VEX IQ SnapCAD

…is Live! See the instructions and Download it now from this page: http://www.vexrobotics.com/vexiq/software/snapcad/

Discuss SnapCAD in this thread and join the SnapCAD Fans Facebook Group: VEX IQ SnapCAD | Facebook

I made some How-To videos to help users with SnapCAD…find the links in this discussion below.

SnapCAD_Logo_Help.png

Chris,
Congratulations on this launch. I’m thrilled with the result of your efforts! We appreciate everything you (and others from the community) did to make this possible.

-John

Very cool, thanks for posting this. A quick question, I had registered on the SnapCAD site and didn’t get an email. Are you planning a email blast or did I miss the announcement?

First off. Congrats on getting tis out before Sept. Gives teachers a chance to play with it.
I have been playing with it and seem to be missing something or my knowledge is not what I thought it was. How do you make to parts fit together? I have tried to place pins or corner pieces on a 3 x 8 plate and they don’t seem to SNAP together. I’ve changed the grid but still nothing.

Are you planning a short tutorial video?

We can’t seem to get parts to snap together either. What are we missing?
Are you planning any “How to” videos?

It was explained in previous thread that SnapCAD is not so much about snapping (as in Vex Assembler) but rather about grid and local grids, so you just build the things by placing the parts into correct places.
Anyway, the SnapCAD page claims “for Windows 95 … 8 or Linux”, so I have fetched the zip and it only revealed .exe as possible entry point. So I trustfully fired up good ole Wine and, lo and behold, it worked! Happy Linux camper here, it works surprisingly well under Wine. Thanks!

Don’t give up…Stick with it…a lot of How-To material is in the pipes. I am also making a few very simple screen-capture videos that will help folks get started with the basics. News will be posted here when new things are ready.

Thank You for the feedback.

Chris

Ok…I made a quick, unscripted, quick-start video describing the SnapCAD main window just after installation and first startup. It shows how to configure some window components and includes a quick instruction on adding and connecting parts. Its my first screencast and has zero production prep…yes, that’s a rooster crowing in the background. I will make another video describing more about adding and positioning parts, steps, and other things to help get users moving past this first step. I hope this helps a little.

There is no doubt users will have a lot of questions. The Help File within SnapCAD will answer a lot of questions if it’s given a chance.

If anyone has questions just ask!

Chris

I made another quick video…the second SnapCAD How-To…expanding on the basics towards building models, the functions and techniques of working with parts, and creating building instructions. I move through the instructions quickly so stopping or replaying sequences can help. I hope the sound lag is bearable. If anyone has questions please find answers in the Help File within SnapCAD or just ask.
Chris

Build Something…render it with SnapCAD…share it! I want to see what IQ users have built! What have you and your team built? Record a competition robot. Record the components that your team’s robot used to complete those tough actions under pressure. Teach others what you have accomplished. Show us how!

This model is a typical spin toy Mexico and is very funny for children´s

8b5dd4ab4dd8937dbccb26e41ec5a880.png

A general note to users: SnapCAD is based on MLCad for LEGO modeling. A couple good tutorials are at Holly-Wood.it > MLCad > Tutorial: Digital building - Page 1 of 9 and MLCAD Tutorial. However I don’t know what the feature differences are between the two flavors, so your mileage may vary.

I actually am posting to let you know that the author of the Buf3D, a robust 3D model viewer for Android (see link attached) is adding SnapCAD support in the next release.(1.60104). It will work in previous versions if you manually include the SnapCAD parts library. Below are instructions provided by the author. I have not tried them myself. In his example “Ballcounter.mpd” is the model one is trying to view.

English:
For now, the only way to open the models, is to have in the same directory the file .MPD and library “http://www.philohome.com/vexldraw/VexLdrawParts.zip” unzipped in the same directory. The directory should be such that:

.\Ballcounter.mpd
.<a href=“tel:228-2500-127”>228-2500-127.dat (from VexLdrawParts.zip/Parts)
.<a href=“tel:228-2500-126”>228-2500-126.dat (from VexLdrawParts.zip/Parts)

Spanish:
Como pensábamos, el fichero está llamando a modelos de la librería de vox, y actualmente Buf3D solo soporta la librería de LEGO y de TENTE.

Nos parece interesante que Buf3D sea compatible con Vox y vamos a trabajar para dar una solución en futuras versiones.

Por ahora, la única forma de poder abrir los modelos, es tener en un mismo directorio el fichero .MPD y la librería “http://www.philohome.com/vexldraw/VexLdrawParts.zip” descomprimida en el mismo directorio. El directorio debería quedar tal que:

.\Ballcounter.mpd
.<a href=“tel:228-2500-127”>228-2500-127.dat (from VexLdrawParts.zip/Parts)
.<a href=“tel:228-2500-126”>228-2500-126.dat (from VexLdrawParts.zip/Parts).
http://apkmirror.info/apps/com-cimplus-buf3dp.apk

A general note to users: SnapCAD is based on MLCad for LEGO modeling. A couple good tutorials are at Holly-Wood.it > MLCad > Tutorial: Digital building - Page 1 of 9 and MLCAD Tutorial. However I don’t know what the feature differences are between the two flavors, so your mileage may vary.

Very little differences except for some customizations (general look, color palette, default grid settings) so these tutorials should apply directly.

New little update of SnapCAD library.
Main changes:

  • corrections to bump sensor that was quite buggy: base is now on grid with top correctly placed in released position, and connector socket now has correct orientation. Previous 228-2677 is still there (but access hidden) to keep compatibility in existing models.
  • new plastic sheet parts for Screwlift ball machines
  • miscellaneous minor improvements

You can get this updated library here

Enjoy!