Bluebrick Layout Software

[missouri_bb63]

Yes, I also noticed that. I named it 153 because track designer named it 153.

But we can rename it 158 if it is its correct name.

And don't worry, BlueBrick already have a system to handle correctly renaming of part, to avoid part lost in old layout.

Yes, please rotate your set as the original, else you may bring trouble to those who used it in a previous layout.

If BlueBrick can handle a part renaming, it can not handle a change of orientation, and I would prefer to avoid writing such code.

Bye.

Ok as the latter is actually my set I will change the orrientation this evening. I will also check the other sets I reworked. Thanks for pointing it out.

EDIT:

OK, I rotated the GIF and made a new XML. They are available on Brickshelf if anyone wants to give it a test run.

Edited October 6, 2009 by missouri_bb63

[FreeBee]

I have finished adding minifigs and vehicles to my set GIFs. If you notice anything missing let me know. One of them includes the 6362 post office. As you can see I decided to include the vehicle in the Set GIF as this vehicle is quite small and its position is unlikely to get in the way of something else. I guess whether one seperates the vehicle has to be decided on a set by set basis.

OK, these are my last BlueBrick entries for 1.5. I redid some sets like Missouri mentioned.

1472:

IMG XML

1484:

IMG XML

1490:

IMG XML

6363:

IMG XML

6364:

IMG XML

Before the above buildings and cars were both seperated. They still are on brickshelf for who-ever

likes them, I even added xml's to them in the same dir.

and i also added a missing xml. 1682 XML

I cleared all the junk and mailed Alban a zipfile containing all the gifs and xmls i made.

(with a text that i aprove that they are public domain)

I wish Alban happy sorting

[missouri_bb63]

Those GIFs look great FreeBee!

As it is now the 8th of October I am officially ending the donations for the 1.5 release.

Thanks to everyone for the effort you have put in so far. I hope you guys have enjoyed being a part of the project and I am really looking forward to seeing what we can come up with for the next release. If you are a BlueBrick user it would be great if you could post a quick thank you to those EuroBrick members who made it possible for everyone to really start designing "their dream layouts".

I will put a new 1.5-1.6 version index in the place of the current 1.4-1.5 index, and move the latter down a post so that we have the latest index at the top of the thread. I think keeping the old index will be handy as a reference. I will be moving the "under construction" list to the new index, so anything which is not yet completed can be worked on for the next release.

A note for the GIF makers: Please send your final GIFs and 1.5 version XMLs to Alban by email (as a ZIP/RAR file) to banban@banban.org if you want them included in this coming release. Please do so as quickly as possible as there might be some post processing to be done.

The release of BlueBrick 1.5 is currently planned for next weekend. Feel free to keep on posting more questions, comments and GIFs!

[aawsum]

This sounds all great. I tink we managed a nice full release of Bluebrick.

As an addition, I updated 2 off my gifs;

[Alban Nanty]

This sounds all great. I tink we managed a nice full release of Bluebrick.

As an addition, I updated 2 off my gifs;

Thanks for these 2 updates!

Edited October 10, 2009 by Alban Nanty

[missouri_bb63]

Hello Lego train and town fans!

After many hours of tweaking over the weekend, BlueBrick version 1.5 is now available to the masses. This revision focused on the first (but definitely not last), extension of the parts library, and improving the help features which includes an integrated help file and the youtube based video tutorials.

You can check out the full list of additions, changes and credits in the version log, as well as downloading the new 1.5 version on the BlueBrick website. http://bluebrick.lswproject.com/

Thanks again to the AFOL community for all the support that was provided for this release. If you want to contribute as well, you can use the contact information provided on the website, or join us here on the BlueBrick thread.

PS: To kick things off I have included a long over due set GIF from the "under construction" list complete with 1.5 friendly XML.

GIF XML : 7839 Car Carrier Platform

Edited October 14, 2009 by missouri_bb63

[Brickthus]

Hello Lego train and town fans!

After many hours of tweaking over the weekend BlueBrick version 1.5 is now available to the masses. This revision focused on the first (but definitely not last), extension of the parts library, and improving the help features which includes an integrated help file and the youtube based video tutorials.

You can check out the full list of additions, changes and credits in the version log, as well as downloading the new 1.5 version on the BlueBrick website.

I see Bluebrick doesn't yet support track heights and slopes.

Could that code be rewritten to do heights and slopes better than Track Designer?

I need multiples of 0.5 and 0.333 of a plate because the track on my layout changes at 1 plate for 3 straights or 1 plate for 2 straights in places.

I need to specify the height of each track piece, with variable slopes and changes of slope, and for the height values to stay put, whatever changes are made to adjacent heights.

Is this a feature that could be added at the next version?

