Discuss LDD Extended mode here

[legoaddict1000]

Hmm, I tried it and nothing new happend. Does this also create a new mode called "extended" or does it just add on to the LU section or something?

[Brickdoctor]

I'm going to assume you meant to say,

Hmm, I tried it and nothing new happend. Does this also create a new mode called "extended" or does it just add on to the LU section or something?

And somehow stuck it inside quote tags from a post that doesn't appear to be in this thread.

So I'll answer that question and say, yes, it does create a new mode called 'Extended'. That mode appears as another choice in the starting menu. If you can't see it, you haven't properly activated it.

[Bricks2000]

I'm going to assume you meant to say,

And somehow stuck it inside quote tags from a post that doesn't appear to be in this thread.

So I'll answer that question and say, yes, it does create a new mode called 'Extended'. That mode appears as another choice in the starting menu. If you can't see it, you haven't properly activated it.

Actually, I went back to the first post and Lalror did wrote that sentence. I don't know why Legoaddict1000 would put a quote box, but did not write anything.

[Brickdoctor]

Actually, I went back to the first post and Lalror did wrote that sentence. I don't know why Legoaddict1000 would put a quote box, but did not write anything.

Oh, you're right. I guess I didn't go back far enough. Should've looked at the date.

So, legoaddict1000, what did you mean to say?

[legodac]

The whole process sounds like a lot of work, though perhaps I will try it someday soon. After all, it is for more bricks. However for now I will be content with 4.1 LDD, since it has taken me 3 years to get there.

[chardy]

Does anyone know how, if possible, to extend and compress shocks and PF Pisons? I see that there are the two different pieces that highlight when you click, but it still moves the whole thing. Any help would be appreciated.

Chardy

[Brickdoctor]

Does anyone know how, if possible, to extend and compress shocks and PF Pisons? I see that there are the two different pieces that highlight when you click, but it still moves the whole thing. Any help would be appreciated.

I'm fairly certain that no available program allows this. SR-3D has the feature in development, I believe; haven't heard of anything similar from the other programs.

[legodac]

This is amazing, and that is an understatement. I followedthe steps provided and had some difficulty at first when my laptop couldn’tfind the file.

So I decided to find a path on my own, here is what I cameup with, and it may work for all versions of Mac and Windows. I think this maybe easier for some, it was for me.

Step one: right click the desktop shortcut off your LDD

Step two: then left click “properties” at the bottom of thewindow

Step three: the “Lego Digital Designer Properties” windowwill come up.

Under the“shortcut” tab, left click “find target”.

Step four: The “Lego Digital Designer” folder will open anew window and you will see all its sub folders. Double left click“preferences” to open.

Step five: another window will open entitled “preferences-Notepad”.Don’t be surprised, there isn’t much there. Under, the likely only line aboutlanguage, simply copy and paste this ThemeAccess=LDDExtended Once you have pasted, then left click“file” and then left click “save”, you’re done. Close everything and open LDD.A new tab will appear, click it and behold all the new bricks.

Sorry about the lack of spaces in places, it's a glitch on my word document program.

Edited July 16, 2011 by legodac

[pbk420]

Has there been any news as to when the next update might be comming?

[Superkalle]

Has there been any news as to when the next update might be comming?

Not that I know of at least. Usually there are two releases per year. One major release (usually in the fall), and one update (mostly new bricks) in April.

[hrontos]

Does anyone know how, if possible, to extend and compress shocks and PF Pisons? I see that there are the two different pieces that highlight when you click, but it still moves the whole thing. Any help would be appreciated.

Chardy

Please, check this post for LAs, I can do it also for shock absorbers.

Edited August 5, 2011 by hrontos

[hrontos]

There are also some other options that can be added to preferences.ini:

; these 2 options allowed in LDD3.x to use different .lif files (by default there were db.lif and Palettes.lif

;userPalettesDirName=Palettes

;userBrickDBDirName=db

The palettes file is removed now and replaced by standard directory named Palettes containing the lif file which returned me back to post made by Bojan where he presented that he can make custom lif files.

@Bojan could you, please, make available your knowledge about the lif files? I would find usefull the possibility to convert LXF files of standard Lego sets made by LDD users to lif file to be able to have more boxes to choose from when trying to build something exactly from one box.

Thank you.

Edited August 5, 2011 by Superkalle

[Calabar]

The palettes file is removed now and replaced by standard directory named Palettes containing the lif file which returned me back to post made by Bojan where he presented that he can make custom lif files.

@Bojan could you, please, make available your knowledge about the lif files? I would find usefull the possibility to convert LXF files of standard Lego sets made by LDD users to lif file to be able to have more boxes to choose from when trying to build something exactly from one box.

I remember that this procedure goes against LEGO eula, so that the staff asked Bojan to delete his guide.

PS: I think you should contact Bojan directly using PM.

[Superkalle]

Calabar is right. We need to check this with TLG first since we don't want to get into trouble.

[hrontos]

I remember that this procedure goes against LEGO eula, so that the staff asked Bojan to delete his guide.

PS: I think you should contact Bojan directly using PM.

