msx80

[Software] Blueprint, a building instruction generator for LDD

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8 hours ago, supertruper1988 said:

I just opened your file on my mac and had it generate steps with no issues. 

Actually I cant haha. I think your file is too big. I can definitely see some places to improve it but we can PM about that for sure. 

I have just tried to PM you but it says I am not allowed. I assume it's because I am a new user. But thank you for confirming it isn't just my side.

Like I said it's a work in progress. It was only meant for me. As long as I can understand it to build it that's enough for me :).

When you say you think the file is too big? That's the thing it used to work. Is there a max amount of steps? It doesn't seem like a program that would?

I personally believe the data in my project has some wrong code somewhere I was hoping a Java guru could help?

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11 hours ago, supertruper1988 said:

I just opened your file on my mac and had it generate steps with no issues. 

Actually I cant haha. I think your file is too big. I can definitely see some places to improve it but we can PM about that for sure. 

Could you upload your Blueprint install to dropbox or something so I could try someone else's version. For why mine is cocking up see above.

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I'm loving this program so far, except I have run into a problem with my model. I'm 95% done configuring my steps, but my file will no longer save. Every time I load my design I end up with this text in my CMD prompt. I have no idea what this means, but it's causing me to be unable to save my work. It's quite a large build with a lot of steps, is there some sort of file size limit to the program? 

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

error code.png

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44 minutes ago, Brickstogo said:

I'm loving this program so far, except I have run into a problem with my model. I'm 95% done configuring my steps, but my file will no longer save. Every time I load my design I end up with this text in my CMD prompt. I have no idea what this means, but it's causing me to be unable to save my work. It's quite a large build with a lot of steps, is there some sort of file size limit to the program? 

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

By default, Java limits the amount of memory it uses fairly severely.  The file you use to run Blueprint (blueprint.bat) probably has a line that looks like this:

java -Djava.library.path=native -jar bin\blueprint.jar

You need to add an option that raises the maximum amount of memory Java will use - something like this:

java -Xmx2048m -Djava.library.path=native -jar bin\blueprint.jar

That tells Java to use up to 2048 megabytes (2 gigabytes) of memory.  You probably have plenty of real memory, a 64-bit processor, and the 64-bit version of Java.  If you have a 64-bit CPU and aren't running the 64-bit version of Java, you should be.  If for some reason the value of 2048 still doesn't work for you, you can try lower values until it does.

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50 minutes ago, iceleftd said:

By default, Java limits the amount of memory it uses fairly severely.  The file you use to run Blueprint (blueprint.bat) probably has a line that looks like this:


java -Djava.library.path=native -jar bin\blueprint.jar

You need to add an option that raises the maximum amount of memory Java will use - something like this:


java -Xmx2048m -Djava.library.path=native -jar bin\blueprint.jar

That tells Java to use up to 2048 megabytes (2 gigabytes) of memory.  You probably have plenty of real memory, a 64-bit processor, and the 64-bit version of Java.  If you have a 64-bit CPU and aren't running the 64-bit version of Java, you should be.  If for some reason the value of 2048 still doesn't work for you, you can try lower values until it does.

Thank you very much for your quick reply! I have been trying to figure out how to change this but I'm not great with this type of computer stuff, so bare with me please! 

The code that I have reads as follows:

@ECHO OFF
java -cp "bin/blueprint.jar" -Djava.library.path=native blueprint.Blueprint
pause

How would I alter this properly to make those changes? I tried changing the parameters within java directly but this didn't seem to solve the issue either.

Thanks again!

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On 5/19/2018 at 8:03 PM, Brickstogo said:

Thank you very much for your quick reply! I have been trying to figure out how to change this but I'm not great with this type of computer stuff, so bare with me please! 

The code that I have reads as follows:

@ECHO OFF
java -cp "bin/blueprint.jar" -Djava.library.path=native blueprint.Blueprint
pause

How would I alter this properly to make those changes? I tried changing the parameters within java directly but this didn't seem to solve the issue either.

Thanks again!

Solved the issue. For anyone else having the same problem here is exactly what I did to solve it.

I created a shortcut of my Blueprint batch file, then right clicked to edit. Then I changed this text:

@ECHO OFF
java -cp "bin/blueprint.jar" -Djava.library.path=native blueprint.Blueprint
pause

By adding "-Xmx1024m" after the java text it worked! 

