text:
Which move block to use with Gyro?
We would like to make a series Gyro drive blocks. As a general rule what would be the benefits and drawbacks from using the move tank and move steer blocks?
My basic design is to read the gyro and compute the error from the desired direction the multiply the error by a gain. This gain would be the direction for the move steer block. For the move tank we subtract the error from one motor and add the error to the other motor.
Another option would be to only change the motor power on one side for the tank steer.
My plan is to test all three types but I would like to hear comments from those of you with more experience.

Not the Move Steering Block's steering parameter because it changes the center of the robot rotation. You probably want the robot to spin from the center of the robot so you're isolating the direction the robot is headed from the location of the robot.
Not the Tank Move block power settings because the robot will stall at power levels near zero, so the robot will not want to reach the desired direction.
The Gyro works, but using it is not always obvious.  First you'll need to solve the reset and drift issues.

Thanks for the comment. Reset and drift are under control. Based on what you are saying not to do takes away my above options. Which way would you recommend? For tank move pass in a base power level typically 40% then add the error to one motor and subtract the error from the other.

Spin, fast until close then slower with some compensation to handle over rotation. Motor, Steering, or Tank can work. "Close" depends on the robot.

Here are some gyro issues you still have to contend with.

Lag. The gyro reading lags behind the actual movement. If, for example, you are spinning and waiting for a reading of 90 degrees before stopping the movement, you will be beyond 90 degrees after you stop, unless you are moving very slowly.
Accuracy. They gyro only reads in increments of 1 degree and it's also not terribly accurate (repeatable).
"Offset". As your gyro algorithm does it's processing, the steering correction will restore the heading, but you may no longer be on the same linear path. Let's say your robot has a left bias. As it turns off course to the left and the gyro algorithm corrects back to the right, you may be back on the correct heading, but your path is now slightly to the left of where you started. You will zig-zag like this all the way there.

If you can deal with those issues, your algorithm idea is solid. But you may find that Move Steer and Move Tank are more accurate. It really depends on the situation.
I have written blocks that use the gyro to set the heading for movement, but not for in-place turns. In-place turns are made very difficult by the lag issue unless you are willing to do all your turns at the same speed and use a simple offset value to compensate (i.e., stop motors at 86 degrees, usually comes to rest at 90).
With my "Move Gyro" block, I don't even need to execute an explicit turn motion, I can say "move 10  inches at heading of 0 degrees, then 10 inches at heading 90 degrees, the gyro algorithm makes the turn automatically (and rather quickly) as it moves forward. It will be close, but the result will not be exactly 10 inches in both directions.
EDIT
After re-reading your question, I may be a little off the mark, or just not clear on what you are asking. Your use of Move-Steer or Move-Tank depends on what you are trying to do.
To turn without driving forward, you could use either Move-Tank or Move-Steer until you reach your desired gyro angle. Move-Tank should pivot mostly in-place around the midpoint between the drive wheels. A Move-Steer turn without driving forward would require maximum turning input which should keep one wheel un-powered. This is called a pivot turn and is probably better executed by operating the 2 motors independently. Turn one motor off and apply the brake, then power the other motor until your desired turn is made. You can probably do this just as accurately without the gyro. In a pivot turn, one wheel moves along an arc. The length of this arc for a given turn angle can be calculated based on the distance between your drive wheels (wheel track) and the circumference of your wheels. Thus, lock one motor, drive the other motor the necessary distance to travel along the arc. If you aren't into geometry, post a new question for the math on that.
To drive forward along a gyro heading, your algorithm idea is a good one, except for my point in item 3 above. But if your robot tracks well, that offset should be minor.


text:
What would total cost of the LEGO® Star Wars collection be in MSRP to date? [Dec 2015]
According to this article from 2014, the cost to buy the entire LEGO® Star Wars collection since 1999 would have been just under $15,000 USD ($14,762). I assume the price mentioned in this article is calculated based on original MSRP, not inflated resale or in-store sale values.
Using MSRP as the baseline for all sets across time, what would the current sum total be of the entire Star Wars licensed collection?

According to data collected from Brickset, the total MSRP of all Star Wars sets to date is $18,933.76 USD. This includes a total of 508 sets. I simply used the CSV export feature on Brickset to put this together.
Here's the raw data if you'd like to explore it further:
https://gist.github.com/jncraton/68beb88e6027d9321373

I did not realize there was a CSV option like this, super useful. +1 and accepted! I'd give you more upvotes if I could for providing that raw data for review as well! #TIL

source: Stack Exchange

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

authors: николай кардавар

sort: votes


text:
Lego Digital Designer on OS X El Capitan?
Since the El Capitan 10.11.2 upgrade some options are gone in Lego Digital Designer. In the Preferences menu the "Outlines of bricks" and "Advanced shading" are options unselectable.
The annoying part is that without brick outlines it is hard to use for building new things since it is impossible to see where the bricks start.
I have looked at this forum:
http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=115313
There is a quoted workaround that suggests deleting these lines from the Info.plist file of the app:
LSMinimumSystemVersion
10.4.11
But it does not work for me.
Any other workaround appreciated.

LEGO Software in general doesn't work that great with Apple computers (I a speaking from experience). Try a couple of different solutions by searching the web, and contact LEGO Support. Hope you find a solution!

The idea is to  accumulate answers here.

You can install WINE to run LDD for Windows.

all_licenses: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/


text:
Is there a rule of thumb for the decrease in value of complete sets without instructions?
Assuming the set is complete, would the value for example be $5 or 10% less than market value if the instructions are missing?  Is there a general rule you'd look for when buying?
Thanks!

If it's a newer set, missing instructions will usually just knock a few dollars off the price, even for larger sets. There are usually enough adult fans buying sets for parts that it's easy to pickup cheap instructions on Bricklink. For example, instructions for the new Millennium Falcon can be purchased for less than a dollar in new condition on Bricklink.
However, instructions and boxes for rarer old sets often vastly impact the price. For example, instructions for the classic Airport Shuttle (6399) are currently going for $40 dollars used and $100 new.
Basically, for newer sets the difference in price should only be a few dollars. For older sets where instructions may have been lost or damaged, the difference can be much greater.

The value of the set is indeed greater if it comes with instructions (and even greater when the set comes with a box, but the increase in value is not as big as with the instructions). Especially with older, desired sets, a lack of instructions is sometimes a sign of a BrickLinked set (a set built from a collection of pieces bought from BrickLink stores), which are less desirable than sets built from the original pieces.
So the order is: NISB (New In Sealed Box) > Used, Complete with Box and Instructions > Used, Complete with Instructions > Used, Complete > Used, 99% complete (or any variations thereof).
There is no real guideline for the price difference as far as I can tell - sometimes an NISB/MISB (Mint in Sealed Box) set sells for about as much as a built one, sometimes the price difference can be quite big.


text:
I have a vintage set box with the kids on it. Should I continue collecting era appropriate pieces to refill it?
I have an early vintage set box (with the boy and girl on the cover). I've been collecting vintage pieces in order to restock the box with the hope the complete vintage set will be desirable on the collectors market. Am I correct in my thinking? Or am I just working on a project with an imagined goal?

which set?  where are pictures of the box?

@chicks I just went out to the garage to take a pic. Sadly, a pic is not possible at this time. My cubbie hole has been rendered inaccessible due to holiday piling, shoving, and I doubt a pic will be possible until the new year. It's  a small set, has the kids and a blocky house on it.

All good.  Good luck with finding the rest of the pieces.

Given the quality of LEGO bricks, I would argue that an original box filled with the correct amount of the correct bricks from the same time period as the box is INDISTINGUISHABLE from an opened box containing the original bricks after use, and as such I would recommend you continue your effort. Just make sure that the bricks are indeed from the correct period (i.e. Colors are right, LEGO vs. Pat. Pend. Vs no markings, hollow underside or tube or lattice, etc.). The only way for a collector to be absolutely sure of the authenticity of the box and its content is to buy a factory sealed box, which are extremely rare given the age.

If I were you, I would start by looking at the price the full set is selling because I have been surprised recently to see box I was expecting to be vintage treasures selling at very reasonable prices...


text:
How can EV3 Gyro sensor drift be handled?
EV3 robots can use a Gyro sensor to determine the direction the robot is heading.
The initial conditions are important.  The sensor needs to be still and then the sensor reset.
However, once in a while the Gyro returns values that drift over time.
What can be done to handle Gyro drift?
Step one would be to remove the drift using the

Hardware fix:  unplug the gyro sensor, make sure the robot is still, and then plug in the sensor.
Software fix: Gyro Drift Simple Fix which should only need to be run once.

However, I'm aware of several FLL teams using this fix and even then, once in a while the robot goes crazy, because the Gyro sensor has acquired a drift.
Applying the Simple Fix at the start of every run does not seem to fix it every time.
Is there a way to handle this?

There are two options that I can think of.

Do the "hardware" fix before every run of the robot to reboot the sensor along with the "software" fix to zero it.
Don't use the Angle reading at all. To calibrate the sensor, sample the rate (d/s) 10 times or so and take the average to get the "at rest" rate offset and store it in a variable. Subtract this variable from the rate returned by the sensor to get the actual rate. Integrate the rate over time to calculate the angle. (I haven't actually attempted this myself, but this is how you use, for example, the HiTechnic Gyro sensor since it does not provide an angle).

At least 1. can be done by FLL teams.  2. can also be done, but . . . wow is that complicated.  How many samples per second?  Does it fix the problem? It is better than "Don't use the Gyro sensor." which is my current recommendation.  I was hoping for something less complicated.  I'm going to give this a day to see if there is another option.

My team put their software fix in a loop with a small wait that cycles until the d/s = 0, then reset it to 0. Here's a simplified version:

It works like a charm. We don't mess with the hardware reset anymore. Combined with a heading variable, a turn my block, and a few drive my blocks they can program a maze run in minutes.
FWIW: They output their angle and rate to the display so they can monitor it even when not connected to a computer. They're working on checking the number of loops and total time it takes to optimize. Your team may need to play with the wait time a bit to get the best results.

