OLDNUT

As we all wait for the truth at least one company is still using there involvement with LDD as marketing information. Vortes marketing of May 21, 2015: http://www.cm-labs.com/market/construction/news/vortex-powers-lego-digital-designer Would they have anything to say about release of code to the public?

Thanks I took a wild shot a copy/paste newer file into bundle. It looks like it worked picked up 11 more parts from old ldraw.xml file but no all. Still WIP

Did you look at the BOM option in LDD? I use it for my model parts list but strip the pics out of the spreadsheet. Does mean you have the bricks in question in a model.

Thanks for the comment. I'm working on using this information and thanks for the tip.

I what to update the ldraw.xml file delivered from TLG to get a better export from LDD to ldraw (*.lxf>*.ldr). The file is with the LEGO Digital Designer.app bundle found at HD\Applications\LEGO Digital Designer. On a PC it is found at C:\Program File\ LEGO Digital Designer\ldraw.xml. From what I have read on the web doing this may be a hack. Life would have been easer if LTG had place the ldraw.xml file in the Applications Support folder.

While waiting for LDD update I started to look into rendering on a MAC. Wanted to get just a little more control over the CTRL K from LDD. Below is the first usable example. Did end up doing more than a little more. The learning path was hit & miss. But finally the workable process: With model in LDD export to LDraw (*.ldr) Open in Bricksmith If all bricks are present…exit If all bricks are NOT present make corrections and save. Open in LeoCAD Export to 3D Studio (*.3ds) Start Blender Import 3D Studio (*.3ds) Save as Blender file (*.blend) Following the files extensions. *.lxf>*.ldr>*.3ds>*.blend The steepest learning curve came within Blender learning to render anything. The first spoiler is the software set used. The second spoiler is the websites I found in the process of learning.

I’m eagerly waiting for your posting of the nodes you use (just one would help) and the use of shader to get the brick bevels. Your use of Blender far exceeds my newbie study and others could benefit from your knowledge. The bevel problem is the last item to overcome on the list of things I want Blender to render.

Out of a sea of pirates come the most awesome space ship. Thanks for the wakeup. The second (spoiler) ship LEGO? Looks like your work flow includes rendering followed by composing the final pic but always starting with a solid design.

First.......all this just to place a “golden moon” on a 2x3/25^ blue brick (#3298)......YES This looks like an answer to the issue of user control decorations without TLG changing LDD. I will bookmark the post for future reference. Under requirements you did not list PC as the hardware. To my knowledge LDD2POVray is only available to run on MIcrosoft Windows operating system, MAC users are out of luck. So to start the learning curve to get to using this tutorial I must purchase a PC chuck my 27” MAC or go to the “dark side” of the MAC world. The CFO said go dark. That means duel boot on a Intel-based MAC. I have been there before to use a old 1995 CAD product. I will touch base when Im hard into using two operating system to get an image of the golden moon on my space ship. Did I start this with 600096/600816 ? Awesome work, copyright may not hold up not using your name.

OK first sorry about the “not yet public” but my Brickshelf account is all messed up all the files I have uploaded are not to be found, folders are not displayed. Now to the questions I use the term “decorations” because that seams to be the term TLG selected. It is the name of the tool in LDD Extended “decoration tool” under the paint bucket. Also found in the LXFML 5 Reference on page two. It is the picture placement (mapping to surface of brick) term. The other term use for the color of brick is “materials”. The third term that part of this discussion is “designID” ie part number. Your statements about the two parts are correct when we use only the GUI tools of Paint Tool and Decoration Tool. First look at the 59278 part Now the 3626 part Reason I have taking the time to make a list of parts with decoration surfaces is so I can do a bit more with LDD than the tools let up do from with in the GUI.

There are two parts to using LDD decorations. First is the identifying parts that can have decorations. Second is identifying the decorations numbers. This is report of the first. Yes I know we all hope for a new brick set soon but I have saved my process and will be able to do the same again. All I need is the file that contains all parts, someone posted it last cycle. Not eye catching but useful. www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Oldnut/Decor2/all-in.lxf Also the spreadsheet with names and number of parts http://www.brickshel...ry.cgi?f=555288 The Troll in his crayon camo suit. This is the part with the second larges number of decoration slots (8). Line from LXFML file Just to funny not to share (I know this is the wrong forum) <Part refID="0" designID="60671" materials="37,21,23,24,26,27,28,22,39" decoration="0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0"> The process

An open conversation of the future of LDD. I have made some observation since reading a article http://lifehacker.com/career-spotlight-what-i-do-as-a-lego-model-designer-1686123935 Three software products are listed Rhino3D, LDD and Lego’s proprietary software. My speculation is that brick updates are a byproduct of coding work done for the in house proprietary product. The only two other areas of use I see on the LEGO site is general MOC (free design ideas for TLG) and use by the Mindstorm community to share builds in the educational circles. Opening the source would mean TLG loss of control of there image adults are not the customer. The best I could hope for is a relaxing of some small portion of the product. The use of decoration could be easer. The palettes .lif files could be documented. The Preference.ini could be fully documented.

I you are talking about the decoration of the back of the min fig its is 600816 or 600096. It show up on the Galaxy Patrol Series 7 in plastic.

Below is the first attempt at the flight deck of the DSMS. Lots of editing of the LXFML file to add the decorations. It is WIP at this point.