@ECHO OFF
java -Xmx1024m -cp "bin/blueprint.jar" -Djava.library.path=native blueprint.Blueprint
pause

I started with -Xmx2048m but that didn't work, so I lowered it to 1024 and it worked fine.

I hope this will help anyone with this problem in the future! 

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Hey all,

I've made some posts here in the much earlier pages of this thread. Been using Blueprint in various build states for a while now, with some nice completed efforts. I'm working on instructions for something new now, and have run into a problem I never came across before due to the types of builds I was making. 

With a modular building the viewing box never changes... you might rotate the model a few times throughout a section, but never do you need to focus on different sections of the model.

My new project is a slight adaptation to the community released Barad Dur lxf from Ideas a couple years back. Much like a giant UCS model, the zoom required to see the parts means that certain sections of the model will go off-screen, outside the viewing box, as you progress along the length of the build. 

I seem to be hitting a bounding-box issue though, where no matter what dimensions I put in to my page settings, the amount of the model being rendered is always the same. 

I need to know if anyone has figured out a work-around for this issue... a method to 'focus' the camera on a specified 'mid-point' like you can in LDD by right-clicking a brick on the assembly.

 

It's not letting me link a drop-box image directly, but this link should be public: https://www.dropbox.com/s/esuiwbf1fz2imlu/blueprintboundingbox.jpg?dl=0

In this image my Page Settings are 2732x2048 (pixel dimensions of the largest iPad Pro which I use to build from) with 250%, 150%, 300% Assemblies, Parts, Text. If I increase the dimensions to say 4732x2048.... that bounding box around my assembly stays exactly the same... i just gain more dead space around it. Can I increase the size of the bounding box????

If not could it be added as an ini command?? 

 

Edit: right after posting this I went and fiddled around a bit more, the issue might be in part tied to my 60% zoom setting on left pane there. Zooming in to 100% shows why the bounding box is where it is. The question remains though, any way to focus where that box is looking? 

 

Edited by Zelgazra

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I would suggest showing us the full length of shown errors And at the very least,  the final error messages in total. It's hard to know what's wrong with a car if you only give us the door.

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On 2/23/2018 at 8:08 AM, mfeldt said:

Crash when using part 76302 OUTERCABLE 80MM

[...]

 


New version! Yuhu! (1x1564.2)
Caching brick aliases..
OpenGL version:      3.2.0 NVIDIA 340.104
OpenGL vendor:       NVIDIA Corporation
OpenGL renderer:     GeForce 605/PCIe/SSE2
OpenGL shading lang: 1.50 NVIDIA via Cg compiler
Loading brick 76302 OUTERCABLE 80MM
Flexing element 76302 OUTERCABLE 80MM
Exception in thread "JavaFX Application Thread" java.lang.RuntimeException: java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException
	at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader$MethodHandler.invoke(FXMLLoader.java:1774)

[...many more error lines...]

Caused by: java.lang.RuntimeException: java.lang.NullPointerException
	at blueprint.b.b.a.a.b.b(Unknown Source)
	at blueprint.b.b.a.a.b.a(Unknown Source)
	at java.util.HashMap.computeIfAbsent(HashMap.java:1127)
	at blueprint.b.b.a.a.b.a(Unknown Source)
	at blueprint.b.b.a.a.a(Unknown Source)
	at blueprint.b.b.a.d(Unknown Source)
	at blueprint.b.b.a.b(Unknown Source)
	at blueprint.b.b.a.a(Unknown Source)
	... 48 more
Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
	... 56 more
Closing db.

That's really a pity, because to my taste, blueprint is the only tool which enables the efficient production of instructions that can really be used!

I just wanted to follow up and note that this was solved by making Blueprint use an updated version of the db.lif.

 

Now I have another question: Blueprint can highlight the current parts added in a particular step. Is there any way so influence the color used to highlight? I don't particularly fancy the pink....

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Running Blueprint V0026 (and very glad with it!). Have been puzzling why I did not get the length of beams and axles in the generated pages. Until now. default_default_blush.gif

I usually start blueprint from the directory that has my current model. Now after I copied the lengths.txt file to this directory: it works :excited: :thumbup:.

Makes the generated PDF SO much more usable. Thanks!

Just reporting, maybe it helps someone else.

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Just a random question @msx80

I am not sure if you still have time or something but i got a small update request if possible.