The Gyro is a tricky sensor to use, but at yesterday's FLL competition in Elk River, at least 5 teams had worked out the issues to their satisfaction.  I'm revealing their answers here.  It is unfair to those teams, since their research does represent a significant advantage over other teams.  That said, none of their solutions were complete.  Each team had some part of the answer, but none had everything.
One team, not one of the 5, had given up on using the gyro in the belief that it could not be place close to the rechargeable battery pack because the gyro sensor would get too hot.  I hadn't heard that before and have no idea if it has any basis in fact.
Almost all of the teams used the "Simple Gyro Fix" mentioned in the original question.  They varied in whether they paused before, during, and after each step.
Two teams had tests to avoid leaving home base with a "drifting" gyro.  One waited 10 seconds to see if the drift was still less than 2 degrees.  Another ran the robot through a routine that cause the robot to twitch if it was drifting.  No twitching meant it was ok.
A different set of two teams added a double reset of the gyro.  This reset being the reset of the Gyro angle to 0.  One of those teams said they had followed the advice of some site on the internet.  That team also added a 1 second wait before and after the double reset.  The first to "still" the robot; the second to ensure the zeroing of the gyro angle had been taken.
One team had a set of MyBlocks that turned based on either the rotation sensors or the gyro sensor.  It allowed them to retreat from using the gyro sensor if they needed to.  They had gone to the trouble because of the bad reputation of the Gyro sensor.  In front of the judges, they used the gyro.  It worked.  Clearly, they had worried a lot and then figured out how to use it.
The teams differed in how they turned.  Some pivoted, some spinned, and some accepted any motion.
One team used the gyro to go straight, sort of a proportional line follower with a gyro sensor instead of light sensor.  They did not use it for turns.
None of the teams did the work of recording the drifting episodes to a file.  None of the teams displayed a warning as a sound, a blinking light, or a message on the LCD panel before the robot left the home base.
None of the teams switch automagically to the rotation sensors when the gyro is known to be drifting.
None of the teams used #2 of the accepted answer.

An additional suggestion from a team judged a couple weeks ago.  They did their best to isolate the robot from vibration during the brick's boot up time.  They started by demanding everyone keep their hands off the table, but found that less effective than placing the robot on the floor.

The most reliable way I've found to quickly reset the gyro is simply unplug it & plug it into a different input port, then unplug it & plug it back into it's port.  Just unplugging & plugging it into the same port doesn't always work for me.
My software always has a 1 sec delay as the first step, and then software reset of the gyro.  This is so after pressing the button on the brick to run the program I have a sec to remove my hand & the bot settles perfectly still, then the gyro resets itself to zero before any motors start to run.
Just this last weekend I started using the gyro to run perfectly forward & it works like a charm, but I haven't experimented how long until it's off by a degree, etc.


text:
How can I get a direct hyperlink to a result on LEGO shop?
When I visit the what's new page on lego.com, I'd like to be able to share a result list including the filter I set in the left column (in my case limit to Duplo). At the moment when I set Duplo I get an updated URL ending with productListing.jsp?_requestid=XXXX
Unfortunately, this URL is just relevant for my session and can not be shared. Is there any way that you know of to get a direct link to a result list on lego.com shop?

Unfortunately the shop.LEGO.com website has a number of issues, and the fact that all transactions are handled server-side and not bookmarkable on the client is one of them (this might be intentional on behalf of LEGO but I don't know why). Other issues are that from time to time the website will refuse to display search results (it will just show you the home page of the shop if you do), or that the navigation buttons at the bottom of a category listing ("View: 25 | 1 | 2 | 3 >") take you back to the home page. For those the best solution is to either close your browser and open a fresh browser, or to use the Private Browsing/Incognito Browsing options of your browser to simulate creating a new session.
For background, the shop.LEGO.com uses Java Server Pages (jsp) which store their status in a cookie and in server-side maintained information. So when you navigate, your browser does not know where you've gone to - only LEGO's server knows.  This all works fine as long as you have an active session with LEGO, but as soon as your session expires (e.g. when you bookmark a specific place on the site and revisit that bookmark a few days/hours later) all that information is lost.
TL;DR: No you cannot save a direct link to a page on shop.LEGO.com as that site is programmed to store link information on the server, not in the client (as a browser URL).

Thanks Phil, I had reached the same conclusion and this detailed answer tends to prove that, unfortunately, there is no way to direct link :(

JSPs do not inherently require storing the search state on the server. It's merely lazy programming, or intentionally making it difficult, that results in this behaviour. In any case, it's helpful to erase all your cookies from the lego site from time to time as their site does get confused.

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇: Indeed, and I didn't say that all JSPs do this - just the JSPs LEGO uses do .... I could have formulated that sentence a bit better to remove the ambiguity.


text:
How do I diagnose a problem with electronic bricks and motors?
My children and I recently assembled the 42030 RC VOLVO L350F Wheel Loader (aside: with the 1,600 pieces and time investment, this set will likely survive to the heat death of the universe intact because nobody wants to take a day or two to reassemble it into something else).
As soon as we took it out of the box we knew it likely had a problem because none of the motors worked when we plugged them together and put batteries in the battery pack and remote controls. We built it anyway (that sucker took around 7 hours to build between the two of us that stayed awake), knowing that if a part is defective we could probably cross-ship a replacement from LEGO.
Now that it is assembled, it still does not work. We have double-checked everything according to the instructions. When we use the remote, nothing happens on the assembled set. Asking the Internet brings up plenty of positive reviews, but nothing about problems with this set.
How do we troubleshoot which part is defective, or if there is an error on our part? Ideally, such advice would be applicable to any set that has motors, battery packs, and remote controls.
What we have verified so far:

The battery pack lights up when we turn it on. The motors beep and spin for a brief moment, indicating they are receiving power through the receivers.
Unplugged and replugged everything.
I tested both remotes and the battery pack with a multimeter, verifying correct voltage and amperage across the two contacts on the end. The batteries are not the problem: these are brand-new batteries that expire in eight years, and they output nominal volts and amps.
We tried different communication channels between the remotes and receivers.

I have not been able to verify function without the battery pack or receivers because I am not sure how much current to apply to an individual motor, nor do I wish to experiment and make the situation worse.
What else can I try before I contact LEGO and spend a week or more waiting for replacement parts?

I haven't ever used Power Functions remote-control elements, so I can't give you a complete answer from experience, but here are two simple tests:

Connect the battery box directly to each motor, leaving out the remote control receiver entirely. The motors should spin when the light on the battery box is lit, and the slide switch should allow reversing the direction.
Caveat: Looking at the parts list for 42030, one of the motors is a “servo” motor. I don't know exactly how to expect it to behave when connected directly to a battery box, but LEGO's description suggests it should at least move.
Use any camera with a live view or video recording (not an optical viewfinder), such as that on any smartphone, to look at the transmitter while you press buttons. The infrared signal should be visible as a purplish-white dot.
(This occurs because most cameras are more sensitive to near-infrared light than our eyes are, unless they have unusual filtering. This also can be seen with any infrared TV remote control.)

On electrical testing:

I have not been able to verify function without the battery pack or receivers because I am not sure how much current to apply to an individual motor,

This suggests that you are confused about how electric circuits work. Outside of specific electronic circuits, you do not choose how much current to apply; the load (here the motor) expects a specific voltage and then draws current according to its needs. (For a motor, the current depends on how much load is on the shaft: a motor not connected to anything will draw much less current than one which is stalled.)
(If you're actually referring to a current-limited power supply, then never mind.)
The voltage for Power Functions is 9 V (or somewhat less), as indicated by the 6 cells in the battery box.
You should be able to apply 7-9 V to the two closer to the middle contacts of the motor's plug (for the simple motors, not the servo motor) and get it to spin. However, it will be tricky to make a connection without the special plug, so if you attempt this be very careful not to short out your power supply. I would suggest not trying it; the battery box should be a reliable power source.
Instead, check the outputs of the battery box with a voltmeter. Between the outer two contacts you should find around 9 volts (for alkaline batteries) or 7.2 volts (for NiMH rechargeable batteries). Between the middle two contacts should be the same voltage, but it will reverse polarity depending on the slide switch.
(Try not to short out the contacts by letting your meter probes touch each other, but if you do, it won't be disastrous: LEGO battery boxes have overcurrent protection. If you do trip the protection then the output will be low or zero for a while before it resets.)

I did hook the motors directly to the battery box and they worked. The receivers also light up when they have power. The issue is probably the remotes.

This specific problem turned out to be something different as I mention in my answer, but your answer is better for the general "how do I troubleshoot this?" question so yours will still be the accepted one.

The issue turned out to be a known problem with the battery terminals in the remotes. Certain batteries would not make enough contact with the positive terminals due to a plastic piece in front of them. I did the following to fix it:

Removed the battery covers from the remotes.
Removed all of the AAA batteries.
Inserted a small flathead screwdriver behind each of the positive terminals and bent them toward the battery cavity slightly.
Put everything back together.
Chased the cats around the living room with the now-functioning LEGO set.

I did this after reading this question and its answers on Amazon.

May folding a small piece of aluminium foil between the battery and the + pin work too?


text:
What is the brick limit in LDD?
What is the brick limit for Lego Digital Designer? I got to 12k once, but I usually have it crash at around 9k. Does Lego Corp. have any info on this?

My system is crashing at 150,000 bricks.

Welcome to Bricks.  What kind of computer?  How much memory?  What is your CPU and OS?

There are no set limits for the quantity of bricks you can place in LEGO Digital Designer. The limit on the amount of pieces you can use is entirely dependent on the specifications of your computer.
You may find performance will be affected not only by the quantity of bricks placed, but the complexity of the geometry used. Metallic and transparent coloured bricks will also require more intense processing to render.
In LDD, under preferences you can also disable high-quality rendering of bricks in the scene view and bricks palette, reduce the complexity of shading, remove brick outlines or increase the compatibility mode to improve the performance.
Consider splitting large models into smaller files and edit them separately. (i.e. a file for each deck of a ship or each building).
Avoid running other applications at the same time as LDD that will take up more resources.

Experiment
Just to test the limits, I reduced the rendering settings completely, and started LDD in compatibility mode. I duplicated a 1x1 tile brick many times, and continued to duplicate them over and over. I managed to have approximately 30,000 bricks saved on my clipboard before it crashed.
I tried again, this time duplicating a stack of 6000 bricks many times, I continued until I reached 100,000 bricks. At this point the program was running very slowly and used up to 861MB of memory, I could have continued but I didn't see any point in doing so.

At 25,656 bricks LEGO Digital Designer didn't accept any more grouped pieces from the templates for me. I could add them one by one, but not groups. My PC is a new performance gaming model so that means LDD has a limit or you must have a PC from NASA.