Could it toggle showing the numbers of plates height alongside the track?

Mark

Edited October 12, 2009 by Mark Bellis

[Leergut]

Good Morning everyone.

After copying BB 1.5, I tried turning layouts again. The result was exactly the same as in BB 1.4:

I designed a layout and saved it.

I opened it, turned the complete layout (20°) and saved it.

Now I open it again and yellow dots appear at the end of every curve.

What can we do with this Result? How disappear the yellow dots?

Stefan

[aawsum]

After many hours of tweaking over the weekend BlueBrick version 1.5 is now available to the masses. This revision focused on the first (but definitely not last), extension of the parts library, and improving the help features which includes an integrated help file and the youtube based video tutorials.

You can check out the full list of additions, changes and credits in the version log, as well as downloading the new 1.5 version on the BlueBrick website. http://bluebrick.lswproject.com/

Thanks again to the AFOL community for all the support that was provided for this release. If you want to contribute as well, you can use the contact information provided on the website, or join us here on the BlueBrick thread.

Well done Missouuri_bb63 and Alban for this nice new release

After copying BB 1.5, I tried turning layouts again. The result was exactly the same as in BB 1.4:

I designed a layout and saved it.

I opened it, turned the complete layout (20°) and saved it.

Now I open it again and yellow dots appear at the end of every curve.

My advice would be to contact Alban Nanty and explain the issue (send him the bbm file along with it).

What can we do with this Result? How disappear the yellow dots?

In the meantime, you can turn of the connection point by going to the global options, open the appearance tab and uncheck the checkbox for "Display free connectoon points".

[Alban Nanty]

Good Morning everyone.

After copying BB 1.5, I tried turning layouts again. The result was exactly the same as in BB 1.4:

I designed a layout and saved it.

I opened it, turned the complete layout (20°) and saved it.

Now I open it again and yellow dots appear at the end of every curve.

What can we do with this Result? How disappear the yellow dots?

Stefan

Hi Stefan,

Congratulation you found a Bug!

Thank you for reporting it because it is a serious bug. However since it seemed to have already experienced it 1.4, if you would have reported it earlier, you would have had the chance to seen it fixed in 1.5. Now I guess, you will have to wait for the next release, but don't worry I put this bug in my top priority list.

Bye.

[missouri_bb63]

I see Bluebrick doesn't yet support track heights and slopes.

Could that code be rewritten to do heights and slopes better than Track Designer?

I need multiples of 0.5 and 0.333 of a plate because the track on my layout changes at 1 plate for 3 straights or 1 plate for 2 straights in places.

I need to specify the height of each track piece, with variable slopes and changes of slope, and for the height values to stay put, whatever changes are made to adjacent heights.

Is this a feature that could be added at the next version?

Could it toggle showing the numbers of plates height alongside the track?

Mark

Hi Mark, unfortunately that function isn't planned for the next release. I have asked Alban to get back to you on that point.

It is possible to save the BlueBrick Model as an LDR file and adjust your heights in MLCad. Note that some data will be lost when you convert from BlueBrick (BBM) to LDR. There are more details about this in the integrated help file.

After you have done the height adjustment you can open it in BlueBrick and save it as a BlueBrick file again. You can then replace any items that were lost during the conversion. If you are making a new track, you could set your track heights before you do anything else. All the height information will be stored in the BlueBrick file, so that if you ever save a copy of your BlueBrick file as an LDR again, you will be able to see all your raised track just as you left it.... and in 3D.

Don't hesitate to post more questions! The information might be valuable to someone else too!

Edited October 13, 2009 by missouri_bb63

[aawsum]

I would say, let's continue where we left off with version 1.5

So I created 2 gifs for the farm set 7637. I still have to create the tractor and I want to create some more buildings for it.

I allready added these in my layout

:EDIT: BTW, does somebody knows if the cows are allready available in ML Cad ?

Edited October 14, 2009 by aawsum

[Leergut]

Hi Stefan,

Congratulation you found a Bug!

Thank you for reporting it because it is a serious bug. However since it seemed to have already experienced it 1.4, if you would have reported it earlier, you would have had the chance to seen it fixed in 1.5. Now I guess, you will have to wait for the next release, but don't worry I put this bug in my top priority list.

Bye.

Hi,

i'll send you an eMail with some files.

Stefan

[Alban Nanty]

Hi,

i'll send you an eMail with some files.

Stefan

Hi Stefan,

You don't need to send me the file, I can reproduce your bug easily. I tried to fix it for two hours yesterday, and I think I understood the reason of the bug. However I didn't succeed to fix it yet. After I fix the bug, I will probably publish a new version 1.5.1 because this bug is so nasty that it can not be left open until the 1.6 version.

Thanks for reporting it.

