Release Notes

Review what bugs were fixed on our Fixed Bugs List.

Visit our Developer Support page to familiarize yourself with support procedures, including deprecated functionality.

HOOPS Communicator 2022 SP2 U1

HOOPS Communicator 2022 SP2 U1 is based on HOOPS Visualize HPS 2022 SP2 U1, HOOPS Exchange 2022 SP2 U1, and HOOPS Publish 2022 SP2 U1.

Enhancements

There is a new function called setInitialCamera which sets the initial camera view without changing the current camera. After calling this function and calling the reset function (or using the home button in the UI), the camera should reflect the new initial camera.

CameraTurntableOperator can now be constrained to an arbitrary axis of rotation.

Zoom speed can now be controlled when CameraZoomOperator uses the dolly mode.

BCFComponents now have associated node ids.

BCFViewpoint objects now preserve color changes.

Functional changes

Libmicrohttpd has been removed as a 3rd-party dependency.

HOOPS Communicator 2022 SP2

HOOPS Communicator 2022 SP2 is based on HOOPS Visualize HPS 2022 SP2, HOOPS Exchange 2022 SP2, and HOOPS Publish 2022 SP2.

Enhancements

Support for 3DConnexion Space Mouse is now available. Native navigation modes currently supported include Object, Camera, Target Camera and Helicopter. This hardware requires separate installation of 3DConnexion drivers available for download at https://3dconnexion.com/us/drivers-application/3dxware-10/.

Navisworks NWD files are now supported.

HOOPS Communicator 2022 SP1 U2

HOOPS Communicator 2022 SP1 U2 is based on HOOPS Visualize HPS 2022 SP1, HOOPS Exchange 2022 SP1 U1, and HOOPS Publish 2022 SP1 U1.

Functional Changes

HOOPS Communicator SP1 U2 fixes a critical issue related to license key expiration in the 2022 release stream. All partners currently using any previous 2022 version are encouraged to upgrade to 2022 SP1 U2.

HOOPS Communicator 2022 SP1 U1

HOOPS Communicator 2022 SP1 U1 is based on HOOPS Visualize HPS 2022 SP1, HOOPS Exchange 2022 SP1 U1, and HOOPS Publish 2022 SP1 U1.

Functional Changes

The legacy Java and C# SC server applications and their respective APIs have been removed from the product.

HOOPS Communicator 2022 SP1

HOOPS Communicator 2022 SP1 is based on HOOPS Visualize HPS 2022 SP1, HOOPS Exchange 2022 SP1, and HOOPS Publish 2022 SP1.

Updated Supported Formats

The following format versions are now supported:

  1. Revit 2022
  2. JT 10.6

See a full list on our Supported Formats page.

Enhancements

Can now selectively load CAD views, layers, BIM filters and relationships, and IFC types in the viewer. This can be used to control memory consumption particularly with very large models.

Can now check whether a node, or its parents, appear in the selection set or not.

Functional Changes

In certain Linux environments, there are additional requirements when using the Converter app to convert Revit and Autocad DWG/DXF files. Please see the note about these formats on Linux on the Supported Formats page.

HOOPS Communicator 2022 U2

HOOPS Communicator 2022 U2 is based on HOOPS Visualize HPS 2022 U2, HOOPS Exchange 2022 U2, and HOOPS Publish 2022 U1.

Updated Supported Formats

The following format versions are now supported:

  1. NX 2007 (Linux platforms)

See a full list on our Supported Formats page.

HOOPS Communicator 2022 U1

HOOPS Communicator 2022 U1 is based on HOOPS Visualize HPS 2022 U1, HOOPS Exchange 2022 U1, and HOOPS Publish 2022 U1.

Updated Supported Formats

The following format versions are now supported:

  1. NX 2007 (Windows and Mac platforms)
  2. SolidWorks 2022
  3. Solid Edge 2022

See a full list on our Supported Formats page.

HOOPS Communicator 2022

HOOPS Communicator 2022 is based on HOOPS Visualize HPS 2022, HOOPS Exchange 2022, and HOOPS Publish 2022.

Updated Supported Formats

The following format versions are now supported:

  1. Parasolid 34.0

See a full list on our Supported Formats page.

Enhancements

Models containing assembly level features can be converted and displayed correctly in shattered mode.

Can now retrieve the metallic factor and roughness factor set on a node.

Improvements to handling BCF files:

  • Can now load BCF files directly from the BCF tab in the viewer model tree
  • Corrected entity visibility/selection when converting IFC files using --import_hidden_objects and --ifc_import_openings
  • Topic id field is now included in markup xml file
  • BCF Topic numbering is now correct after deleting BCF topic

libconverter now supports c++11 features.

Functional Changes

  • The selection callback works when toggling this (like with the model tree) there will now be fewer callbacks generated when removing children of selected nodes.
  • Added a new parameter to the add and remove methods of the selection manager to allow for suppression of the callbacks generated. Fewer callbacks will be generated when removing children of selected nodes in the model tree.

HOOPS Communicator 2021 SP2 U2

HOOPS Communicator 2021 SP2 U2 is based on HOOPS Visualize HPS 2021 SP2 (unchanged), HOOPS Exchange 2021 SP2 U2, and HOOPS Publish 2021 SP2 U2.

Updated Supported Formats

The following format versions are now supported:

  1. ACIS 2021

See a full list on our Supported Formats page.

Enhancements

Colors and emissive factors defined in a linear color space for PBR materials are now correctly interpreted.

New operator Operator.CameraWindowZoomOperator provides zoom to rectangular window area capability.

Functional Changes

Can now remove individual animation players by index or reference using removePlayerByIndex() or removePlayer().

Animations can now be accessed directly through a player using Animation.Player.

The following methods have been removed:

  • Animation.KeyframeBuffer.appendScalarKeyframe()
  • Animation.KeyframeBuffer.appendQuatKeyframe()
  • Animation.KeyframeBuffer.appendVec3Keyframe()

The following methods no longer require an index. You can now specify by time and the ordering will be managed internally.

HOOPS Communicator 2021 SP2 U1

HOOPS Communicator 2021 SP2 U1 is based on HOOPS Visualize HPS 2021 SP2 (unchanged), HOOPS Exchange 2021 SP2 U1, and HOOPS Publish 2021 SP2 U1.

Update Supported Formats

The following format versions are now supported:

  1. Autodesk Inventor 2022

See a full list on our Supported Formats page.