Hi Alexf, and welcome to bricks. Sadly "new performance gaming" isn't all that descriptive as a PC spec, and as Ambo100's demonstrated, LDD can support 100,000 bricks under some circumstances. We'll admit that 1x1 bricks are probably one of the least resource intensive bricks, but their answer includes tips on what you can do to help in terms of reducing rendering types, colour choices, etc.


text:
How do I add the lms2012 library as a dependency within Visual Studio
I'm following this question and am curious how I go about actually importing the following the necessary dependencies. I see this line:
#include "ev3sources/lms2012/c_com/source/c_com.h"

and have downloaded the entire lms2012 directory. Importing that into visual studio is proving more difficult than it would seem. I can add that single dependency by following the directions posted here by adding just the c_com header and executable, but then I'm missing the dependencies upon which it rests. How can I add this entire directory as a dependency?
Thanks!
[Update]
Thanks David for your recommendation to add just the dependencies I need. Which would those be for the following? Adding c_com.h then prompts me to add lms2012.h and then dirent.hand on and on. I just want the isolate the functionality below.
#include <unistd.h>
#include <fcntl.h>
#include "ev3sources/lms2012/c_com/source/c_com.h"

int main()
{

    // start motor on port A at speed 20
    unsigned const char start_motor[] {12, 0, 0, 0,
        DIRECT_COMMAND_NO_REPLY,
        0, 0,
        opOUTPUT_POWER, LC0(0), LC0(0x01), LC0(20),
        opOUTPUT_START, LC0(0), LC0(0x01)};

    // send above command to EV3 via Bluetooth
    int bt = open("/dev/tty.EV3-SerialPort", O_WRONLY);
    write(bt, start_motor, 14);
    close(bt);
}

lms2012 is the entire virtual machine that runs on the EV3. It is meant to be compiled using Eclipse on Linux. There is really no use trying to include the whole thing and build it in Visual Studio on Windows because it doesn't have the required Linux libraries.
If you are trying to develop your own remote control program, then just copy the relevant header files from lms2012 and include them in your source code. The data types and #defines from the header files are really all you need.

I've updated my question to include my problems on attempting to do so. I know you've already answered the question but any additional help would be greatly appreciated.

You will need c_com.h, lms2012.h, lmstypes.h and bytecodes.h at a minimum. If you need the other header files (like dirent.h) that aren't included in the lms2012 download, you can get them from the CodeSourcery toolchain (http://go.mentor.com/2ig4q). Or you can comment out the parts you don't need if you don't want to track down the header files.

Also, here are some instructions on how to setup Eclipse for the whole lms2012. You might be able to adapt the information to Visual Studio. https://github.com/mindboards/ev3sources/wiki/Eclipse-import


text:
Indentify old LEGO kit, classic car with bird driver
I have 2 parts left from a kit I had as a kid. I'm trying to find out what the kit was? I'm ALMOST sure the driver was a pose-able bird man, many thanks!

Looks like it could come from one of two Fabuland sets, Bonnie Bunny's Camper or Charlie Crow's Carry-All. The radiator piece also comes in The Fabuland House.
Given your bird man as driver, I'm going with Charlie Crow's Carry-All.

@stacy if it's the match then feel free to accept


text:
How to fix the Gyro
Currently the gyro sensor connected to the EV3 brick doesn't really work. whenever the gyro is attempted to be used the robot will just sit and spin once it gets to where it needs to use the gyro. Any suggestions would be appreciated
forward(4.8, rotations, 50);
wait(.5, seconds);
resetGyro(S2);
setMotor(motorB, 35);
setMotor(motorC, -35);
waitUntil (getGyroDegrees(gyroSensor) > 80);
forward(2, rotations, 50);
wait(.5, seconds);
resetGyro(S2);
setMotor(motorB, 35);
setMotor(motorC, -35);
waitUntil (getGyroDegrees(gyroSensor) > 80);
forward(4.8, rotations, 50);
wait(.5, seconds);
resetGyro(S2);
setMotor(motorB, -35);
setMotor(motorC, 35);
waitUntil (getGyroDegrees(gyroSensor) > 80);
forward(2, rotations, 50);
wait(.5, seconds);
resetGyro(S2);
setMotor(motorB, -35);
setMotor(motorC, 35);
waitUntil (getGyroDegrees(gyroSensor) > 80);

It is not clear exactly what you are asking. Can you post your code? Also see http://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/7115/how-can-ev3-gyro-sensor-drift-be-handled

I have put the code up

What programming language is this?

the language is what is created in the Graphical ROBOTC for LEGO Mindstorms 4.x

Debugging tip: Inside of the wait loop, print the gyro angle on the screen so that you can see what the actual value is.

In your code, I see...
setMotor(motorB, 35);
setMotor(motorC, -35);

...which presumably causes the robot to rotate clockwise. And also...
setMotor(motorB, -35);
setMotor(motorC, 35);

...which presumably rotates the robot counter clockwise. But, you always have...
waitUntil (getGyroDegrees(gyroSensor) > 80);

I would assume that when you rotate counter-clockwise that the angle gets smaller (or it could be the opposite depending on which way the gyro is oriented). In this case, I would thing you need...
waitUntil (getGyroDegrees(gyroSensor) < -80);

...instead since the value will be decreasing from 0.

You also need to be aware of gyro drift that can cause the angle to change even when the robot is not moving. Calling resetGyro(S2); resets the angle reading to 0, but it probably does not "calibrate" the sensor to eliminate drift. Common ways of doing this are unplugging the sensor and plugging it back it and changing the "mode" of the sensor (e.g. by reading rate and then reading angle).


text:
Controlling EV3 motors within VC++
I've got an application within some VC++ software (BCI2000). This is running on Windows 7. Although BCI2000 can run elsewhere, I'd like to stay on Windows.
I've got an EV3 whose motors I'd like to manipulate within my existing application. I don't mind using bluetooth, wifi, or a wired connection, whatever is easiest.
What would be the best way to go about doing this? I've read about ev3ev and ev3 sources, both look feasible. I also stumbled upon this post detailing control of the motors using just xcode with nothing installed on the brick. That looks ideal to me but my attempts at just injecting that code into my VC++ project have persistent dependency failures that I'm trying to fix here.
Any recommendations on how I could go about this?

You can run C++ programs directly on the EV3 (Stackoverflow). An Eclipse plugin is also available.
If you want to run the C++ program on Windows and connect to the EV3 remotely you can use c4ev3's ev3duder, to establish a connection to the device and then keep sending direct messages to the motors over that connection. Check out moveEv3.pl for an example.


text:
Direct/system command for reading the display buffer of EV3 bricks?
I recall being able to read in the display buffer of NXT 2.0 bricks over Bluetooth/USB by issuing Read IO Map system commands. I've looked through the bytecodes and communication documentation for the EV3, but it's not clear how to do this with the EV3. Does anyone have any pointers?

I think you should be able to do this. The screen is represented by a framebuffer device. In Linux, everything is a file, so even the framebuffer is a file, namely /dev/fb0.
So, you should be able to read the display by reading the /dev/fb0 file using something like this:
EDIT: Using direct commands didn't work out so well, so here is a sample using system commands.
Getting file content
--------------------

Used to upload datalog files - file handle is only closed when reaching EOF
and file is not open for writing

BEGIN_GETFILE:

  Bytes send to the brick:

  xxxxxxxx0196xxxxxxx
  bbbbmmmmttssllllnnn...

  bbbb = Bytes in massage, mmmm = message counter, tt = type of command,
  ss = system command, llll = max bytes to read, nnnn.... = path

  Bytes send to the PC:

  xxxxxxxx039600xxxxxxxx00xxx
  bbbbmmmmttssrrllllllllhhppp...

  bbbb = bytes ion massage, mmmm = message counter, tt = type of command,
  ss = system command, rr = return status, llllllll = File size, hh = Handle,
  ppp... = payload

CONTINUE_GETFILE:

  Bytes send to the brick:

  0700xxxx019700xxxx
  bbbbmmmmttsshhllll

  bbbb = bytes in massage, mmmm = message counter, tt = type of command,
  ss = system command, hh = handle, llll = max bytes to read

  Bytes send to the PC:

  xxxxxxxx039700xxxxxxxx00xxx
  bbbbmmmmttssrrllllllllhhppp...

  bbbb = bytes in message, mmmm = message counter, tt = type of command,
  ss = system command, rr = return status, llllllll = File size,
  hh = Handle, ppp... = payload

Opcodes come from here System commands come from here. The size returned may be 0 since this is not a real file, but the framebuffer size is 7680 bytes (comes from here, i.e. (178+2)/3*128). Also, the maximum number of bytes allowable for max bytes to read depends on the connection type (USB, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi). 1000 should be a safe number.
Now, hopefully you have the data, but you still need to decode it. The framebuffer has an unusual format where there are 3 pixels per byte (see datasheet).
Assuming you have packed all of the data read into a single 7680 byte array you can use nested for loops to convert the data to whatever image format you like. For simplicity, I am going to use a .pbm. Just doing this in pseudo code...
// framebuffer data - 60 bytes/row * 128 rows
buffer[60*128]

// write the PBM header
write_line("P1")
write_line("178 128")
for (row = 0; row < 128; row++) {
    // last byte in each row only has 1 pixel, so only loop first 59 bytes
    for (offset = 0; offset < 59; offset++) {
        var b = buffer[row * 60 + offset];
        // 3 pixels per byte

        // bit 7 (or 6) is pixel 0
        write((b & 128) ? "1 " : "0 ")
        // bit 4 (or 3) is pixel 1
        write((b & 16) ? "1 " : "0 ")
        // bit 1 (or 0) is pixel 2
        write((b & 2) ? "1 " : "0 ")
    }
    // the last pixel
    b = buffer[row * 60 + offset]
    write_line((b & 128) ? "1" : "0")
}

I tried getting OPEN_READ/READ_BYTES working with an actual file first. OPEN_READ returns the correct file size however the handle is always 1 (0x01 0x0 0x0 0x0 in little endian) no matter how many times I make the call. If I subsequently make a call to GET_HANDLE to get the handle for the same file path, I get (0xFF 0xFF 0x0 0x0) for the file handle (instead of 1). Both commands succeed. When I try to actually read the file with READ_BYTES (trying both handles: 0x1 and 0xFFFF), it fails. Something is not right.

Look's like I made at least one mistake, Handle is 16-bit. Here is a sample that may help: https://github.com/mindboards/ev3sources/blob/78ebaf5b6f8fe31cc17aa5dce0f8e4916a4fc072/lms2012/lmssrc/tst/tst_save.lms#L628

Looking at the source code, it looks like if a file fails to open, the command will still return successfully, although I would expect the handle to be 0 and not 1 as you observed. Source: https://github.com/mindboards/ev3sources/blob/78ebaf5b6f8fe31cc17aa5dce0f8e4916a4fc072/lms2012/c_memory/source/c_memory.c#L1251

I was able to get things to work by sending the OPEN_READ/READ_BYTES commands at once with a "compound command" (as the docs call it on page 26 of the EV3 Communication Developer Kit PDF), rather than individually. This even works with /dev/fb0, however I cannot read more than 1024 bytes now since the global variable space is 10-bit. If there was an opcode for seeking to a different position (there is not), we could go through the OPEN_READ/READ_BYTES cycle again, this time starting at a different offset.

