Version 4.0.4.7
Last Post 15 Apr 2014 11:31 AM by Kyle Kepley. 0 Replies.
Author Messages
Kyle KepleyUser is Offline
New Member
New Member
Posts:59


--
15 Apr 2014 11:31 AM
  • Quote
  • Reply

The new version requires a complete reinstall due to the magnitude of the changes, so if you want to migrate your existing show and effect data you must first backup your old database by making a copy of the file called “showsim db.db3” which is found in “Documents/MyDocuments/ShowSim 3D” and put it in a safe place prior to uninstalling your current showsim.  The new version can still read in the database files from the previous versions, but it does have to convert them before it can.  So if you want to use your previous database which you backed up,  you can either drop the backed up database into the installation folder so that it overwrites the installed database, or you can specify the path to wherever you backed the database up to using the Program Settings screen.  The database will get modified the first time the new ShowSim accesses it, so it is a good idea to work with a copy of the backup instead of the original, just in case you ever need the original database for going back to version 4.0.4.6.  Once you are up and running with the converted database, the first thing you should do is go to the Help menu (? Button) and run the database repair utility.  This will fix any problems left over from the conversion or caused by glitches in previous versions of ShowSim.  The repair utility works by first doing a scan to find what problems exist, then you click the Repair button to fix them.  The repair process can take a while depending on how many errors were found, so be sure to wait for the repair completion message box to appear before moving on.

Here is a complete list of all the new features.  There were a lot of bug fixes too, but I’m just listing the new stuff here:

New Features:

-------------------

x          Effect libraries: added complete consumer 500g cake libraries for Shogun, Dominator, World Class and a partial Brothers library with more manufacturers to come later this year.  A cake shot library of over 1400 effects was also created.

x          Effect Download: ability to preview static images or quick bursts without having to download the effects

x          Effect Downloads: added search page for extracting individual effects from libraries

x          Database repair utility which scans for errors and gives option to repair them

x          Update Notifications: got rid of the old utility for doing updates and wrote a new one which works more reliably

x          Show Manager: Backup shows that are deleted in case of an accident

x          Program Settings: Increase particle throttle limit to 200K and add option to turn off particle throttle

x          Effect Browser: added still image preview of the selected effect (this can also be disabled)

x          Effect Browser: when click testing shell effects, the burst now appears instantly so you don't have to wait through the rise time (Test button still simulates entire effect as before)

x          Effect Browser: the number of effects displayed in the list is now shown below the list

x          Effect Browser: when copying data from clipboard that has a position from another show, auto-create that position with the same name if it do not already exist

x          Effect Browser: Effects- ability to drag-drop effects from one category into another

x          Effect Browser: Effects- added one-click effect filters for faster searching

x          Effect Browser:  Effects- added new categories and rearranged category image list (stock library was also rearranged)

x          Effect Browser: Effects- show durations on cake items

x          Effect Browser: Effects- +Clipboard button that moves selected item in the list to the clipboard

x          Effect Browser: selecting an effect that is configured as a fixed size effect will automatically select the designed size in the drop-down list

x          Effect Browser: Effects- "dismantle" option for cake effects that copies each shot of the cake onto the clipboard usign the naming convention :

x          Effect Browser: Clipboard- added ability to drag-drop from clipboard onto the script and timeline forms, with option to remove item from clipboard list once dropped

x          Effect Browser: a new chain category for holding pre-made effect chains in the form of cake items

x          when chain item is placed in a script, it is converted into a chain with all the same delays, angles and effects used in the cake definition

x          inventory items can now be dragged onto the cake editor so that chains can be built that will reference inventory items

x          Simulator: starting a show now includes simulations from fireworks which were launched before the start time but are still visible after the start time

x          TimeLine: bar graph feature added to all versions of ShowSim

x          TimeLine: real-time scrolling added to bar graph

x          TimeLine: ability to move cues by dragging the bars on the bar graph

x          TimeLine: selected cues now appear in red

x          TimeLine: bar graph can now remain open during simulations and will scroll with the show

x          TimeLine: cue label placement and readability improved

x          TimeLine: right-button mouse scrolling and reversing directions is now much smoother

x          TimeLine: dragging cues is now smoother

x          TimeLine: still image mode added to create a static image of all the effects visible at the current show time

x          TimeLine: effect image mode added which shows a graphic image of the selected effect on the simulation screen

x          TimeLine: add drag-drop to timeline, where in drag mode a vertical line follows under the mouse showing where the effect would be placed

x          TimeLine: added snapshot button that renders a still frame of all fireworks visible at the current time

x          TimeLine: rewrite display code for faster rendering times.  Much sluggish behavior in showsim when scripting  is due to the Timeline redrawing

x          Cake Editor: make sure "empty" effect is always present in the shot list

x          Cake Editor: added button for reversing selected angles

x          Cake Editor: added thumbtack button to keep editor from closing during a simulation

x          Cake Editor: added script generator to shot drop recorder utility

x          Cake Editor: modified effect list so that effects must be dragged onto the cake grid in order to change shot effects

x          Cake Editor: set duration field when cake is saved

x          Shell Editor: added consistent naming convention to drop-down list items for risers, stars and star tails

x          Shell Editor: added one-click color filter bars to riser, star effect and star tail drop-down lists

x          Shell Editor: added one-click button for removing risers, star effects and star tails

x          Shell Editor: added break-only test button to eliminate having to wait for the rise time

x          Shell Editor: added hundreds of new elements for stars and risers, with complete set for 13 different colors (icluding pastel colors)

x          Position Editor: position names auto-created from clone and add operations use two leading zeros now for sorting purposes

x          Reports:  new size labels for ematch that uses UK sizes (need to test still)

x          Reports:  include launch and break times in custom setup reports

x          Reports: product list by size

x          Reports: product list by position

x          Reports: product list by module

x          Reports: Add Magazine column into product report

x          Reports: Add Position Name to chain list reports

x          Reports: on safety report, breakout the total active and gross weights in the header by class type

x          Reports: show longer effect names on setup labels

x          Main Screen:

x          Fire positions are displayed by default

x          When fire positions are selected (red), any Effect Browser or Inventory Browser operations are going to use selected positions as the position when creating cues or testing effects.

x          When more than one position is selected, all drag-drop, +Cue and Add operations will generate cues for each selected position

x          Auto-hide fire positions during playback   

x          Renumbering Wizard: Add Stock Number to sort list in cue renumbering tool




---