanks!

[Zerobricks]

I think any way is okay, since you can always import more files/floors. I do suggest to group each floor once finished fo easier placement and handling.

[Alasdair Ryan]

I recently made a building with multiple floors in LDD,I found the easiest approach was to construct a "template" of the floor of the building.I then used the "group" tool which allowed me to reuse/cone the template floor over and over again.

[JayLJohnston]

Thanks! I wasn't aware that I could import one file into another... I'm new to this aspect of building, and really appreciate the advice :)

[___]

You have first answer yourself WHAT FOR YOU NEED IT?

* in case you want to be able "manipulate" separately with every floor the best solution to me is GROUP EVERY FLOOR SEPARATELY - all would be in one .lxf file and still individual manipulation with floors possible...

* in case you want to be able re-using individual floors across different models (.lxf files) then SEPARATE LXF FILE FOR EVERY FLOOR would be the right solution...

I hope this kind of explanation actually help you to decide which way is the right one for you.

Edited February 29, 2016 by bublible

[JayLJohnston]

Thanks Bublible,

Here's what I'm doing... I'm trying to create my three-story townhouse as a modular... it's skinny and tall, so I thought it would be a good practice building as I have a template to work off of. I've created the base and stairs for the first story, but am now ready to start on the second one... so I wasn't sure if I should just build the second story next to the first, then be able to highlight the entire thing to see how it fits, etc... I'm a beginner to LDD, so I didn't know that importing other files into one was possible, but I don't see the benefit in that. At the same time, I'm building a few of the modulars to learn more about them and get ideas on the actual build. Thanks!!

[TheLegoKing]

I would work in the same file, but save as files when you meet a point where you know you like it, so you can go back to it if you need to.

[___]

Thanks Bublible,

Here's what I'm doing... I'm trying to create my three-story townhouse as a modular... it's skinny and tall, so I thought it would be a good practice building as I have a template to work off of. I've created the base and stairs for the first story, but am now ready to start on the second one... so I wasn't sure if I should just build the second story next to the first, then be able to highlight the entire thing to see how it fits, etc... I'm a beginner to LDD, so I didn't know that importing other files into one was possible, but I don't see the benefit in that. At the same time, I'm building a few of the modulars to learn more about them and get ideas on the actual build. Thanks!!

Then definitely one file with groups: that way you can have visible only those floors you need, you can also subgroup them to smaller parts like stairs, windows, furniture etc. and once again let visible only those you need at the moment, very handy thing (I am using it constantly in a quite advanced way when grouping allows me rotating whole parts, for example)...

As for the "I don't see the benefit in that": it has quite big impact as it is really important thing, look at it like this - let's say I am having my Techtroners line which, let's say, has to have some concrete parts in every Techtroners model, if there were no import option in LDD one would need to build those same parts on and on perpetually, but with import option you just save such part separately as lxf and import to every model you intend to use it in (now imagine if such part would consist of 500 bricks, you see now?)

Ehm, of course: one could also just COPY the part from model it is in and paste into one that he wants to have it in but that would be a real drag, wouldn't it?

Edited February 29, 2016 by bublible

[Alasdair Ryan]

The building I referred to above was a multi story flat hat that a lift and stair case.I have linked the file below, feel free to examine the file to see how I created it.

Download block of flats LXF

[JayLJohnston]

Thanks for the replies everyone!! I really appreciate it. I'll make sure to post about it when I have it looking better :)