Could you save the file contents to an array variable and then read the the array 1000 or 1024 bytes at a time using opARRAY(READ_CONTENT, ...)?

Actually, perhaps even better, what about the BEGIN_DOWNLOAD and CONTINUE_DOWNLOAD system commands?

Oops. Download is the wrong direction. I update my answer to use the BEGIN_GETFILE and CONTINUE_GETFILE system commands.


text:
How much current do the LEGO motors draw?
I'm building a project with Raspberry Pi and some other electronics driving the LEGO Power Functions M-Motor (8883) and I need to know how much current those motors draw under load.
Has anyone done tests and put together a spec sheet for these motor's electronic characteristics?
This is my first post here on Bricks.SE!  Hopefully sharing this is welcome.

YES!  Philippe Hurbain (Philo) has put together a great and very detailed write-up on those and many other LEGO 9V electric motors.
You can find it here:  LEGO 9V Technic Motors compared characteristics
Your current draw for that specific motor @ 9V is:
No load:              65mA
Loaded (3.6 N.cm):    310mA
Loaded (6.0 N.cm):    480mA
Stalled (11 N.cm):    850mA

I was about to ask this very question when a friend pointed me to this write-up.
Hopefully someone else will find it as useful as I did.

I found his web site very helpful when I had do find a fitting H-bridge  to control LEGO motors with my arduino

Can you share the make & model of the H-bridge that you used and where you got it? I have a similar project involving littleBits, See here for details.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


text:
Instructions or details for the buildings in Set 190
A wave of nostalgia has struck me this holiday weekend, and I have been doing some research on the kits in the big plastic tub in my closet.  Among many others, I discovered that among my collection is Set #190, Building Set with People - Farm.  I would guess this set was given to me when I was between ages four and seven, and I am now 40+.  I remembered the tractor and plow, and some sort of house with a fence around it, and the parts I have confirm the match.
However, my instruction booklet is long lost for this set, and the scans I have found on ToysPeriod and Peeron seem to have only instructions for the vehicles and animals, but not for the greenhouse, house, and barn shown in the photos.  In fact, based on the creases and location of page breaks, these two sites appear to have the same scan.  I've found other sites with even fewer pages of these instructions.
I more or less figured out the fence and greenhouse from the photos, although I ran out of clear bricks for the greenhouse so probably I made a mistake somewhere.  I may or may not have similar luck with the rest- I plan to try later.
I believe that sometimes Lego did this intentionally- put photos on the box just to give an idea or starting point.  Does anyone know if this is what happened in this case?
Are there other places I can look for instructions, or at least detailed photos from other angles to help me build this?

The instructions for that model are not included in the set.1
Youtube user BrickTsar LEGO® Collector rebuilt the model using the box as reference. The image below shows a screenshot from the video linked at the end of this post, it might be clearer to you how it was built.

The model he made isn't an exact like for like copy of the model shown on the set, but is very close. It is possible you won't use all the pieces provided in  the set but it's worth checking that you have all the parts needed before you start using the inventory provided on Bricklink.
1 Youtube. LEGO 190 Building Set With People Farm Set from 1975 VINTAGE. Time: 1:58.

To be clear, this video does not show the buildings in-progress nor does it show any better angles or close-ups of the buildings.  It was enough for me to have verification that instructions were not included.  I took my own stab at them, and I think I got it- at least as well as the video.

Five years after first posting this question, I discovered stud.io.  Using my notes and photos from then, I re-built these three items again, this time in the virtual space, and posted them on bricklink:

The farm house
The barn
The green house

As before, these are just my best guesses as to how things might have been, in a set I got as a gift some time in the mid to late 1970s.  I also don't want to take anything away from Ambo100's great answer at the time.  I'm just adding this for completeness, now that I have the designs available.

all_licenses: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


text:
How can I stop the LEGO Cargo train 60052 wheels from skidding on track?
I have the Cargo train 60052, it's only around a year old and lately I've found on starting it (on both straight and curved track pieces) it isn't moving, the wheels seem to skid on the tracks and I have to give it a little nudge to get it going, even then it tends to stop further down.
I'm wondering if this is an issue with the tracks or the wheels?
I have taken them off and tried wiping them and 'rotating' them but no luck. I have looked online but haven't found any resolution, can anyone help me? :)

Can you check if the motor bogie's wheels still have rubber bands on them? These bands are giving the train traction - you might want to either clean the wheels or find new rubber bands to put around the wheel to see if this helps.

Replace or reset the rubber bands on the wheels. This trick works on the 80s era trains so should work here too.

If you can't find any LEGO rubber bands, normal hair rubber bands will work too - cosmetic stores sell a bunch of different sizes to choose from!


text:
Why do several of the 2016 Star Wars sets include stands for the minifigs?
I've noticed that several of the new Star Wars sets include stands for the minifigs. For example Droid Escape Pod (75136):

What is the purpose of these? I don't see how they add play or display value.

The stands you see aren't actually part of the set. They're there to make it easier to photograph the minifigs, and get photoshopped out in the final version of the set pictures.

It looks like LEGO forgot to remove them on their own shop listing. I couldn't find those stands used in any of the Youtube video reviews of this particular set.

How do you know this? Or are you just guessing?

I am mostly guessing, but my answer was based on some of the discussion on Brickset when the first bunch of Force Awakens sets were revealed. The fact that a lot of the pictures with stands have since been replaced with versions without the stands seems to confirm the theory.


text:
Cheapest set containing electric motor
Which LEGO set is the cheapest I can buy in a store with an electric motor in it?

First of all: LEGO prices fluctuate depending on retailer (LEGO.com, Wal-Mart, Target, Toys'R'Us, etc.), so "cheapest" also depends on the time of year and the retailer you look at.
Secondly, are you only interested in a PowerFunctions motor, and is the set you ask for just a vehicle to get the motor? In that case you might want to know that you can just buy a single motor from LEGO Shop@Home. Current price (Dec15) is $7.99 plus tax plus shipping.

You can also buy a kit with motor, lights, batterybox and a few gears directly from LEGO here; this set costs currently $29.99.

Power Functions motors typically come in the higher-priced Technic sets, of which currently 42008 Service Truck is the cheapest at $103.98 sale price.

There are a few non-Technic models every now and then that have Power Functions motors in them but I do not know of any set currently available that has a motor included.


text:
No power to Mindstorm EV3 Brain
My 11 year old just spent her entire Christmas Day assembling the Mindstorm EV3 Reptar, but when we put batteries in the brain nothing happened.  It didn't turn on, no lights, no sign of power at all.  We made sure the batteries were in correctly but still no luck.  Does it need to be replaced or are we doing something wrong?  Help!

If you are 100% sure that the batteries are in the correct direction and the batteries are brand-new, unplug all of the cables from the EV3 brick and try again to make sure they could not be causing a short circuit. If it still doesn't now power up, contact LEGO customer support.
In the US, you will be directed as follows...

We have a dedicated Tech Support team for MINDSTORMS products. They can troubleshoot the problem and either resolve the issue or help you to get a replacement part. Tech Support can be reached at 1-877-680-2800 from Monday through Friday, 7:30am - 5:30pm CST.

Thank you!  Yes, we unplugged all the cables and still no power.  Lego store has reluctantly agreed to trade out the brain for us so we don't have to wait for support or shipping of a new brain.  That goes a long way when you're dealing with the disappointment of an 11 year old ;-) Happy holidays.


text:
Programming/running a NXT brick with a dead screen, via PC?
I have a NXT set and the control brick has a dead screen. I tried fixing it (resoldered caps, ribbon rub, etc) to no avail. It's dead.
Is there any software that will allow me to program and execute code on the NXT brick without going through the screen options? Is there a way to see the screen on a PC?

There is a tool called NeXTScreen that is available here that will let you see the screen (and remotely control the NXT). There are similar tools for OS X and Linux on the same page.
Once you have this setup, you should be able to use any programming environment that you like. The screen viewing programs should be able to run at the same time as anything else.
For example, you could use the screen viewing program to pair via Bluetooth, then program the NXT using NXT-G and use use the "run" button in NXT-G to start the program remotely.

I tried the NeXTScreen, it was not able to connect to the brick. I then tried to upload a new firmware via the Lego software, and it just got stuck and bricked the brick. Now all it does is click. I tried holding the reset button, no change. It doesn't register in the Lego software so I can't upload a new firmware. I think this is the end. I think it's time to make my own Arduino-based control brick.

It sounds like your brick may have more problems than just the screen. However, if you have Arduino software installed on your computer, it could be interfering with the USB driver. See http://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/6944/lego-mindstorms-nxt-bossa-driver-prevents-firmware-upgrade

Thanks! I was able to reflash the firmware. The NeXTScreen still doesn't work though. Should I choose usb as the port?

Yes, you will need to use USB as the port for NeXTScreen to begin with.

