These release notes describe and illustrate the features
of this latest release of Deep Exploration CAD and Standard Editions.
They address any issues not discussed in the Help reference or Readme
documentation and they include information regarding installation.
Please note that this document may be updated as more
information becomes available.
Support for opening and viewing Hewlett Packard
Graphics Language (.hpgl) files.
Improved support for importing and exporting
Google SketchUp files (.skp).
Support for SolidWorks 2007 files.
Support for double precision output for Wavefront
object export (.obj).
Ability to convert billboard style callouts to
the vectorized equivalent, creating a seperate object for each callout
in the partslist.
Improved support for the 3ds Max DCOM plugin,
includes new import and export options.
Version 4.1.20
CAD Edition Only
Support for JT XML hierarchy with PMI data using the Legacy method.
PMI support for CATIA 4 files using Method A.
Support for SDRC files version R12 using Method A.
Support for .sat files version R16 using Method A.
Support for configuration in SolidWorks files using Method A.
WildFire 3.0 support for Pro/Engineer files using Method A.
NX4 support for Unigraphics files using Method A.
PMI statistics can be displayed via the Information bar. This is useful for seeing the number of model views, lines and vertices contained within the file that are used by the PMI Module.
Standard and CAD Editions
Support for viewing, importing and saving AutoCAD Design Web Format (.dwf) files.
Support for viewing and importing AutoCAD Sheet Set (.dst) files.
Support for viewing SolidWorks Drawing (.slddrw) files using the Legacy method. Note that configuration is added as model views.
NX4 support for Unigraphics files using both the Legacy method.
You can now copy objects without sharing the mesh using CTRL+ALT+Move, Rotate, or Scale.
Improvements have been made for importing and exporting to the .dwg and .dxf formats.
Line styles are supported in the display renderers.
The name of the current part, assembly, or object instance that is being loaded is displayed in the status bar.
Updated Legacy readers.
Configuration support for JT files.
JT Module
Support for saving to the .jt format via the JT Module.
Fixed
Version 4.1.28
CAD and Standard Edition
Customers with Athlon or old computers are
now able to open 3D images (this is a fix to drvSoft.x3d).
Increased precision when converting models,
from .flt to .obj, with large coordinates.
Google SketchUp files can now be loaded on
machines with the Win2000 operating system.
Step views can be reordered using 'drag and
drop' functionality.
Rotating and panning a Google SketchUp file
(.skp) now functions correctly.
Version 4.1.20
CAD Edition Only
The issue where the Method A import dialog
was displaying when importing various files has been fixed. There
are now two import commands displayed if more than one method can
be used to import the file; using the
CAD Edition import options, or using the related Module import options.
For example, ProENGINEER files.
PMI data:
Location of markups are now displayed
correctly.
Markups now display with borders.
Arrow heads for dimension leaders now
display correctly.
Text is now saved as a single line (except
GDT symbols), ensuring file size remains small.
Leader lines now end at the correct position,
relative to the text.
PMI data is now displayed correctly after
installation of the PMI and JT modules.
Opening large JT files with PMI takes
less time and space.
Vector Illustration:
All SVG hotspots are highlighted for
duplicate parts when saving to the .svg format.
Vector renders now display correctly
when saving to the .eps format.
Using callouts in the viewport now functions
correctly when saving to the .svg format.
Callout leaders and arrows are no longer
hidden when the 'Always on top' callout setting option is selected
and you render a scene.
Leader lines of part ID callouts are
rendered even if the 'Include callouts' option is not selected.
The BOM list in vector illustrations
now matches the parts list created via the Parts panel.
Part numbers and BOM list are no longer
lost when you save to the .cgm format
with callouts.
Instances are now rendered correctly
when saving to the .svg format.
PMI data for CATIA 5 files is now positioned
correctly using Method A.
Opening Pro/E parts using Method A now functions
correctly.
UV mapping now functions correctly.
Clearing the Realight 'Round size to a power
of two' option now functions correctly for Realight maps.
Importing GD&T data now functions correctly.
Adding Realight to large file, now functions
correctly for Windows XP Professional SP2 and Windows 2000 Professional
SP4.
The 'Remove Internal Parts' option to remove
hidden polygons has been taken out.
CATIA files now open without twisted geometry
Method A.
The issue where certain CATIA 5 files did
not open using Method A is now fixed.
The issue where certain .asm version 2001
files did not open using Method A is now fixed.
Standard and CAD Editions
JT files:
Markup text can now be imported.
Opening large files with PMI no longer
creates a memory allocation failure.
JT files now display the correct icons.
SRDC files:
Extra (empty) top-level nodes are not
longer created when importing SDRC models.
Empty nodes with duplicated part numbers
are not longer created when importing SDRC assemblies.
Tessellation is now functioning correctly:
Imported objects no longer have missing
faces.
Polygons are no longer displaced.
Vertices are no longer misplaced
on surfaces.
U3D file format:
Zooming into a .u3d scene now functions
correctly.
Rotating .u3d file scenes no longer rotates
around the camera when the default camera is active.
