osWindows [2]

Use this installer if you want a quick and easy way to install LDraw and many of the popular 3rd party tools as well

This installer WAS NOT tested with Windows 95 or lower. Only recommened for Windows 98, ME, NT Ver 4, 2000, XP (Home and Pro), Vista (all versions).
Windows 64-bit is NOT supported. Some functionallity will not work.

If your version of Windows is different, follow the getting started instruction found here [3]

Installing LDraw for Windows

• What is LDraw? [4]
• How do I install LDraw? [5]
• What is included in this version of the installer? [6]

What is LDraw?

The term "LDraw" can be used to refer to the original DOS based LDraw program, the LDraw parts library, the LDraw file format or the LDraw system of tools. As you can see this can be very confusing for new users. For this tutorial LDraw will refer to the system of tools which you will be installing on your computer.

In a nutshell, LDraw is a free "CAD"-like set of programs that allows a user to create virtual LEGO® like models on your computer. You can use it to document models you have physically built, create building instructions just like LEGO, render 3D photo realistic images of your virtal models and even make animations. The possiblities are endless. Unlike real LEGO bricks were you are limited by the number of parts and colors, in LDraw nothing is impossible. You have an unlimited supply of virtual bricks in every possible color. Even colors that LEGO has never created!

As stated LDraw is a series of various programs. At the basic level you need at LEAST two of these applications.
Application #1: The original DOS-based Editor (LDRAW.exe now Ldraw027.exe) and
Application #2: The library of parts (complete.exe)

The parts library is the core of the program as it has over 1,200+ LEGO parts. Note that The ONLY brick we ENDORSE is LEGO although the parts format can be used for any other type of brick (MEGA Block, Block-it, etc). LDraw.org, however, DOES NOT SUPPORT OR ENDORSE these other types of bricks and they are NOT part of our official parts library. Also while our parts authors are hard at working creating new LEGO parts NOT ALL LEGO bricks are currently available in the library. The process is very hard and time consuming and our part authors are all volunteers. So be patience if the piece you are looking for is not in the library. If a part is not in the library you can check this web page (http://www.ldraw.org/library/tracker/ [7]) to see if the part is in production. Otherwise, you can post a request for a part creation to http://www.lugnet.com/cad/ [8].

Most people find it very hard to use the original editor (LDRAW.exe) since it is a DOS based program with no graphical user interface. To overcome the limitation of the original DOS program several 3rd party editors have been created. An editor allows the user to create virtual models using a graphical windows interface in the process. Thus the 3rd application you would need would be an editor.
Application #3: MLCAD is the most popular of our 3rd party editors and is very easy to use if you are comfortable using Windows and the drop & drag concept.

Now if you want to create 3D images (renders) of your models that you created in LDraw you will need several more add-ons to LDraw.
Application #4: L3P
Application #5: L3PAO
Application #6: POV-Ray

See sample 3D images of what POV-Ray can do by visiting this webpage: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=37564

L3P is a DOS command-line program that takes your LDraw model file (.ldr or .mpd) and converts it into a POV-Ray file (.pov). L3PAO is a Graphical Interface to L3P which makes it extremely easy to use L3P because it displays ALL the options that L3P has with a bunch of checks and drop-down menus in a windows type program (NO need to 'see' DOS). It can even automate the process of creating your final rendered image in POV-Ray. POV-Ray is the ONLY non-Ldraw program of the bunch. It is used to create stunning 3D images of anything. Unfortunately it is primary for coders and 3D graphic artist. In most cases, a LDraw user will NOT have much luck getting POV-Ray to create stunning images like the ones seen at the POV-Ray website (http://www.povray.org/ [9]). Click on the Hall of Fame Link to see stunning 3D images. However, for the most part THESE images are OVERKILL as we just want a simple 3D image of our model. In any case you will need to have POV-Ray installed as well. The good news is that this installer gives you the option of installing all of the above applications and many more.

How do I install LDraw?

The installer file is 47.3 MB in size.