My kids and I are having a blast controlling old NXT bricks with a few Android apps, via Bluetooth, and it all works like a charm!!!
 App links below:
I have 4 NXT bricks, but only one has a working screen.  If you hold two units side-by-side, you can navigate to Bluetooth and enable.
Or follow the steps below:  Note: (Enter = orange button)

Turn on your NXT brick, "cool Mindstorm chime!!!"
Left button, (3) times, to "Bluetooth", press enter
Let button, (1) time, to Search, press enter
Searching.........let it ride for like (30) seconds
Press enter, to select your (one), Bluetooth enabled smartphone
Press enter again, to select slot one "cool passkey: chime"
Press enter once more, to select "1234" as your passkey
Finally, hop over to your smartphone & pair to "NXT" with that key

NXTpad: let's you see and execute programs on the brick, + more
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=appinventor.ai_bccyuen.NXTPad
NXTremotecontrol: let's you control your builds like a TANK!!!!
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.jfedor.nxtremotecontrol


text:
EV3 software crashes on Windows 8 laptop
My cousin has Windows 8 x64 netbook laptop. When he tries to start the application he gets .NET framework error and I can see following text in the log file:
+000,016 >> MINDSTORMS EV3 launched at 2015-12-27_12-31-07-odp.
+000,016 >> OS Type: Windows
+000,031 >> OS Version: Microsoft Windows NT 6.2.9200.0
+000,031 >> OS Bitness: 64-bit
+000,063 >> MINDSTORMS EV3 assembly file version: 1.0.11021.3
+000,063 >> MINDSTORMS EV3 build drop: R1-X3-Dev[GC]_20141021.3
+004,349 >> Bluetooth supported: True
+004,352 >> Bluetooth Primary Radio Information:
+004,352 >>     Manufacturer: RalinkTechnology
+004,352 >>     Software Manufacturer: IvtBlueSoleilXxxx
+004,352 >>     Stack Factory: InTheHand.Net.Bluetooth.BluetoothPublicFactory
+004,352 >>     Hardware Status: Running
+004,352 >>     Mode: PowerOff
+004,352 >>     Class: 10C
+004,352 >>     Local Address: 543530126E3A
+004,508 >> Enabling passive scan for TCP;USB
+005,618 >> Unhandled exception occurred at 2015-12-27_12-31-12-odp.
InTheHand.Net.Bluetooth.BlueSoleil.BlueSoleilSocketException (0x80004005): Došlo k pokusu o operaci s něčím, co není soket (BlueSoleil: FUNCTION_NOTSUPPORT (0x0308)).
   in InTheHand.Net.Bluetooth.BlueSoleil.BluesoleilUtils.CheckAndThrow(BtSdkError ret, String descr)
   in InTheHand.Net.Bluetooth.BlueSoleil.BluesoleilFactory.BluesoleilInquiry.<>c__DisplayClass3.<BeginInquiry>b__2()
   in InTheHand.Net.Bluetooth.Factory.CommonBluetoothInquiry`1.BeginInquiry(Int32 maxDevices, TimeSpan inquiryLength, AsyncCallback asyncCallback, Object state, LiveDiscoveryCallback liveDiscoHandler, Object liveDiscoState, ThreadStart startInquiry, DiscoDevsParams args)
   in InTheHand.Net.Bluetooth.BlueSoleil.BluesoleilFactory.BluesoleilInquiry.BeginInquiry(Int32 maxDevices, TimeSpan inquiryLength, AsyncCallback callback, Object state, LiveDiscoveryCallback liveDiscoHandler, Object liveDiscoState, DiscoDevsParams args)
   in InTheHand.Net.Bluetooth.BlueSoleil.BluesoleilClient.BeginInquiry(Int32 maxDevices, AsyncCallback callback, Object state, LiveDiscoveryCallback liveDiscoHandler, Object liveDiscoState, DiscoDevsParams args)
   in InTheHand.Net.Bluetooth.Factory.CommonDiscoveryBluetoothClient.BeginDiscoverDevices(Int32 maxDevices, Boolean authenticated, Boolean remembered, Boolean unknown, Boolean discoverableOnly, AsyncCallback callback, Object state, LiveDiscoveryCallback liveDiscoHandler, Object liveDiscoState)
   in InTheHand.Net.Bluetooth.Factory.CommonDiscoveryBluetoothClient.DiscoverDevices(Int32 maxDevices, Boolean authenticated, Boolean remembered, Boolean unknown, Boolean discoverableOnly)
   in NationalInstruments.Casper.BthDeviceDiscoveryService.ForceActiveScan(IEnumerable`1 transports)
   in NationalInstruments.Casper.DiscoveryManager.ForceActiveScan(IEnumerable`1 transports)
   in NationalInstruments.X3.BrickServerService.Core.PBrickDevice.<StartDiscovery>b__8(Object param0)
   in System.Threading.QueueUserWorkItemCallback.WaitCallback_Context(Object state)
   in System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
   in System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
   in System.Threading.QueueUserWorkItemCallback.System.Threading.IThreadPoolWorkItem.ExecuteWorkItem()
   in System.Threading.ThreadPoolWorkQueue.Dispatch()
   in System.Threading._ThreadPoolWaitCallback.PerformWaitCallback()
Stack trace with ILOffsets:
   at InTheHand.Net.Personal.dll.BluesoleilUtils.CheckAndThrow  (IL offset: 0x70)
   at InTheHand.Net.Personal.dll.<>c__DisplayClass3.<BeginInquiry>b__2  (IL offset: 0x23)
   at InTheHand.Net.Personal.dll.CommonBluetoothInquiry`1.BeginInquiry  (IL offset: 0x9a)
   at InTheHand.Net.Personal.dll.BluesoleilInquiry.BeginInquiry  (IL offset: 0x4c)
   at InTheHand.Net.Personal.dll.BluesoleilClient.BeginInquiry  (IL offset: 0x0)
   at InTheHand.Net.Personal.dll.CommonDiscoveryBluetoothClient.BeginDiscoverDevices  (IL offset: 0x35)
   at InTheHand.Net.Personal.dll.CommonDiscoveryBluetoothClient.DiscoverDevices  (IL offset: 0x0)
   at NationalInstruments.X3.Casper.dll.BthDeviceDiscoveryService.ForceActiveScan  (IL offset: 0x4a)
   at NationalInstruments.X3.Casper.dll.DiscoveryManager.ForceActiveScan  (IL offset: 0x16)
   at NationalInstruments.X3.BrickServerService.Core.dll.PBrickDevice.<StartDiscovery>b__8  (IL offset: 0x0)
   at mscorlib.dll.QueueUserWorkItemCallback.WaitCallback_Context  (IL offset: 0xe)
   at mscorlib.dll.ExecutionContext.RunInternal  (IL offset: 0x70)
   at mscorlib.dll.ExecutionContext.Run  (IL offset: 0x0)
   at mscorlib.dll.QueueUserWorkItemCallback.System.Threading.IThreadPoolWorkItem.ExecuteWorkItem  (IL offset: 0x23)
   at mscorlib.dll.ThreadPoolWorkQueue.Dispatch  (IL offset: 0x9d)
   at mscorlib.dll._ThreadPoolWaitCallback.PerformWaitCallback  (IL offset: 0x0)

I was able to get the error number for the Czech error text along with it's English version:

#10038 Socket operation on nonsocket.

I guess it's something bluetooth related. The program version is 1.1.1 (20141021.3) and the corresponding installer name is LMS-EV3-WIN32-ENUS-01-01-01-full-setup.exe.
How could I fix that? Any workaround is appreciated.

Similar error appears when attempting to run multiple instances of the software.

Yes, it sounds like it does not like your Bluetooth for some reason. Usually, there is a physical switch on laptops that let you disable bluetooth. If there is not a physical switch, there should be a way to do it via software, either via the bluetooth notification tray icon or special Bluetooth software that came with the laptop.
Try turning off/disabling Bluetooth and then start the EV3 software.
Also, be sure to send this crash report to LEGO technical support.

Actually, we found out that bluetooth was off. There's no switch though, so we found it in computer settings. After enabling and pairing bluetooth, the error does not appear most often. Still I was unable to reliably reproduce it.


text:
How do you sync the LEGO high speed train remote?
How do you sync the LEGO high speed train remote?

It is not clear what you are asking. Can you please give more details? Perhaps you mean "sync" as in synchronize instead of "sink"?

My answer to this question might help: http://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/4870/lego-remote-controlled-cargo-train-not-working

I'm going to take a stab at this. Presumably you're asking how to make the train remote properly control the train. There are two things to consider: 1. Which channel to use, and 2. Motor direction.

Channel: The train remote features two wheels which can be used to control two motors independently. One has a blue line and one has an red line. These correspond to the blue and red markers on the IR sensor. Also, the IR sensor and the remote have an red  sliding tab with numbers 1-4. These need to be set to the same number. So check on your IR sensor and see which number your slider is set to, and which side (blue or red) your motor is connected to. Then make sure you set the slider on the remote to match the IR, and use the appropriate wheel.
Direction: There are two ways to control the direction the train goes when you turn the wheel. One way is to flip the polarity switch on the train battery box. The other way is to flip the direction switch on the remote. If you find the train goes backwards when you turn the wheel meaning it to go forwards, just flip this switch.

Aside from these cases, there is nothing else to configure about the remote. As long as your batteries are fresh and your train is wired up properly, it should work just fine with any combination of sensors and remotes. You can even use one remote to control multiple trains as long as each one is on a separate channel/colour.


text:
Problems with New LEGO Cargo Train
My son's LEGO Cargo Train worked the first 10 minutes and then stopped. The  batteries are new, Duracell, and both, the remote and the receiver, seem to be ok. Both of them have the green light on. Also they are fixed on the same channel, but the train still doesn't move. What should I do? It was a Christmas Present for my son of 6 years old and now he is a bit disappointed. Help please! Thank you!

Thank you for answering me.
I connected the the train motor directly to the battery pack like you said, I pressed the green button on the battery pack, but the wheels of the train did not spin at all. I have tried with new batteries in the battery pack and nothing. The green button is on, but the wheels refuse to spin. Could be a problem with the train motor in this case?

I would start by breaking down the problem into a few simple checks:

Take the battery pack out of the engine of the train and press the green button. Does the green LED light turn on? If no, there is likely a problem with either the batteries or the battery housing itself. You might want to take all the batteries out and reinsert them, or rotate the batteries a bit when they are inserted (I have found that this sometimes improves the contact they make).
Put the battery pack back in the train, and connect the train motor directly to the battery pack (i.e. do NOT connect the IR receiver in between the motor and the battery pack). If you press the green button on the battery pack, do the wheels of the train spin? If yes, do they spin fast? If the battery pack refuses to turn the wheels, there might be a problem with the train motor (but there could also be a problem with the charge level of the batteries).
Assuming both the battery pack and the motor work fine, now connect the IR receiver between the battery pack and the motor. Look closely onto which of the two connectors you put the motor connector (red or blue).
Check the remote and make sure it has batteries inserted and that the batteries are inserted in the correct direction. Press one of the red buttons on the remote. This should make the green LED light in the middle of the remote light up. If it doesn't, you have either not inserted the batteries right, or they have come loose, or the remote control is broken.
Using the remote, turn the control knob of either the red or blue control section (depending on where in step 3 you connected the wires) and see if this makes the motor turn. If it does not, try turning the knob further. Also, make sure that the receiver is in direct line of sight from the remote control (you should be able to see the black curved top of the IR receiver from where you are standing with your remote control)
If the wheels still do not turn, check the channel setting of the remote and the IR receiver - they should be the same. Try again to turn the knob once you set them both to the same channel. If that still does not work, try different channel settings (e.g. both on Channel 2, both on Channel 3 etc) - you might have some interference from another IR source.
If after all this the wheels on the train still do not turn, you have a defective motor (it might have burned through because of too much resistance etc.). Try calling LEGO Customer Service (in the US, their number is 1 (800) 835-4386) or visit them online. If you have a LEGO store nearby, you could ask them to assist as well, though all they can do is do an exchange which they may or may not do depending on the state of the unpacked set.

