Stud.io (LEGO) style studs for instructions

The latest version of LPub3D has this feature build in!

The studs in the instructions that Bricklink Stud.io generates look more like LEGO style instructions using a characteristic black color for the sides. This effect can be achieved in LPub3D too.

You will have to make some modifications to the LDraw library of parts that LPub3D uses. The effect of the black studs will not be visible in your editor (like LDcad) since you use another library. That is either an unpacked LDraw installation or a zip file for the complete official library and if you want the unofficial parts.

Compare the following images:

Stud.io output

LPub3D output using the native renderer

LPub3D output with modified studs using the native renderer*

*With some more tweaking and configuring you could generate almost the exact same output with LPub3D as Stud.io does. This would involve making every edge color black (except black; those would be white), adjust the camera angles, etc. It is possible, but up to individual preferences.

Please follow these steps to modify the studs to have black sides.

Download this zip file with the required files. You need to replace the files for the stud primitives with unofficial modified versions.
Locate the LDraw library file complete.zip in your LPub3D installation which should be somewhere like Drive:\...\path\LPub3D_x86_64\libraries.
Open the complete.zip file in the file explorer and open the subfolder ldraw\p
Copy the modified stud files to this p subfolder and overwrite existing ones.
Next we need to define a new color for the black sides of the studs. Download this version of ldconfig.ldr and save it in your LDraw installation folder, which is most likely in C:\Users\Public\Documents\LDraw. You can choose to overwrite the existing one or backup the original first.
If you choose to save this alternative ldconfig.ldr somewhere else, make sure that you tell LPub3D where to look for it. Go to Configuration > Preferences and tick Use alternative LDraw LDConfig and Browse to the right location and file like in the image below
Restart LPub3D and open the pyramid model to see the results. The studs should look like the ones in the image above.

List of modified stud primitives:

2-4stud4.dat
stud.dat
stud2.dat
stud2a.dat
stud3.dat
stud4.dat
stud4a.dat
stud4h.dat

Result for parts with modified studs.

Tell LPub3D where to look for ldconfig.ldr.

You could also add this line to ldconfig.ldr

0 // LEGOID 26 - Black

0 !COLOUR StudBlack CODE 999 VALUE #05131D EDGE #000000

If you want to modify the color, you can adjust the hex code #05131D here too

Please note that the edge of black bricks is now white too. This is done by modifying the hex color for the edge of normal black to #FFFFFF

0 // LEGOID 26 - Black

0 !COLOUR Black CODE 0 VALUE #05131D EDGE #FFFFFF

Please note that if you use LDView as renderer, you have to uncheck the box (in LDView preferences) Primitive Substitution, as shown here.

To improve preformance and render speed, I advice to uncheck [Stud Logo] too. This is not really needed for rendering instructions.

If you experience slow rendering (on older computers) you might want to uncheck [Use hi-res primitives when available] too.

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