New Oct-27-2020 v4 beta now available at https://moi3d.com/beta.htm .

This should be the last v4 beta unless any new bugs pop up. The only remaining area for finishing v4 is to update the documentation.


New stuff:

Implemented dimension output to PDF/AI formats.

Loosen cplane projection behavior for dimensions. Projection to the cplane is now a checkbox option inside the dim commands. When turned off you can now do things like pick the first point in the 3D view and then the next point in an ortho view instead of all points being projected to the cplane of the first pick (which can still be enabled by the Project to cplane checkbox option). You can also now create a linear dimension going in the z-axis direction in the 3D view.

Lightweight conics for PDF/AI export - Use specialized fitter for circles, arcs, ellipses and elliptical arcs to make a
lighter weight control point structure. Can be disabled by a setting in moi.ini, add in an entry under [AI/PDF Export] :
[AI/PDF Export] UseLightweightConics=n

Update dimension grid snap. Fix bug where grid snap was snapping to a displaced grid if the initial picked point was not on a grid point. Fixes bug reported in the forum by Larry here:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=9942.117

64-bit 3DM file output - switch to Rhino v5 3DM output by default and fixed a bug to allow 3DM files sizes greater than 2GB. Also added a moi.ini option to control the default 3DM version:
[3DM] Version= Can be set to Version=4 to make Rhino v4 3DM output which was what MoI v3 used.

Update FBX default version. Update default FBX file version to 2013/7.3/7300 since Blender does not support 2010/6.1/6100 .

PDF/AI export - Fix bug with "Preserve units" + "Center on page" option. Fixes a bug reported on the forum by David here:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=9942.46

Update DXF spline import - handle DXF output from CorelDRAW with duplicated points. Fixes DXF import problems reported on the forum here:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=9946.1

Fixed an infinite loop bug in Qt when showing popup windows in a certain order.

Update curve control point editing - maintain analytic curves. When doing control point editing on multi segment
curves, maintain analytic curve types for segments that are not affected by the current control point selection.

Updated Esc key handling. If there is a waitable object that has called allowNestedCancel(), don't make Esc cancel the entire command.
This should give equivalent behavior for command flow whether clicking on tthe "Cancel" button or using Esc.
Fixes a problem reported in the forum by Larry here:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=9918.1

Update color picker dialog - fix dialog size shifting when using "Pick Screen Color" button.
Fixes a bug reported by Wayne on the forum here:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=9942.102

Updated SubD import library with fixes for a couple of remaining crash cases when processing malformed mesh topology.

Update IGES/STEP output - option for not generating output as an assembly structure. Can be set in moi.ini for IGES or STEP output under:
[IGES] ExportFlattenAssemblies=y
[STEP] ExportFlattenAssemblies=y
Set to =y to generate output without assembly structures same as V3. Should fix problem with exporting to Condacam reported by Joerg in the forum here:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=9942.105

Scroll bar bug fix - Update Qt webkit to fix bug when dragging scroll bar and releasing mouse outside window resetting scroll position to top. Fixes a bug reported by Frederick on the forum here:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=9995.1

Fix edge selection bug after boolean union in areas where planes were merged together. Fixes a bug reported in e-mail by Pilou.

Update IncrementalSave - Maintain leading 0 padding in current filename, so File_0020.3dm for example will make File_0021.3dm instead of just File_21.3dm as it previously did.

Add Align option to Draw solid > Text command. Requested by Stefano in the forum here:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=9942.99

Add option for showing annotations in a specific color instead of by style color. In moi.ini under the [View] section:
AnnotationColorMode=ByStyle
AnnotationFixedColor=0,0,0
The color mode can be either ByStyle or FixedColor. If set to AnnotationColorMode=FixedColor then they will show using the from AnnotationFixedColor=R,G,B (each with a value from 0 to 255).
Requested by Stefano in the forum here:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=9950.1

Add Value: property to Details... properties dialog for dimensions for copying value to the clipboard. Requested by Mindset in the forum here:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=6925.570

Add option in moi.ini for not limiting Options > View > Meshing parameters > "Mesh angle" value:
[View]
NoMeshAngleLimit=y


Scripting:

Add moi.ui.getLastOrientationPickerFrame() - returns the coordinate frame that was picked with the last OrientationPicker.

