LDD 4.1 Released

[SNobleJr]

The UnplaceableBricksDump.lxfml is a file created for developer debugging purposes, and is not really intended for us normal users. Developers can open this file in their special tools where they can disable collision warning, so when they open the lxfml file, they will see the problematic brick in red, compared to all the other in yellow. This means that the UnplaceableBricksDump.lxfml actually contains info about the unplaceable brick (since it is colored red) - info that we can extract. Simply open the lxfml file in a text editor and search for bricks with colorID for red (21) (use search string below), and you will find the DesignID for the unplaceable brick.

materials="21

Good to know. Thanks for the info.

[Aanchir]

Still cannot attach to using side studs in LDD4.1.

That's because that's generally an illegal connection. To be fair, it's legal if there's nothing else attached across the top or bottom, but TLG doesn't encourage it because few people use it that way and there's rarely much reason for doing so.

The bigger problem is that hardly any parts with studs can be attached by their studs to Technic holes. This, too, is meant to help prevent illegal connections (it's technically an illegal connection to have something attached by more than one stud to more than one Technic hole), but it causes all scores of problems. However, it's an issue I believe the LDD team has known about for some time, but which they haven't found a solution for besides selectively allowing certain parts (such as 1x1 round plates and 1x1 round bricks) to make such connections.

Edited April 5, 2011 by Aanchir

[Superkalle]

More playing around with numbers. Here attached a zip with brick removed from PaB/DbM april 2011, and bricks added to Pab/DbM april 2011. Enjoy

(a few elements may be missing from the files, but it should be 99% correct. If not, let me know.)

DbMChangesApril2011.zip

[RedMark18]

I have a problem. Every time I try to download the patch it says: LDD cannot access the web server to retrieve the new version of LDD. Do you want to run in offline mode? What should I do with this message?

[DLuders]

@ Redmark18: There are actually two ways of downloading the 126-MB "patch":

1) Go to http://ldd.lego.com and just download the file (LDD 4.1.6). It should overwrite your existing LDD 4.0 files when you install it.

2) Run your old (LDD 4.0) program, and a message will pop up to install the "patch". It could be that this is what is giving you problems.

[Joey Lock]

Now I've installed this new patch which I thought was going to be good, LDD won't start. Joy!

[Fuzzylegobricks]

Now I've installed this new patch which I thought was going to be good, LDD won't start. Joy!

Same with me, I downloaded the new extension and it all failed to open.

[Man with a hat]

I put together a small quick guide to the most common metallic colors in LDD Extended Mode. Hope you like it.

I tried to get colour 299 to work in LDD. However I came up with a transparant looking brick, although LDD identifies it as: color: - 299 Lacqured Gold/Warm Gold.

How? Well, I got a file with a random brick. Unzipped the file and modified the LXFML file by changing the colour number like this: materials="299".

What did I do wrong?

[Aanchir]

I tried to get colour 299 to work in LDD. However I came up with a transparant looking brick, although LDD identifies it as: color: - 299 Lacqured Gold/Warm Gold.

How? Well, I got a file with a random brick. Unzipped the file and modified the LXFML file by changing the colour number like this: materials="299".

What did I do wrong?

You did nothing wrong. That's just one of many colors that doesn't render correctly on LDD (part of the reason why it doesn't show up in the available palette). It's also one of the few that has color details listed despite not rendering correctly, so perhaps they're planning on an update where that color works correctly in the future.

A similar problem exists with color 132 Black Glitter.

Edited April 6, 2011 by Aanchir

[vynsane]

Is it just me or are there less face prints available in LDD 4.1 Extended than there were in LDD 4.0 Universe? Shouldn't all prints be available in Extended? Or is the point that you need to switch themes if you want other pieces/prints? I would think Extended would just incorporate everything the other themes offer.

[Aanchir]

Is it just me or are there less face prints available in LDD 4.1 Extended than there were in LDD 4.0 Universe? Shouldn't all prints be available in Extended? Or is the point that you need to switch themes if you want other pieces/prints? I would think Extended would just incorporate everything the other themes offer.

Unfortunately, that's not how it works with decorations. Since you can't just select any decoration from a single list (because they have to go with specific parts), the decoration options for the parts when using the "decoration tool" have to be put in individual lists. Even in 4.0 there were plenty of decorations that couldn't be accessed with the Decoration Tool, and some that couldn't be accessed in any mode without writing their decoration IDs into a raw LXFML. The only way I found those was that someone was able to give me a list of available decorations, and even then I had to match the decorations with the correct parts to get real, existing decorated parts.

