Menu structure

The menu contains the following options: File, Edit, View, Tools, Configuration, 3DViewer and Help.

Since version 2.3.x a lot has updated, changed and improved for 2.4.x and DevOps versions.

File

Here are Open, Open with, Save, Save as, Save a Copy as, Close, Recent Files and Exit with standard corresponding Windows shortcuts. Other options are Export As, PDF Export / Print Preview and Export to PDF fie. These can save the instructions as PNG, JPEG or bitmap and PDF. You can also copy the complete path to the open model file to the clipboard.

Edit

• Undo and Redo are pretty standard and straightforward. Choose from this menu, use the Windows shortcuts or click the arrows in the GUI.

• Insert Front Cover Page: only available on the first page of an opened model file.

• Append Back Cover Page: only available on the last page of an opened model file.

• Insert Page and Append page create blank pages in the instructions.

• Delete Page is only applicable for pages added using the function above.

• Add Picture: choose to add any image file from disk on the page. Images can be in PNG, JPG or BMP format. Images can be placed freely on the page and scaled.

• Add Text: type any text on the page in installed fonts. Useful to provide extra info on the building proces or special characters.

• Add Bill of Materials: this is called the BOM. It creates a visual list on the active page with all bricks used in the model, ideally placed on a blank page as first or last page.

• Remove LPub Formatting: WARNING removes all LPub3D meta-command codes generated and present in the model file.

• LDraw File Editor Toolbar: toggles the toolbar off or on in the LDraw File Editor window.

View

These options are also standardly available as icons in the GUI of the main screen, like Fit, Zoom in and out.

New are Bring to Front and Send to Back with which you can change how elements on the page are stacked.

Not really new, but very handy is the Scene Guides, which when turned on adds a cross guide to the mouse pointer. Rulers and Snap To Grid can also be of great use to position elements on a page.

LDraw™ File Editor: shows the actual LDraw file code and be able to Edit the LDraw code directly (for advanced users!) Please note that editing the LDraw code manually can mess things up if one does not have experience with it.

3DViewer, Parts, Colors, Properties, Timeline and 3DPreview are not (yet) covered in this manual.

Tools

Navigate the pages of the instructions here. Using corresponding icons in the GUI is easier though.

Reset Cache: various options to re-render all content on all pages or clear certain files.

Refresh LDraw Unofficial Parts: download current unofficial parts from the LDraw Parts Tracker.

Refresh LDraw Official Parts: download a file with all current official parts in the LDraw library.

New: Archive Parts On Launch will enable you to use custom parts. See Using custom parts. If this option is turned off, the custom parts are not archived to the library and will not show in your work.

Configuration

Build Instruction Setup...

These settings are all global* which means they apply to every page, step and model in the instructions.

• Page

• Assembly

• Parts List (PLI)

• Bill of Materials (BOM)

• Callout

• Step Group

• Submodel Preview (not covered yet)

• Project

For advanced users and instructions (not covered yet):

• Fade Step

• Highlight Step

These two options are read-only and can be set up elsewhere in the software.

Edit Parameter Files / Generate Static Color Parts List

For advanced users. Not covered (yet) in this manual.

Edit [current model]

Allows you to edit the currently open model in the editor (like the LDraw™ Editor)

Open With Setup

Configure other programs to open files from LPub3D

Preferences

Tabs:

• General

• Rendering

• Publishing

• Theme/Logging

• Other

3DViewer

Not (yet) covered in this manual.

Help

View log files, check for updates, shortcut to this online manual and credits.