[LSC] *** SPAM *** Re: LDraw File Spec - Initial public comments

[Lars C. Hassing]

Note that agree/disagree remarks are relative to the original statement, 
not relative to other's remarks.

Legend:
WH: William Howard
TC: Travis Cobbs
LCH: Lars C. Hassing

1) General
----------
a) Change "standard by which most create virtual LEGO® models" to 
"standard by which most create LEGO® models on the computer"
WH: AGREE - needs changing
TC: NEUTRAL
LCH: NEUTRAL
 
b) Inconsistencies between line type 1 being called a "Sub-file 
reference" and a "file reference"
WH: AGREE - Needs fixing
TC: AGREE
LCH: AGREE
 
c) Details on the line type 1 search order
WH: DISAGREE - beyond the scope of the spec
TC: DISAGREE
LCH: Perhaps a link to the search order description
 
d) File Type section needs dividing into Official and Unofficial
WH: AGREE - but the Official section needs moving to the Parts Library 
Header spec
TC: NEUTRAL
LCH: NEUTRAL
 
e) Common verticies paragraph needs a diagram
WH: AGREE - Needs a diagram
TC: AGREE
LCH: AGREE
 

2) Character encoding
---------------------
a) The character encoding of files should be specified
WH: DISAGREE - for reasons already discussed
TC: DISAGREE
LCH: DISAGREE
 

3) Filenames
------------
a) Remove "The requirement for LDraw files to conform to the DOS 8.3 
filename convention has been removed."
WH: DISAGREE - Stating how a spec has changed is valid
TC: DISAGREE
LCH: DISAGREE

b) The spec should not define what is permitted in an official filename 
(ie part file), but this text should be moved to the library header spec
WH: AGREE
TC: AGREE
LCH: AGREE
 
c) Prohibit spaces in filenames
WH: DISAGREE - as Travis says, spaces in filenames are here to stay
TC: DISAGREE
LCH: DISAGREE
 
d) Filenames should be quoted
WH: DISAGREE - there is no parsing issue (unless you blindly use a 
tokenizer)
TC: DISAGREE
LCH: DISAGREE (Although the L3 parser accepts quotes)
 
e) Specific characters should be disallowed/allowed not discouraged
WH: DISAGREE - as with spaces, most characters are now valid in 
MS-Windows files names, but we should flag the ones known to cause 
cross-platform issues
TC: DISAGREE
LCH: DISAGREE
 

4) Comment lines
----------------
a) Deprecate the form "0 <comment>"
WH: NO STRONG FEELINGS
TC: AGREE
LCH: AGREE
 

5) Matrix operations
--------------------
a) Needs explicit examples
WH: AGREE - who gets to write them?
TC: DISAGREE - I think the below stuff I agree to is sufficient, but am 
open to debate if we decide against what I agree on below.
LCH: AGREE see below
 
b) Mention column/row major orientation
WH: DISAGREE - unless unavoidable
TC: DISAGREE
LCH: DISAGREE
 
c) Don't mention column/row major orientation
WH: AGREE - if its possible
TC: AGREE
LCH: AGREE
 
d) Give matrix example(s) and mathematical example
WH: AGREE
TC: AGREE
LCH: AGREE
 
e) A more neutral way of displaying a matrix like simply: [a b c 0] [d e 
f 0] [g h i 0] [x y z 1]
WH: AGREE - if this is valid
TC: UNDECIDED (having this in addition to the stuff above might just add 
confusion.)
LCH: I think Travis's example with two equally valid 4x4 matrices is good
 

6) Concave quads
----------------
a) Allow concave quads
WH: DISAGREE
TC: DISAGREE
LCH: DISAGREE
 

7) Vertex winding
-----------------
a) Mandate CW or CCW
WH: DISAGREE
TC: DISAGREE
LCH: DISAGREE
 

8) Axis orientation
-------------------
a) Explain the "handedness" of the axis
WH: AGREE
TC: AGREE
LCH: AGREE
 
b) Explain that -y is up
WH: AGREE
TC: AGREE - (For these, a diagram would probably be useful.)
LCH: AGREE - yes, an image is worth a 1000 words...
 

9) Meta commands
----------------
a) META commands can do a lot and it should be stated at the beginning.
WH: AGREE
TC: AGREE
LCH: AGREE
 
b) "0 BFC CERTIFY CW" effects all following lines.
WH: AGREE
TC: AGREE
LCH: AGREE
 
c) "Write/Print" should note that this is not allowed in official parts 
files
WH: AGREE - but interesting to note that some want the spec to include 
parts and some don't!
TC: DISAGREE - Should have one spot in spec where we link to "rules for 
official parts" in separate document, and keep them out of spec entirely.
LCH: DISAGREE (but agrees with TC's comment)
 
d) Move the meta-commands into their own document
WH: DISAGREE
TC: DISAGREE
LCH: DISAGREE
 
e) Remove "!" from the official spec.
WH: DISAGREE - it's been ratified by the LSC so it's here to stay, may 
as well be in the spec
TC: DISAGREE - Note: ! not added to all the official ones, and won't be 
added to any more existing official ones.
LCH: DISAGREE
 
f) Mandate "!" for official metas and strongly suggest it for unofficial 
ones
WH: AGREE
TC: AGREE
LCH: AGREE


Whew!
/Lars

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