This is a disappointment about the new version, and I hope the decoration tool is updated in the next version so that it is indeed comprehensive. But in the meantime, I understand why such a function would be a tedious thing to program.

[Man with a hat]

You did nothing wrong. That's just one of many colors that doesn't render correctly on LDD (part of the reason why it doesn't show up in the available palette). It's also one of the few that has color details listed despite not rendering correctly, so perhaps they're planning on an update where that color works correctly in the future.

A similar problem exists with color 132 Black Glitter.

Thank you for your answer. I guess I will have to keep using color 297 then for the time being.

[Ex cinno]

After two months of hard work to build my Moc of more than 12.000 pieces i install Ldd 4.1.6 and, surprise, some parts are no more buyable.

For example the very useful tan panel 1*2*1.

Why?

I am very disappointed and hope they want to fix this.

[Zerobricks]

I wanted to congartulate the LDD team for updating the engine and fixing lots of brick bugs.

[Superkalle]

After two months of hard work to build my Moc of more than 12.000 pieces i install Ldd 4.1.6 and, surprise, some parts are no more buyable.

For example the very useful tan panel 1*2*1.

Why?

I am very disappointed and hope they want to fix this.

Was was the exact problem - that you can no longer order the tan panel 1x2x1 or that you cannot see it in LDD?

[Legomaster34]

Does anybody know where I can find the ship bow pieces? I have looked everywhere but I cannot find them. I'm trying to make a really nice pirate ship but cannot find those pieces(the ones listed on the front page.)

[Aanchir]

Does anybody know where I can find the ship bow pieces? I have looked everywhere but I cannot find them. I'm trying to make a really nice pirate ship but cannot find those pieces(the ones listed on the front page.)

Have you unlocked LDD Extended mode? If so, they should be towards the end of the category marked with a steering wheel.

[prateek]

Does anybody know where I can find the ship bow pieces? I have looked everywhere but I cannot find them. I'm trying to make a really nice pirate ship but cannot find those pieces(the ones listed on the front page.)

In the steering wheel category, near the bottom.

[Front]

The new Ball/ball cup beams are now in LDD, few in normal mode, most if not all in extended mode.

I must say the team did a great job simulating the limited articulation of the varies ball cup-ball connections.

but....

Is it possible to close a loop like this ?

[Brickdoctor]

but....

Is it possible to close a loop like this ?

[snip]

If you entered the exact correct angle, it should be possible, right?

[alienwar9]

A few additions I noticed in 4.1:

• the colors show up fully when you hover over a piece to color it, even when zoomed far out. It doesn't do that weird partial shading. It is also much more responsive. I will note that with the color painter tool out, rotating slows down a lot more; it must be doing more calculations now because it fully renders the color difference for every piece you hover over when turning.
  
• The metallic colors and transparent colors look a lot better with advanced graphics on. Especially transparent. It seems interior modeling of transparent pieces is better/crisper. (look at trans blue and trans red on large pieces...pretty
  
• When you hover over a piece with the color picker tool, it "pulses" or glows. WOAH
  
• The outer cable pieces flexibility is awesome. They have a tenseness to them!
  
• The multiple angle rotation feature for ball joints is pure amazing! I figure this could even be used to place pieces in hard positions, where normal rotations or LDD methods can be a pain. Say placing a piece at a certain angle at a certain distance, for connections that LDD normally doesn't recognize. I have to test this though.
  
• As far as I can tell, all the models that opened with 4.0 open with 4.1 (in respect to size limitations). So the largest models still open in 4.1 if the opened in 4.0. I did notice LDD "tried harder" to open the large files before it crashes...but it still crashes
  

[Whiteagle]

I've now noticed that the back grounds now show up in my screen shots...

...How do I turn that off?

I'd honestly just have the the way it use to be, a .PNG where it was just the model.

[prateek]

I've now noticed that the back grounds now show up in my screen shots...

...How do I turn that off?

I'd honestly just have the the way it use to be, a .PNG where it was just the model.

Press Ctrl + K in build mode.

[Front]

If you entered the exact correct angle, it should be possible, right?

I can't seem to type in angles in the three text boxes, the assembly just approximate what I type in. But I just managed to close a loop of 5 of these elements, by rotating them together, adjusting each joint one by one.

[Aanchir]

I can't seem to type in angles in the three text boxes, the assembly just approximate what I type in. But I just managed to close a loop of 5 of these elements, by rotating them together, adjusting each joint one by one.

I was just able to do it just fine with a straight line of six 90617s, but my brother has also had difficulty getting angles on those pieces to work right (especially when built onto a larger model like an actual hero). Guess they haven't fixed all the bugs yet.