How Do I Add LDraw Parts To My Library
- What are LDraw Parts?
- Where can I find LDraw Parts for my library?
- How Do I add LDraw Parts to my library? (Method 1:
Using MKLIST.exe)
- How Do I add LDraw Parts to my library? (Method 2:
Using MLCad)
What are LDraw Parts?
LDraw parts are individual files (usually with the .dat extension)
that model an individual LEGO piece in a 3D CAD like format. You need
LDraw parts, also know as the LDraw library or LDraw library of parts, in
order to create any model using any LDraw application. Without the LDraw
parts library no model creation would be possible as you would have no
virtual LEGO pieces to create your virtual model.LDraw parts come
in 3 types of categories: Official, Unofficial, and Non-existent
Unofficial. Official parts refers to those parts that The LEGO Company has
created physically and that the LDraw community has created virtually and
have been certified by LDraw.org. Unofficial parts are similar to official
parts BUT HAVE NOT passed the LDraw.org certification
yet. Nonexistent Unofficial parts are parts that have NOT
been physically created by The LEGO Company but exist ONLY
virtually.Note that a one can say a 4th category
exist called "Others". The LDraw file format has been used by some in the
community to create virtual bricks from other companies other than The
LEGO Company, such as MegaBlok, K'nex, etc. These parts are NOT support by
LDraw.org as our policy is to ONLY support The LEGO
Company brick. See the next section for a list of links to these types of
parts.
The images below show examples of nonexistent unofficial parts created
by Thomas Burger and what he has created with them. Click on any image to
enlarge.
You can download Thomas's parts from his Brickshelf account
Where Can I Find LDraw Parts For My library?
There are two main locations on the internet where you can find LDraw Parts.
LDraw.org
This is where you can find the official LDraw library. You can
download either the complete library or parts updates as they become
available.
Lugnet
This is where most developers post unofficial LDraw parts for
review. Additionally the LDraw.org Part's Tracker can show you
unofficial parts waiting for certification.
If neither of these two sites can offer you the part(s) you are
looking for you can do one of two things:
1) Do a google search for the part in
question that you are looking for if you know the part number (ex.
3005.dat is a 1x1 brick) or
2) post a message to lugnet.cad requesting if someone is
willing to create the part you want for you.
How Do I Add LDraw Parts To My Library? (Method 1: Using MKLIST.EXE)
This example has "extra steps in italics" to show what must
be done when you want to install the LDraw parts update or complete
library. Furthermore this example assumes that your LDraw installation was
done to C:\LDraw.
| Pre Step 1 |
Download the LDraw part(s) that you wish to add to
your library. For our example we will use LDraw Parts Update March
12, 2003 file called lcad0301.exe |
| Pre Step 2 |
Move the 2003-file to the "C" drive. To do this, double-click on
the My Computer icon and select the "C" drive. Next drag & drop
the lcad0301.exe file into the "C" drive folder. |
| Pre Step 3 |
Click on the Windows Start button and select "Run...". In the
run pop-up window type in the following cmd and
click the OK button. |
| Pre Step 4 |
A small pop-up window similar to figure 1 will appear.
Figure 1: DOS Window (Click on image
to enlarge) We need to locate the lcad0301.exe file to
be able to run it. To do this we need to get to the C:\> Prompt.
If your DOS Prompt is NOT C:\> then type CD..and
hit enter to move up a folder. Continue doing this until you are at
the C:\> prompt. |
| Pre Step 5 |
LDraw.org has developed a simple self-extraction file for each
of it's parts update and the complete library. In order to activate
the self-extractor you must type the following at the C:\>
prompt. lcad0301.exe -y and click on enter.
The DOS window will flash a series of text very fast and
then stop. Once it has stopped you can close the DOS window. |
| Step 1 |
Add the new parts to either the P or PARTS sub-folders under the
LDraw folder.(If you followed the Pre-Steps above the
self-extraction file will have placed all the new parts in the
proper folders, so skip this step.) |
| Step 2 |
Double click on the MKLIST.EXE file located under the LDraw
folder to update the PARTS.LST file which houses all the current
LDraw parts in your computer. Clicking on MKLIST.EXE file cause a
small pop-up to appear as in figure 2.
Figure 2: MKLIST.EXE DOS Window
(Click on image to enlarge) |
| Step 3 |
Select D and watch as the MKLIST application
begins to re-create the PARTS.LST file based on the filename
descriptions of each LDraw part in your library. The window will
close once the application is done and you now have an updated
PARTS.LST file with the new parts you have added.
|
How Do I Add LDraw Parts To My Library? (Method 2: MLCad)
If you are attempting to add the complete.exe or parts update files
found at ldraw.org please see the Pre-Steps in the section above before
following the steps in this section.
| Step 1 |
Add the new parts to either the P or PARTS
sub-folders under the LDraw folder. (If you followed the
Pre-Steps in the section above the self-extraction file will have
placed all the new parts in the proper folders, so skip this
step.) |
| Step 2 |
Open MLCad (Version 3.00 and higher) and click on the file menu
and then the Scan Parts submenu command as shown in figure
3.
Figure 3: MLCad's Scan Parts command |
| Step 3 |
MLCad will ask you if you wish to update your PARTS.LST file as
shown in figure 4.
Figure 4: MLCad asking if it should update you
PARTS.LST fileClick on YES and you are
done. |
Help Desk Tutorial: How Do I Add LDraw Parts to My Library
Version
1.0
Created by Ahui Herrera, LDraw Help Desk