Step 1 Download the following file: ldraw_setup_2006q3_full_J.exe [10] NOTE: The file is protected by a Captcha image. Please type in the letters you see in the picture. Step 2 Use 7-Zip (http://www.7-zip.org/ [11]) (recommended), winzip (http://www.winzip.com/ [12]) or winrar (http://www.rarlab.com/ [13]) to unzip the file. THIS STEP IS NO LONGER NEEDED. Step 3 To start the installer double-click on the .exe. Windows NT, 2000 and XP users, you must have administrator rights on your account in order to properly run this installer. Windows XP Proffessional Edition Users run the installer in Windows 2000 Compatibility mode. The following system files will be installed IF AND ONLY IF your system does not have them. Note that these files WILL NOT be uninstalled if you uninstall LDraw as some files are shared windows system files that may be used by other applications on your computer and removing them may cause those applications to become unstable. advapi32.dll ASYCFILT.DLL ccrpbds6.dll COMCAT.DLL COMCT332.OCX comctl32.dll crtdll.dll dciman32.dll ddraw.dll gdi32.dll glu32.dll glut32.dll kernel32.dll MSCOMCT2.OCX MSCOMCTL.OCX msvbvm60.dll msvcrt.dll ntdll.dll oel32.dll OLEAUT32.DLL OLEPRO32.DLL opengl32.dll qtintf70.dll tichtx32.dll Richtx32.ocx rpcrt4.dll STDOLE2.TLB shlwapi.dll TLBINF32.DLL user32.dll VB6.OLB VB6STKIT.DLL VCL50.BPL VCLX50.BPL       Step 4 Screen 1 - LDraw System of Tools Welcome Screen A welcoming screen will appear (see Figure 1). Click on the NEXT button to continue. Figure 1: Installer Welcoming Screen Step 5 Screen 2 - License Agreement Screen Read the license agreement (see Figure 2) and if you agree with it select the "I agree to the terms of this license agreement" and click on the NEXT button to continue. Figure 2: License Agreement Screen Step 6 Screen 3 - Select Install Type Screen Select an installation type as shown in Figure 3 and click on the NEXT button to continue Figure 3: Selecting an LDraw installation type. We recommend that new users of LDraw choose the intermediate install type. The rest of the steps are based on selecting the intermediate install type. Step 7 Screen 4 - Installation Folder Screen There may be a slight pause before the screen shown in figure 4 will appear. Leave the default location or provide a location to install LDraw to by using the Change button. Click on NEXT to continue. Figure 4: Selecting an installation folder for LDraw. We recommend that you use the default location of C:\LDraw. Step 8 Screen 5 - Shortcut Folder Screen Choose a default shortcut folder or type in a new one. Click on NEXT to continue. Figure 5: Selecting a shortcut folder for LDraw. Step 9 Screen 6 - Desktop ICON Screen Choose which desktop ICONs you will to have placed on your desktop. Uncheck whatever program icon you do not want installed. Click on NEXT to continue. Figure 6: Selecting which desktop icons to install. Step 10 Screen 7 - Ready to Install Screen Review the selection you have made for the location of LDraw and click on NEXT to install LDraw System of Tools. Figure 7: Reviewing installation of LDraw. Step 11 Screen 8 - POV-Ray Installation Notes Screen Read CAREFULLY about how POV-Ray and MEGAPov will be installed on your system. Note that POV-Ray will call it's own installer and will NOT be uninstalled if you use the LDraw uninstaller icon. Complete the POV-Ray installer BEFORE closing the LDraw installer. Figure 8: Special notes for the POV-Ray and MEGAPov installer. Step 12 Either a thank you or restart screen will appear to signify the completion of the LDraw installer. You can safely delete the files you download now. Step 13 (Optional) If you do not see any or all the LDraw parts when using MLCAD it might be becuase the LDraw parts file (Parts.lst & P.lst) were not properly created during the installation. To create these two files use the MKLIST.EXE file located in the \LDraw folder. Double-click on the MKLIST.EXE and the window in figure 9 will appear. Figure 9: Running the MKLIST.EXE file to create a new LDraw Parts List Select "D" and wait until the DOS window closes by itself. You are done once it closes. If you ever add new LDraw parts to your library collection you will need to re-run MKLIST.exe to ensure that all the LDraw applications know you have new parts installed. Step 14 (Optional) When you launch MLCAD for the first time you will get an error pop-up window as shown in figure 10. Figure 10: MLCAD asking for LDraw base path Use the browse button to redirect MLCAD to the ldraw base path which for this installer is C:\LDraw as shown in figure 11. Figure 11: Giving MLCAD the correct LDraw base path What is included in this version of the installer? The following library files and applications are included in this installer. Note that newer version of each application may be available as this installer was created for a specific event and represented the current versions of each program. Note that this installer DOES NOT have the lastest LDraw parts update. You can download the newest parts at http://www.ldraw.org/library/updates/ [14]. Library or Application Name Type Basic Setup Intermediate Setup Custom Setup Version Latest Version LDraw Parts Library Library X X X 2005-01 . BMP 2 LDraw Add-On . . . 1.02 . L3Lab [15] Viewer . . . 1.2 20000616 . L3P [16] Converter . X . 1.3 20010120 . L3PAO [17] Converter GUI . X . 1.4.2 . LDAdd On [18] Add-On . . X 2.1.8 . LDview [19] Viewer X X . 3.0 . LGEO Parts Library Library . X . 15 . LPub [20] Converter GUI . X . 2.4.8.0 . LSynth [21] Add-On . . . 2.0 . MEGAPov [22] Render . X . .07 1.0 MLCad [23] Editor X X . 3.2 . POV-Ray 3.1g [24] Render . X . 3.1g 3.6 POV-Ray 3.5 [25] Render . . . 3.5 3.6 POV-Ray 3.6 [26] Render . . . 3.6 3.6 Help Desk Tutorial: Installing LDraw for Windows Created by Ahui Herrera [27], LDraw Help Desk [28] Special thanks to Chris Corbett, Tim Courtney [29], Jack Hawk, JM, Edwin Pilobello and Mike Thorn for beta testing the installer. http://www.ldraw.org/ [30]

Note: Last modified by Ahui Herrera [31] 9/11/07.
64-Bit OS NOT supported, VISTA is.
Help Desk reference