Bye.

[Alban Nanty]

Hi Mark, unfortunately that function isn't planned for the next release. I have asked Alban to get back to you on that point.

It is possible to save the BlueBrick Model as an LDR file and adjust your heights in MLCad. Note that some data will be lost when you convert from BlueBrick (BBM) to LDR. There are more details about this in the integrated help file.

After you have done the height adjustment you can open it in BlueBrick and save it as a BlueBrick file again. You can then replace any items that were lost during the conversion. If you are making a new track, you could set your track heights before you do anything else. All the height information will be stored in the BlueBrick file, so that if you ever save a copy of your BlueBrick file as an LDR again, you will be able to see all your raised track just as you left it.... and in 3D.

Don't hesitate to post more questions! The information might be valuable to someone else too!

Hi Mark,

I think Alex answered very well to that question, and I've pretty much nothing to add...

Handling the height on a layout software which is mainly a 2D top view software is pretty uncompatible. If you think Track Designer was not really good at that, it is not because its author did a bad job, but probably because the software is not suitable for editing height. I'm quite sure BlueBrick would comes with the same ugly solution that you would probably dislike too. I mean if you really wants to edit in 3 dimensions, probably you should use a 3D editor based on the LDRAW library.

So there is no plan for now on adding the third dimension in BlueBrick because I want to keep this software easy for editing layout and prepare AFOL events, which means only one 2D top view. The only step I could do into the direction of your request would be to improve the compatibility with LDRAW. I could save the specific BlueBrick data into meta command of the LDRAW files (basically into comments), and then you would not loose any data when switching your layout between the two softwares.

However, you should be aware that the LDRAW part library doesn't contains the full set models, so each time you may place a set in BlueBrick, you would not be able to see it in your LDRAW software.

So what are the advantages and disadvantage of using BlueBrick (or Track Designer) instead of a LDRAW editor?

- BlueBrick as an "easy to connect rail track" feature, whereas it is tedious to align all the tracks in LDRAW

- You can place set in BlueBrick but you can not in LDRAW

- In BlueBrick you can add text and area which are very usefull for preparing an Event with different AFOLs

- But you can not edit height in BlueBrick whereas you can in LDRAW

I hope I'm not too disapointing, but I just wanted to precise the scope of this kind of software (BlueBrick belongs to the family of layout editor which also contains Track Designer and Track Draw).

[FreeBee]

However, you should be aware that the LDRAW part library doesn't contains the full set models, so each time you may place a set in BlueBrick, you would not be able to see it in your LDRAW software.

Maybe we can combine the ldr-files we made into a big mpd so this might be possible in a future version.

Also i like to add two other possibilitys for future versions:

- Mirroring selected (just like rotating)

- snap through layers (handy if you have multiple layers of track to connect)

I was thinking out loud .

[Leergut]

Also i like to add two other possibilitys for future versions:

- Mirroring selected (just like rotating)

I was thinking out loud .

I am thinking out loud, too.

- A button, that does this work: When two Connection Points are selected, a click on the button would connect both layout parts (one layout part has to be moved during this action, perhaps always the second selected layout part?)

Stefan

[missouri_bb63]

Maybe we can combine the ldr-files we made into a big mpd so this might be possible in a future version.

Also i like to add two other possibilitys for future versions:

- Mirroring selected (just like rotating)

- snap through layers (handy if you have multiple layers of track to connect)

I was thinking out loud .

I was thinking exactly the same about combining our LDRs. Imagine being able to make and edit your layout quickly in BlueBrick, and the export it to LDRaw with all the sets. You could take a virtual 3D tour through your layout complete with houses etc. We need to ensure a better compatability between LDraw and Bluebrick first and that is definitely on the priority list. Then we also need to think about the size of the parts/set libraries and how to package and organize them, but I think/hope these obstacles can be overcome. Let's see how far we get in the next releases. One's gotta have dreams.

I will get back to both of you on your ideas for additional features. Keep 'em coming!!

Edited October 14, 2009 by missouri_bb63

[aawsum]

Interesting thought of combining the ldr's ..... I am not sure about this, because then you guys would find out good and complete my ldr's are

Back to creating gifs. I was working on my farm stuff, and needed a powersupply. So I created the Turbine from the 7747 set.

[Alban Nanty]

I was thinking exactly the same about combining our LDRs. Imagine being able to make and edit your layout quickly in BlueBrick, and the export it to LDRaw with all the sets. You could take a virtual 3D tour through your layout complete with houses etc. We need to ensure a better compatability between LDraw and Bluebrick first and that is definitely on the priority list. Then we also need to think about the size of the parts/set libraries and how to package and organize them, but I think/hope these obstacles can be overcome. Let's see how far we get in the next releases. One's gotta have dreams.