When you select and drag the steps (On page layout part)

Is there a chance you can add a extra function like when holding "Shift" button on keyboard and then drag your mouse the selected items will go example straight down, up, left or right?

Kinda like you have in photoshop to with a certain tool (I believe it was the pen tool or so?)

Can donate $10 if you can add this function to the program cause it will make my life so much easier to align stuff then hoping i won't shake with my hand and its out of line again lol.

Thank you again for all your hard work into this!

Edited by kokkie20

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Hello everyone, and mostly @msx80

I have finished my first project and also created a Building Instruction with the Blueprint Software of @msx80

I wanted to put an image as an example of the 15-pages-long instruction booklet, could not make it, so instead I put a link to the file: Example-Image

I would also thank you, if you click and visit the ideas.lego.com site and support my project, if you like it!

https://ideas.lego.com/projects/f9005b21-ccb3-4f1b-92d8-baae05729e6d

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On 6/1/2018 at 12:21 AM, Zelgazra said:

Hey all,

I've made some posts here in the much earlier pages of this thread. Been using Blueprint in various build states for a while now, with some nice completed efforts. I'm working on instructions for something new now, and have run into a problem I never came across before due to the types of builds I was making. 

With a modular building the viewing box never changes... you might rotate the model a few times throughout a section, but never do you need to focus on different sections of the model.

My new project is a slight adaptation to the community released Barad Dur lxf from Ideas a couple years back. Much like a giant UCS model, the zoom required to see the parts means that certain sections of the model will go off-screen, outside the viewing box, as you progress along the length of the build. 

I seem to be hitting a bounding-box issue though, where no matter what dimensions I put in to my page settings, the amount of the model being rendered is always the same. 

I need to know if anyone has figured out a work-around for this issue... a method to 'focus' the camera on a specified 'mid-point' like you can in LDD by right-clicking a brick on the assembly.

 

It's not letting me link a drop-box image directly, but this link should be public: https://www.dropbox.com/s/esuiwbf1fz2imlu/blueprintboundingbox.jpg?dl=0

In this image my Page Settings are 2732x2048 (pixel dimensions of the largest iPad Pro which I use to build from) with 250%, 150%, 300% Assemblies, Parts, Text. If I increase the dimensions to say 4732x2048.... that bounding box around my assembly stays exactly the same... i just gain more dead space around it. Can I increase the size of the bounding box????

If not could it be added as an ini command?? 

 

Edit: right after posting this I went and fiddled around a bit more, the issue might be in part tied to my 60% zoom setting on left pane there. Zooming in to 100% shows why the bounding box is where it is. The question remains though, any way to focus where that box is looking? 

 

Sorry, I don't have an answer - but I do have the same issue. And in large, complex model it's really annoying as the only solution I came across is to reduce the magnification factor for assemblies. This will put more of the complete model into view, but either tiny or at completely crappy resolution.  So I second a request for being able to

  - either allow larger output images completely used for the model

  - or the ability to point the camera to a specific section.

I would guess the first solution is probably easier to implement - maybe some invisible window is generated where the content is copied from and one just needs to increase the hard-coded size of that?

 

 

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7 hours ago, mfeldt said:

And - anything you can recommend to get at least recognizable results?

Honestly, I moved over to Stud.io and then use LPub3D to make them after exporting the LDRAW file from Stud.io.

I was initially just reordering the steps by hand in Stud.io but after the latest release, there is a new step designer that is very useful. The page layouts in the new instruction maker arent very good yet so I am using the step designer and then exporting as LDraw and using LPub3D.

Its a different work flow but once the steps are made in LDraw/Stud.io you can easily recolor or move parts unlike the headache that was created by that in BluePrint.

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Seeing Stud.io got its own instructions designer as well (but most importantly, a new renderer!), made me think again about instruction designers.

I don't quite get it.

I've myself used Blueprint, and it was fun, once. I only did it for the fun of it, but it's tedious, do it more than once and it becomes work. Now who is this for?
I get it that *some* people sell full kits online, they really aren't that many, I couldn't even name more than 3.
For ALL the rest, it's about sharing, or selling instructions with a couple of people who are enough into Lego that they can make tedious Bricklink orders, and who are then likely to be able to read through your LDD - those don't really need proper instructions.

