Handling of bendable / flexible Parts in Bricklink Studio

[Powder Monkey]

Anyone else thinking that the handling of bendable / flexible parts in Bricklink Studio is really frustrating? Now don’t get me wrong: I think overall Studio is one beast of a tool. It has so many cool features to cater the needs of noobs and pros alike and there aren’t many things to complain about.
However, the flexible parts just drive me crazy and it’s far from 2023 standards. And those workarounds via Mecabricks - Part Designer… well, that’s not a real workaround imo cause you lose everything you want with flexibles - flexibility!

I work with 3D programs like Blender where I am used to a certain approach of modeling / posing things, with Bezier curves and stuff which seems to be industrial standard for 3D. That’s why I really like the way Mecabricks is dealing with flexibles, cause it is close to that standard and gives you just the right amount of customization. (it has some downsides though)

But the solution in BL Studio? Just when you have everything in place, you make one small change and bam - everything’s wiggly wiggly gone. You cannot even undo it, it simply loses all the information that was there before. And I’m not even starting about this strange pseudo-physics applied to all these parts.
It might have been an intuitive solution back in the days, but did none of the developers ever thought: „Let’s take a look at how all the other 3D programs handle this, maybe we could improve / harmonize it“

With every new update I’m hoping it says „Rework of the handling of flexible parts“ but every time I get disappointed

I’m wondering if it’s just me or does anyone feel the same? And if so, does anyone know if there is an overhaul in progress or so?

[ex nihilo aliquid]

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Edited July 13, 2023 by ex nihilo aliquid

[Berthil]

Just yesterday it annoyed me again too. Such a great tool but the flex part is horrible. I started flexing an 11L hose and on the first touch on the end it flexes to 14L or something. But in the end I succeeded with an 11L hose and a lot of temporary clicking points by making the whole path with small claws first.

Bézier curves seems to be the solution but this forum is actually not the place to make suggestions, the Bricklink Stud.io forum is. But no doubt it has been brought up there too.

[Powder Monkey]

Thanks for sharing your experiences @Berthil, at least it seems I'm not alone with this.
And yeah you're right. Someday when working with flexibles is getting to much of a hassle again, I might bring it up on the bricklink forum again... Primarily I just wanted to know if that's a thing which is annoying the community here too.

[SylvainLS]

Everybody is annoyed with the flexible parts in Studio, including the Studio team.