Good luck and let us know what happens ...

Thank you for answering me.
I connected the the train motor directly to the battery pack like you said, I pressed the green button on the battery pack, but the wheels of the train did not spin at all. I have tried with new batteries in the battery pack and nothing. The green button is on, but the wheels refuse to spin. Could be a problem with the train motor in this case?

Thank you for answering me.
I connected the the train motor directly to the battery pack like you said, I pressed the green button on the battery pack, but the wheels of the train did not spin at all. I have tried with new batteries in the battery pack and nothing. The green button is on, but the wheels refuse to spin. Could be a problem with the train motor in this case?

Yes, I think that in that case, there is a problem with the train motor. If you have any other Power Functions equipment (like a Technic Motor for example), you could connect the train battery pack to this and see if the technic motor works when you press the green button. Train powerfunctions equipment is compatible with Technic powerfunctions. Otherwise, call LEGO at the number for your country.

PROBLEM SOLVED!!! I did not give up so easily and I did everything from the beginning, more carefully.  The connection between the train motor and the battery pack was not right. Everything is just fine now and the train is running on the track..My son is very happy again :). Thank you so much! Best wishes!

Did you not push the connector fully onto the battery pack perhaps? Is that what happened?


text:
Temp Glue for LEGO
We have a Train Station Set, but this built is so loose and comes apart so easily thus it is really hard to move/play/connect to other parts. Is there some product like temporary LEGO glue to stick things together in the span of months to a year, and can come of easily with some dissolvent?
P.S. I searched on StackExchange or Reddit, "DO NOT GLUE" does not fit my scenario.
EDIT: Add the picture. We assembled it, but the roof/pole/base falling apart easily simply when connecting with more rail tracks.

Welcome to Bricks.StackExchange.com! Can you give more details on the set you are referring to? Typical LEGO-branded sets do not come apart easily - I want to make sure you indeed have a LEGO set and not a clone-brand.

@PhilB.We have #60050, Train Station.

Interesting ... my son JUST built the same set a few days ago and we have no issues with it being loose - actually, I had to take the canopy apart and raise it by one plate just to let the caboose of my Holiday Train pass under it .... and the canopy didn't come off easily. Is there no way you can perhaps reinforce the part that comes loose with some extra LEGO pieces? Once you start gluing there is no going back ...

PS: The left destination overhead sign is not mounted correctly in your build :)

As per my answer on the linked question, if you must go down the glued route, a water based glue such as PVA (for example Elmers Glue-all) will work and can then be soaked off later.

Track-side models often break off of train tracks when there is too much movement of the track. One of the easiest ways to prevent that, without glue, would be to put some plates under the track to build up the connection between the straight track pieces and the rest of the model. A baseplate works well for this, as long as your main model is well-connected to the baseplate. (baseplates are flexible, but with enough studs connected they hold well).


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Are Bandai "Figmes" compatible with LEGO?
According to gizmodo Bandai is releasing a new line of "Figmes" that look astounding similar to our beloved minifigs.  Here is the set:

And here is one close up:

Close up the hands look even better, but the legs look a little mushy.
So:

Does anybody have an early "Figme" or do we have to wait for March?
Can you test it with genuine LEGO for fit?
Can we get a side-by-side picture with a legit minifig?
What do the bottoms and backs look like?

From https://www.reddit.com/r/dbz/comments/4c7jmb/lego_like_official_dbz_bandai_figme_cant_find/? it sounds like these are only available in Japan and they lack the holes in the back of the legs.

Yes, they fit!
With a little research I have learned that the hands can hold standard bar pieces, and the legs are compatible with studs.
However, sitting won't work, and pieces can't be swapped for minifigure parts.
The backs look like the front, solid printed plastic.

Judging by the layout, it would probably fit with normal Lego sets and bricks, because the same goes with mega block figures. Although they won't fit in closed spaces where there is only a 1 x 1 space, in general, if you have space, they will fit. Also, with those legs being just about the same as those of Lego minifigs, they would probably fit right in. Another question that might show up is, do you know if there are slots in the back of their legs so they can sit? The layout is the same, I guess, but everybody LOVES minifigs that can sit and actually stay there (in this case, mega block figs can't stay), right? Just kidding, not everybody does, but are there holes in the back of the legs?

These minifigures would definitely fit with lego, just like other companies, such as mega bloks and kreo. As Chicks stated though, they may not be able to sit down. Also, as a warning, these minifigures have very poor paint.

authors: Николай Елисеев


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Is this a LEGO Friends set?
Got a bag with a lot of pink bricks. I think it is one of the LEGO Friends sets but don't know which set. Can anybody help me identify?

The door is probably  Frame 2X4X6 in Medium Lilac. This depends on the thickness of the piece 1 or 2 studs as this is not clear on the picture.
This piece in combination with the white door only comes in 2 sets :

4625: Pink Brick Box
10660-1: House Suitcase

Neither set contains the other pieces. I can't find the other pieces on Brickset. Are these pieces coming out of an official Lego sealed bag?
Based one the quality of the darker green one, I'm not sure if these are Lego parts as there are blisters and leftover plastic on them (between top leaf and rest of the part).

The vine/beanstalk elements are from the Mega Bloks Moshi Monster Sets.

I think the blisters are water droplets.


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DUPLO Train Shopping Resources
I recently bought the 10508 train set for my 3 year old and he just loves playing with it. I am aware of the 10507 and 10506 sets to expand further.
Are there any other resources available to buy locomotives / coaches and track pieces, bridges, etc. that are not part of the above 2 mentioned sets but will work with the 10508 set?

If your kid loves trains, and Lego, I'd save my money for the system trains, which he'll be able to use in a couple years. Buy one or two duplo train sets, or get them used, but they don't last long, whereas the system train is an investment that will pay off for years, IMHO.

I've always had luck on eBay and similar sites!

You might consider buying duplicates of some of the train sets to get more tracks and bridges, or you can buy the pieces individually on BrickLink, the largest online LEGO marketplace. For example if I pull up the #10508 set on BrickLink and look at the parts selection, I can see that the straight train tracks are available for about a dollar each from many different sellers. Same for the curved tracks. Here are some direct links:
Straight tracks: http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?P=6377&idColor=85#T=P&C=85
Curved tracks: http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?P=6378&idColor=85#T=P&C=85
And you can do the same for other pieces, including the bridge section, etc. Here is the page for the main set where you can look at the parts selection and see the ones you would like to get more of: http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?S=10508-1#T=I
And here are all the DUPLO train sets ever made: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogList.asp?catType=S&catString=167.441


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Please help me identify set
Please help me identify which sets these are from. I got a bag or LEGO and I think it is from multiple sets.

Thank you!

The white Plate 1X2 W. Vertical Schaft is probably from 4625: Pink Brick Box from your other question
The Turbine Ø31.81 X 2 and Tail Ø 3,2 are only together in 7984-1: Deep Sea Raider
The combination of the white Mini Claw W. Fork and the black Link 1M Fric/Fork/Stumpf can only be found together in some of the 2015 Deep Sea sets.

They can easily be from earlier sets like the aqua themes, or it can be from the Lego batman Batcave from 2012.


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How can I reuse LEGO part bags?
I go through so many of these annoying plastic bags. Unfortunately, not many places recycle them. Are there any ways they can be re-sealed?

Scammers seem to be able to do this when they buy sets, remove the minifigs, reseal the bags and then return the box to the store for a full refund - so yes it must be possible. Add the info I just provided as a word of warning to those buying seemingly mint boxes with broken or suspicious seals.

Use a manual impulse sealer.  It consists of a linear heating element specifically for sealing bags in the fashion LEGO parts bags are sealed by the factory.  Narrow sealers can be purchased new online for as little as $12-15.  It's helpful that LEGO parts bags are relatively small.
I use these devices to reuse bags for various non-LEGO parts storage.  There is a dial on the front to adjust the heating cutoff.  Depending on the material and thickness a different heating time is needed to ensure a good seal without damaging the plastic.
Here's a video demonstrating its use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH-SbjYNzQc

One way of resealing the bags is to use a laminator. Most laminators aren't designed to seal anything other than lamination pouches so you'd want to be particularly careful using them to re-seal LEGO bags.

No matter how careful you are when you open them, most polybags tear slightly and leave rough edges that cannot be fed easily into a laminator.
I suggest cutting a straight line with scissors or a ruler/box cutter, just below the original seam.

Start up the laminator to get it warmed up and fill your polybag, I don't recommend you fill it up more than 1/2 or 2/3 of the bag as it can be difficult to feed the laminator.
Don't let it run too long as it will be quite difficult to remove (as shown in my example, I left it about a second too late, the second time I fed it into the laminator), it doesn't take a long time for it too seal completely and it takes a few tries to get it work well.
After the bag expands, it should be airtight and you can turn of the laminator, and remove it when it is safe to do so.

Along the same lines you could use a food vacuum sealer, they seal plastic bags, and on most the vacuum function can be bypassed.


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LEGO Mindstorms EV3 crashes on OS X El Capitan
I get the following problem details, can anyone help me?
Process:               MindstormsEV3 [595]
Path:                  /Applications/LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Home Edition.app/Contents/MacOS/MindstormsEV3
Identifier:            ___ev3.lego.com
Version:               1.0 (1)
Code Type:             X86 (Native)
Parent Process:        ??? [1]
Responsible:           MindstormsEV3 [595]
User ID:               501

Date/Time:             2016-01-02 19:49:06.678 +0100
OS Version:            Mac OS X 10.11.2 (15C50)
Report Version:        11
Anonymous UUID:        7C4B40A6-2FAA-BA7A-5740-01D0F51AF6AB

Time Awake Since Boot: 2100 seconds

System Integrity Protection: enabled

Crashed Thread:        0  Dispatch queue: com.apple.main-thread

Exception Type:        EXC_CRASH (SIGABRT)
Exception Codes:       0x0000000000000000, 0x0000000000000000
Exception Note:        EXC_CORPSE_NOTIFY

Application Specific Information:
abort() called

Thread 0 Crashed:: Dispatch queue: com.apple.main-thread

Logical CPU:     0
Error Code:      0x00080148
Trap Number:     132

I don't see anything useful here. Is this the entire crash report? (looking for a stack trace - that is the most useful part). Also, try running /Applications/LEGO\ MINDSTORMS\ EV3\ Home\ Edition.app/Contents/MacOS/MindstormsEV3 in a terminal and see if there is any extra output in the terminal.

