Creating functional instructions

[theDeanoRama]

I've been doing all my work in stud.io lately but I'm finding a roadblock when it comes to it's built in instruction creator. I have a set of steps where I create a portion of the model and I want to set it aside while I build the next stage. Submodels isn't handling it the way I want at all. I am creating essentially 3 sub models that come together in the last three steps. I don't have a way of ignoring something I created in steps 1 to 3, to bring it back at the end to join it to a finished steps 7,8,  and 9 as an example. I can't have a step that doesn't include adding parts is one of the issues, but not the only one. Or maybe I'm using stud'io's instruction designer wrong.

Is there a better instruction builder than stud.io's out there? I'm finding it limited in more complicated models.

[supertruper1988]

I have done hundreds of instructions in studio. 

What you are asking is perfectly reasonable and logical in the computer, but in the brick I find there is a better approach. 

Of your 3 sub models, pick which one is the "base" or "main assembly" then make that have all of its steps in the main model. then insert one of the other assemblies as a sub model in its own step and then the other submodel in another step. 

 

If you have say a repetive part that you need to build several times, at various points, then what I do is show it the first time, use the text function to say x6 or whatever then I make a second model that has only 1 step with all the parts and on those steps in the page layout, I turn off the parts list for the step and color the callout to look like the parts list. make the assembly the "part"

Hope this helps. 

[Mylenium]

12 hours ago, theDeanoRama said:

Is there a better instruction builder than stud.io's out there?

LPub, but it's quirky and has a quadrizillion bugs. Also your model has to be organized pretty well beforehand, since apparently it isn't integrated into an actual construction program and you have to go back and forth. Sometimes seemingly trivial changes to a model can cause the whole instructions to be changed and then you spend a lot of time fixing those issues.

12 hours ago, theDeanoRama said:

I am creating essentially 3 sub models that come together in the last three steps.

There always has to be a master model. In the simplest scenario this would be the first model you build and the others being submodels. There is no need to ignore anything since the program will simply generate the steps and you don't get to see anything of the other models while working inside a submodel. It just needs to be logical from an actual building perspective, which may require to include redundant steps for sub-sub-assemblies or such, since you can't jump across different submodels. Other than that of course nothing stops you from simply merging three separate PDFs after they have been generated or create your instructions in a page layout program like the free Scribus or an office program like Word based on rendering out the model as images. Whatever suits your workflow best...

Mylenium

[Berthil]

In Stud.io you can make empty pages in the page layout, they are not actual steps. Then make a second Stud.io file for what you want to show and export that view as an image and import that image into the empty page. In the second file you can turn views and delete parts to achieve what you want to show as building steps don't matter there. This results in the right scale and the right resolution, can't see any difference in the generated PDF. It is possible to hide step numbers and parts lists per page if needed. That is my workaround if I want to show something that isn't possible in the step sequence. Other than that it is like Mylenium wrote, you have to have a logical building sequence and can't jump around between submodels all the time. If you need to do that you have incorrect submodels and/or building steps, it is not a shortcoming of Stud.io.

It is a shortcoming of Stud.io that after you make your page layout, you shouldn't make step changes. It can mess up the entire page layout after the updated step. So make sure all steps are correct before commencing page layout or only edit steps after your page layout position.

What I have described above and what supertruper1988 has written, I have done in this complicated build and free instruction so just have a look on what is possible with some tricks and patience:
https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-174511/Berthil/crane-loader-gbc/

All my instructions are for free and it will show the early ones are not soo good. Working with Stud.io has a learning curve and you will get better as Stud.io also is still evolving and gets better. I don't know any better program and I worked with LPub and MLCad too, even the old LDD. Just put some time in to get to know it well. Don't start with any program if you don't have time as they all will eat your time like melting snow on a warm sunny day.

Edited March 13 by Berthil
typos

[SylvainLS]

41 minutes ago, Berthil said:

It is a shortcoming of Stud.io that after you make your page layout, you shouldn't make step changes. It can mess up the entire page layout after the updated step. So make sure all steps are correct before commencing page layout or only edit steps after your page layout position.

Studio is more resistant to changes these days… but you need to stay in the Instruction Maker: don’t go changing steps or creating/releasing submodels in Build mode, do it in Step Editor.  That may still mess up the instructions for the current submodel but the next ones are generally resilient now.

[supertruper1988]

4 hours ago, SylvainLS said:

Studio is more resistant to changes these days… but you need to stay in the Instruction Maker: don’t go changing steps or creating/releasing submodels in Build mode, do it in Step Editor.  That may still mess up the instructions for the current submodel but the next ones are generally resilient now.

But if you want to preserve the steps you created, release the sub model in build mode otherwise you are stepping it out all over again. 

[theDeanoRama]

Thanks everyone for the input. I will do as suggested here and start with the base and sub the other two sections.

Ironically @Berthil mine is also technic based so thanks for the sample. I've not run into what I'm attempting with normal lego builds. Normally I do a small single sub and it attaches to the main by the next step and I move on with the rest of the instructions.