LDraw

LDraw is a popular system of free software tools for modeling LEGO® creations in 3D. The LDraw file format and original program were written by James Jessiman. He also modeled many of the original parts in the parts library that is central to the program. In 1997, [http://www.ldraw.org/article/222 James passed away] . Since then, a variety of programs have been written that use the LDraw parts library and file format. LDraw models are frequently raytraced in POV-Ray, a free 3D ray tracer.

The LDraw format divides a model into steps so that the building instructions can be incorporated into the design, and, with the use of unofficial also allows for steps that rotate the camera and even (primitively) move parts around. It also allows for models to be used as pieces in larger models to make design easier.

All of these tools, as well as information about LDraw and other resources, are available from the [http://www.ldraw.org LDraw website] .

There is also an [http://www.ldraw.org official Ldraw Wiki] with a more complete set of information, also at the ldraw site.

There have been two books written which cover LDraw:
*"Virtual LEGO" (ISBN 978-1-886411-94-4)
*"LEGO Software Power Tools" (ISBN 978-1-931836-76-0)

External links

Modeling

It is possible, but difficult, to generate a Lego creation solely by entering the piece "part numbers" and their positions. Usually, the following tools will be used to put them together.
* [http://www.lm-software.com/mlcad/ MLCad] , an orthographic editor for Microsoft Windows with wizards for generating minifigs, hoses, belts, and springs.
* [http://www.leocad.org/ LeoCAD] , an editor with a perspective camera. It is available for Microsoft Windows and Linux.
* [http://www.ldraw.org ldraw and ledit] are the original DOS programs that were written by James Jessiman, the originator of the standard. They have not been updated since 1997, and are considered obsolete.
* [http://folk.uio.no/fredrigl/technic/ldraw-mode/ LDraw-mode] is an Emacs major mode for editing LDraw files as text.
* [http://bricksmith.sourceforge.net/ Bricksmith] An open source editor for Apple Inc. Macintosh computers.

The Ldraw.org site referenced below has a more complete list with reviews and in many cases, downloadable installs.

Viewing

* [http://www.hassings.dk/l3/l3lab.html L3Lab] , a fast orthographic viewer for LDraw files, available for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X.
* [http://ldlite.sourceforge.net/ LDLite] , a slower perspective viewer for LDraw files that boasts specular reflection and cutaway viewing. It runs in Microsoft Windows.
* [http://ldview.sourceforge.net/ LDView] , an OpenGL-accelerated program similar to LDLite, for Microsoft Windows, Linux, and Mac OS.
* [http://ldglite.sourceforge.net/ Ldglite] , an open-source, OpenGL viewer similar to LDLite, for Microsoft Windows, Linux, and Mac OS.

Converting

* [http://www.el-lutzo.de/lego/l2p.html L2P] and [http://www.hassings.dk/l3/l3p.html L3P] , two similarly-named but independent programs that convert LDraw files to files that can be rendered with POV-Ray. Both of these programs use Lutz Uhlmann's [http://www.el-lutzo.de/lego/lgeo.html LGEO library] , which contains LDraw parts hand-converted to POV-Ray CSGs for better-looking parts. They run under DOS and Command Prompt (Windows), l3p also runs under Linux and Mac OS X.
* [http://www.joern-thiemann.de/tools/ldraw2lws/ LDraw2LWS] is a Microsoft Windows program that converts LDraw files to Lightwave Objects and Lightwave Scenes.
* [http://perso.wanadoo.fr/paris.jean-pierre/LD2VR/ld2vr.htm Ld2vr] (This is a broken link.) converts LDraw files to VRML. It uses Java, so it should work with any operating system.
* [http://xxcoder.hostrocket.com/ldrdat2.htm LdrDat2Dxf, LdrDat2Obj] is a pair of Microsoft Windows programs that converts LDraw files into DXF, OBJ formats respectively.