Update startup scripts - call startup scripts after first UI panel layout has been completed so things like the side pane tabs can be manipulated by the script.


- Michael

This one is a big milestone because for the first time in 5 years my "todo" list of things for finishing up the v4 software is empty!

The next stage will be a "feature freeze" period where I won't be adding in any new features and only focusing on any new bugs that might have crept in, and updating the documentation.

- Michael

Downloaded French version in wip :)

PS Done : was some easy this time! :)
https://moiscript.weebly.com

News in French too! https://moiscript.weebly.com/v4-quoi-de-neuf.html

> This one is a big milestone because for the first time in 5 years my "todo" list of things for finishing up the v4 software is empty!

CONGRATULATIONS Michael!!

--Larry

Thats a huge amount of work for your team ! :)

Congratulations on committing to make such an effective software, on working that hard on aspects that doesn't necessarly shows but makes the user focus on where to go instead of how to drive.

Marc

> Update startup scripts - call startup scripts after first UI panel layout has been
> completed so things like the side pane tabs can be manipulated by the script.

Well, I don't want to sound ungrateful, but I note that the behavior of SeparateSidePanePalettes.js (http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=9439.3) has changed, likely due to the above change. Upon launch the palettes are all open, but the behavior returns to normal (2 palettes open) as soon as the first command begins to execute.

--Larry

Epic work Michael, congrats on the empty TODO must be nice feeling after so long.
All the best!

Hi Larry, re: SeparateSidePanePalettes.js different behavior, please try the attached version which has a slight adjustment. Does it behave better?

It looks like there might be some slight differences in when the first UI layout happens on Mac versus Windows, I'll investigate that.

I made this change so that the script from this thread could work ok:
http://moi3d.com/forum/messages.php?webtag=MOI&msg=6925.554

That one was trying to just set a different tab to be active. It's easier for something like that to work when it's run after the UI has been all positioned already instead of before the initial layout. It was originally intended for the startup scripts to run after the initial layout but Qt was delaying the initial window sizing in a way I didn't expect so on Windows anyway it was running the startup scripts slightly earlier in the startup process than I had thought, making some UI adjustments more difficult to do.

Another thing that I was thinking of is that maybe there should be a way to mark a startup script with some kind of label in its first line so it could declare when it wants to run.

Anyway, please let me know if the adjusted script doesn't fix the behavior. If there are any other side effects from it I may roll back this change.

- Michael

Thank you Michael.
It took just a very few minutes to download and install.

- Brian

Thanks Larry & Marc & Mark! :)

- Michael

By the way it would be great to see some example PDF output with dimensions in them. If you generate some to test it please post the PDFs here.

I'm tired of seeing my same test cases hundreds of times... :)

Thanks, - Michael

Hi Michael,

Confirming that the new version now works as it used to with just two palettes open upon application launch. Thanks!

> Another thing that I was thinking of is that maybe there should be a way to mark a startup
> script with some kind of label in its first line so it could declare when it wants to run.

Interesting idea. I haven't had cause to tinker with the startup scripts, but could imagine there is a use-case for allowing an ordering mechanism. Might be a bit interesting to make it generalized though: would users have to either edit that first line or perhaps rename files, either way seems to make it more challenging to support.

--Larry

Works great!

Thank you, Michael.

- Marek


> By the way it would be great to see some example PDF output with dimensions in them. If you generate some to test it please post the PDFs here.

