Hi,, I'm a noob to this part of the forum, but I have a question I was wondering if anyone could answer. I read someplace

it is possible to convert parts from LDD to LDRAW. I use Bricksmith, and was trying to build my Black Pearl in LDRAW. I can't even

start because right off the bat, parts do not seem to exist yet in LDRAW. I need parts 64645, 64651, and 95227 to even begin my project.

These are the HULL parts from the newer pirate sets (Imperial Flagship, QAR and BP). If anyone knows how to do this, or has them

in .DAT form...that would rock! Thanks for any help!

First, you need to read this Eurobricks topic about how "LDRAW.XML [is] missing in LDD4". You can download the fix.

Then, open up your model in LDD4 and do a "File --> Export Model" at the top-left corner of the LDD screen. Use the drop-down menu at the bottom of the next window you see to "Save As Type...LDraw Files (.ldr)."

Edited October 26, 201113 yr by DLuders

First, you need to read this Eurobricks topic about how "LDRAW.XML [is] missing in LDD4". You can download the fix.

Then, open up your model in LDD4 and do a "File --> Export Model" at the top-left corner of the LDD screen. Use the drop-down menu at the bottom of the next window you see to "Save As Type...LDraw Files (.ldr)."

But the DAT files for these pieces for LDraw programs don't exist. He needs a way to grab the 3D model of the part and make it into a custom LDraw part.

I do remember there was something around here about a program to get the data of the 3D model off of the graphics card and then turn that into an LDraw part, but I can't find it...

But the DAT files for these pieces for LDraw programs don't exist. He needs a way to grab the 3D model of the part and make it into a custom LDraw part.

I do remember there was something around here about a program to get the data of the 3D model off of the graphics card and then turn that into an LDraw part, but I can't find it...

Yes, I am running Bricksmith using the Ldraw library of parts, not LDD4. (I have to upgrade my computer to be able to run LDD4.) I need those hull parts as .dat files so they will work in Ldraw. So far, no one on Ldraw.org has created them. Hope this makes sense. I thought it might be possible for someone running LDD4 to convert those parts into .dat files........if that is even possible.

It's quite lengthy and requires knowledge of making custom parts for LDraw, but if anyone wants to try, there's a tutorial here.

It's quite lengthy and requires knowledge of making custom parts for LDraw, but if anyone wants to try, there's a tutorial here.

There is now a tool (3dxml2dat) that gets better quality parts using the same method. It automatically creates edge lines and conditional lines. See http://forums.ldraw.org/read.php?24,1145

There is now a tool (3dxml2dat) that gets better quality parts using the same method. It automatically creates edge lines and conditional lines. See http://forums.ldraw.org/read.php?24,1145

Thanks Philo, unfortunately I can't access LDD on my computer as it's running too old an OS. I noticed a lot of the parts on LDraw have your name as the creator, how awesome....any plans to maybe do the three ship Hull parts I mentioned at the top of this thread at any point?

Thanks Philo, unfortunately I can't access LDD on my computer as it's running too old an OS. I noticed a lot of the parts on LDraw have your name as the creator, how awesome....any plans to maybe do the three ship Hull parts I mentioned at the top of this thread at any point?

Yes, I'm said to be pretty prolific ;)

I converted 64645 and 64651 from LDD and sent you them by PM. These are very raw conversions and would still need a lot of work to convert them to full-fledged LDraw parts.

The 95227 doesn't exist yet in LDD, but LDraw part 2560 can make a pretty good approximation.

Yes, I'm said to be pretty prolific ;)

I converted 64645 and 64651 from LDD and sent you them by PM. These are very raw conversions and would still need a lot of work to convert them to full-fledged LDraw parts.

The 95227 doesn't exist yet in LDD, but LDraw part 2560 can make a pretty good approximation.

Oh, I am just seeing this now, saw your PM first. Thanks! This is awesome and you're the best!

Yes, I'm said to be pretty prolific ;)

I converted 64645 and 64651 from LDD and sent you them by PM. These are very raw conversions and would still need a lot of work to convert them to full-fledged LDraw parts.

The 95227 doesn't exist yet in LDD, but LDraw part 2560 can make a pretty good approximation.

Hi Phillo,

I am just starting work on a Pirate ship, so I am also looking for the parts 64645 and 64651. Can you email them to me on sailesh.kamath@gmail.com? Thanks a lot for your help!