Enhancements

IFC spatial relationships can now be accessed in the viewer to navigate the model and query the model in the context of Quantity take-off (QTO). As an example, spatial relationships define connections between elements such as building, story, spaces, walls, windows, etc.

HOOPS Communicator 2021 SP2

HOOPS Communicator 2021 SP2 is based on HOOPS Visualize HPS 2021 SP2, HOOPS Exchange 2021 SP2, and HOOPS Publish 2021 SP2.

Update Supported Formats

The following format versions are now supported:

  1. Creo 8
  2. NX - Unigraphics 1980 PRT
  3. Parasolid v33.1

See a full list on our Supported Formats page.

Enhancements

BIM specific shading modes to render views with technical drawing and conceptual drawing styles. Gooch shading and Toon shading are now both available to provide low reflectance shadowing and coloring to reduce photo-realism. Hand drawn style lines can be rendered to produce sketched style.

Native support for Apple Silicon is being introduced in this release. Binary packages for Apple platforms now contain universal binaries that run natively on both Apple Silicon (ARM) and Intel-based (x64) Mac computers for your convenience. Refer to this link for more information on porting your macOS application to Apple Silicon.

New API to set and unset the visibility state of individual face, line, and point elements.

Streaming now works as expected when loading multiple large models simultaneously, rather than streaming them in sequentially.

The speed of Convertor has been improved through the introduction of selectable file compression options Strong (high compression), Default (prior versions) and Fast (high speed). Use the CLI argument --sc_compression_strategy to specify which to use.

Functional Changes

New Selection options include:

The WebViewer.reset() function now resets the model in all cases as described in the API documentation. The previous functionality only reset the model if there was a default cad configuration.

New Model methods have been added related to node visibility. Each sets the visibility of a part given a partId and line, face, or point Id. The new functions are:

HOOPS Communicator 2021 SP1 U1

HOOPS Communicator 2021 SP1 U1 is based on HOOPS Visualize HPS 2021 SP1 U1, HOOPS Exchange 2021 SP1 U1, and HOOPS Publish 2021 SP1 U1.

The regressions on macOS identified in the final QA process of HC 2021 SP1 have been resolved, and this platform is now available for download.

Update Supported Formats

The following format versions are now supported:

  1. CATIA V5 V5-6R2021
  2. Rhino3D 7

See a full list on our Supported Formats page.

HOOPS Communicator 2021 SP1

HOOPS Communicator 2021 SP1 is based on HOOPS Visualize HPS 2021 SP1, HOOPS Exchange 2021 SP1, and HOOPS Publish 2021 SP1.

Update Supported Formats

The following format versions are now supported:

  1. Sketchup 2021
  2. NX - Unigraphics 1953 PRT
  3. Parasolid v33
  4. JT 10.5

See a full list on our Supported Formats page.

Enhancements

Animation Manager

Simple keyframe animation is now available through the Animation API providing control of visibility, location, orientation and visual attributes in a scene over time. Animations are composed of separate channels for each parameter type to be interpolated between keyframe states in the scene. An additional Player object provides the controls for playing the animation. See the Programming Guide and samples for a basic introduction into constructing and playing an animation.

Physically Based Rendering

Physically Based Rendering (PBR) is now supported, enabling application developers to provide enhanced rendering realism by calculating the natural interaction of light and materials. PBR materials are created automatically for GLTF files converted using the underlying HOOPS Exchange API. Currently supported parameters include color, alpha mode, metallness, roughness, emissive factor and image based lighting.

Point attributes

Add attributes to point entities using the new API function SC::Store::AssemblyTree::AddPointAttribute. The same attribute types supported on Faces and Edges are now supported on Points.

Improved error reporting in Converter

Improvements to error reporting in file conversion. Error conditions are reported for incorrect syntax, invalid license, import failure, export failure for each possible output format. Errors are reported separately for each individual output file failure. See a full list in the Converter Command Line Options page of our API Reference.

Functional changes

PMI is no longer forced to black in 2d drawing sheets. This was the intended behavior previously, but a logic error in the code was preventing this from happening.

Conversion of files can optionally continue converting additional requested file types if an error is encountered in any conversion.

HOOPS Communicator 2021 U1

HOOPS Communicator 2021 U1 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2021, HOOPS Exchange 2021 U1, and HOOPS Publish 2021 U1.

HOOPS Communicator 2021 U1 fixes bugs and upgrades dependencies. Refer to the Fixed Bugs List for further information on which issues have been resolved in this release.

HOOPS Communicator 2021

HOOPS Communicator 2021 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2021, HOOPS Exchange 2021, and HOOPS Publish 2021.

New Measure Operators

  • Area of a polygon on a plane
  • Angle between two lines
  • Total distance of a polyline
  • Distance between two points

Reduced file size from DWG conversions

Text outlines are now rendered in the Web Viewer, rather than stored in the Stream Cache file after conversion. This results in a smaller Stream Cache file.

New performance flag added to Converter

A new flag has been added to Converter named sc_editable with a default value of False. If set to True, two copies of the mesh data will be generated: one for streaming and another for editing. In previous versions, this was the default behavior.

Only set this flag to True if you intend to edit the mesh data.

3MF Import and version 2.0 now supported

HOOPS Communicator 2021 now supports 3MF formats up to version 2.0 and can read (Import) the file format in addition to write (Export).

HOOPS Communicator 2020 SP2 U1

HOOPS Communicator 2020 SP2 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2019 SP2 U3, HOOPS Exchange 2020 SP2 U2, and HOOPS Publish 2020 SP2 U2.

HOOPS Communicator 2020 SP2

HOOPS Communicator 2020 SP2 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2019 SP2 U3, HOOPS Exchange 2020 SP2 U2, and HOOPS Publish 2020 SP2 U2.

GIS Coordinate Handling

Models defined using double precision floating point values such as GIS coordinates are now displayed without visual artifacts and can be smoothly manipulated resulting in easier to use applications.

Floorplan Extraction

Communicator can now generate a 2D floorplan or mini-map of IFC models. The floorplan improves navigation and offers a range of options.

Performance Improvements

The time required to load SCS files and models with IFC types has been significantly reduced. A regression introduced in HC 2020 SP1 resulting in SCS shattered models loading slower has been resolved.

HOOPS Communicator 2020 SP1 U2

This release involved updates made for internal use by HPS.

HOOPS Communicator 2020 SP1 U1

HOOPS Communicator 2020 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2019 SP2 U3, HOOPS Exchange 2020 SP2, and HOOPS Publish 2020 SP1.