Well: I've had a MOC sold on Rebrickable, that temporarily got to the third place at the top of their "commercial" instructions. I had sold around 30. That should give an idea about how much all the rest in the list have sold. & don't get me wrong, it's nice to make beer money from something you only did for fun anyway. But then it has to remain fun.
I hadn't bothered generating instructions for that MOC, because I already knew it'd be tedious. I did for another MOC, a free one for which Idon't really know how many have downloaded it [edit: actually I'm hosting it & I can check: 12 downloads in 2018], & if it was worth it. But I have another MOC sold on Rebrickable, a MOC that's not based on something popular, & thus it's not 30 that I have sold there, but 1. And I am pretty certain that the vast majority of the MOCs at Rebrickable have sold zero, or one. And because, again, it's only about instructions & not full kits, thus is restricted to the few who really wanna bother Bricklinking several batches to build your stuff, I'm pretty sure that the vast majority of free MOCs on Rebrickable haven't been downloaded either.

So, instructions generators, yeah it's nice to try them out for the fun of it, for the fun of "I made this". But I don't see who would find it fun to repeat this for every MOC he wants to share, it quickly stops being fun. And if the fun isn't there, and money obviously isn't there, then why do it?

Edited by anothergol

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21 minutes ago, anothergol said:

Seeing Stud.io got its own instructions designer as well (but most importantly, a new renderer!), made me think again about instruction designers.

I don't quite get it.

I've myself used Blueprint, and it was fun, once. I only did it for the fun of it, but it's tedious, do it more than once and it becomes work. Now who is this for?
I get it that *some* people sell full kits online, they really aren't that many, I couldn't even name more than 3.
For ALL the rest, it's about sharing, or selling instructions with a couple of people who are enough into Lego that they can make tedious Bricklink orders, and who are then likely to be able to read through your LDD - those don't really need proper instructions.

Well: I've had a MOC sold on Rebrickable, that temporarily got to the third place at the top of their "commercial" instructions. I had sold around 30. That should give an idea about how much all the rest in the list have sold. & don't get me wrong, it's nice to make beer money from something you only did for fun anyway. But then it has to remain fun.
I hadn't bothered generating instructions for that MOC, because I already knew it'd be tedious. I did for another MOC, a free one for which Idon't really know how many have downloaded it [edit: actually I'm hosting it & I can check: 12 downloads in 2018], & if it was worth it. But I have another MOC sold on Rebrickable, a MOC that's not based on something popular, & thus it's not 30 that I have sold there, but 1. And I am pretty certain that the vast majority of the MOCs at Rebrickable have sold zero, or one. And because, again, it's only about instructions & not full kits, thus is restricted to the few who really wanna bother Bricklinking several batches to build your stuff, I'm pretty sure that the vast majority of free MOCs on Rebrickable haven't been downloaded either.

So, instructions generators, yeah it's nice to try them out for the fun of it, for the fun of "I made this". But I don't see who would find it fun to repeat this for every MOC he wants to share, it quickly stops being fun. And if the fun isn't there, and money obviously isn't there, then why do it?

I don't see why you need to comment this here, but I have a good explanation to your question so here we go.

I might be a special example, but in 2016 I made a Scania truck that I was planning to sell instructions for. Having worked at Scania for three years and being positioned at different locations in the factory made me know exactly how the truck was being built, and how assemblies were mounted to the final truck. More on this later.

The official Lego Porsche 911 GT3 RS is a prime example of a set where you follow the assembly process of the real thing, including the very important marriage of the chassis and body of the car. The engine was made separately and then  put in the car, at the same time as in the real assembly process. This is what I was looking for when people were building my Scania model.

I wanted to create the frame of the truck first, then the surrounding elements of the frame, the engine, and lastly the cab. This isn't a bottom to top build, and it requires special made instructions to be able to tell the story at the same time as building. My Scania isn't just an RC truck, but it is an experience for the builder. For someone who has never been to the factory, or someone who has been standing there for years. For this kind of thing, an LDD model isn't enough.

Blueprint has been the perfect Lego instructions generator for me. The instructions look great and the flexibility is awesome. The lack of updates is a bit worrying but overall the program works like it should.

I have to this day sold over 40 sets of instructions for this truck. It's not that much of a number, but it has made me more money that twice the cost of the pieces in the model itself. This is important for any creator as it gives the possibilities to continue with the ambition. I could not have but a premium price on a LDD model, only with real instructions.

I hope this made sense to you, and you now understand who the instructions generator might be for. It takes time to use, especially for large models, but sometimes, it's definitely worth it!