Cheers,

ThEGoDFaTher

Hi Phillo,

I am just starting work on a Pirate ship, so I am also looking for the parts 64645 and 64651. Can you email them to me on sailesh.kamath@gmail.com? Thanks a lot for your help!

Cheers,

ThEGoDFaTher

OK, I'm kind of busy these days, remind me (philoATphilohome.com) if you don't get the mail in the next few days.

OK, I'm kind of busy these days, remind me (philoATphilohome.com) if you don't get the mail in the next few days.

Ok, thanks a lot Phillo!

Cheers,

ThEGoDFaThEr

Here they are... I posted them on Brickshelf so that anybody can access them. Remember that they are crude LDD conversion, not up to LDraw standards (eg. studs are not substituted with primitives, so no automatic connectivity in SR3D Builder!).

64645

64651

Have fun!

Here they are... I posted them on Brickshelf so that anybody can access them. Remember that they are crude LDD conversion, not up to LDraw standards (eg. studs are not substituted with primitives, so no automatic connectivity in SR3D Builder!).

64645

64651

Have fun!

Hi Philo,

This is immensely helpful, thanks a lot once again!

Cheers,

ThEGoDFaThEr.

I need parts 64645, 64651, and 95227 to even begin my project. These are the HULL parts from the newer pirate sets (Imperial Flagship, QAR and BP). If anyone knows how to do this, or has them

in .DAT form...that would rock! Thanks for any help!

The 95227 doesn't exist yet in LDD, but LDraw part 2560 can make a pretty good approximation.

Prompted by Calabar's post here, I thought I'd update this post instead.

If no-one's created a version of 95227 yet, I have created a rough version of this part, where most of the LDraw primitives still have to be added and a lot of optimization is required. However, I have substituted the top studs of the central section with LDraw primitives so that they should work in SR 3D Builder, and it also matches the position of the other boat hull parts in the LDraw parts list.

Warning: It has a very large file size for an LDraw DAT file, so may slow things down a bit.

Download: DAT file

Prompted by Calabar's post here, I thought I'd update this post instead.

The better thing would be to create a brand new topic that deal the subject in a general way, with a brief guide in the first post.

Could you, or some experienced user, create (and eventually update, when the conversion file is updated) it?

The better thing would be to create a brand new topic that deal the subject in a general way, with a brief guide in the first post.

Could you, or some experienced user, create (and eventually update, when the conversion file is updated) it?

I'm not sure if a guide on how to export from LDD to LDraw would necessarily be wise, as anyone performing this would have to ensure that they are setting the part's position and centre of rotation in a way that would match that of a similar LDraw part. Otherwise, if the part is created by someone else and an official version becomes available, anything created with the unofficial part from here would then have the wrong orientation/position, messing up the model. You may also find many of the same part being submitted, with varying degrees of quality.

Maybe a thread where converted parts that are not already in LDraw (or its Part Tracker) are listed for download, perhaps with a very brief guide for those who wish to submit, where submissions are verified before being added to the thread's initial post.

Otherwise, perhaps a thread for requests for parts converted from LDD instead, as I've already created a fair few unoffical LDraw parts myself and don't mind doing more.

Of course, the LDD part geometries are copyrighted by the LEGO Group, so there would also be nothing to stop them from requesting the removal of the proposed thread.

I mean something simple.

As the question "how convert an LDD file in LDraw format" is very common, it would be useful a topic that describe how to that, showing methods and problems, and giving some useful suggestions.

It should be a very brief guide, we could include links to these old topics for completeness.

Regarding parts authoring, it can be a tricky subject. If parts are authored using data outside LDD, then there's no problem. However, if the geometry data comes from LDD, then it violates the EULA. I believe some Ldraw part authors are using LDD geometries as starting point when creating LDraw parts, but I don't know if they have been given permission from TLG to do this or not.

Regarding parts authoring, it can be a tricky subject. If parts are authored using data outside LDD, then there's no problem. However, if the geometry data comes from LDD, then it violates the EULA. I believe some Ldraw part authors are using LDD geometries as starting point when creating LDraw parts, but I don't know if they have been given permission from TLG to do this or not.

These were my concerns also. Although I've not submitted anything to the LDraw Parts Tracker myself, I've just started playing around with part authoring, and personally would prefer to go down the route of proper part submission.

However, I know that Philo is very prolific, and he seemed quite happy to convert and post two parts for the boat hulls, so perhaps in this instance (in regards to the boat part I posted) it's not too bad.