No library browser, LibreCAD 2.1.3 OSX Catalina

I cannot find the menu item to open the library browser pane anywhere.  It's not under "view", and there is no "toolbar" item under "view".  There's "toolbars" under "widgets", but no "library" anything under that.  I've gone through the entire menu tree.  Nothing.  So where is this hidden?  I've entered a path for paths library in preferences, and a file therein shows up if I try File=>Import=>Insert Block, but that seems to import the file as its own layer/drawing.  None if the documentation about this facility is clear.

--Richard

rlmalisz wrote

I cannot find the menu item to open the library browser pane anywhere.  It's not under "view", and there is no "toolbar" item under "view".  There's "toolbars" under "widgets", but no "library" anything under that.  I've gone through the entire menu tree.  Nothing.  So where is this hidden?  I've entered a path for paths library in preferences, and a file therein shows up if I try File=>Import=>Insert Block, but that seems to import the file as its own layer/drawing.  None if the documentation about this facility is clear.

--Richard

Okay, I found it.  The button to open it is not visible on my platform, hidden by the command line pane at startup.  I closed that (inadvertently) and saw the button.  Opened it, then reopened the command line pane through "widgets=>toolbars=>command line".  Sheesh.

On to see if I can actually use library objects usefully.

--Richard

Onto the next madness.  I have set my parts library path to:

/Users/rlmalisz/librecad_libs

I have one subdirectory below that ("plants") with a DXF file inside.

The library browser shows me the "plants" sub.  I would expect there to be some way to descend into it or open it and view its contents as part of a tree view.  First guesses were to click, double-click, or right-click on the directory symbol.  None of which do anything.

Again, OSX Cataina, LCAD 2.1.3.  Hopefully this doesn't require a "middle button" press.

--Richard

For block usage, you can check the how-to : https://dokuwiki.librecad.org/doku.php/usage:howto

fa201 wrote

For block usage, you can check the how-to : https://dokuwiki.librecad.org/doku.php/usage:howto

I am fine with that documentation.  I am having trouble getting past the vagaries of the GUI.  I can see a folder that contains a DXF in the library browser.  I cannot open that folder or see its contents from the library browser.  "Browser" implies browsing, yes?  Does the "library" layout have to be completely flat...everything all in one folder?  That seems needlessly awkward, but if it's the case, I can cope by using naming conventions.

On a possible related note: before I set the parts library path it was empty.  There's a fair amount of discussion in the wiki and in forum about the "default" library samples.  I don't appear to have those.

--Richard

PS: I tried to insert an image of a screenshot of the library browser pane, but at least in Safari, forum "Insert Image" doesn't seem to work.

In the custom library, you can builder folders with block files in them.
Can you share a picture of the library from librecad and a picture of the library from your file manager ? You have to save the image first and then insert it with the forum button 'Insert image'.

I have tested latest LibreCAD in High Sierra and it worked as expected.
Subfolders in the library browser open or close with double left click on the folder name or single left click on the small triangle left side of the folder name.

When Insert Image doesn't work, you can try to upload your screenshot with More v -> Upload a file

Are you able to actually select and open/use a drawing/block from the LibraryBrowser?

I eventually figured this out.  It was some oddity about how LibreCAD was treating subdirectories.

Sorry, I should have been clearer. I was asking because I can't open a selected drawing from the Library Browser. Are you supposed to be able to or is it just there for reference? I can see the drawings in the browser window, I just can't use/open them.

I eventually figured this out.  It was some oddity about how LibreCAD was treating subdirectories.

On Jan 3, 2021, at 10:19 AM, flytyer96 [via LibreCAD] <[hidden email]> wrote:

Are you able to actually select and open/use a drawing/block from the LibraryBrowser?

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I'm not sure how this forum works so this may be redundant, but here goes,
I can't open a selected drawing from the Library Browser. Are you supposed to be able to or is it just there for reference? I can see the drawings in the browser window, I just can't use/open them.
Thanks

You probably have missed to press the "Insert" tab below the browser window, then move the cursor into the drawing area. It pulls the object with it.

AH HA! My "insert" was hidden beneath my "Command Line" widget. Now if I can figure out how to do without my "Command Line", I'll be doing OK.

You probably have missed to press the "Insert" tab below the browser window, then move the cursor into the drawing area. It pulls the object with it.

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Hidden by "Command Line"? It shouldn't be that way out of the box. What have you done?
Better rearrange your layout than managing to do without command line.

I got it. Once I realized there was something "hidden" under the Command
Line widget, I adjusted my window tiles so that I could see everything.
I thought that once I exited and re-opened Librecad everything would
revert back, but it didn't. Great!

Thanks for the comments and help.

On 1/5/2021 4:43 AM, dellus [via LibreCAD] wrote:
> Hidden by "Command Line"? It shouldn't be that way out of the box.
> What have you done?
> Better rearrange your layout than managing to do without command line.
>
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OK, I've had my "Library Browser" functional for some time now...thanks for the help.
Now I've noticed something else that, although not earth shattering, is still perplexing. I seem to have some drawings showing in the Library Browser that shouldn't be there. If I use Windows file explorer to delete them from "C:\Program Files (x86)\LibreCAD\resources\library\templates", they are not to be seen, however if I try to save a Librecad drawing to that same location, I can see them listed in the "Save Drawing As" pop-up. And yes, I have "turned on" all of the Windows "view hidden files" options that I can find.
Has anybody got any suggestions?

Finally figured it out...seems I had some unused blocks in the drawing files that were supposed to be there. That evidently forced the blocks to be shown as separate drawings in the Library Browser. Once I deleted the unused blocks, they disappeared from the Library Browser as well.
I'm learning....sloooow but sure!

The more I use(and learn) this program, the more I love it. Great program! That's "tall praise" from an ex-CADAM jock.