HOOPS Communicator 2020 SP1

HOOPS Communicator 2020 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2019 SP2 U3, HOOPS Exchange 2020 SP1 U1, and HOOPS Publish 2020 SP1.

Enhance Converter Performance

This Service Pack includes a new Converter Application command-line option for revit files: revit_physical_properties

New Hard Edge Detection Algorithm

A new hard edge detection algorithm has been added that impacts how edges are drawn in hidden line mode. This will now be used by default. Review Draw Modes in our Programming Guide for more information.

TypeScript Operator Source

They TypeScript source code for our UI Operators have been added to the Communicator package. See our TypeScript Programming Guide article for details.

HOOPS Communicator 2020 U1

The bundled temporary evaluation license has been updated.

HOOPS Communicator 2020

HOOPS Communicator 2020 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2019 SP2 U3, HOOPS Exchange 2020 U1, and HOOPS Publish 2020.

Platforms

macOS

The HOOPS Communicator installer is now available for macOS. However, the macOS package does not include server-side rendering or PDF Export support.

Deprecated

Converter multi_process_assembly_loading

As of HOOPS Exchange 2020, the multi_process_assmebly_loading functionality of Converter has been deprecated.

New Features

Docker Support Added

Review our new Programming Guide article that explains how to use HOOPS Communicator inside Docker containers. The provided images work out-of-the-box, but they are meant to be a point of departure for integrating HOOPS Communicator into your own workflow. In most cases, you will want the containers to be more self-contained and not rely on paths from the host machine.

Determine Set of Visible Points

The method testPointVisibility() has been added to allow you to check the visibility of an array of points. If the test is to be run every time the frame is drawn, then setPointVisibilityTest should be used. See the API reference for more information.

Multiple Handles on a Model

The WebViewer now supports multiple active handles, as shown here:

Screen capture of the BNC model with multiple handles being used

Options to Reproduce HC 2015 Behavior for Screenshots

The following Converter Command-Line Options have been added or extended to reproduce previous image generation behavior:

  • --png_camera_standard
  • --png_lighting_mode
  • –png_rendering_mode

Adjust Markup Pick Tolerance

A new method, MarkupManager.setPickTolerance(), has been added to the WebViewer, which allows you to set the pick tolerance (in pixels) for a MarkupItem.

Use EGL with SSR

Inside server_config.js, you can now specify if the server should use EGL for SSR via the ssrUseEgl setting.

DWG Drawing Improvements

DWG drawing support has been improved.

File Formats

Solid Works 2020 is now supported.

HOOPS Communicator 2019 SP2 U1

Improved Streaming Performance

CSR streaming performance has been improved significantly on lower bandwidth connections.

Enhancements

Node.js Server Configuration

In this update we have enhanced the HOOPS Server to allow you to force IPv4 or IPv6 addresses. Navigate to quick_start/server_config.js and change the ipVersion setting to the value of IpVersion.ForceIpv4 or IpVersion.ForceIpv6 to force that version of IP addresses. You can also set the value to IpVersion.Auto or null and the Server will select the version based on your machine's settings.

We have also exposed the modelSearchDirectories and model endpoints for the HOOPS Server. Set modelSearchDirectories to a directory containing Stream Cache files for your Web Viewer to load. In addition you can specify a model to override the model passed to the Web Viewer API in the client.

async function getViewerEndpoint() {
let data = await $.ajax({
type: "POST",
url: "http://localhost:11182/service",
data: {
"class": "csr_session",
"dataType": "json",
"params": {
"modelSearchDirectories": [MODEL_SEARCH_DIRECTORY], // filepath
"model": "bnc" // filename
}
}
});
return data.endpoints.ws;
}


HOOPS Communicator 2019 SP2

HOOPS Communicator 2019 SP2 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2019 SP1, HOOPS Exchange 2019 SP2 U1, and HOOPS Publish 2019 SP2 U1.

General

The Communicator documentation has undergone significant improvements, including an overhauled layout, a new Getting Started Guide and several Tutorials, and an extensive amount of new Programming Guide content.

Server

The original implementation of the HOOPS Server has been replaced by a new Node.js based implementation. This new implementation has increased reliability and performance, and is provided in full source code form.

Functional Changes

The original implementation of the HOOPS Server has been deprecated and is now located in the folder /legacy. Please refer to the server documentation included with version HC 2019.


HOOPS Communicator 2019 SP1 U1

HOOPS Communicator 2019 SP1 U1 fixes bugs and upgrades dependencies.

HOOPS Communicator 2019 SP1 U1 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2019 SP1, HOOPS Exchange 2019 SP2 U1, and HOOPS Publish 2019 SP2 U1.


HOOPS Communicator 2019 SP1

Enhancements

Support for Combined Viewing of 2D and 3D Geometry for DWG Files (Beta). 3D Geometry in DWG files (often referred to as model space geometry) can now be viewed alongside drawings (paper space geometry) in the same viewing session. This behavior can be controlled with the --drawings_mode Converter command-line option. This feature is currently in Beta.

Improved Performance for Streaming of Large Shattered Models. The loading performance for large shattered models has been improved.

Improved Performance for SCS Loading. The loading and interaction performance of the viewer when loading a large number of SCS files has been improved.

Converter & Authoring

Support for A3DAsmModelFile. libconverter now supports providing an A3DAsmModelFile object from HOOPS Exchange as input. See Importer::Load(void * modelFile).

SCS Shattered Generation. It is now possible to generate SCS files instead of SC Files during creation of shattered model --prepare_shattered_scs_parts.

Support for Screenspace Geometry During Authoring. When authoring models via libsc it is now possible to specify that geometry should not being affected by camera changes. For more information, see the ScreenSpace and ScreenSpaceStretched flags.

Web Viewer

API & UI for Editing and Exporting BCF Data. It is now possible to create and edit as well as export BCF data. Please see the API Reference for more info.

OnDemand Mode Now Supported for SCS Loading. The onDemand loading mode is now supported for SCS (non-streaming) loading, meaning that all geometry will be invisible at startup and can be requested after the model structure has been loaded.

Ability to Calculate Tight Bounding Box. It is now possible to calculate a bounding box that tightly fits transformed geometry within a node. See Model.getNodesBounding().

Server

HOOPS Server Now Available as a Library.

Functional Changes

HOOPS Communicator 2019 SP1 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2019, HOOPS Exchange 2019 SP1, and HOOPS Publish 2019 SP1.


