| Discussion Forum: Thread 240332 |
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| | | Author: | macr237  | | Posted: | Aug 13, 2018 23:27 | | Subject: | Visual Guide | | Viewed: | 127 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | | Status: | Open | | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
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| This may have been asked a number of times, but as I am a n00b, I have not been
aware of it. What is the possibility of dragging information out of the database
automagically to create a visual guide to all parts? Basically one page that
has 1 image of each block with the part number that goes to a search on that
part number.
Some of the parts that I have seen, I really have no experience in describing
them and Lego can have some different naming conventions to name things that
are similar or even knowing if it is 6x5 or 5x6 (random numbers used).
I've tried looking to see if Lego have a catalogue or someone else and
no one seems to have something like this and this being the best repository for
parts, it could be a great asset.
Regards
Macr
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| | | | | Author: | StormChaser | | Posted: | Aug 14, 2018 00:50 | | Subject: | Re: Visual Guide | | Viewed: | 43 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, macr237 writes:
| | What is the possibility of dragging information out of the database
automagically to create a visual guide to all parts? Basically one page that
has 1 image of each block with the part number that goes to a search on that
part number.
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Not necessarily a bad idea, but imagine the size of that page! There are currently
51,447 individual parts in the catalog. I'm aware that nowhere near all
of them would be represented on the kind of page you imagine, but it would still
be a sizable number (probably at least 5,000 parts).
Imagine scrolling through 5,000 part entries trying to find a part visually.
Again, not a bad idea, but I fear it would be somewhat impractical.
Jorge Luis Borges' most famous story, perhaps, is "The Library of Babel."
In the story he imagines a library filled with books containing every possible
combination of letters. In these books you could find every possible thing which
had ever been written or ever would be written by humankind.
The problem was that anything you wanted to find would be impossible to locate
because it would be hidden in untold scores of books containing nonsense. This
story illustrates the basic problem with any catalog of information: sifting
what you want out of the clutter.
At some point BrickLink will have a tag system which will should make finding
parts much easier.
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| | | | | | | Author: | macr237 | | Posted: | Aug 14, 2018 04:35 | | Subject: | Re: Visual Guide | | Viewed: | 34 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, StormChaser writes:
| | In Suggestions, macr237 writes:
| | What is the possibility of dragging information out of the database
automagically to create a visual guide to all parts? Basically one page that
has 1 image of each block with the part number that goes to a search on that
part number.
|
Not necessarily a bad idea, but imagine the size of that page! There are currently
51,447 individual parts in the catalog. I'm aware that nowhere near all
of them would be represented on the kind of page you imagine, but it would still
be a sizable number (probably at least 5,000 parts).
Imagine scrolling through 5,000 part entries trying to find a part visually.
Again, not a bad idea, but I fear it would be somewhat impractical.
|
Fair point, how about a flowchart to reduce results? I just found that brickowl
has a 50 page visual catalogue, which backs up your response on size, but a flowchart
could reduce the results.
For example this took me quite a while to find.
Hero Factory Arm / Leg Extender with Ball Joint and Ball Socket
Item No: 98613c01
And with a picture, I could've found it in a whole lot less time.
Anyway it was a thought that may have helped us n00bs.
Regards
Macr
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| | | | | Author: | VOTB | | Posted: | Aug 14, 2018 13:39 | | Subject: | Re: Visual Guide | | Viewed: | 38 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, macr237 writes:
| | This may have been asked a number of times, but as I am a n00b, I have not been
aware of it. What is the possibility of dragging information out of the database
automagically to create a visual guide to all parts? Basically one page that
has 1 image of each block with the part number that goes to a search on that
part number.
Some of the parts that I have seen, I really have no experience in describing
them and Lego can have some different naming conventions to name things that
are similar or even knowing if it is 6x5 or 5x6 (random numbers used).
I've tried looking to see if Lego have a catalogue or someone else and
no one seems to have something like this and this being the best repository for
parts, it could be a great asset.
Regards
Macr
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I am a n00b as well. And still getting my feet wet in getting all the parts
I have categorized. While I have enjoyed Lego for 30+ years it has not been
until recently that I have started working on using the proper lexicon. That
is the challenge. I still catch myself calling a plate a tile and knowing when
a modified brick turns into a bracket.
https://swooshable.com/how-to-start-building-lego
The article above is very elementary but it seems to be universal based on what
site you go to. Just having the basics down has really helped me. I also purchased
several new sets and parted them out to start. This automatically categorizes
all the parts for you. It has helped drill in the terms and names of the different
parts. I am also in the process of making my own color guide from actual bricks.
I have not been doing this long enough to pull a used brick from a pile and
tell the difference between light gray and light bluish gray.
I have started logging a HUGE lot of used tires and wheels I bought years ago.
I thought it would be a baby step into sorting used parts. Mostly because there
are fewer colors to deal with. One trick that Bricklink does have is the ability
to look at the catalog as a thumbnail gallery. It dramatically reduces the amount
of screen space and lets you see one version over the other. I can't tell
you how much time this has saved.
I have also really enjoyed those that have come before me and added photos to
parts that are commonly misidentified.
I don't know if that ramble was too much or if it even helped the topic,
but thanks for reading.
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Australia, South Australia
USA, Oklahoma
