Hi Michael,

While I have not personally tested it, seemingly whether by ADO or OLE DB, the Database Connection can be hosted by the JavaScript interpreter.
https://www.google.com/#q=ole+db+javascript
https://www.google.com/#q=connect+html+page+to+sql+server+database+using+javascript

Does anyone on the forum have direct experience with this?

Maybe your V4 could expose the objects' unique UUID and provide a method that uses it as a parameter to select the object.
Because SQL Server has a hierarchy data type, grouping could be managed externally.
Of course SQL naturally treats all data as Boolean sets.
I would be willing to help with the SQL code, i.e. Stored Procedures, etc..

-- MindSet

Hi Mindset,

re:
> Maybe your V4 could expose the objects' unique UUID and provide a method that uses
> it as a parameter to select the object.

This is actually possible in v3 currently - in script there's an .id property on objects that returns the object's UUID in string form.

The reverse way to look up an object given the UUID is provided by the findObject() method on moi.geometryDatabase, it's used like this:
var obj = moi.geometryDatabase.findObject( id );

- Michael

Yea Michael,

I'll give it a try and report back!!

Thanks,
-- MindSet

Hi Michael.

What's the compatibility degree of the upcoming V4 with the current latest V3 ?

More in depth :

1) Scripts.
The new API core (if there is a new one) will be backward compatible with the current API ?
All the Scripts written for V3 will continue to work properly on V4 ?

2) .3dm file format
Moi V4 will use by default the Rhino 5 format instead of Rhino 4 ?

3) Html files.
The new V4 will accept all custom html files used to customize V3's UI ?

4) Shortcuts
Can I use with V4 all the hotkey setup that I currently use for V3 ?

Thanks a lot and have a nice day.

Hi Marco, it is intended that MoI v4 will have a high amount of compatibility with v3. The main thing that you'll have to watch out for is UI customizations. The v4 UI can be customized similarly as v3 but the structure of the UI is slightly different since v3 used an older version of the WebKit flexbox for arranging things and v4 uses the newer standardized flexbox. It's only pretty slight differences but you'll generally need to merge any UI customizations into the new v4 structure rather than just copying the entire v3 .htm UI files (like SidePane.htm and CommandBar.htm) over directly.


For your specific points:

> 1) Scripts.
> The new API core (if there is a new one) will be backward compatible with the current API ?
> All the Scripts written for V3 will continue to work properly on V4 ?

There is a new implementation for the internal bridging between C++ code and script, but it presents all the same properties and object model as v3 so in general V3 scripts should run in V4. There may be some differences from in how exceptions are thrown for errors in a couple of spots and so it's possible that a few scripts may need slight adjustments to a couple of lines of code (or I'll tune up the engine behavior to make it compatible) but I think that will be pretty rare.

The threading model for scripts is different in v4, in v4 command scripts will run on the main thread rather than running in moi_commandprocessor.exe and doing interprocess communication. This should be for the most part be transparent to script but also may be a source of slight differences for how exceptions are thrown.


> 2) .3dm file format
> Moi V4 will use by default the Rhino 5 format instead of Rhino 4 ?

No, this is the same as MoI v3. It will save to Rhino 5 format if you have opened a Rhino 5 .3dm file. If you have made a new file in MoI then it's saved as a Rhino 4 file.


> 3) Html files.
> The new V4 will accept all custom html files used to customize V3's UI ?

This is the area where you'll have to watch out - the V4 html files are slightly different from v3 and so you can't just copy an entire customized v3 UI in place of the v4 UI files, you'll need to merge your changes into the new v4 structure. The same thing applied to the transition from V2 to V3 and will probably continue to be the case between major versions until I'm able to make it more modularized.


> 4) Shortcuts
> Can I use with V4 all the hotkey setup that I currently use for V3 ?

Yup, this should be directly compatible. Moi v4 will use the same moi.ini file as v3 and so your shortcuts should just be there and work the same. In v4 the shortcut keys section of the Options dialog has been tuned up so that when you add in a new shortcut key you define it by pressing the actual key combo instead of typing in text like "Ctrl+A".

- Michael

Hi Michael.

Perfect! Thank you very much for these such detailed info.

I stay tuned. Have a nice day.

Unless I'm missing this feature or procedure somewhere. ;-)

Hi Mike, I just recently made a Distribute plug-in to do that, please give this a try:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=8503.13

- Michael

Thank you Michael!
This option was so needed. :-)

Michael,

Once again sincerest Thank You for your quietly cultivated jewel of a software.

I haven't waded through the waste deep list of demands on your time for a while but after doing some serious 3 fingered rotating on a recent train trip I was yearning for a saved camera angle option to pop between critical angles...I know someone must have said it, but nontheless.

Back to yelling insanely at Fusion users to drop-the-zero-and-get-with-the-MoI-hero for me,

- Rich

Hi Rich, it will only save and restore views within a single session but maybe the save/restore view scripts from here would be useful for you now:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=2891.7

- Michael

Brill thanks Michael! [insert feature into v4 here]

- Rich

Didn't read the entire thread but I'd like to ask for as powerful and or advanced drawing tools as possible. I couldn't tell you what exactly that is but anything that would lead to accuracy and productivity enhancements (removing laborious tasks). Love the program!

Hi when will you publish moi3d v4? Do you have a release date

Hi ercan2423, sorry I don't know a release date quite yet. I'm still in the process right now of working on the viewport display part. Once that is functioning well I will release the first v4 beta release and that will start the beta test process. Then there will be a beta test period for a while after that, anything like 6 to 12 months, before the final release will be ready.

So not too much longer for the first v4 beta release but the final v4 release is still a ways out.

- Michael

Thank you for your information. v4 Curiously wait...

Michael,

Here is some info on Lightwave instancing http://static.lightwave3d.com/sdk/11-6/html/globals/iteminstancing.html

-s

Hi Scooter,

re:
> Here is some info on Lightwave instancing http://static.lightwave3d.com/sdk/11-6/html/globals/iteminstancing.htm

Thanks, but unfortunately that's all information about Lightwave's runtime API for instancing, like function calls that a Lightwave plugin can call. I don't see any information there about how instances are stored in a LWO file which is what I would need.

- Michael

That's too bad Michael.
Was wondering why you hadn't referred to the 11-6 sdk previously.
Know I know why.

Perhaps you are better off using Collada or GLTF.
Both developments of the Kronos Group.

Best of luck with the new release of MOI V4.

-s