Your are correct my UserPalette works only in LDD (normal) mode. I flip back to LDD from Extended all the time mostly to get colors. Also I use text editing on the LXFML file to change large numbers of parts.

You can also copy the LXF file into the UserPalette folder and once opened it will change the color palette in the LDD mode. To get the normal palette back remove the file from the UserPalette folder. There is a more complete description of the user palette by Superkalle but I can not find it right now.

Just 4233 most in the blue ring made of 1x2 bricks

Not that bad a job with the photograph. Good job with the build. Black on black is the most difficult. If you what to do more with this problem look into two things. First a seamless background usually a large sheet of paper neutral or gray. Second multiple light sources primary and fill in. Control is easer without flash so you can see in advance. A diffused light sometime help with the reflections. But our hobby, passion is bricks not photos build on.

More important is where did it come from? Deep space radar picked up a target sometime ago but until the deep space telescopes got turned it was just a thing. Now we see in the first photograph the blue ring? The astrophysicists tell us it came from a void in universe a place without stars and black holes. From the last photograph the sciences can tell us that no life forms are on the “ship” and the ring is double sided photoelectric cells. It rotated once when just inside our solar system and the second time after passing Jupiter. It now looks like it may settle into a orbit around Mars.

Very impressive build. For LDD builders the contest sometimes holds our creativity back you just posted anyway good job. The part bublible liked and noted is # 64230 in LDD I think. Check you PM for a question I have. Just noted you are to new for PM's I think it is 10 posts opens that door

The white sphere is the Magnetic Shielding Sphere. The MSS is the last hope to protect astronauts from radiation outside of Earth orbit. By spinning liquid is two directions inside a magnet is form just like the earth spinning core does for mankind. Start the project with a larger brick count witch was the reason to start the project. What is the limit of my MAC? Looks cool. PS you were posting some yesterday (32)

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Oldnut/Sphere/Deep/abc3lr.png With the success of DSMS the cartel order the second mining ship to be constructed larger by 3x. There is profit to be made. The MSS is larger by 2x and the storage tanks (9) will be mounted of the Helium-3 condenser ring. At this point in construction the fusion reactors need to be shipped and attached to the main truss. Looks like Space headquarters in Zurich has change the safety rules about astronauts outside of the habitat. Also the number of escape pods will not hold all the astronauts. Profit changes all things. This project is build in LDD and now contains 36467 bricks and growing. Technical data on the project and LXF file will be posted on the LEGO Digital Designer forum soon. Thanks for all the comments on the first DSMS

As before the goal is how many bricks can LDD work with in a file. All the computer specs remain the same. The file posted is 36467 bricks at 1.7mb in size. File loading from Internet access failed note is 94 seconds an empty file is 7.48 seconds. I bypass the Show Start Help screen. The file still can import bricks and place them correctly. Single placement works well. Color change functions. Rotation of brick does not work well. So to the place the astronauts on the arms with the desired orientation the rotation of joints is done in a smaller file (3000) creating templates and then placing them in larger file. The quest continues without failure but some other projects are in need of attention so it maybe some time before the next big file post. The hardware/software remains the same at: The computer is a 27 inch iMac model 11,3 with Intel Core i5 at 2.8 GHz. The memory is 4 GB. Graphics set is ATI Radeon HD 5750 with resolution of 2560x1440. The software user was MAC OS X 10.6.8, LDD 4.3.8-1564.2, Bram’s Sphere Generator (Lowell sphere), Bricksmith 2.6.1, TextEdit 1.6, Apache OpenOffice 4.0.1, GIMP 2.8.14. LXF Sorry I did not post the LXF file from the Deep Space Mining Ship (16009) post but it contained about 2200 bricks from an other user. If requested I can post the file without the two small ships.

The project is posted in the Sci-fi Forum with more pics. It was start with the singular goal to see how many bricks could be put into a single LXF file before my computer stop working. At 16009 bricks the designer ran out of ideas. More can be added I am sure but now is the time to report the on the hardware/software used. The computer is a 27 inch iMac model 11,3 with Intel Core i5 at 2.8 GHz. The memory is 4 GB. Graphics set is ATI Radeon HD 5750 with resolution of 2560x1440. The software user was MAC OS X 10.6.8, LDD 4.3.8-1564.2, Bram’s Sphere Generator (Lowell sphere), Bricksmith 2.6.1, TextEdit 1.6, Apache OpenOffice 4.0.1, GIMP 2.8.14. Conclusion: Patience is required by the user after 11K bricks and watching the color wheel spin becomes a habit as the LDD works on the command. All tools continued to work to the end the. Hinge align tool was not test at all. Importing files require planning before hand. Know were the connection point is and multiple opportunities for connection will cause difficulties.

Construction Update: 98% finished: The testing phase will begin soon. The final load of the liquid sodium compound is being added to the MSS. The fusion reactors are coming online and will reach 10% power before the interior core of the MSS can start its rotation. The twin Helium collector ships are LSC-stretch drones modified from LCS that were designed and manufactured by Sunder Aeronautics and Space Limited (thanks for the permission). See the post [LDD MOC] SF_32V Starfighter for more pics. Technical data on the project will be posted on the LEGO Digital Designer forum soon. The project now contains 16009 bricks.