HOOPS Communicator 2019

Linux Compiler Update. The Linux binaries for Communicator's server and authoring tools are now compiled with GCC 6.3.1 (specifically, the version from devtoolset-6 6.1 on CentOS 6.9) with -std=c++11. Please note that we are not using the C++11 ABI that is used by default by GCC 5 and later, so code that calls functions in libconverter (and probably any other code that interacts with that code) needs to be compiled with the -D_GLIBCXX_USE_CXX11_ABI=0 flag. Using this flag can prevent the compiler error detailed at the bottom of the FAQ page.

Enhancements

WebAssembly Support. The HOOPS Web Viewer is now available as a WebAssembly module. This change should improve overall performance of the Web Viewer and reduce the library size. The asm.js engine is still supported, primarily as a fallback when WebAssembly isn't available.

Converter & Authoring

Improved Support for Exchange to StreamCache Entity Mapping. Please see Programming Guide for more details about interoperability between HOOPS Exchange and StreamCache on a server.

HSF User Data Is Now Converted to SC. The following functions have been added to the Web Viewer API for accessing user-supplied data from HSF files: getNodeUserData() and getNodeUserDataIndices()

Support for additional visualization formats. See the Supported Formats page for more information.

Revit Now Officially Supported. For more information on Revit support in HOOPS Converter, please click here.

Support for Revit contains:

  • Import .rvt files and .rfa files
  • Import tessellated objects
  • Support for colour and transparency
  • Import 3d views (change visibility + set camera)

Not supported:

  • Links to external Revit files.
  • Views only handle the ability to change visibilities. You cannot change the LOD (level of detail), the color or rendering mode.
  • Revit metadata.
  • Floor plans or drawing sheets.
  • "Crop Region" from views.
  • Textures.
  • Instance: In case of identical .rfa files imported multiple times, the tessellation will simply be duplicated.

Web Viewer

Support for BCF Import. The Web Viewer can now read BCF files associated to an IFC model. See the Programming Guide for more information.

IFC Update. Type and GlobalID for IFC models are now directly accessible via the API. See the following functions from the Model class: model.getNodeGenericID() and model.getNodeGenericType()

Ground Shadow Support. See the API Reference for more information.

Ground Reflection Support. See the API Reference for more information.

Silhouette Edge Support. See the API Reference for more information.

DWG Enhancements. We've improved support for Sheets for 2D DWG drawings.

Custom Markup Import & Export. See registerMarkupTypeManager() and markupTypeManager for usage instructions, as well as the Markup Export developer example.

CAD Type and Filename. The type and filename of a CAD file can now be accessed in the Viewer. Please see the following functions for more information getModelFileNameFromNode() and getModelFileTypeFromNode().

Invisible Geometry in Selection. Invisible geometry can now be selected. There are two new masks that can be set in the PickConfig object:

New Developer Examples. Example code has been added to the Communicator package for:

  • Creating interactive cutting planes – see the Custom Cutting developer example.
  • Creating client-side text – see the 3D Text Insertion developer example.
  • Exporting markup – see the Markup Export developer example.

Measure Operator Update. The point-to-point measure operator MeasurePointPointDistanceOperator now snaps to closest line/line distance.

New Selection Documentation. A new section has been added to the Programming Guide for performing various selection operations in the Web Viewer.

Server

NodeJS-Based Server Reference Application. A new reference application based on NodeJS is now available in the Communicator package. Please see the Programming Guide for more information.

HOOPS Communicator 2019 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2018 SP2, HOOPS Exchange 2019, and HOOPS Publish 2019.


HOOPS Communicator 2018 SP2 U2

HOOPS Communicator 2018 SP2 U2 is a bug-fix release only.

Enhancements

  • HOOPS Communicator is now compatible with the 2019 release of HOOPS Exchange and HOOPS Publish.

HOOPS Communicator 2018 SP2 U2 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2018 SP2, HOOPS Exchange 2019, and HOOPS Publish 2019.


HOOPS Communicator 2018 SP2 U1

HOOPS Communicator 2018 SP2 U1 is a bug-fix release only.

Fixed Bugs

  • Performance regression for loading shattered models.
  • SVG export broken for some models.

HOOPS Communicator 2018 SP2 U1 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2018 SP2, HOOPS Exchange 2018 SP2 U2, and HOOPS Publish 2018 SP2 U2.


HOOPS Communicator 2018 SP2

Enhancements

Converter and Authoring

  • Ability to generate lines from tessellation.
    • Converter can now automatically create lines for models that only have faceted data and attach measurement data to them. To enable --sc_compute_lines true should be set.
      See the command line option Reference for more information.
  • Non-Compressed SCZ Support.
    • SCZ's can now be optionally created as uncompressed meaning that those files don't require decompression before they can be streamed. This can improve performance at the expense of disk space.
      To enable --sc_create_scz true and --sc_compress_scz false should be set.
  • Support for XT Export (requires exchange license).
  • Support for unit values in shattered XML.
  • Various Improvements to DWG Import (requires an Exchange license).
  • Ability to insert text via Java authoring API.

Viewer

Miscellaneous

HOOPS Communicator 2018 SP2 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2018 SP2, HOOPS Exchange 2018 SP2 U2, and HOOPS Publish 2018 SP2 U2.



HOOPS Communicator 2018 SP1 U1

Fixed Bugs

  • Selecting a face in the navigation cube example does not register [#32197]
  • WebViewer.takeSnapshot bug with redline markup [#32127]
  • Annotation Example Fixes [internal]
  • Shattered Model Fixes [internal]
  • HWF Import Fixes [internal]
  • Some View Orientations are incorrect [internal]
  • Selection broken with scale matrix applied to node [internal]
  • CAD View Frames not shown/hidden properly [internal]
  • Unable to switch to empty model [internal]
  • Markup view folder cleared out when switching sheets [internal]
  • Point Snapping incorrect [internal]
  • Missing DWG dll's in authoring sample [internal]

Enhancements

  • The loadSubtreeFromXML functions now support skipping over missing sc models instead of aborting.
  • Views and configurations for shattered parts are now ignored by default.

HOOPS Communicator 2018 SP1 U1 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2018 U2, HOOPS Exchange 2018 SP1 U1, and HOOPS Publish 2018 SP1 U1.



HOOPS Communicator 2018 SP1

Converter and Authoring

Viewer

Server

  • Various improvements and bug-fixes.