I will get back to both of you on your ideas for additional features. Keep 'em coming!!

Hi,

Actually you don't need to combine all the ldraw file in it, just put them into the "MODELS" folder of the LDRAW library. I guess this folder is made for that, isn't it?

But I think currently the ldraw.org website doesn't seem to welcome models.

Bye.

I am thinking out loud, too.

- A button, that does this work: When two Connection Points are selected, a click on the button would connect both layout parts (one layout part has to be moved during this action, perhaps always the second selected layout part?)

Stefan

Hi,

I'm sorry I'm afraid I don't understand your feature request. Could you try to explain it a bit more, please?

Thanks.

Also i like to add two other possibilitys for future versions:

- Mirroring selected (just like rotating)

- snap through layers (handy if you have multiple layers of track to connect)

Thanks for the suggestion. The miroring could be easy to do.

[missouri_bb63]

Hi,

But I think currently the ldraw.org website doesn't seem to welcome models.

Bye.

Yes, that is exactly what I was referring to. Other than the compatibility, the question will be how we collect and share the files. Whether to include the LDRs with BlueBrick, or place them in a separate download file, post them on Brickshelf, etc... But we've still got a ways to go until then.

Seeing all the ideas that are coming up in the thread I have decided to make an ideas list in the BlueBrick index to make sure they don't get lost in the thread (I will try to do that tonight). You can check out the planned feature updates and bug fixes in the Read Me file that came with BlueBrick (located in the root folder).

With the feature request I believe Stefan would like to select two individual or groups of parts (let's say two halves of round track), and connect them by simply pressing on a button (in this case creating a round track) instead of having to drag one to the other and positioning it so that they connect. One would have to define which of the two actually moves to the other. That is the second point Stefan was making. His idea is that the group of parts that is selected frst, moves to, and connects to the group that was selected last.

Edited October 15, 2009 by missouri_bb63

[Alban Nanty]

With the feature request I believe Stefan would like to select two individual or groups of parts (let's say two halves of round track), and connect them by simply pressing on a button (in this case creating a round track) instead of having to drag one to the other and positioning it so that they connect. One would have to define which of the two actually moves to the other. That is the second point Stefan was making. His idea is that the group of parts that is selected frst, moves to, and connects to the group that was selected last.

Hi,

If this is really what means Stefan, this sounds difficult to me become there are potentially several compatible connection points between the two groups. For example, in the example you mentionned just above, there is 3 possibilities:

- you can connect the bottom curve of the left group with the top curve of the right group to make a S

- you can make a circle as you mentionned

- you can connect the top curve of the left group with the bottom curve of the right group to make another S

In fact this feature is not needed, because you can already acheive the goal in the 1.5 version:

- Select the left group

- Click ON THE TOP CURVE OF THE LEFT GROUP

- Drag the group next to the curve of the right group where you want to connect

- The connection is automatic

Alex, I told you this notion of WHERE YOU GRAB THE GROUP was crucial for the use of the software when you wrote the Help file, and you told me you think that the user will do it naturally (unconsciously), which in fact I'm still not really convinced.

BUT: There is a bug, the parts are indeed connected, but not correctly oriented. This bug however is in my TODO list for the 1.6 version.

Bye.

[Leergut]

Hi,

I'm sorry I'm afraid I don't understand your feature request. Could you try to explain it a bit more, please?

Thanks.

Hi,

perhaps the image can help you.

The situation: there are two pieces of tracks, that are not connected (the before image)

The new Button: After clicking the button, you have to choose two free connection points. Then the software adds the two pieces of track at the chosen connection points (the after image).

(During the software operation one piece of track has to be moved.)

Feel free to ask again!

Stefan :)

[Leergut]

In fact this feature is not needed, because you can already acheive the goal in the 1.5 version:

- Select the left group

- Click ON THE TOP CURVE OF THE LEFT GROUP

- Drag the group next to the curve of the right group where you want to connect

- The connection is automatic

BUT: There is a bug, the parts are indeed connected, but not correctly oriented. This bug however is in my TODO list for the 1.6 version.

Hi again,

I tried it this way: it worked!

But i had to work exact with the mouse. :)

And the bug: Yes, it appeared, just as Alban says.

Stefan

[missouri_bb63]

Hi again,

I tried it this way: it worked!

But i had to work exact with the mouse. :)

And the bug: Yes, it appeared, just as Alban says.

Stefan

Hi Stefan, I am glad that worked! It is always handy to have the creator of the software involved in the thread.

Even though it might no longer be required, I have added your idea to the others in a "features and add-ons" list at the bottom of the BlueBrick Index.

I will update the status on a regular basis and I will do a bit more work on it this weekend.

Happy building!