General Questions: What software do people use to create Technic Moc instructions

[darksheep]

Hi , I have been out of the scene for a long time and would like to ask what do people use to create instructions for their mocs.

I know there are a few different applications that people use ,  but wanted to ask what people are using and the good and bad especially when it comes to technic building.

I don't have any of my lego any more as I needed to sell it to afford to move countries :( , so want to start designing and creating on my computer and then buy parts and build and if their is interest make instructions .

 

Thanks for your help . 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 24, 2019 by darksheep

[Jeroen Ottens]

LDCad + LPub3D

[sirslayer]

Good question!!  It depends on the target audience..  rebrickable vs bricklink vs Lego all have different standards ..  therefore different programs to print instructions goes down to the most popular!!! LDD.....   ??!! 

[msk6003]

https://bricksafe.com/pages/msk6003/42070-c-model-futuristic-darker-truck

LDD

[Touc4nx]

I personally use Stud.io
It's quite accessible and easy to use however it has some disadvantages :

• It can't bend the soft axle ends. (It means that both soft axle's ends are always facing the same direction.)
• The cables are not shown in the instructions.

[kbalage]

I use LDCad for building and LPub3D to create the instructions. You need some practice and tinkering to get it right but works in general. I also tried Stud.io but I was not really happy with the interface. The benefits for me in this setup:

• can work perfectly with soft axles, motor cables etc.
• I can easily add unofficial parts
• The software has a CAD-like interface and handling, I was working with other 3D design applications previously so it is familiar
• The ability to see and edit the code parallel to building

[Sariel]

MLCad and LPub3D.

[Philo]

54 minutes ago, Touc4nx said:

It can't bend the soft axle ends. (It means that both soft axle's ends are always facing the same direction.)

I am not advocating for Studio (I find LDCad flew parts MUCH easier to use!) but I see no usage restriction for soft axles?

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Philo/misc2/softaxle.io

[Lipko]

LDD then MLCad and LPub3D.

I usually build my models in LDD then it's easier for me to remodel in MLCAD. I also use the export/import feature to migrate builds from LDD to MLCad, but it introduces many errors (ruins the orientation of some parts and adds slight random offsets to all parts) which sometimes takes more time to fix than to remodel the whole thing. I sometimes used Notepad++ to fix those errors ("search and replace").

I don't know if there was any improvement in that feature export/import, I haven't made instructions since 2 years.

I also used Notepad++ to fix LPub errors and because LPub was extremely slow on my computer. At the end, I usually had to fiddle around with the PDF in Adobe Acrobat to fix some pdf errors (sometimes layers get mixed up) and to finalize the instructions (adding extra pages and to optimize the filesize).

Edited October 24, 2019 by Lipko

[LvdH]

I’m currently using Studio 2 on a project for a friend. Only missing some parts and a few features, such as motor cables and rubber band bending.

@Touc4nx you can change the directions of the ends with the arrow keys. Just click on the end and it will show up as its own “part”

Edited October 24, 2019 by LvdH

[Touc4nx]

4 hours ago, Philo said:

I see no usage restriction for soft axles?

 

2 hours ago, LvdH said:

you can change the directions of the ends with the arrow keys.

My bad I haven't seen that I will have to test.
Thanks for your help.

 

[Didumos69]

4 hours ago, Lipko said:

LDD then MLCad and LPub3D.

I usually build my models in LDD then it's easier for me to remodel in MLCAD. I also use the export/import feature to migrate builds from LDD to MLCad, but it introduces many errors (ruins the orientation of some parts and adds slight random offsets to all parts) which sometimes takes more time to fix than to remodel the whole thing. I sometimes used Notepad++ to fix those errors ("search and replace").

I don't know if there was any improvement in that feature export/import, I haven't made instructions since 2 years.

I also used Notepad++ to fix LPub errors and because LPub was extremely slow on my computer. At the end, I usually had to fiddle around with the PDF in Adobe Acrobat to fix some pdf errors (sometimes layers get mixed up) and to finalize the instructions (adding extra pages and to optimize the filesize).

I don't use software for instructions (I make photo sequence instructions, because I sometimes make use of temporary helper pieces etc.), but in response to the above: The export to LDraw format feature of LDD relies on a file called 'ldraw.xml' deployed in the LDD executable folder. The stock ldraw.xml gives many misplacements and mis-orientations in ldraw format, but fortunately @SylvainLS is maintaining a separate thread with an advanced ldraw.xml, which makes LDD produce very good quality ldraw models. I use LDD to start designing and once it becomes more stable, I migrate to Stud.io via the LDraw export of LDD, using the aforementioned ldraw.xml file.

Edited October 24, 2019 by Didumos69

[Nequmodiva]

6 hours ago, Lipko said:

LDD then MLCad and LPub3D.

That's also my setup. LDD runs much faster than studio on my computer and I'm way faster building with LDD.

Then I import the LDD file into studio and export it as ldraw file. Some of the newer parts have a wrong orientation afterwards, but it's not that much to fix.

Making the steps in MLCad is the most time consuming part of the process. That's why I'm glad MLCad runs really smooth on Linux with Wine, where I mostly work.

The good thing about MLCAD + LPub3D is that you can have bend parts like cables, hoses and strings, that you can insert arrows, buffer exchanges, assembled parts etc. Since Technic models and instructions tend to be complex you need all of those things way more than when doing System instructions.

[knotian]

If you are getting 'restarted' I would use Stud.io. The instructions are "pretty much" automatic with many ways to tweek them.

I have been using, abusing, and cussing Stud.io from the initial version ( you can ask Summer about that) and it is developing nicely. There are still a few things that need work, but is is a very usable product.

If you are into animation of lego models, then look at ldcad.