Fixed Bugs

  • [#29191] No view and wrong leaders in exported HTML
  • [#30708] dwg can't display Chinese
  • [#31689] Initial visibility in authoring is always set to true
  • [#31516] Model visibility is affected by mouse operator on navigation cube
  • [#31515] Inconsistent cutting plane behavior when markup is created
  • [#31549] Unable to deselect in XRay view mode
  • [#31543] License Exception when converting from DWFx to SCZ
  • [#30141] Improve DWG to PNG conversion
  • [#31109] Some Solidworks 2018 Assemblies zoomed in in initial view

HOOPS Communicator 2018 SP1 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2018 U2, HOOPS Exchange 2018 SP1 U1, and HOOPS Publish 2018 SP1 U1.



HOOPS Communicator 2018 Update 2

Fixed Bugs

  • Endinteraction callback missing [internal]
  • OBJ Import broken [internal]
  • Authored node id's don't always persist in viewer [internal]
  • When resetting some DWG's sheets can overlap [internal]
  • Insert-delete succession leads to viewer getting frozen [#31059]
  • Customized controls are not displayed on comments dialog [#31064]
  • Redline note text shows above dialog [#31046]
  • Can't attach SCS files to an empty session [#31049]
  • Unit-based scaling not applied to children of root node [#30925]
  • Camera getting set with loadSubtreeFromModel() [#30925]
  • Redline note text shows above dialog [#31046]

HOOPS Communicator 2018 U2 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2018, HOOPS Exchange 2018 U3, and HOOPS Publish 2018 U3.



HOOPS Communicator 2018 Update 1

Fixed Bugs

  • OLE non-native data not displaying [#30460]
  • Polylines cause affects display range [#30485]
  • Raster Image not displaying in Container Object [#30459]
  • LoadMarkup call ignoring the text value for RedlineText [#30941]

HOOPS Communicator 2018 U1 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2018, HOOPS Exchange 2018 U2, and HOOPS Publish 2018 U2.



HOOPS Communicator 2018

Converter and Authoring

  • Significant improvements to 2D DWG Support (requires HOOPS Exchange license).
  • Beta support for 3D DWG files (requires HOOPS Exchange license).
    • It is currently required to specify during conversion if a DWG file contains 3d data with the --debug_flags 1 command line option. This limitation will be removed in the next release.
  • Quality improvements related to View and PMI support.
  • Various general improvements and bug-fixes.

Viewer

Server

  • Support for dynamic file loading workflows.
  • Various improvements and bug-fixes.

Fixed Bugs

  • computeMinimumFaceLineDistance calculates the wrong points [#30222]
  • Default color for lines should be black when converting HSF to SC [#29032]
  • Camera does not point to model [#29979]
  • Random lines generated when viewing cutting planes [#30127]
  • loadSubtreeFromXmlFile Promise resolves before tree is fully loaded [#30627]
  • Some PMI (or PMI arrow) with wrong position
  • Conversion failing for specific part [#30171]
  • Wrong highlighting behavior [#28804]
  • Snapshot promise never returns [#30105]
  • Tessellation Setting Not Being Honored in STL Export [#30324]
  • Incorrect color on PRC [#30355]
  • Converter crashes when both --license and --input_xml_batch_file options are used [#27041]
  • Converter does not allow creation of PNG files in current directory [#29032]
  • No view and wrong leaders in exported HTML [#29191]
  • HSF with implicit UV parameters crashes converter [#30467]
  • Problems with conversions running on AWS + Docker [#30279]
  • Unable to use note operator in multiple viewers on the same page [#29535]
  • Can't deactivate redline operator in snapshot sample [#30058]
  • No view and wrong leaders in exported HTML [#29191]
  • Communicator socket request fails after a small number of requests [#30473]
  • PMI are affected by rendering style [#29604]
  • getNodeRealBounding() not working for nodes with multiple children [#30309]
  • Converter crashes when --sc_cache_directory option is used [#27463]
  • Unable to activate cutting plane [#27463]

Miscellaneous

  • Visual Studio 2017 is now supported. Visual Studio 2013 is no longer supported.

HOOPS Communicator 2018 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2018, HOOPS Exchange 2018, and HOOPS Publish 2018.



HOOPS Communicator 2017 Service Pack 2 Update 1

Fixed Bugs

  • Assemblies with CATIA V4 Models not processed correctly [#29965]
  • Inserting a mesh seems not to take into account parent transformations [#30193]
  • Incorrect measure angle between faces for HWF files [#29697]
  • Problem with packaging of Java classes [#28631]
  • NavCube cannot be clicked when screen position is changed [#30126]
  • getModelCanBeMeasured is missing [#30159]
  • Pre-loaded markup views cannot be activated from model tree [#30208]
  • Conversion Issue with attached model [#29685]
  • Ability to configure the Hoops Server to load the WebSockets server with perMessageDeflate disabled. [#29904]
  • Part Missing [#30019]
  • Error when creating snapshot [#30069]
  • WebViewer.takeSnapshot bug with redline markup [#30035]
  • Unable to get face or line properties [#29870]
  • Activate markup view does not work after reloading the viewer [#30134]
  • Error with custom redline [#30052]
  • Axis triad not correctly displayed when applying identity matrix to root node [#30191]

HOOPS Communicator 2017 SP2 U1 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2017 SP2, HOOPS Exchange 2017 SP2 U1, and HOOPS Publish 2017 SP2 U1.



HOOPS Communicator 2017 Service Pack 2

License Key

Since HOOPS Communicator 2017 SP1 a new license key specifically generated for HC2017 SP1 and above is required. Licenses generated for previous versions of HOOPS Communicator will not work. Please visit the HOOPS Communicator download page to generate a new key. The number of supported Import and Export formats you will have access to depends on your contract with Tech Soft 3D. Please refer to the supported formats page for more information.

Converter and Authoring

  • Please Note: For Windows users, the directory names containing the Converter executables and binaries have changed.
  • Java Bindings: We now provide Java bindings for the libsc authoring libraries.
  • Support for specifying default view axes. See SC::Store::AssemblyTree::SetViewAxes()
  • Improvements to 2D DWG Import.
  • Support for Physical Properties in XML Export.
  • Snapshot API exposed.
  • Ability to specify camera parameters during image export. See Command Line Options.
  • Various other improvements and bug-fixes.

Viewer

Server

  • Support for optional session token to prevent hijacking of viewing session.
  • Various other improvements and bug-fixes.