The .u3d export 'Rescale animation percentage'
option default is now 100%.
Saving to the .u3d format:
Animation now displays correctly
in the saved .u3d file.
Import and export settings dialog
now displays correctly.
Appending data now functions correctly.
Parts are now shown in their correct
place.
When saving a .rh file with pre-defined
steps to the .u3d format, step 1 is now the default.
When saving a file with an exploded
animation to the .u3d format, the animation is no longer
rewound to the first frame.
Saving an animation now functions
correctly.
Callouts:
Callouts now have a global setting for
font properties in the Callout
Settings > Color dialog.
Callout label names now display correctly.
The Export Callouts > Save As dialog
> Save as type drop-down list has been updated.
Name changes in the Parts list are now
automatically reflected in callouts.
Setting callouts to the oval style with
a scene that has a background image, now functions correctly.
Clicking 'Draw Callouts' when they are
being updated interactively, now functions correctly.
When setting 'text only' callouts, the
leader line does not now overlap the text.
Moving callouts with the Screen Coordinate
system selected, now functions correctly.
Repositioning of callouts now displays
correctly.
Label width when positioning part name
callouts now functions correctly.
Callout leader arrows and numbering placement
for screen and vector output has been updated.
Callout numbers in .rh files display
correctly when saved to .u3d format.
Drawing callouts after creating copy/instance
of an object, now functions correctly.
It is now possible to resize columns
in the Parts list.
Animation:
Animation end values are no longer being
multiplied by the FPS value.
The 'Save Frames' option now saves each
frame of an animation to a file.
Animation and camera roll now functions
correctly.
Animation keyframes now display correctly.
Animated sequences in a step now function
correctly.
Saving a file with animated transparency
now functions correctly.
SKI data elements (*skd / *ski) are now loaded
correctly for CATIA files.
Illustration
default values have been updated.
All preset views now display correctly.
The toolbar button has been updated when
in 'Slide Show' mode.
Renderer > Auto Fly-Around: The preview
has been updated to match the exported file.
The Material Properties > Usage tab >
Object Properties link now functions correctly.
The 'Grid position' option has been removed
from the Scene Properties dialog.
The 'Save in' option for geometry file conversion
now uses the currently selected folder.
Certain material properties are not supported
by the .asc format and as such, are disabled in the export settings.
Generating thumbnails that include text files
now functions normally.
Setting the ambient color of materials when
exporting to VRML now functions correctly.
You can now resize columns in the Parts list
when displaying more than 1000 parts.
Clicking a material in the Materials list
now selects the objects that are associated with the material in
the viewport.
Materials are no longer applied to sub-objects
if those sub-objects are not selected.
Saving a file in Deep Exploration after removing
internal parts now functions correctly.
When viewing Maya files and selecting a pre-defined
user view with perspective, the scene is is now displayed the viewport.
The 'Actual Size' tool has been updated to
'Standard View'.
After opening a file and pressing the F3
key (size), moving the slider left and right now selects the smallest
to the largest item.
The no printer connection issue has now been
resolved.
When opening .max files, all .tga textures
now load correctly.
Selecting a group from the 'Scene tree' window
when creating a layer, now functions correctly.
Zooming into 2D files with the mouse wheel
now functions correctly.
When scrolling the Scene tree horizontally
when nodes are expanded, everything now remains left aligned.
Auto fly-around with the raytracer renderer
now functions correctly.
Objects are no longer hidden after 'healing'
objects.
The Deep Exploration installer now gets the
correct name from the system environment variables in order to work
with foreign language operating systems.
The Start menu entry display now functions
correctly for Deep Exploration when installed on German Windows
XP.
The auto-correct view orientation, shadow
and grid for CATIA 5 files now functions correctly.
The default font size for a markup now displays
correctly.
The versions/notes and supported/limitations
for the CAD file formats have been updated.
All material names are saved when exporting
to the DirectX Model format (.x).
The default font size for Teamwork markups,
now displays correctly.
LightWave scenes now save with animation
and textures to the DirectX Model format (.x) both ASCII and binary.
The Help menu 'Module Information' link has
been updated.
DXF files are now rendered correctly in Deep
Exploration.
Scenes that include RH-style markups can
now be seen correctly when saved in the .dxf format.
Part names are now displayed correctly when
importing CAD data.
CTRL+ALT+Move now functions correctly when
used on primitives.
RHXML export now displays the 'Save 3D File'
progress dialog.
Icons now display correctly in the File list.
Rotation of X Y Z, now functions correctly
when importing .dwg files.
DWF files no longer fail on opening when
the render mode is set to any kind of bounding box.
2D raster markups now display correctly.
Concave edges are now displayed correctly
in software renderer Illustration mode.
Copying character primitives now functions
correctly.
All objects export correctly when saving
to the .pdf format.
Rotating pivot points now function correctly.
SolidWorks file extensions now display correctly
in the Plugin Manager.
Known Issues
Version 4.1.28
Google SketchUp:
- Export does not support animation.
- Some files may exhibit poor tessellation on export .
- Exporting scenes with markups to the Google SketchUp format may
be problematic.
