LDD - filter by set

[Jetro]

I've just installed the latest version of LDD on my laptoo (4.1.7). The filter option appears to have stayed virtually the same since a long time ago. In MINDSTORMS mode I can only select a very small number of Technic sets. Ideally I'd like to select a brick palette with bricks from any recent Technic set. Is there a way to make this work? In LDRaw I can quite easily prepare a 'favourites' set so I have easy access to the bricks from nany single set.

[Calabar]

As I consider this feature one of the most desirable in LDD, I tried some time ago to add sets to the available set list, but unfortunately it seems more difficult than I thought, so I renounced.

It seems there is a sort of protection mechanism that avoid LDD to see the files you add, or even to see one of the file already present if modified.

Probably it is necessary to modify some internal file, perhaps it is impossible because hardcoded.

For the next versions of LDD I'd like a feature that allow to easily import lists related to a set, in order to help to construct it with available bricks only.

[Superkalle]

Hi Jetro

Great to see you here

Like Calabar says, this can't be done like in MLCad. In LDD, the method would be to add the parts to the Templates tab. They will then be available in future projects. It's also the way to create a favorite list of parts. But it's not quite the same as creating a palette for a unqiue set, since 1) the parts in the Templates tab are the accumulation of all parts added and hence they will not be unique for a certain set and 2) You cannot see how many of each parts is needed.

A way to have many "Template tabs", one for each set, is to create an LXF-file with those parts, and then use the File>Import model to get access to those parts. It's not a very nice solution, but it works.

So how do you get all the parts from that favorite Technics set into a LXF file? There are three ways:

1) Create the set yourself from scratch, and then create a Template or similar with them.

2) Check the "Official Sets" topic here in the LDD forum. There are over 1600 sets in there.

3) Import the parts from BrickLink. To do this, you need a tool called LDD Manager. It allows you to import any part-listing from BrickLink, and create an LXF-file. From there you can then pick the parts as needed and/or create either a Template or a Group.

EDIT: This certainly was a good question. Playing around some more, I found that the template parts are stored here (one file for each added part or part group):

C:\Users\[uSERNAME]\AppData\Roaming\LEGO Company\LEGO Digital Designer\LibraryGroups\LDDExtended

This means that it would be possible to create a bunch of files, one for each part in a set, and copy them to that folder whenever you want to work with that set.

[Jetro]

Thanks Superkalle.

I do occasionally wander into this forum and try to stay up to date with the latest developments. Your little investigation and suggestions sound like a great starting point. I'll go give it a try now...