Fixed Customer Bugs

  • Uncaught exception in promise [#29390]
  • Navcube affected by model transparency API [#29603]
  • Viewer does not always detect correctly if webgl context is not available [#29339]
  • Conversion never finishes and keeps filling up RAM [#29454]
  • OBJ Import not working [#29598]
  • selectNode doesn't fire callback in toggle mode [#29891]
  • ActivateCadViews() gives wrong results [#29338]
  • Downsample authored images that are too large [#29705]
  • Converter always returns error code 0 [#28465]
  • Error when converting part on linux [#29685]

HOOPS Communicator 2017 SP2 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2017 SP2, HOOPS Exchange 2017 SP2, and HOOPS Publish 2017 SP2.



HOOPS Communicator 2017 Service Pack 1 Update 1

Fixed Bugs

  • Deactivated cutting sections reappear when changing visibility of a node
  • Streaming stops when applying matrix to node
  • Wrong camera when pressing home button with HWF from package
  • dwfx2sc converter (custom API usage) fails using SC Cache
  • Model Tree changes when clicking on the same sheet multiple times
  • Default UI crashes when generating a new viewer
  • Linux eval license key not working

HOOPS Communicator 2017 SP1 U1 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2017 SP1, HOOPS Exchange 2017 SP1 U1, and HOOPS Publish 2017 SP1 U1.



HOOPS Communicator 2017 Service Pack 1

License Key

HOOPS Communicator 2017 SP1 requires a new license key specifically generated for HC2017 SP1. Licenses generated for previous versions of HOOPS Communicator will not work. Please visit the HOOPS Communicator download page to generate a new key. The number of supported Import and Export formats you will have access to depends on your contract with Tech Soft 3D. Please refer to the supported formats page for more information.

Converter and Authoring

  • Important: Starting with this release a license key is required to use libsc for authoring SC models. Please refer to the authoring examples for an example on how to pass your license key to libsc.
  • 2D DWG Support. We now support DWG Drawings as one of the input formats available with a license that includes full Exchange Import. Support for DWG Drawings is currently in Beta and comes with the following restrictions:
    • Only 2D DWGs are currently supported. If there is any 3D geometry in the DWG file it will not be displayed. The current plan is to support 3D DWG's with the 2018 release of Communicator.
    • Model View Layouts are not supported in this release which means that only the explicit sheet layouts within a drawing can be viewed in the SP1. We plan to remove this restriction in the SP2 release of Communicator scheduled for mid August.
    • PNG Image Export for drawings is currently not supported.
    • Minor style issues with some drawings.
  • --output_html command-line option to generate self-contained HTML file which wraps the Communicator viewer and the model into a single file.
  • CAD View Support in Shattered Mode

Viewer

Server

  • Important: Starting with this release a license key is required to run the server. If you are creating a new server configuration via the settings builder you will be prompted for your license key. If you're updating an existing server you need to specify your license key in the "license" parameter of the "Application" element of your configuration file.
  • Working Directory Setting exposed in settings builder.

Fixed Bugs

  • Model Bounding sometimes does not update when new geometry is added to the scene
  • No error message is displayed when SCS file was not found or can't be read
  • Issues with PMI Selection fixed
  • Various other improvements and bug-fixes

HOOPS Communicator 2017 SP1 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2017 SP1, HOOPS Exchange 2017 SP1 U1, and HOOPS Publish 2017 SP1 U1.

 

HOOPS Communicator 2017 Update 1

Fixed Bugs

  • Build issues with libconverter samples
  • Inconsistent long-touch support on mobile
  • Reference manual entries for SC::Store::Utils
  • Multiple Viewers don't work properly (#28595)
  • Exception when creating 7th instance of viewer (#28067)
  • sc_server_app.exe crashes with odd exit value (#28488)
  • Slow loading in IE11 (#28211)
  • Sometimes setNodeMatrix is ineffective (#28368)
  • Faces not highlighting on mouse-over with face/face measure (#28450)
  • Model.setNodeLineColor not working (#28666)

HOOPS Communicator 2017 U1 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2017 U1, HOOPS Exchange 2017 U2, and HOOPS Publish 2017 U2.



HOOPS Communicator 2017

Converter and Authoring

  • --generate_LODs command-line option to generate multiple detail levels per mesh.
  • Support for authoring of drawings.
  • Semantic PMI Export.
  • Support for all face and edge types.
  • --sc_compress_models command line option for generating a compressed single file version (scz) of a stream cache model directory.
  • CATDRAWINGS Support (with Exchange license).
  • Support for 3MF and STEP output (with Exchange license).
  • Various shattered mode enhancements and performance improvements.
  • Various general improvements and bug-fixes.
  • New docs have been added for working with Assembly Tree node IDs and units.

Functional Changes

  • The concept of a "Cache Root" no longer exists which means that models are no longer registered with a cache when they are created. Models that have a dependency on other models that have been created with previous versions of Communicator will need to be reconverted.
  • --output_sc_single, --sc_register, --sc_unregister, and --sc_rebuild_cache have been removed as registering a model with a cache is no longer required.
  • --prepare_shattered has been replaced by --prepare_shattered_parts and --prepare_shattered_xml. Please refer to the Stream Cache Workflows document for more information.
  • --sc_register and --sc_unregister have been removed as registering a model with a cache is no longer required.
  • There have been extensive changes to the classes in libsc, including the Model, Cache, Database, and AssemblyTree classes.
    Click here for more detailed information on the changes to libsc.

    AssemblyTree class

    Discontinued functions/objects

    • bool SetNodeMeshInstancesKey(uint32_t nodeID, InstanceIncs const & meshInstancesKey) has been removed.
      Instead, please use bool SetBodyInstanceMeshInstanceKey (uint32_t nodeID, InstanceInc const &meshInstanceKey)
    • enum ChildNodeType

    Modified functions

    • The AssemblyTree constructor now takes a logger as a parameter: AssemblyTree(Logger const & logger)
    • bool BuildMasterAssemblyModel(const char * rootCacheFilePathUTF8, const char * assemblyModelNameUTF8, const char * compressCacheDirectory = nullptr, const char * scRootDirectory = nullptr) has become bool BuildMasterAssemblyModel(const char * modelsPathUTF8, const char * assemblyModelPathUTF8, const char * workingDirectoryUTF8, bool create_scz)

    New functions

    These functions have been added to the AssemblyTree class:

