Blakbird

Where do I find the application log?

Step 1: 42025 needs a working rudder. Step 2: ??????? Step 3: Profit!

I'd like to know as well! I'm not prepared to make significant changes to the system software. The rest of the computer works fine and I don't want to mess it up. In the short term, I can use a database imported from my Mac.

I'm happy to report that Brickstock works totally fine on my Mac at home.

I've just updated the parts lists files to include the 20 ea 15100 parts.

Tried the suggested import of the registry entries. No luck. Brickstore still doesn't "see" the internet and I still can't change any settings.

Got it. Thanks for providing that file for me since I don't presently have a tool which could have decompressed it.

The LZMA version did not work, but the larger version in the ZIP file did work. Thanks! What is the difference between these file types?

Can you host the DB file on Bricksafe? That file size should be no problem there. Obviously it is just a snapshot in time and won't be updated, but it would allow some testing.

Thanks for the link. That explains why Brickstock exists and confirms my suspicions about Brickstore. I'm still not sure exactly what changed on the Bricklink end in February. I'll do some experiments at home tonight on my Mac and see if the databases are interchangeable.

I'd still be interested in the answer to the original question. What has changed at Bricklink such that Brickstore can no longer download the database? If it works in Brickstock, which is just a modified version of Brickstore, then that means that someone understands what's changed and adjusted the software to compensate. I wonder what changed? Since Brickstock doesn't work on my machine, I wonder if I could get an updated parts database from someone using Brickstock and just use that database with Brickstore?

Doesn't work at all on my computer (Win7 - 64 bit). Crashes instantly. I have a topic about it over in the Digital Tools forum.

I'm not sure what you mean by version. I don't see any place to choose a version. Edit: This only pops up the first time you use the program. I chose "DEMO". I went back and deleted that registry entry so I could try "private", but it didn't help. Still crashes.

Just tried the default path. No difference. Still crashes as soon as I pick "configure". I thought maybe it had something to do with opening a dialog while using multiple monitors so I tried reverting to a single monitor, but still no improvement.

I did not use the default location. I installed in my LDraw directory (which is where I have all my utilities).

Wow, thanks for all the effort! Unfortunately, Dropbox is blocked by my company so I cannot look at your files at work. I will try to look at them later and offer you some advice. In the mean time, please feel free to download my LDraw files and see how I did the submodels and stepping in MLCAD. http://bricksafe.com/files/blakbird/Renders/MOCs/42009%20Mod/Grove%20GMK6400.mpd LDView shows the top level model by default. To see the sub-models, hit CTRL-M to see the model tree and then choose a submodel. Then you should be able to see the steps. First you have to ungroup before you can edit. Unfortunately, MLCAD does not remember the group so you have to do it again if you want to restore the group. Personally, I do not like MLCAD groups and prefer to just make a submodel of anything I want to group. Only manually. Instead of using the "complete assembly", you can build a shock absorber from a body, piston, and spring as a submodel. Change the length in the submodel and then use the assembly in your model. Looking forward to the final file. If you have it completely stepped, I am willing to make a PDF instruction file from it. I'll also extract a new parts list as well as compare it to the old list so that people like me who have already collected the parts can see what else they still need to get.

Are you using Windows or Mac? I can't set any preferences at all on Windows 7 because it crashes as soon as I select the "configure" dialog.

I tried downloading BrickStock but it doesn't seem to work at all. It runs, but as soon as I click "configure" (to set preferences such as my proxy server) it crashes. So BrickStock never even downloads a database. I tried to set the proxy server manually by using RegEdit and copying the settings from Brickstore, but it still doesn't work.

I use Brickstore nearly every day to keep track of parts I need for MOCs and to generate Bricklink wanted lists and keep track of my Bricklink store inventory. I was trying to add a new part (15100) which exists in Bricklink but not in Brickstore. This can usually be remedied by updating the database, but Brickstore says the database is already up to date. I know a lot of changes have been happening at Bricklink lately. Have they changed the database so it can no longer be imported by Brickstore?

The difference is that part 15100 doesn't yet appear in Brickstore so I couldn't add 20 of them to the file. Once I have the LDraw file complete with the base, I'll re-export and get a new count. It may be different than the LDD count because turntables, actuators, u-joints, etc. may count as 1 or more parts. Having now looked more closely at the parts list and Sheo's original photos, I can see that he must have made a lot of changes. The red panels on the base have been changed to black, the differentials have been changed (requiring totally new gearing), and gray 12 tooth gears are no longer used as road wheels. Looking forward to seeing a picture of the new base. By the way, I checked out your Flickr page and now see that "sheo" is short for "sheogorath". So you like both Farscape and the Elder Scrolls?!? No wonder you make such great models!

Thanks for the parts list! This must mean the design is complete. I can see that you've used a bunch of the new parts that weren't available the first time you built the base. For those of you keeping track, the base alone has 1083 parts and this brings the grand total for the model to 4305. I've posted the parts list for both the base and the entire model in Brickstore format.

Here you go. I wouldn't say it looks smaller.

The instructions for the Williams racer are now available at MOC Plans.

I built 42029 last night. I quite like it and it is much larger than I expected. It is very sturdy and can survive a toss across the room. I was very happy about the parts they included such as the red 5x11 panels and the suspension arms. This will really help the aftermarket situation. My only complaint is that there are no #3 red angle connectors and there should be! The front bumper has #3 connectors in light gray. You might think this was to keep the number of elements down because gray was needed elsewhere in the model, but no, these are the only #3 connectors. They are right next to red #5 connectors and look totally out of place in gray. Sigh. I still like it.

I think the introduction of motors has changed the demographic of both kids and adult fans a bit. As an adult fan of mechanisms, I really couldn't care less if a model is motorized or not. I care how it works, and to a lesser extent how it looks. My kids on the other hand, are drawn to the motorized models like bees to honey. TLG did their marketing research, and there is a reason there are a lot of motorized sets these days. I had 4 nephews visiting my house this week between the ages of 6 and 14. The only thing they wanted to look at in my vast collection was motorized models. Taking an existing set and adding motors to it is an interesting MOC exercise, but rarely actually makes the model any better. On the other hand, it is pretty easy to make it worse. When it is done really well (like Jurgen's Ultimate 42009), it is quite impressive. I do think motorization is approaching the point of being overdone. It has two problems. The first is that it makes an otherwise reasonably priced set very expensive. This can be solved by making the Power Functions optional add-ons. The second is when motorization is used in place of actual mechanical ingenuity. 8264 is a perfect example here. It doesn't really do anything, but it does have a motor! The other end of the spectrum is 8258. Here we have only one motor, but it is used in a marvelous way to complement the mechanical complexity of the model. As for model size, TLG is still a long way from making a model that I would consider too big. I'm still waiting for something that I would call "UCS" which would be in the 5000+ part range. In my dream world, this set would have no motors. For MOC'ing, I like both motorized and manual models. I generally resist models that actually drive because they just really don't work very well. But construction equipment works great. Sheo's Terex shovel is a great example of a model that deserves all the motors it has. Crowkillers' cars are a great example of how good a model can be without motors.