The crash report was seen by this community as spam and  could not be posted. I removed en reinstalled silverlight and this solved the problem,

Check if you have Silverlight plugin on your mac:

Access your hard drive
Double-click the hard drive icon on your desktop
Find the plugin
Navigate to your Internet Plug-Ins directory: /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/

If installed:

Remove the plugin
Drag any of the following into your trash bin:

Silverlight.plugin

Then dowload and install the Silverlight plugin from here:
https://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/
If not ok remove and reinstall Mindstorms software.

I removed en reinstalled silverlight and this solved the problem, thanks

This solved my problem as well on Mojave... this was driving me crazy. Hanging with nearly every action.


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BAFTA Bob the builder set value?
I have a boxed sealed LEGO set from 2002. I attended the Children's BAFTA dinner, with several celebrities. Each had an exclusive Bob the Builder set as a gift under their seat, which included a LEGO BAFTA trophy and a LEGO Bob the builder scene. Pretty sure it's rare. At the time I also got it signed by Neil Morrisey who does the voice for Bob the Builder. I gave it to my godson. It's still in the attic. Wondered whether it's worth much. Any ideas? Never found it on the Internet.

Just checked. It was 2002

Do you have a picture of the set?

If the set was truly exclusive, the price is subjective.
Chrome-colored stormtrooper minifigures were given out at toys-r-us exclusively for a month or so, and depending on the buyer and seller, the transactions can constitute a trade, a dollar, or anywhere up to 30$.
I would suggest taking the advice of PsyLawn and getting it out onto the market if you wish, but keep in mind that the value most certainly goes up when the number of unopened boxes goes down. The signature might get you an upped price, though!
Thanks for getting the BTB theme song stuck in my head.

For something like this, there will not be a standard price. Really, it would depend more on the number of people looking for this. Post it on ebay, see what you can get.


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Where can I buy bulk DUPLO sized bricks?
I am working on a project where I need LOTS of basic DUPLO sized bricks and/or plates. I need only the simple sizes, 2x2 and 2x4 and possibly 2x6. I do not want any pieces with curves, slopes, decals, etc...
I do not even require them to be LEGO brand. It would be an added benefit if they were, but I really just need to cheapest way to find lots of these pieces.
I would like a source for NEW or LIKE NEW parts. I don't necessarily have to have new parts, but I don't want to mess around with ordering used parts that can have a wide variety of things wrong with them.
I have looked on Bricklink, as they have been an awesome resource for normal sized LEGO parts. However, there just doesn't seem to be much of a supply of DUPLO on there.
Any ideas where to look next?
Perhaps there is a Clone brand that I can order specific parts from?

Duplo is less often stocked than normal LEGO, but this (US) Bricklink store seems to have quite some in stock. You might find other Bricklink stores in different parts of the world that have stock as well.
Another option is looking for the 10622 Duplo Large Creative Box, which was on Black Friday sale at Walmart recently. It can still be found on Amazon and eBay, but contains many "other" kinds of bricks apart from your basic 2x4 and 2x2 bricks. Also, at ~$0.30 per brick (MSRP) this might not be your cheapest option - the Bricklink store I linked earlier has 2x2 bricks for as little as $0.12. Also check out last year's 10557 Duplo Creative Tower - it has more pieces (200 vs 193) and sells for less on Amazon currently.
You can also find bulk lots of Duplo bricks on eBay, such as this one. Price with shipping is still ~$0.30 per brick.
EDIT: Two more options:
1) If you're in North America, go look up a second-hand baby/children's clothing store like Once Upon A Child. I went there today and found several sealed bags and boxes with Duplo blocks. Common price was ~$6 for a bag. It was difficult to see what was in each item, but this might get you something.
2) You can look at Mega Blocks - their large bricks don't interconnect with LEGO or Duplo, but depending on what you are trying to do that might not matter. You could always stack them sideways, or modify them, or even (yikes!) glue LEGO bricks on top to make a connection.

Thanks for trying to help. I also found a few options on Bricklink. But the best case appears to be similar to what you found, 20 pieces here and there. I will need a consistent reliable source of 50 - 100 of the exact same piece at a time. Regarding the boxed sets, there's just too many pieces I don't want in those sets. I'm fine with $.30 / piece, but not when I have to buy 100's of parts I don't want. There's gotta be a way to get the specific parts I want, even if it's from a Clone of some sort...

@Dustin Your best solution may be buying those boxes, then selling off the pieces you don't want. DUPLO doesn't really have clones. Even Megablok's similar product isn't a direct match.

The official Lego site sells individual Duplo and Lego bricks, but they don't make it easy. For Lego it's not too hard, just Shop By Bricks, then Pick a Brick. For Duplo it's less obvious: hover over the Support tab, then click on Replacement parts, then Buy Bricks (for some reason they then ask how old you are; no Duplo to be sold to under 18's, like beer). You can then enter the Set number or Element/design number. I found the Element/design number by first searching the site for Duplo sets (Themes, Duplo), choosing a set and entering the Set number into the Set number bar, then getting the individual Design number for each part of the set I wanted. (Do they want us to buy the stuff or what?) I found the Design number for standard 4X2 Duplo bricks is 3011, for 2X2 it's 3437, for 3X2 it's 87084, and 6X2 is 2300. Individual Brick prices range from about £ .59 to £2.46 depending on design and colour. It took me over an hour to figure this out and buy some bricks. I hope this makes it a lot easier for anyone else. Happy Building!

Perfect! I used 6176 as the set number (an old discontinued set that had a lot of good bricks). No need to enter a part number, it will display all the parts in the set.

https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/replacementparts/sale/choose-brick

Most of the time, best place to obtain LEGO bricks in any shape and colour is Bricklink.

There are always "starter packs" with more of the simplest Duplo bricks available, at the time of the writing of this answer those are the sets #10848 (My First Bricks), #10572 (lego duplo all in one box of fun), and #10887 (Creative Fun).

I don't know what the equivalent in your country is, but I've had a lot of luck with Craigslist in the USA. When my daughter first got interested, I found a table with a TON of bricks for about $100, and I regularly see bulk DUPLO lots in the $30-80 range.

I've had good luck at donation driven places such as The Goodwill, Salvation Army, and thrift stores.


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How do I find a set number without box or instructions?
So my brother found a open bag of a LEGO Chima kit. It had some of the pieces in it. I want to replace the missing pieces but I don't have the box. I tried looking for unique pieces but it didn't seem to have any. I also don't have the instructions.

Choose a brick, the most distinctive the better.
Look for the part number. These are on the underside of plates, or inside bricks. They can be microscopic but every piece had one.
Go to peeron.com. Enter the part number into the search box. A list of all the sets containing that part number should, with luck, come up.
If you need to, repeat with another brick. Because you know it's a Chima set you should be able to deduce the set, set number and parts list fairly quickly. I've done this many times.

Do you have any of the minifigures from the set? That would be the easiest way to identify the set. Other than that, your only option is to look for the most unique looking part and see which sets it appeared in. I know you mentioned none of the parts appear to be unique, but sometimes just a color variation can narrow it down. Anything like wheels, slopes, larger plates can help, as they appear in less sets. Also, you may want to post a picture here of the parts assortment you have, and see if someone can identify the set for you.


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RCX Windows 10?
I am a teacher and I use for years Lego RCX in science and technology . Now that I have Windows Surface Pro 2 , I would like if possible to use my RCX robotics kits on windows 10 ? Is that possible ?

LEGO Education discontinued its direct support for existing users of the RCX at the end of 2009. Have you tried to install the software?

I have successfully used RCX with a USB to Serial converter (hardware) to connect to the tower, and Bricxcc software with Windows 7.  The Bricxcc is free software.
I found that I had to start by upgrading the RCX firmware to
firm0332.lgo: RCX firmware version 3.32.
This version came with the last Robotics sets with the RCX released by LEGO Education. As far as I’m aware , this is the last version ever released by LEGO.
as recommended on the pbrick dot info site.  After that everything went smoothly.  I used nqc for all the programming.
My son built the Minerva robot from the book "The Unofficial Guide to Lego Mindstorms Robots" for a school project and a biped from another book with the RCX.
We didn't try to get the "RCX Code Graphical Programming Environment" working at all.
If what you want is to run the Lego RCX software under Windows 10, I cannot answer that, but you can still use the RCX brick as long as you can access the tower to send code to it.

Don't bother unless you want lots of pain with little results. You can try a windows emulator, either on a Windows or Mac host. I recall parallels on the Mac worked quite well.
It won't work with Linux or Mac Wine very well, though you will have better luck if you have a traditional serial tower with some hosts.
As per the other answer, switch to another environment like BricxCC or NQC or LejOS.

Update in 2020:
The original, "official" Lego software doesn't work on modern Windows.  It was designed for Windows 98, and then abandoned in favor of the NXT ecosystem.  Some people have gotten it to work on Windows XP, with some difficulty, but that's not exactly "modern" either.
So it seems that that software is effectively dead, unless you have a Windows 98 machine to run it on.  Physically or in a virtual machine.

BUT, there is an independent programming environment called BricxCC, which is available to download here, and you can visit the home page here.  The program itself runs just fine on my Windows 10 machine, but it still has some trouble with communication.
The Lego USB tower, like the software, isn't very well supported on modern systems.  There's no official, modern driver for it.
But the serial tower is timeless!  You just have to have a serial port to run it.
(The serial "driver" is built into BricxCC itself just because of how serial ports work in general.  That's one of the few advantages of the old computing idea of having each application run the hardware directly.)
So now we need to get a 9-pin serial port on a modern system.  Yes, Windows 10 still supports it...but it doesn't support all of the USB adapters that there ever were.  Same problem as the Lego USB tower: no driver.  So if you pull a USB to Serial Adapter out of the old-parts drawer, it may or may not work, no fault of the adapter.
You can buy one that IS supported, or you can do like me and flip over to my Linux side (dual-booting is nice!), and see that the same adapter works just fine over there!
And then there's the problem of running BricxCC, which is only made for Windows, on Linux.
Fortunately for that, there's Wine!
Install Wine on Linux by the usual means, and then the BricxCC installer and application run in Wine as if it were Windows.  Not every program works like that, hence the bad reviews for Wine, but this one does, as well as the LDraw tools.
(When the installers ask, I'd install everything, grab some lunch while it runs, and then poke around later to see what the entire package can do.)
And a bit of housekeeping:

You'll need to add yourself to the dialout group in Linux, to make the serial port available to you. (it was originally used for phone modems, and the terminology stuck, hence the name)
You'll need to map a COM port in Wine so that a Windows application can use it.

