Digital/Virtual Lego in LeoCAD - Installation

I've began to dabble in building virtual Lego sets.

Initially in Lego Digital Designer, which unfortunately is now defunct.

Thus, I've switched to LeoCAD. And am still figuring out its quirks and more efficient ways using it : )

Here are some notes for fellow newcomers to LeoCAD.

Installation - Must do's

1. Download LeoCAD from https://www.leocad.org/download.html and install it.

2. Download both official and unofficial parts and put them in the right places.

   1. The official 'complete' parts library can be found in ldraw.org's Parts & Tools\ Latest Parts page. Specifically this file: https://www.ldraw.org/library/updates/complete.zip

   2. The 'unofficial' 'ldrawunf' parts library download link is hidden somewhere in ldraw.org. If link hasn't changed, it is this file: http://www.ldraw.org/library/unofficial/ldrawunf.zip

   3. To use them, place them in the LeoCAD folder, e.g.: c:\LeoCAD i.e.: c:\LeoCAD\complete.zip and c:\LeoCAD\ldrawunf.zip

   4. (May need) Add and set environment variable LEOCAD_LIB to the fullpath to complete.zip. E.g. if you placed complete.zip in LeoCAD folder, i.e. c:\LeoCAD\, then set

LEOCAD_LIB=c:\LeoCAD\complete.zip

1. If you used some other folder, like LEOCAD_LIB=c:\LeoCAD\parts\complete.zip, then make sure ldrawunf.zip is in the same folder.

With that, you're ready to launch LeoCAD and start 'drawing'.

Test Unofficial Part

Try finding unofficial part 8c01.dat: 'Plate 2 x 2 with 2 Wheel Clips.

• Beside the 'Search Parts' textbox is a cogs button, click that and select/check 'Show Decorated Parts'. Without this, part#8c01 will not show when you try to search for 'Wheel Clip'

Gripes

• There're too many 'stickered' parts within, making finding a specific part difficult if you aren't familiar with its part name.