bltools

New year it is, so let's start with something new.

New software for hardcore Lego builders: bltools.
http://code.google.com/p/bltools

With bltools you can process a Lego Digital Designer file and convert it into BrickLink orders. It may be especially useful since Lego will stop DesignByMe (the service to order bricks from within LDD) as of January 16.

bltools fetches the list of shops from Bricklink, optimizes the orders and exports them in BrickLink wanted list XML format.

Some remarks:

• It needs Python, GLPK and knowing the command line
• Since it is in Python, it runs on Windows, Mac and Linux and probably everything else
• It may run for a long time and not necessarily produce the best possible result

But I have used it and it worked.