Reinstalled MLCad AIOI on 2 PCs - one is fine, one has all colors mashed up

[Erik Leppen]

OK so now I got something I really don't understand. I decided it was time to install the newest Ldraw "AIOI" (All in one installer) along with the "ATI" (additional tools installer) on my secondary PC. I did, and I got really happy, because now, vibrant coral and neon yellow are defined as colors. (It's the 2022-02 version from here: LDraw.org - Windows.)

So I decided to put those installers on a USB stick and I installed the exact same files on my primary PC.

But now all the colors are mashed up. Here's how it looks on my primary PC. Screenshots from MLCad 3.51

I can't show how it looks on the secondary PC, because that one is not nearby right now. Now I have had before that the colors were all messed up, but I just assumed these were the new MLCad colors, because I didn't have installed the same thing on 2 PC's. But now I have seen the difference, I know the problem is not with the new color definitions - it's something on my PC ruining the colors. But what? The wrong colors only show up after installing the new package. All was fine beforehand (except missing the new colors.)

Here's some screenshots from MLCad versus LDview.

As you can see, the new install improved things in LDView (coral and neon yellow added and some colors like bright light yellow improved. However, tan is now too dark) But in MLCad, everything is messed up. Basic colors work, although some have really ugly outlines that weren't there (blue, red and green) and most colors beyond the default range (like reddish brown) are either totally different, or not there at all. Before the install, the colors were the same in MLCad and LDview (like in the right image) but of course I can't show the MLCad screenshot, because I can't get the colors to work in MLCad anymore.

I tried replacing ldconfig.ldr with a version from 2018 - no change in MLCad, but LDview reverted to the old colors. I can live with that, but LDview was already fine so that doesn't help me.

I tried replacing mlcad.ini with a version from 2017 (when I am sure it worked) - no change in MLCad.

I tried replacing mlcad.cfg with an older version - no change in MLCad.

How do I get the new colors in MLCad? Or, at the least, how do I get the same colors in both programs? It's especially weird because having installed exactly the same packages on another PC yielded the new colors just fine - including vibrant yellow and coral.

Anyone any ideas? Thanks in advance :D

Edited May 6, 2022 by Erik Leppen

[1963maniac]

McAfee Flagged it "Suspicious" before I downloaded it. Microsoft Defender prevented this from running upon ordering the set-up installation. I am not going to run this copy on my PC. I just shredded it. Sorry Erik, I was trying to see what would happen on my PC in order to maybe help. I'm going no further. Maybe corruption is the prolem?

[Erik Leppen]

15 hours ago, 1963maniac said:

McAfee Flagged it "Suspicious" before I downloaded it.

My browser also warns me and specifically asks me to trust the file. I believe all versions do that. Or at least, I have seen this a few times before with new LDraw versions. I think the program is just not popular enough to be "verified" as safe by those protection programs. Understandable, but I trust the LDraw site and there doesn't seem to be anything suspicious.

[roland]

I think MLCad is using/loading the wrong LDConfig.ldr file.

One without a definition for those 3xx colors.

MLCad probably applies the old dithered color rules on colors >=256 and <512 (a blend of two <16 colors).

For example color 353 is a blend of 6 ( (353-256) div 16 ) and 1  (353-256-6*16), so a mix of brown and blue -> dark blue.

[Erik Leppen]

Where does MLCad take its ldconfig?

I'm asking, because before the update all was fine; since the update, it somehow can't load colors. Given what I see and what you explain about the "old dithered rules", the problem doesn't seem to be "the wrong LDconfig" but rather "it can't find any LDconfig at all, and falls back to a default". I mean, any old config file at least has better definitions for basic colors, like tan and dark tan, than the image shows.

Also, I replaced all ldconfig.ldr by the new 2022-02 version, and I still get the wrong colors in MLCad. The same (new) file is now in 7 places:

• C: -> Users -> Gebruiker -> AppData -> Local -> LPub3D Software -> LPub3D -> extras
• C: -> Program Files -> LDraw (64 Bit) -> LPub3D -> extras
• C: -> Users -> Public -> Documents -> LDraw
• C: -> Program Files -> LPub3D -> data
• C: -> Program Files (x86) -> LDraw -> MLCad (I manually added it here)
• C: -> Program Files (x86) -> LDraw (32 Bit) -> MLCad (I manually added it here)
• C: -> Users -> Gebruiker -> AppData -> Roaming -> Ing. Michael Lachmann -> MLCad (I manually added it here)

But if MLCad loads the wrong LDconfig file, I should get the colors I had previously, with at least decent colors for 90% of them. But the old "dithered colors" are since the update, and seem to indicate not "wrong file" but rather "no file at all".

Also, there are 4 buttons in MLCad's color selector (save default; load default; default ldconfig; load ldconfig. I tried all four, but I see no difference in appeareance, nor in the existence of any ldconfig files on my file system.

So, still no clue...

Edited May 8, 2022 by Erik Leppen

[roland]

Far I know it used the LDConfig.ldr inside the chosen base library location (instellingen/algemeen/algemeen).

But it might cache the list somewhere like it does with the parts.

[Erik Leppen]

On 5/8/2022 at 8:10 PM, roland said:

Far I know it used the LDConfig.ldr inside the chosen base library location (instellingen/algemeen/algemeen).

I checked that folder, and that folder has an LDConfig.ldr.

But it's even weirder. If I replace the LDConfig.ldr in that folder by the version of 2018, and then in the color window I press "load LDConfig colors" then I see the correct colors in the color list (but still not in the color bar on the top). But of course, I'm having the 2018 definitions. But If I replace the LDConfig.ldr in that folder by the version of 2022-02, and then in the color window I press "load LDConfig colors" then I see the default colors (with the dithered stuff beyond 256). It looks like this version of MLCad simply doesn't load those new colors. Version is 3.50 by the way.

Searching my file system for mlcad.exe I see there are two versions, one from 2015 and one from 2019. Apparently, it hasn't installed the newest version. So I think I'm going to uninstall the whole thing and then re-install, and see what it does...

[Toastie]

Hi @Erik Leppen,

I have no clue, but your last post makes much sense to me. I was reluctant to reply as I was assuming you had the latest MLCAD version (the hacked one ;))

Did you see this thread from back then?

Best,
Thorsten

[Erik Leppen]

I got to manually uninstalling the whole thing and then reinstalling the new AIOI installer (and the additional tools), and the problem seems to be solved! I still don't understand why the same installer behaved differently on 2 computers, but at least things work now. I do have to redefine my favorites and all other MLCad settings, but oh well.

Thanks to all who took their time to help :D

[Toastie]

Glad that it works!!!

Best part: I just learned that I am not the last human on this planet using MLCad - and still having tons of fun with it.

Best,
Thorsten

[1963maniac]

3 hours ago, Toastie said:

Glad that it works!!!

Best part: I just learned that I am not the last human on this planet using MLCad - and still having tons of fun with it.

Best,
Thorsten

Ditto!!!