    • bool AddCADView(uint32_t assemblyNodeID, const char * viewName, SC::Store::Camera const * camera, SC::Store::InstanceIncs const& pmiToShow, std::vector const& nodesToShow, std::vector const& nodesToHide, std::map const& nodesIDToLocalTransform, std::vector const& cuttingPlanes, SC::Store::InstanceInc const* frameMeshInstanceKey, bool frameInitiallyVisible, bool isAnnotationView, uint32_t &outCADViewID)
    • bool CreateAndAddDrawingSheet(uint32_t parentNodeID, uint32_t &outIDDrawingSheet)
    • bool CreateAndAddDrawingView(uint32_t drawingSheetNodeID, uint32_t &outIDDrawingView)
    • bool SetSphereFaceMeasurementData(uint32_t bodyNodeID, uint32_t faceIndex, float radius, Point const& origin, Vector const& normal)
    • bool SetTorusFaceMeasurementData(uint32_t bodyNodeID, uint32_t faceIndex, float majorRadius, float mineRadius, Point const& origin, Vector const& normal)
    • bool SetBlend01FaceMeasurementData(uint32_t bodyNodeID, uint32_t faceIndex)
    • bool SetBlend02FaceMeasurementData(uint32_t bodyNodeID, uint32_t faceIndex)
    • bool SetBlend03FaceMeasurementData(uint32_t bodyNodeID, uint32_t faceIndex)
    • bool SetNurbsFaceMeasurementData(uint32_t bodyNodeID, uint32_t faceIndex)
    • bool SetCylindricalFaceMeasurementData(uint32_t bodyNodeID, uint32_t faceIndex)
    • bool SetOffsetFaceMeasurementData(uint32_t bodyNodeID, uint32_t faceIndex)
    • bool SetPipeFaceMeasurementData(uint32_t bodyNodeID, uint32_t faceIndex)
    • bool SetRuledFaceMeasurementData(uint32_t bodyNodeID, uint32_t faceIndex)
    • bool SetRevolutionFaceMeasurementData(uint32_t bodyNodeID, uint32_t faceIndex)
    • bool SetExtrusionFaceMeasurementData(uint32_t bodyNodeID, uint32_t faceIndex)
    • bool SetFromCurvesFaceMeasurementData(uint32_t bodyNodeID, uint32_t faceIndex)
    • bool SetTransformFaceMeasurementData(uint32_t bodyNodeID, uint32_t faceIndex)

    Cache class

    Discontinued functions

    In the Cache class, these two overloads of Model::Open() have been removed:

    • Model Open(const char * utf8_directory, const char * utf8_model_name)
    • Model Open(ModelKey model_key, bool read_only = false)

    These model registration functions have been removed. It's no longer necessary to register a model:

    • Model RegisterModel(const char * utf8_model_name, bool read_only = false)
    • Model RegisterModel(const char * utf8_path_to_model, const char * utf8_model_name, bool read_only = false)
    • Model RegisterModel(std::vector const & utf8_search_directories, const char * utf8_path_to_model, const char * utf8_model_name, bool read_only = false)
    • uint32_t GetModelCount()
    • const char * const * GetModelNames()
    • void UnregisterModel(const char * utf8_model_name)

    New functions

    • void SetSearchPath(const char * utf8_search_path)
    • void AppendSearchPath(const char * utf8_search_path)
    • void SetWorkspacePath(const char * utf8_directory_path)
    • const char * Exists(const char * utf8_model_path)
    • const char * const * GetModelPaths(size_t & count)

    Database class

    Discontinued functions

    • static bool DecompressSCZ(const char * utf8_path_to_scz_file, const char * utf8_output_model_path, Logger const & logger)
    • static void Rebuild(const char * utf8_directory, Logger const & logger)

    Modified functions

    • The function static Cache Open(const char * utf8_directory, Logger const & logger) has become static Cache Open(Logger const & logger)

    Model class

    Discontinued functions

    • enum class ProcessOption has been removed.

    New functions

    • void PrepareStream()

Viewer

  • Model Browser Redesign.
  • Multi-Select Support in Model Browser.
  • Overlay Window Support.
  • Axis Triad Support.
  • PMI's are now displayed in Model Tree.
  • Cutting Planes and Explode State are now saved with views.
  • UI for switching between mesh detail levels.
  • Snapping to Points and lines in Point/Point Measure Operator.
  • Various improvements and bug-fixes.

Functional Changes

  • setPMIColor and getPMI Color will now set or show the PMI color even if a color-override is not set. setPMIColorOverride determines if the PMI color will be globally overridden.
  • model.registerModel() is no longer needed and has been removed.

Server

  • Multi-GPU Support.
  • Simplifications around removal of Cache Root Concept. As a result, all settings files need to be regenerated.

Functional Changes

  • The cacheDirectory parameter in the server REST API has been renamed to modelSearchDirectories and now accepts a list of directories.
  • SC_CACHE_DIRECTORY has been removed from the settings builder. Due to the removal of the cache root concept, there is no longer a need to specify a specific cache directory.
  • SC_SERVER_SEARCH_DIRECTORY has been renamed to SC_SERVER_MODEL_SEARCH_DIRECTORY in the settings builder.

Misc

  • Various new viewer and authoring samples.

Starting with this release, access to full CAD format import and export is only available to customers with a valid HOOPS Exchange license or a license to the HOOPS Web Platform.

HOOPS Communicator 2017 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2017, HOOPS Exchange 2017, and HOOPS Publish 2017.



HOOPS Communicator 2016 Service Pack 2 Update 1

Converter and Authoring

  • Fixed various bugs around scs and sc_single export.
  • Shattered parts are now exported with original names+directory path instead of GUID.
  • "isPart" attribute has been added to Assembly Tree XML to more easily identify part occurrences.
  • Material Information is now exported to Assembly Tree XML.
  • Fixed Performance issue with shattered model creation.
  • Various improvements and bug-fixes.

Viewer

Functional Changes

Server

  • Fixed issues around loading models with names containing special characters.

Misc

  • SCS samples added to quick-start.
  • Measurement Authoring added to Code Samples.

HOOPS Communicator 2016 SP2 U1 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2016 SP2, HOOPS Exchange 2016 SP2, and HOOPS Publish 2016 SP2.

 

HOOPS Communicator 2016 Service Pack 2

Converter and Authoring

  • Configuration Support.
    • It is now possible to export specific configurations of a CAD Model.  The --output_configurations command line option generates a text file with a list of configurations in a model. Based on this list a specific configuration can be activated by name with the --configuration command line option. It is also possible to include all configurations into a single model with the --load_all_configurations command line option.
  • Ability to specify cache directory separately from model directory.
  • Physical Properties.
    • --sc_export_physical_properties controls if physical properties will be exported. Generating physical properties can significantly slow down the conversion process.
  • Enhanced Log Output.
  • Polywire Support.
  • BOM Support.
  • Various improvements and bug-fixes.