Yes, I remember that original aproach of Bojan based on modification of original Palettes.lif file is actually a "modification of software and/or its components" which is against EULA.

I think (I might be wrong, as I am not a lawyer) to create own new file and copy it to Palettes directory should be ok.

And the content of the file will also not be stolen, because it will be created by user (or converted from LXF file), so it is also not unauthorized usage of components of a software.

I mean, what other purpose the change from sealed Palettes.lif file in 3.x to approach based on Palettes directory would have if not to give the LDD users possibility to create own boxes.

The only limitation I have now is that I miss the MakeAndCreate theme, I cannot activate it any more so the custom lif files have point to wrong theme (probably Mindstorms, since DesignByMe is dedicated to bricks which can be purchased and I do not was to mess this).

And I forgot a big THANK YOU and the TLG for the extended mode. I like the prototyping in LDD and then building it real. What I miss a lot is possibility to create manualy the building guide. If I won't find some usefull tip, I would develop my own solution based on comparison of LXF files to generated brick list for a step and screenshots.

Edited August 5, 2011 by hrontos

[Hrw-Amen]

I am a little worried thatr I may mess this up. So I've opened the relevant bit in the text box and am about to insert the new line.

Where exactly in the text am I inserting this line? Does it matter or can it be anywhere, does it go at the start, end or somewhere in the middle, a new line or added onto the end of an existing line?

Just wondering as back years ago when I did programming the whole thing pretty much depended on what order you asked the machine to do whatever it was you were writing the programme for. I just don't want it to not work at all and have to unistall it and start again.

Thanks.

[Brickdoctor]

I am a little worried thatr I may mess this up. So I've opened the relevant bit in the text box and am about to insert the new line.

Where exactly in the text am I inserting this line? Does it matter or can it be anywhere, does it go at the start, end or somewhere in the middle, a new line or added onto the end of an existing line?

Just wondering as back years ago when I did programming the whole thing pretty much depended on what order you asked the machine to do whatever it was you were writing the programme for. I just don't want it to not work at all and have to unistall it and start again.

Thanks.

Is there already a line pertaining to ThemeAccess? I have mine between mainWindowSize and DirectorySet (this on a Mac), but I have no idea why I would have put it there.

[Hrw-Amen]

Is there already a line pertaining to ThemeAccess? I have mine between mainWindowSize and DirectorySet (this on a Mac), but I have no idea why I would have put it there.

No there is nothin about 'ThemeAccess' or anything similar to themes at all. I do have the line 'mainWindowSize' and this is followed by 'UserModelDirectory=File'

The nearest thing I can see to anything that may even be remotely theme orientated in a line that says 'PaletteNames=' then it goes on to list loads of them, but nothing actually stating 'Themes' in anyway.

Just worried I will mess it up altogether.

[Brickdoctor]

No there is nothin about 'ThemeAccess' or anything similar to themes at all. I do have the line 'mainWindowSize' and this is followed by 'UserModelDirectory=File'

The nearest thing I can see to anything that may even be remotely theme orientated in a line that says 'PaletteNames=' then it goes on to list loads of them, but nothing actually stating 'Themes' in anyway.

Just worried I will mess it up altogether.

Okay. I had always thought that I had added the line at the bottom, both for LDD 3 and LDD 4 on Windows and LDD 4 on Mac. Maybe it just got moved and/or lines were added beneath it during one of the updates. I think it'd be pretty safe just to add another line at the bottom.

[Hrw-Amen]

Okay. I had always thought that I had added the line at the bottom, both for LDD 3 and LDD 4 on Windows and LDD 4 on Mac. Maybe it just got moved and/or lines were added beneath it during one of the updates. I think it'd be pretty safe just to add another line at the bottom.

OK, I'll just pop it on the end and see what happens.

[Aanchir]

OK, I'll just pop it on the end and see what happens.

That's what I did when I unlocked LDD Extended mode. I don't think it matters where you put the line, really.

[Superkalle]

I've put it in all kinds of places, and never noticed any difference. One time I even put it in the fridge, and that worked too.

[DarkPhoenix]

Just had a little question - is there no software out there that have ropes and fabric peaces (like sails for ship) and have ability to change their shape? LDD Flex tool is closer i can get...

And thank you for great tutorial on activating Extended mode :D

Edited January 15, 2012 by DarkPhoenix

[DLuders]

@ DarkPhoenix: Welcome to Eurobricks! Flexible cloth sails are not available as a standard LDD part, but bbqqq/ nachapon has made substitute sails on various Lego ships. On this Eurobricks post, he made the x1957px1 "Black Cloth Sail 17 x 28 Bowed Outward" (lxf file):

On this post, he also made a x1957px1 "White Cloth Sail 17 x 28 Bowed Outward with Red Stripes Pattern" (lxf file):

On this post, he made a "Thin version sail. Made of glass for frame 1x2x2" (lxf file):

On this post, he presented his LDD model of the 6243 Blackbeard's Bounty set (lxf file):

[DarkPhoenix]

@ DarkPhoenix: Welcome to Eurobricks! Flexible cloth sails are not available as a standard LDD part, but bbqqq/ nachapon has made substitute sails on various Lego ships.

Thank you! Just what i was looking for.