[LSC] File Format Restrictions for Official Parts

[Chris Dee]

Dear LSC

I'd like to make a few comments from a PT-admin perspective. 

I'm also happy for other stuff from the PT FAQ to be absorbed into this. As
I've mentioned before, the PT FAQ should really be about the "Parts
Tracker". Snippets about parts authoring belong in this document. If anyone
wants to scan http://www.ldraw.org/library/tracker/ref/ for candidate
material you are welcome, and I'll be glad to remove it from those pages.
This was always the intention as highlighted by the first line of that page.

LDraw Files :

- what was the thinking around allowing "dot" within the filename in
addition to being the extension separator? I'd not guarantee that the
scripting behind the Parts Tracker would support that. 

- since the primary target environment is Windows, there is no distinction
between upper- and lower-case letters. By convention we currently issue
parts with all upper-case names (although the filename on the Name: line is
checked to be lower-case !). Was there any special reason for allowing both
lower- and upper-case? UNIX geeks might assume that they may use casing to
provide meaning.

Numeric Precision and Format

- It's not just Hi-Res primitives that should be coded to 4DPs. All scalable
primitives should be. The primitives reference tries to make it clear which
are not supposed to be scaled. Things like clips and technic components are
not scalable, whereas elemental primitives like discs, edges and cones are
scalable. 

Colour restrictions

If we continue to support the "type 2 lines inside and coplanar with type 4
quads technique" for fine patterns, there will be two cases where a colour
16 type 2 line is needed. When a subpart is reused for different colour
versions (see s/973P11A.DAT for an example) and when a pattern leaves a
narrow gap of base-part colour (see s/973P11B.DAT). 

META Commands

Are you saying that all comments (not just those in headers) MUST be of the
"0 // ..." form? Now (i.e. the next few days) would be the ideal time to
apply this rule all existing parts. What about the trailing null comment
line often present in parts (and probably there for a reason, once upon a
time)?

There is a typo in the last line of this section : s/confomant/conformant/.

Chris Dee



> -----Original Message-----

> From: lsc-bounces at ldraw.org [mailto:lsc-bounces at ldraw.org] On Behalf Of

> William Howard

> Sent: 02 January 2008 21:13

> To: LDraw Standards Committee

> Subject: Re: [LSC] File Format Restrictions for Official Parts

> 

> > William, please update our scratch pad.

> 

> Updated for the co-planar tolerance, also updated for overlapping

> lines/cond-lines and overlapping/intersecting polygons

> 

> http://www.ldraw.org/Article408.html

> 

> I'm thinking this document is about ready for publishing, unless we or the

> part admins want to move all the snippets of info scattered around the

> LDraw

> PT FAQ and other documents into it.

> 

> William

> 

> PS - Happy New Year

> 

> 

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