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I think you also need to consider that LEGO building is also to inspire other people, I like to share techniques and help educate others on becoming better builders.  I am not saying that I am perfect or anything, in fact I'd appreciate constructive criticism on my work.  If I don't put work out there for others to look at and comment on, my MOC being a picture alone is gonna get a lot of "Oh that's nice" and "Good build bro" but that doesn't help share knowledge and get feedback across.

I can understand @anothergol and the the feeling that it is REALLY tedious and the fun might disappear, but I don't do it for EVERYTHING I build, in fact I am currently working on releasing my first instructions with Blueprint, ever.  Like @ThinkCleverAndSmart says above, it's also about leading people on an experience about building the model the way you intended and guide them through a process.  I can really understand both points of view.

I think we all have to take the instruction journey at one point in time to get some real world feedback on what we do to feel 'quantified' in pursuing our hobby of building LEGO and Blueprint is my poison at the moment for fulfilling that task.

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2 hours ago, ThinkCleverAndSmart said:

I don't see why you need to comment this here

well, where else?

2 hours ago, ThinkCleverAndSmart said:

I wanted to create the frame of the truck first, then the surrounding elements of the frame, the engine, and lastly the cab. This isn't a bottom to top build, and it requires special made instructions to be able to tell the story at the same time as building. My Scania isn't just an RC truck, but it is an experience for the builder. For someone who has never been to the factory, or someone who has been standing there for years. For this kind of thing, an LDD model isn't enough.

Blueprint has been the perfect Lego instructions generator for me. The instructions look great and the flexibility is awesome. The lack of updates is a bit worrying but overall the program works like it should.

I have to this day sold over 40 sets of instructions for this truck. It's not that much of a number, but it has made me more money that twice the cost of the pieces in the model itself. This is important for any creator as it gives the possibilities to continue with the ambition. I could not have but a premium price on a LDD model, only with real instructions

Yeah I hadn't considered Technics stuff, for which I guess it makes sense to follow a guide (even though I believe the LDD generator uses groups & that works too).

But hey, 40 sets it looks like our numbers are similar. Let's be real, it's beer money (that indeed pays for parts) and it's nice to have along as it's fun. But in the end, MOCing can in no way bring more money than it costed, and thus if you start building more & more instructions & it stops being fun, it stops making sense. Doing that for "just" 40 people, that is simply not worth it. Even for 400 people I wouldn't do it, actually. 4000, maybe, but shared instructions will always remain a niche (unless one day gathering parts becomes easy & cheap enough.That was one of LDD's goals & it failed. Now that is one of Stud.io's goals and.. who knows).

Imagine if you were a Youtuber and all of your videos had 40 views, and you knew that was the norm out there - you'd probably stop bothering making nice edits. And actually, it might even make more sense to make Youtube instructions, it'd be as much work, but ads might bring more than selling a few dozens of instructions. I have acually made 2 tiny Youtubes to test basic editing. It was fun, it of course brought no views (like, 6000 at best, which for YT is nothing), thus I wouldn't bother anymore unless I wanna do it for fun again.

Anyway, my whole point was about the number of people who are gonna see/use what you do, and it looks like you confirm it's a niche "market". But maybe I was spoiled making stuff used by millions of people in the past, I don't know. The most ironic is that it was still in a very niche stuff, but still the numbers were extremely different.

 

Edited by anothergol

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1 hour ago, BennyT19 said:

Like @ThinkCleverAndSmart says above, it's also about leading people on an experience about building the model the way you intended and guide them through a process. 

But yeah that's exactly why we do it. All I'm saying is, you're doing that for a few dozen people, at best. And you might even be doing it for just 1 dude, or no one at all, so there may not even be a "them".

If this kind of stuff was viewed by millions & brought no money, yeah it'd still make a lot of sense IMHO.

Btw you know what's at the top in Rebrickable (other than stuff relying on licenses)? Instructions for alternate builds for existing sets (or combinations of sets). That's for the reason I told about, only a couple of people are ready to do boring & costy Bricklink orders. I myself would not bother, while I Bricklink every week. I would have LOVED to get the Arvo brother's models, but even for these I wouldn't have bothered gathering some obscure retired parts (of course these were releasing nice books, maybe some collectors were into that). But when Xingbao released their stuff, I surely bought most of them. It might happen that the Chinese will start "licensing" (if they really ever did that) more & more MOCs, and then yeah, making instructions will start to make a lot of sense.

Edited by anothergol

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