Multi-construction LDraw configuration kit: install tools to make your TENTE and LEGO models in your computer with Ubuntu

Multi-construction LDraw configuration kit installs and configured these applications to create and see 3D models of several construction systems:

• MLCad 3.40
• BMP2LDraw
• LDDesignPad
• LD4DStudio
• ldglite_1.3.1
• ldraw_2017.01
• ldview_4.3-ubuntu18.04
• leocad_17.07
• lpub_4.0
• povray 3.7
• Blender

Other resources:

• LDraw TENTE set (Jasolo)
• LDraw LEGO set (http://www.ldraw.org/)
• LDraw EXIN CASTILLOS set: COMMING SOON!
• My 3D models, customs and oficial ones.

Ubuntu Linux installation

1. Download this kit in any folder.
2. Open console and select this folder.
3. Type: sudo ./install.sh

Windows installation

For now you need to install this set manually in Windows:

1. Download LDView and install it.
2. Make the folder C:\LDRAW and uncompress this kit in this folder.
3. Uncompress these set of pieces in these folders:
   • C:\LDRAW\TENTE.
   • C:\LDRAW\EXINCASTILLOS (you need authenticate in this web).
   • C:\LDRAW\LEGO.
4. Uncompress these software in these folders:
   • MLCad 3.40 in C:\LDRAW\SOFTWARE\MLCAD_V3.40 (Optional).
   • BMP2LDRAW in C:\LDRAW\SOFTWARE\BMP2LDRAW
   • LDDesignPad in C:\LDRAW\SOFTWARE\LDDP
   • Etc...
5. Copy in Desktop the files of this folder C:\ldraw\software\accesos-directos-Windows.

How to compile and install povray in Ubuntu, Debian and distro derivates

Povray is a ray tracer available for several systems, although on unix systems you need to compile it, but it's easy following these steps:

Compile and install

Install the libraries you need to compile:

sudo apt-get install zlib1g-dev libpng12-dev libjpeg-dev libtiff5-dev libopenexr-dev libsdl1.2-dev libboost-system1.55-dev libboost1.55-dev git

Download the latest source code:

git clone https://github.com/POV-Ray/povray.git povray

Compile and install:

cd povray/unix
./prebuild.sh
cd ..
./configure COMPILED_BY="your name" LIBS="-lboost_system -lboost_thread"
make
sudo make install

Now, povray is installed in your computer.

Note: You needn't LIBS="-lboost_system -lboost_thread" in Debian.

How to use

You can generate a Full HD image with this command:

povray -W1920 -H1024 file.pov

Pov file is a text file with all the instructions in povray language to render a image (may be a very big file).

You can get amazing images like this:

All my Tente 3D models in github

All my Tente 3D models I had in my old web are now in a project in github called tentemodels.

How can I download them?

For newbies:
You can download all the files pressing on Clone/download and then Download ZIP
If you want to add your own models you can attach them in issues section. I put them in the folder "others" (remember that you can add your name as autor in the file with MLCad).

For advanced users:
You can see changes in all the project or in each file, investigate in github, get the lastest version download only the changes using git commands, etc...
You can use these commands as normal user:

Command	Result
git clone https://github.com/cpcbegin/tentemodels desired_folder	Download all the project, that is, all the models in the desired folder.
git pull	Update to get latest changes
git log	See change history

If you open an account in github until you can create a clone and propose yourselves more models. We will see in a next article how to do this.

LDraw viewers and editors in Ubuntu 16.04. Your favourite construction game, now virtual in your PC

The last Ubuntu LTS version has many new features, but some exotic programs have stopped working and you have to compile them or wait for versions to run them on this version.

Just follow this guide if you want make your own Tente(R), Lego(R), Exin Castillos(R), etc... 3D models with the open format LDraw.

LDraw editors: MLCad & LeoCAD

You can install both of them without any problem, MLCad is a Windows sofware than run very well with wine, so if you want to use in any GNU/Linux install first wine and them MLCad like any other Windows application.

To install LeoCAD follow the guide I make for previous versions of Ubuntu.

LDraw viewer: LDView

You can install the new special versions for Ubuntu 16.04 , 64 bits or 32 bits.

