What's new in AC3D 7.5
May 1, 2015
- New functions:
- Fill Holes -Automatically fill holes with menu Object->Fill Holes. This seeks out open areas in a 3D object and automatically fills them with new surfaces.
- Unify Normals - Previously it could be time-consuming ensuring that all surfaces face in the right direction. This new function automatically orients surfaces so that you can quickly ensure that all surfaces face outwards.
- Hierarchy enhancements - In the Tools->Hierarchy, right-clicking on a ‘+’ button will now open a group, AND all its children.
- Object state is now saved - If an object is hidden, locked or folded (in the hierarchy), this state is now saved in AC3D .ac files. This means that if you save a model with some of the hierarchy folded, locked or hidden, the state will be retained when the file is next loaded.
- Easier searching - Edit->Select-by-name now accepts wild cards so you can search using * and ?, where * matches any characters, ? matches a single character.
- STL files reoriented - Objects loaded from STL files are automatically reoriented (rotated to AC3D’s coordinate system) on import and export. (i.e from Z=up to Y=up). If you’re working with a lot of STL files, you needn’t worry about having to rotate objects.
- Other changes include: improved Collada export and KML (Google-Earth export), fixes and compatibility improvements.
New in AC3D 7.3.4 (Oct 13, 2014)
- Enhanced Tools->Hierarchy functionality:
- It’s now easier to manage large hierarchies of objects with the new Duplicate function. This will duplicate an object (and any of its children) in place. We’ve also added the ability to edit an object name, even if the object is deep inside a structure, with the new Edit Name/Data menu function.
- OpenGL Display List Export:
- For graphics developers, there’s now an AC3D exporter which generates your 3D model as C code for insertion into a program to be used as an OpenGL display list. This can be found in the menu File->Export-Opengl-Display-List.
- Blocky textures:
- Some designers requested the ability for AC3D to display blocky textures (similar to Minecraft), rather than smooth, which is AC3D’s default. (This is done by changing OpenGL MipMapping settings).
New in AC3D 7.2.14 (Feb 28, 2014)
- AC3D and 3D printing:
- More and more people are discovering that AC3D works well both creating and managing models for 3D printing and is a great alternative to large, complicated and expensive 3D CAD programs. STL is the most common file format used in 3D printing and AC3D 7.2 supports both ASCII and Binary STL files. Models from STL files are automatically optimized at import (duplicate vertices at the same position are replaced by a single vertex).
- AC3D’s new STL support means that you can directly preview and edit the STL files from 3D printing download sites such as Thingiverse. AC3D 7.2 also includes Ron Jensen’s plugin for checking the integrity of an object prior to 3D printing. The plugin checks for holes and open edges, selecting surfaces that are at the edge of the ‘leaks’. This new function is available from the Tools menu as “Select Leaky Surfaces”.
- Enhanced Hierarchy:
- Some improvements have been made to the Tool->Hierarchy. Groups can now be drag/dropped to adjust the ordering and newly grouped objects retain the ordering – especially useful if you are editing large structures.
- Other changes include compatibility improvements and general bug fixes.
New in AC3D 6.8.14 (Jun 17, 2011)
- fixed - 3ds file importer - problem with Silo exported 3ds files that had no default material
- added - Collada exporter now outputs scene nodes in a hierarchy (.e.g. AC3D groups)
- added - divide loop plugin to all platforms (Tools menu)
- added - select surfaces from TCE (TCE Edit menu)
- added - misc security fixes
- added - Linux web browser defaults to /usr/bin/firefox
- added - some extra sample models
- fixed - Mac - dialogs now default to the system standard. Existing users need to change File->settings->advanced->use-system-dialogs and restart AC3D.
- fixed - Mac -shorter credits dialog to comply with Mac max-length.
- updated - tcl/tk lbraries 8.5.9
New in AC3D 6.7.15 (Sep 11, 2010)
- Improved Windows 7 and 64 bit compatibility
- Arrow keys now nudge the selection in the Texture Coordinate Editor
- Render to Texture plugin now included – see: http://www.inivis.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5583
- Knife plugin included with all versions (by popular demand) - see: http://supercoldmilk.com/ac3dplug/knife.html for more info.
- Many other fixes, tweaks and minor changes.
New in AC3D 6.5.28 (Jun 3, 2009)
- Extrude-by-normal enhanced.
- Faster selection.
- Ogre export plugin.
- TCE improvements.
New in AC3D 6.4.30 (Jul 7, 2008)
- Texture updating - AC3D 6.4 watches for any changes made to the texture-file, and will reload any changed images. This saves time and really speeds up fine-tuning of textures when edited in an external image editor � see your changes instantly in 3D!
- AC3D�s Texture Coordinate Editor has been enhanced with a number of useful features. As well as specifying a dimension for a new (blank) texture, you can now copy a texture map (pre-cropped) directly to the system clipboard � ready to paste into your image editor. Zoom controls have been added so you can easily view your texture mapping over the original 100% size texture image.
- Design new clothes for your Second Life avatars: Feel like designing a new look for your SL avatar? AC3D can help you decide what to wear! Simply load one of the AC3D models provided with AC3D 6.4 (access the avatar folder from File->Open or File->Object-library). Edit the provided textures with your favorite image-editor and AC3D will (with its new texture-update facility � see above) instantly give you a preview of what it will look like in SL. Save yourself both time and upload fees L$.
- BAS relief / height-mapping: AC3D 6.4 comes with SuperColdMilk�s excellent Bas-relief plugin which allows you to create heightmaps from 2D image data. Simply create any shape (e.g. a rectangle) texture it with menu Object->Texture->Load-texture and then select the Tools->Bas-relief-from-texture. This will generate a new mesh from the image data which can then be rescaled as desired.
- Custom Axis rotation: The rotate widget in AC3D�s control-panel has been upgraded so that it can handle custom axis �C�. Now you can select two vertices (e.g. a line or two vertices along the edge of a model), press �Set axis� and any future rotates with the or � buttons will rotate the selection around the axis defined by the two vertices. Great for moving an aileron around a wing edge.
- Sandio 3D mouse support
- Locked objects can now be shown in full 3D (or wireframe as before) - see advanced settings.
- Improved DDS loading.
- Improved PNG support.
- New Milkshape exporter from TFPsoft which uses the AC3D hierarchy to produce a skeleton.
- ATI NMF exporter: turn your high-resolution model into a normal map for a low-resolution model. Works well with ATI�s NormalMapper.
- Mac � Leopard fixes. Most Mac users should notice a speed increase with multiple views.