>I'm tired of seeing my same test cases hundreds of times... :)

> Thanks, - Michael

Hello,

I have a problem with this version as well as the previous one.
After creating objects (circle, rectangle, curve...), I can't select them with the mouse click.
On the other hand, if I create a volume (sphere, cube...), I can select it. But I can only select or deselect this object wherever I click with the mouse.

Thank you in advance.

With regard to the leaders, I wonder if it would make sense to have a gap that is similar to the extension gap, but used to offset the arrow tip from the object? Being able to have a controllable gap there would serve the same purpose as the extension gap: to visually separate the annotation from the object it refers to. As I've been working with the leaders, I've often wished that I could have a little gap between the object and the leader's arrow tip.

--Larry

@ Marek - thanks for posting the PDF, looks great!

- Michael

Hi Dan,

re:
> I have a problem with this version as well as the previous one.
> After creating objects (circle, rectangle, curve...), I can't select them with the mouse click.
> On the other hand, if I create a volume (sphere, cube...), I can select it. But I can only select or deselect this object wherever I click with the mouse.

Can you please follow up with me through e-mail at moi@moi3d.com and let me know what operating system you are running on?

Thanks, - Michael

Hi Larry,

re:
> With regard to the leaders, I wonder if it would make sense to have a gap that is similar to
> the extension gap, but used to offset the arrow tip from the object? Being able to have a
> controllable gap there would serve the same purpose as the extension gap: to visually
> separate the annotation from the object it refers to. As I've been working with the leaders,
> I've often wished that I could have a little gap between the object and the leader's arrow tip.

There is actually an "Arrow gap" setting for that which doesn't have an entry in the UI yet because I have been waiting to see if anyone needed it or whether I could get rid of it. The reason why I wanted to get rid of it is that it will make some other future options like spline curve leaders a lot more difficult with the spline needing to be clipped.

You can turn it on by script right now though, if you select a leader and run this script it will set it:

For annotations with "Scaling: By screen size":

script: moi.geometryDatabase.getSelectedObjects().getAnnotations().setProperty( 'arrowGap', 7.0 );

For annotations with "Scaling: By model units":

script: moi.geometryDatabase.getSelectedObjects().getAnnotations().setProperty( 'arrowGapModelUnits', 0.2 );

It works on all annotation types that have arrows: linear dims, radial dims, angular dims, and leaders.

If you're generating some PDF output with leaders and/or dims I'd love to see some example PDF files!

Maybe instead of clipping a spline curve leader I could shove the end control point of the spline over to the base of the arrowhead that might be easier to have those co-exist in v5.

- Michael

@Larry,

re:
> Interesting idea. I haven't had cause to tinker with the startup scripts, but could imagine there
> is a use-case for allowing an ordering mechanism. Might be a bit interesting to make it
> generalized though: would users have to either edit that first line or perhaps rename files,
> either way seems to make it more challenging to support.

It wouldn't be something for users to edit really, it would be for the author of the script to use when making the script. Like maybe some script that wants to totally replace the UI would work more smoothly if it ran early on in the startup process so it wouldn't need to load the regular UI and then throw it away. While some other script that wanted to make a minor modification to the UI would work better if the regular UI was all finished being set up.

Some other possibilities might be that it could say "run after a file is loaded", "run before shutdown", stuff like that.

At any rate, it was intended that the current startup scripts should run after the UI is set up but right before the window is actually displayed, so that they could modify things without stuff visibly shifting or flickering on screen. But while trying to do this script over here: http://moi3d.com/forum/messages.php?webtag=MOI&msg=6925.554 I discovered that they were running a little earlier than I thought (at least on Windows), it was happening after the UI content was finished loading but before the main window had been sized. It's a little difficult for a script to modify some elements of the UI at that point with other parts of the startup process like the initial UI panel layout still coming after that.

It also appears that with the previous way there was some difference in the state of the app between Windows and Mac at the time the startup scripts ran so that's not good. I need to look at this a little more to make sure.

- Michael

Top work Michael, thanking you for all your great improvements!
Cheers Stefano