Then you can install it with commands like this:

sudo dpkg -i ldview-4.2-ubuntu-16.04.XXX.deb
sudo apt-get install -f

Professional screenshots: povray

You can get screenshots like a 3D professional:

• Export the model to povray form LDVIEW
• You can get a Full HD screenshot with a command like this:

povray my_model.pov -W1920 -H1080

The problem is that if we install the povray package in the Ubuntu 16.04 repositories it does not work because of a problem in a library, so we have to recompile it ... ugh! how difficult! That it is enough that you copy and paste in your console the following commands:

sudo apt-get install git build-essential libvips-dev libboost-system1.58-dev libboost-thread1.58-dev libc6-dev libgcc1 libilmbase12 libjpeg8-dev libopenexr22 libpng12-dev libsdl1.2-dev libstdc++6-4.7-dev libtiff5-dev zlib1g-dev
./configure COMPILED_BY="tu nombre y correo" --disable-io-restrictions
git clone https://github.com/POV-Ray/povray
cd unix
./prebuild.sh
cd ..
make check
sudo make install

And now you get it.

Set of pieces

You need the set of the pieces of the constuction game you want to use: TENTE(R), LEGO(R) or EXIN CASTILLOS(R).

Then unzip them in differents folders, for example:

• /home/your_user/ldraw/tente
• /home/your_user/ldraw/lego
• /home/your_user/ldraw/exincastillos

Then we can run LDView with this parameter:

LDView -LDrawDir=path_to_set_of_pieces

For more details see the Tente 3D wiki.

Note: The artwork is my construction in Tente 3D of the famous building of the comic 13, Rue del Percebe, the first tentexpress quiz I won :)

Compiling LeoCAD in any GNU/Linux

LeoCAD is a LDraw file editor, a open format to make LEGO(R), TENTE(R), EXIN CASTILLOS(R), etc... virtual models.

I follow this steps to compile Leocad:

1. Install subversion and the necesary libraries to compile QT code:
   sudo apt-get install git libqt4-dev zlib1g-dev
2. Download the lastest version of code in a folder, for example $HOME
   cd $HOME
git clone https://github.com/leozide/leocad/
3. Change to this directory, compile and install:
   cd leocad
qmake leocad.pro
make
sudo make install 
4. If we use the LEGO library we might launch the software with this command (I suppose you download the library in /opt/ldraw/lego):
   leocad -l /opt/ldraw/lego/

You can also use the Tente® 3D library, then the comand to run might be:
leocad -l /opt/ldraw/tente
If you compile in a raspberry pi, use qmake-qt4 leocad.pro instead of qmake leocad.pro.

Original articles

• Tente 3D en Raspberry pi 2 (I): compilando LeoCAD.
• LeoCAD en Ubuntu 14.04 LTS de 64 bits.
• LeoCAD en Ubuntu (II): configuración para Tente 3D.

SupertuxKart: All Tente 3D karts and track in one file

SuperTuxKart, is a funny and amazing game, freegame and avalaible for a lot of operating systems.
Tente was a Spanish construction game with bricks very similar to a famous Danish one.

Now you can download a lot of karts and a track to enjoy with Tente vehicles, Now that STK is in fashion.

#0: Download STK-Tente3D pack

You don't have to download the vehicles one by one, you just need download one file:

Pack with all Tente karts and the Jasolo's track for SuperTuxKart

Although a file with the installation instructions is included, I will explain how to install and use here:
 

#1: Install SuperTuxKart

If we use GNU/Linux we can find the version more adapted to our distro in their official repositories, in the case of Ubuntu or Debian we would look for it in its software center or by the command:

sudo apt-get install supertuxkart

If our distro doesn't include the game in its repositories (very strange) or we still use Windows o Mac OS X we can download in STK page.

#2: Add the karts and the track

Uncompress the STK-Tente3D ZIP in the folder where is the STK resources, in GNU/Linux is:

/home/youruser/.local/share/supertuxkart/addons/ (only for your user)

or

/usr/share/games/supertuxkart/data/ (copy them as root, for all the users).

If we use Windows uncompress in:

C:\Program Files\SuperTuxKart

In some Windows 'Program Files' is translated into your language.

I don't know details about OS X because I don't use Apple but I suppose that might be ver similar than GNU/Linux.

#3: Run and solving problems if they are

In any case we will have a direct access to the program, either on the desktop or in the menu, so by clicking on it we will launch the game.

If we have a very old computer, it may not start or delay a long time, as each kart is a folder inside the kart subfolder, just delete it to disappear from the game. In this case we could remove all the additions and add until it stops working.

Interesting links and advanced information

• How create your our karts and track with Blender in STK (Tente 3D included).
• Videos of Tente karts races in SuperTuxKart (Tentexpress quiz).