Using Buffer exchange

Sometimes making instructions for other people or ourselves requires us to 'highlight' or to 'show' more clearly were to place parts/sub models to our main model.This is most commonly done with Buffer exchange.
Buffer exchange will do all sorts of tricks like adding temperately arrows,moving pieces and changing colors of parts to define them better.

Streching out a instruction step:

As you can see above we have a simple wheel and tire on its corresponding axle,to help show the builder we can stretch out the instruction step to show more clearly where the wheel rim and tire goes.



First we have to add two step commands separating the wheel holder.
We do this by using MLcads 'add step' command which is circled above.

Next we use the arrow generator to make a long arrow,this needs to go below the tire in the 'part list' window.

In the arrow generator we can make straight,half circle and 3/4 circle arrows.we can also customis the color,shape,thickness and length of the arrow.


In step 5 we are going to copy both the wheel rim and tire and step them out along the red arrow.



Do you see how the outer most wheel and rim are higher up in the 'part list window' than the closest wheel and tire to the wheel holder?
It is important to get it like this,other wise the buffer exchange will not work properly.



Now let's add the buffer command's to the model.
Notice that I am adding the commands in between the black wheel holder and the step.



I am now going to add the buffer retrieve in between the bottom step and the wheel rim.


Once I have done that I am now going to save my work and then open the same file with Lpub.


And above is what we should end up with.

 Rotating parts and moving parts:

In many complex instructions we are required to animate the rotation of a part/s and also highlight the corresponding part with arrows,we can use buffer exchange for this.




As you can see above I have made a beam with connecters in the ends and in the middle.
In the parts list window you can see I have added the buffer store command which is placed above all of the other parts.


Now if you look in the part list window you can see I have  copied the parts and added a the buffer retrieve command.
I have separated both groups of parts with a step command.
You may of spotted that some parts have been moved and are overlapping each other,this is just down to the fact that we are just going to turn the part on the 'Z' axis.
We are also going to slide in the '3' technic axles further into the connecters on the X axis.


Now lets add some arrows using the arrow generator to show the builder what to do.
Because we will have  the arrows still showing while we add the sub model we need to use a new buffer exchange letter.

Did you notice that I have again separated the buffer retrieve step with a step command?
This is becouse we want to move tho the next step before we remove the arrows.


Now lets add the sub model to the main model during the retrieve of the first buffer,then lets see what happens when we open the file in Lpub.



Here you can see that the connecters have turned and the '3' technic axles have been pushed into the connecters.