---
name: "leocad"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "leocad"
version: "26.09-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/leocad"
---

# leocad(1)

CAD program for LEGO models.

## NAME

LeoCAD - CAD program for LEGO models.

## SYNOPSIS

*leocad* \[*OPTIONS*\] \[*INFILE*\]

## DESCRIPTION

*LeoCAD*  is a CAD program for creating virtual LEGO models. It has an easy to use interface and includes thousands of different parts in its library.

## OPTIONS

Below is a summary of all of the options that *LeoCAD* accepts. Many options have two equivalent names, one of which is a single letter preceded by -, and the other of which is a long name preceded by --. Brackets (\[ and \]) indicate that an option takes an optional parameter.

- **infile**

  Loads the project file *infile*

- **-l** *path*, **--libpath** *path*

  *Set the parts library location.*

- **-i** \[*outfile.ext*\], **--image** \[*outfile.ext*\]

  Saves a picture to *outfile.ext*  in the image format specified by *ext* and exits. If outfile is not given then the program will use a name based on *infile*. The file format is selected by *ext* and can be gif, bmp, png or jpg (if *ext* is not present then the default preferences format will be used).

- **-w** *width*, **--width** *width*

  *Sets the width of the picture to width*.

- **-h** *height*, **--height** *height*

  *Sets the height of the picture to height*.

- **-f** *time*, **--from** *time*

  *Start saving pictures at the step time*. Steps start at 1.

- **-t** *time*, **--to** *time*

  *Save pictures until the step time*.

- **-s** *submodel*, **--submodel** *submodel*

  *Sets the active submodel to submodel*.

- **-c** *camera*, **--camera** *camera*

  *Sets the active camera to camera*.

- **-ss** *id*, **--stud-style** *id*

  *Set the stud style. Valid values 0=Plain, 1=Thin Lines Logo, 2=Outline Logo, 3=Sharp Top Logo, 4=Rounded Top Logo, 5=Flattened Logo, 6=High Contrast, 7=High Contrast with Logo.*

- **--viewpoint** front \| back \| left \| right \| top \| bottom \| home

  Sets the viewpoint to one of the predefined view angles.

- **--camera-angles** *latitude* *longitude*

  Set the camera angles in degrees around the model.

- **--camera-position** *x* *y* *z* *tx* *ty* *tz* *ux* *uy* *uz*

  Set the camera position, target and up vector using the *LeoCAD* coordinate system.

- **--camera-position-ldraw** *x* *y* *z* *tx* *ty* *tz* *ux* *uy* *uz*

  Set the camera position, target and up vector using the *LDraw* coordinate system.

- **--orthographic**

  Use an orthographic projection.

- **--fov** *degrees*

  Set the vertical field of view used to render images.

- **--zplanes** *near* *far*

  Set the near and far clipping planes used to render images (1 \<= *near* \< *far*).

- **--fade-steps**

  Render parts from prior steps faded.

- **--no-fade-steps**

  Do not render parts from prior steps faded.

- **--fade-steps-color** *color*

  Color to use for rendering faded parts. (#AARRGGBB where AA, RR, GG, and BB are hexadecimal values for alpha, red, green, and blue respectively.)

- **--highlight**

  Highlight parts in the steps they appear.

- **--no-highlight**

  Do not highlight parts in the steps they appear.

- **--highlight-color** *color*

  Color to use to highlight parts, (#AARRGGBB where AA, RR, GG, and BB are hexadecimal values for alpha, red, green, and blue respectively.)

- **--shading** wireframe \| flat \| default \| full

  Select shading mode for rendering.

- **--line-width** *width*

  Set the width of the edge lines.

- **--aa-samples** *count*

  AntiAliasing sample size (1, 2, 4, or 8).

- **-scc** *#AARRGGBB*, **--stud-cylinder-color** *#AARRGGBB*

  *High contrast stud cylinder color.*

- **-ec** *#AARRGGBB*, **--edge-color** *#AARRGGBB*

  *High contrast edge color.*

- **-bec** *#AARRGGBB*, **--black-edge-color** *#AARRGGBB*

  *High contrast edge color for black parts.*

- **-dec** *#AARRGGBB*, **--dark-edge-color** *#AARRGGBB*

  *High contrast edge color for dark color parts.*

- **-aec, --automate-edge-color**

  **Enable automatically adjusted edge colors.**

- **-cc** *float*, **--color-contrast** *float*

  *Set the near and far clipping planes used to render images (1 \<= near* \< *far*).

- **-ldv** *float*, **--light-dark-value** *float*

  *Set the value to indicate a light or dark color.*

- **-obj** \[*outfile.obj*\]

  Exports the model to wavefront format.

- **-3ds** \[*outfile.3ds*\]

  Exports the model to 3DS format.

- **-dae** \[*outfile.dae*\]

  Exports the model to COLLADA DAE format.

- **-html** \[*path*\]

  Creates an HTML page for the model.

- **-v**, **--version**

  Output version information and exit.

- **-?**, **--help**

  Display a brief usage synopsis and exit.

## ENVIRONMENT

\`\`LEOCAD\_LIB'' may be set to the path of the parts library.

## EXAMPLES

 $ leocad car.lcd -i car.png -w 640 -h 480

This will start LeoCAD, load the file "car.lcd," create a png called "car.png" with a resolution of 640x480 and exit when done.

## FILES

- *~/.config/LeoCAD Software/LeoCAD.conf*

  User preferences file

## BUGS

If you find any bugs please report them at https://github.com/leozide/leocad/issues

## AUTHOR

*LeoCAD* is written by Leonardo Zide \<leozide@gmail.com\>. You can visit the LeoCAD homepage at https://www.leocad.org/

This manual page was originally written by Patrick Mahoney \<pat7@gmx.net\>, for the Debian GNU/Linux system (but may be used by others). It has since been edited by others.