And now I have a fully-working RCX programming environment on a fully modern system!
(Lubuntu 20.04 LTS)
It's text-based, similar to C, instead of the original drag-and-drop graphical thing that Lego had, but if you're going to advance much past this, you're going to use text-based languages anyway.  (C, Python, Java, etc.)
It does have a template box that you can select from, so you don't have to "just know" what to type.  And the help file is pretty good too.


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Piece to hot air balloon won't fit. Anything I can do?
I am putting together the 41097 hot air balloon with my daughter and there is a red piece that shows a rod should go through however the rod will not go through no matter what we do. There seems to be a stop inside the red piece.

Welcome to Bricks.StackExchange.com! Can you add a picture of either the instruction that doesn't work, or ideally of both the instruction step as well as your actual build? That way we can help you and don't have to guess as to where the issue might be.

My son had the exact same problem with this set at Christmas.

In step 1, you put the red joiner on the axle. In step 2, there is a smaller axle that gets put in the other end. The only clue is that each step shows what parts are needed, so you can see that there is a little axle there that needs to be incorporated.


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Why did LEGO stop selling sets for <1.5 year old (Primo etc)?
LEGO used to make Primo sets and baby toys for 6 month+ babies.
As a parent of a young child the only option I have is Lego Duplo that isn't quite ready for her age.
Are used Lego Primo sets safe for children? I don't get why LEGO only sells toys for children older than 1.5 years. Why did they stop?

I can't comment on why Lego stopped selling Primo. But I can assure you that Duplo is fine for children. The smallest pieces are way too large to choke on, as far as I can tell. Small babies probably don't know how to put the pieces together very well, but that doesn't stop you from building a little house or car or something and letting them play with it.


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What software should I install for NXT on OSX El 10.11.2 Capitan?
Sorry, I am brand new to Mindstorms and a bit overwhelmed. I bought an NXT robot over Christmas and am confused what software I should install. I installed the EV3 software. The bluetooth doesn't work, but the USB does. The sound sensor and object sensor don't appear. Also it says I have to do a firmware update, but it says I can't do it with the EV3 software.
Is the open source software better?

You can try installing the NXT 2.0 software. (See this question)
Here is a working link for the software: http://service.lego.com/en-us/HelpTopics/default.aspx?questionID=2655. Look for "How can I get a replacement for the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT software for set 8547?"
It says that it will not install on OS X 10.10, however, I did successfully install it on 10.10 anyway. I have not tried installing it or running it on OS X 10.11 though.
There are open source alternatives, but the ones I have seen haven't been updated for a long time, so they may have problems running on newer versions of OS X as well.

I was able to get that to install, but it just kept locking up. If I update the firmware will it work with the EV3 software?

If you update the firmware on the NXT, it will work with the EV3 software, but with the limitations that you have seen. Bluetooth won't work and some (many?) sensors won't work. The latest version of NXT firmware is 1.31, so if your NXT already has that version, then just ignore the message about upgrading firmware.

It worked for me by installing the 8527 version (for NXT 1.0) on Mac OSX running El Capitan. It kept giving me an error - looked like it has some flash player dependencies. I removed the process it indicated and continued to install. Did so OK. Afterwards, the program runs fine.

Restarted the mb pro and checked - the software works OK.

Can you provide a few more details on which process you removed - sounds like you have a good solution here. Also, can you provide a link to the 8527 version you mention - this will help others find the right software if they stumble upon the same issue.


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Building instructions: Robot Spider Pen by Ricardo Oliveira
Some time ago I found the following youtube video by Ricardo Oliveira of a small NXT plotter that crawls over a whiteboard. It has two strings that can be shortened through coils and with this, it controls its position on the whiteboard.
Here is a screenshot from the video.

The whole idea behind it is as simple as it is intriguing. I really like it. There is a somewhat more detailed video (thanks to Mr. Shiny for sharing the link) here on youtube.
Nevertheless, could someone who has already recreated it and could they share detailed images (or even better a construction plan)?

I haven't seen any instructions, but here are a BrickPi version and an EV3 version that may give you some inspiration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYG3XGfyVHk, https://www.facebook.com/groups/legomindstorms/permalink/554637794684451/

There is a video which explains a little of what went into building the robot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x0n29MjIi8

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 I have already seen this video and it indeed gives more insight. I still was hoping for someone who rebuilt the model and has really detailed photos. I had some further ideas for the programming and if there was a quick way to get a working and tested model, I would appreciate it.

I thought you might have seen it, that's why I posted it as a comment rather than an answer.

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 I included your link in the description of my question.


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Dichotomous key for identifying / discovering LEGO pieces?
Is there a dichotomous key available for looking up LEGO pieces by progressively answering information about their characteristics?  It doesn't necessarily need to fit the strict definition of a dichotomous key (namely there being only two choices per stage of identification).
For example:

Does it have studs?  Yes
How many sides have studs?  2
How many studs are there total?  6
What color is the piece?  Gray

might yield part number 4277927

Additional characteristics such as estimated date of manufacture or whether a piece is counterfeit may be discerned by applying the same method to non-functional features such as the font of the logo.

s/bump/stud/G :) But I like this idea.

Sounds like we have a volunteer.

Not quite (although it would be a fun project... :-)

Closest thing that I know of is the peeron site - you can use google to search only peeron by adding "site:peeron.com" or you can use the peeron website to find the part.  Start by looking at the part list for a few sets you have (or see for sale) and then when you get used to the terminology you should know how to search for the unknown part.  It lists all sets/years that the part came from, and all colors it is available in, and uses Lego part numbers and set numbers (it ads an extra digit to set numbers that have been reused by Lego)
brickwiki says:
Peeron is a set database with set inventories and an instruction scan repository (PICSL1) run by Dan Boger, with the help of a number of volunteers (Clark Stephens, TWS Garrison and a number of developers).
[ . . . ]
Peeron is one of the three major sources (with BrickLink and LDraw.org) for nomenclature and classification, it maintains a color list, and assigns (in cooperation with LDraw) names and numbers for parts that haven't yet been named.


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What is the special LEGO Movie 1x1 element shown in the Channel 4 documentary 'Inside LEGO at Christmas'?
I recently watched the UK Channel 4 documentary 'Inside LEGO At Christmas' and in it, one of the employees of Bright Bricks showed a tall 1x1 element that he described as a brick that Lego came up with for The Lego Movie set.
It can be viewed on YouTube here @7:17

Is this element included in any commercially available sets?
Is it indexed on Bricklink?

I have done several web searches for other references and also searched Bricklink but have been unable to find any other information about it.

The Piece of Resistance

can be found in 11 sets
bricklink link

The piece that Syberion linked to in his answer isn't entirely correct. While the Piece of Resistance in the LEGO Movie sets is similar to the one seen in the movie, the actual piece didn't have the square hole. (That was used in the sets based on the movie so you didn't need to actually glue the piece to the minifigure!)
It doesn't look like a "real" 1x1x2 piece has been used in any sets yet. 1x1x3 ones have, and obviously 1x1x1 ones, but not the in-between size.

I think the accepted answer is technically correct according to the details of my question since I was trying to identify the actual element shown in the C4 show which did have a hole, as it was the commercial available element. However, I take your point that the actual element from the Movie does not have a hole and is not available in any sets. Thanks for the extra info.

authors: максим алпатов


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Instructions for LEGO bag 135149
Can someone please help me find the instructions for LEGO bag 135149? The bag says 2011 and has a propeller-type brick and a white helmet?   Any clues what this is?

That bag number is the generic item code for the plastic bag only, not for the contents. All LEGO bags (with a few exceptions) will have that item code and 2011 as the year. But, if you post pictures of the bag and its contents, we can help you identify the set it came from.

Is this a polybag or a boxed set? This would make it easier to find the set you are looking for. Although I'm not quite sure what set this, you can always try using letsbuilditagain.com, brickset, brickowl, or lego.com for instructions.

By using the Brickset list of polybags released by Lego in 2011, I think your bag may refer to the following: 30014-1: Police Helicopter.


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Can I change the spec of a MyBlock
If I create my own block (MyBlock) with one param and later discover that I should have used 2 params or different icon or something like that, what do I do?
Is it possible to change the existing definition of a block or do I need to build a fully new block?

Just start a new block with an operation block you won't need, set the proper number of params; select everything in the old MyBlock and paste it into the new, then delete the thing you don't need.


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LEGO Cleaning/Sterilisation
I am just looking to see if anyone knows of a LEGO product that exists that allows you to sterilise your LEGO using your dishwasher.
Thanks

Please take a look at Is it safe to wash LEGO pieces in the dishwasher and LEGO cleaning techniques and tools - In summary: LEGO recommend using a dishwasher or washing machine to clean bricks, and recommend a mild bleach if you want to disinfect them.

There is no LEGO product specifically meant for this, however you can use third-party laundry-bags, or even a pillow-case, to wash your LEGO in the dishwasher or washing-machine. If you use the dishwasher, make sure you use the top-rack, and the water should be luke-warm. You can use mild soap.

I don't know if this is the generally accepted method, but when I cleaned my old pieces, I put them in a washbasin in soapy water and then used a soft toothbrush to clean them off. After that I just air-dried them. Most of the pieces became nice and clean after this but old discoloration and scratches won't go away.
Using hot water (dishwasher or not) and / or hot air may warp the pieces.


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Identify partially built LEGO set
Can anyone help me identify what LEGO set this is from?  My son has it half built and we cannot find the instructions and the bricks have been mixed with his other LEGO.

Are you sure this is all from one set? I cannot seem to find a set that contains both Wedge 6x2 Inverted Left in Light (Bluish) Gray, Wedge 4x2 Sloped Left in White as well as Technic, Brick Modified 2 x 2 with Pin Hole, Rotation Joint Ball Half (Horizontal Top), Rotation Joint Socket in Dark (Bluish) Gray.

Oh and one more observation corroborating my previous statement - even though the picture is of very bad quality, it seems to me that the front part and the two 1x6 bricks in the back are of a different color gray than the rest - which leads me to think that you have a mix of Dark Gray and Dark Bluish Gray in this build, which would not have happened in the same LEGO set.

Based on the different shades of gray and the odd placement of the ball joint, I believe this is not a Lego set. Its more likely that it is something your son made out of his imagination and other Lego pieces.

I personally don't think this is lego. I've seen some of the elements in the pictures in Kre-o battleships sets. Perhaps you can evaluate on that?

These all exist as Lego parts. I see no reason to assume they are not Lego. :/