Vectorization of callouts:
- Perform this process as a last step when callouts are in the desired
position, before publishing to PDF.
- Vectorizing can be 'undone' by selecting Undo from the menu or
pressing Ctrl+Z.
- If the scene is saved after vectorization, callouts will be saved
to the scene as meshes.
Version 4.1.20
CAD Edition Only
For best results when saving .rh files that
include Realight maps, you should choose to convert textures to
the Portable Network Graphics format (.png) to avoid JPG artifacts
in shadow maps. (File > Save As > Right Hemisphere Binary
> Settings > Texture Maps tab).
Standard and CAD Editions
DWF:
DWF font import (these issues will be
addressed in subsequent versions):
Currently DWF font import is limited
by the fonts that are installed on the computer, so results
can vary.
Standard Windows font selection is
used; a substitute such as Arial will be used if the original
can not be found.
Inappropriate font selections may
be made where the original font was designated a 'symbol'
font. Importing text as character primitives will retain
font information in .rh files, but will still result in
poor character spacing.
No DWF file will be produced if there
are 'external' material references when exporting to DWF.
A restricted condition for DWF 2D export
means that all model views must be 'orthogonal' and viewed from
the 'top'. Files will now export as 3D only. Coding bitmap rendering
will be in the next release.
DirectX:
Version 8.0 does not support line styles
at this time
Version 9.0 does not support Illustration
or wireframe line thickness greater than 1px.
Currently, you cannot export callouts, sprites,
or textures when saving .dwf files. This will be addressed in a
later version.
A file stream error on 'pictures.dat' is
displayed when opening Deep Exploration 4 while Deep Exploration
3.5 is open.
An issue arises with the 3DS MAX DCOM plugin
when using .max files with Deep Exploration 3.5 and Adobe Acrobat
3D Toolkit. To resolve this manually, close Deep Exploration when
the error displays. Restart the same version of Deep Exploration
and try to open the .max file again. This time it says the plugin
is not installed; you can now go through the process again to install
it, and it should now function correctly.
Object diameters appear not to function when
using certain values.
An issue arises when displaying images in
the viewport with certain graphics cards, and in particular specific
versions of video card drivers. Ensure that the latest versions
of all graphics card drivers are installed.
ASC files do not support materials, only
face colors, so material lists cannot be preserved.
VRML files support only a single value for
ambient color. If the value specified in the 'Set ambient color
to' field is not 'gray' then the RGB values will be averaged before
being written to the VRML file.
The color pallet has the wrong color selected
if the color is a custom color; this is an issue with the Microsoft
Windows dialog.
Deep Exploration installation/uninstallation
on a clean Windows 2000 computer, has Start menu items in the wrong
order. Please refer to this link: 'http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q177482/'
on initial installation. The issue will resolve itself the next
time the computer is started.
When creating a layer from a group in the
Scene tree, you can right-click and select 'Select Sub-Objects'
to select objects in the group.
The text does not wrap in the markup box
when displaying .dxf output with markups.
On certain computers, after opening a SketchUp
file and then closing and reopening Deep Exploration, Deep Exploration
is unable to load the SketchUp library again until the 'C:\Program
Files\Right Hemisphere\Deep Exploration 4\Plugins\$cache$.$p$' file
is deleted.
If a DWG scene opens with no faces displayed,
you should set the 'Model shading' import option to 'Gouraud shading'
. If the materials do not display correctly, try changing the 'Dark
background palette' value to change how the material colors are
interpreted.
Timeline > Track Properties for rotation
tracks:
The Linear Interpolation and TCB Interpolation
are both inactive.
The Linear Interpolation option displays
a selected 'dot', because it is the only interpolation type
currently available for rotation animations.
System Requirements
Minimum
Windows 2000 SP4 operating system.
Pentium III 266 processor or higher.
128MB of RAM (more for large model and texture
sizes).
Microsoft DirectX, version 8.
Internet Exploration 6.0.
Graphics card capable of displaying 24-bit
color.
Pixel and vertex shader support on graphics
card.
Shaders located in the Shaders folder.
3D hardware accelerator video card.
Recommended
Windows XP operating system.
Pentium III 733 processor or higher.
256MB of RAM (more for large model and texture
sizes).
Microsoft DirectX, version 9.
3D hardware accelerator video card with 128MB
of RAM.
Note: Please ensure that the latest versions
of all graphics cards drivers are installed.
Additional
An Internet connection is required for 3D Web
searches and Cortex updates.
To view and save Maya files, a copy of Maya
must be installed.
To view and save max files, a copy of 3ds Max
must be installed.
Installation
Before installing Deep Exploration, we advise closing
all applications.
Help
The Help reference information is available from the
Deep Exploration menu and by pressing F1 on your keyboard within Deep
Exploration.
Product Versions
The version number scheme is 1.2.3.4567 where:
1 = Major version indicator. This would be incremented
for a major release.
2 = Minor release that indicates new feature release between major
releases.
3 = Indicates a patch that includes fixes only.
4567 = Build number as an identification of the build
that is released.