New documentation for Stream Cache has been added.

libconverter and libsc now ship with libraries for VS2013 and VS2015.

Viewer

  • Ambient Occlusion Support.
    • Ambient Occlusion is a visual effect that adds extra depth to the model and improves the visual quality. In the viewer it can be activated with  view::setAmbientOcclusionEnabled(). Its strength can be controlled with view::setAmbientOcclusionRadius(). Depending on the client hardware this effect can have a negative impact on framerate.
  • Resource Limiting.
    • To allow for viewing of very large models even on memory constraint devices or browsers and to support more simultaneous SSR sessions on the server, the viewer can now be initialized with the "memoryLimit" option. By specifying this value (in MiB) the viewer will limit the amount of mesh data the client will hold in memory at a given time to the specified value. There is NOT a one to one correlation between this value and the actual memory used by the viewer as there is additional model-specific overhead that is not mesh-related and won't be affected by this option, so it is recommended to choose a conservative value. We are planning further improvements to this functionality in the next major release of Communicator.
  • Bounding Box Previews.
    • By default the viewer now draws bounding boxes for objects that are about to stream into the client. This improves the perceived responsiveness of the model streaming and can help with navigating a complex scene that has only partially streamed to the client. Currently bounding box previews need to be turned on/off during initialization of the viewer with the boundingPreviewMode option, which gives fine grain control over what type of bounding box previews will be displayed.
  • Direct HWF Import.
    • It is now possible to directly read HWF files exported with HOOPS Communicator 2015.
  • Zoom to Mouse Cursor.
    • Mouse-wheel zoom will now take the mouse cursor location into account.
  • Rotate around selection point.
    • By holding down the middle mouse button in our default UI the orbit will be performed around the selected point instead of the model center. It is also possible to specify a rotation center for orbit via the API. Please see the CameraOrbitOperator documentation for more information.
  • Support for Multiple Highlight Colors and Sub-Entity Highlighting.
  • Improved Transparency Handling.
    • We are now handling transparency correctly during streaming.
  • Draggable Cutting Planes.
    • The default cutting plane UI has been completely redone and now allows for direct control via mouse/touch interaction.
  • Measurement Serialization.
  • Function to find all instances of part.
  • Material API Enhancements.
  • Various UI improvements and bug-fixes.

Functional Changes

Server

  • Support for overriding default cache directory.
  • Settings builder updates.
  • Various bug-fixes.

A note on backwards compatibility:

Starting with this release, the Stream Cache Format will be backwards compatible meaning that all subsequent releases of HOOPS Communicator will be able to read Stream Cache Models created with previous versions from SP2 onward. Stream Cache Models created with SP1 or earlier releases of Communicator have to be reconverted from the original CAD data.

 

HOOPS Communicator 2016 SP2 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2016 SP2, HOOPS Exchange 2016 SP2, and HOOPS Publish 2016 SP2.

HOOPS Communicator 2016 Service Pack 1

Converter and Authoring

  • Support for texture authoring has been added.
  • Various improvements to shattered file authoring.
  • Various missing Converter options from HOOPS Communicator 2015 added.
  • BOM and dependency file export added.
  • OBJ import added.
  • Various improvements and bug-fixes.

Viewer

  • The name of the function WebViewer.getMarkup() has changed to WebViewer.getMarkupManager().
  • Antialiasing is now supported in server- and client-side rendering.
  • Capping geometry support for cutting planes.
  • Solid PMI text support.
  • PMI cross highlighting support.
  • Various measurement-related fixes.
  • Support for client side model insertion.
  • Texture mapping support.
  • 3D pin support.
  • Various UI improvements and bug-fixes.

Server

  • Simplified REST API for server communication.
  • Simplified integration samples.
  • Settings builder update.
  • Various bug-fixes.

Misc

  • convert_files.bat/sh added in quick-start folder for easy conversion of customer models.

HOOPS Communicator 2016 SP1 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2016 SP1, HOOPS Exchange 2016 SP1 U2, and HOOPS Publish 2016 SP1 U2.


HOOPS Communicator 2016 Update 1

This release addresses a few critical bugs in the original package and contains updates to the documentation.

Converter and Authoring

  • XML Assembly tree output now contains filename of part and correct version number.
  • Incorrect measurement data for some JT models fixed.
  • Correct handling of invalid meshes in some JT files.
  • Initial Camera position fixed for PNG output.
  • Authoring examples now compile without modifications.

Viewer

  • Functions pauseRendering and resumeRendering added to group multiple viewer API calls into single update.
  • Perspective/Orthographic buttons added to view menu.
  • Performing isolate now clears the selection.
  • deleteMesh function added.
  • Bugs around changing material on nodes fixed.
  • setNodesTransparencies now affects lines.
  • Internal functions marked more clearly.
  • Non-standard edges can now be measured and other measurement related bugfixes.
  • Correct handling of cutting plane stand-in geometry selectability.
  • Various minor UI improvements.

HOOPS Communicator 2016 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2016, HOOPS Exchange 2016 U3, and HOOPS Publish 2016 U3.


HOOPS Communicator 2016

This release represents a major rearchitecture of HOOPS Communicator. Improvements include a new high performance graphics engine built from scratch and a completely overhauled viewer API that maintains functional parity with Communicator 2015 while at the same time allowing for more flexible customization. By moving to a server/client architecture and the new compact and highly optimized "Stream Cache" format, Communicator now supports fast streaming of model data to the client and native support for on-demand loading and more advanced workflows. In addition, Communicator also ships with a library for data authoring that makes it easy to bring customer data into its native format.

Converter and Authoring

  • Converter library allowing for more seamless integration with server application.
  • Authoring library for creating stream cache models from scratch including assembly tree and measurement data.
  • Shattered assembly support via API and XML input.
  • XML Batch File Input to conveniently group multiple conversions into a single operation.

Viewer

  • New high-performance graphics engine for webGL and server-side rendering.
  • Client/Server architecture for fast view-dependent and on-demand streaming.
  • Feature parity with Communicator 2015.
  • Various API enhancements to improve customizability.

Server

  • Role of server expanded to facilitate streaming session for both client- and server-side rendering.
  • Settings builder overhaul.

For information on transitioning from the previous release of HOOPS Communicator, please consult the transitioning guide in the documentation.

HOOPS Communicator 2016 is based on HOOPS Visualize 2016, HOOPS Exchange 2016 U3 and HOOPS Publish 2016 U3.