This release continues the development of the user interface and concentrates on refining the work done in version 3.0.
The support for 'wall line last' or more generally for lasts that have sharp edges is the biggest single change to the program. It has required major changes to the underlying data structure and the flattening algorithms.
This design export option was missed in version 3.0. It has been restored in this version and enhanced to include basic sole, midsole and insole in the export. Also the rounded edge effect applied to panels is included in the export.
When drawing in the accessory, shapes and tread tools points now snap to others making it much easier to create closed shapes.
The capability of these popup menu option for panels has been improved and the name has changed from 'Copy Parameters' to 'Copy Attributes'.
To avoid possible confusion with 'Copy Attributes' the 'Copy Panel' option has been renamed 'Duplicate Panel'.
Some problems with saving and updating the thumbnail views have been corrected.
The dialogs that open for loops and accessories now show the name of the object being edited in the title bar when the option is started from the library popup menu.
The separate option to export a sole as OBJ has been removed. The export design option for OBJ works on the basis of export what is visible so if just the sole is left displayed it is all that is exported. The OBJ export is also created in a folder named for the design so that all the required elements are collected into one location. Archive and send the entire folder for someone else to view.
The menu equivalents of the blanking functions have been added to the View menu.
It is now possible to shorten features properly
A problem with logos not being properly stored in archives is corrected.
On the 'Misc' tab some old options relating to the last have been restored, a default value for the height of a leg extension section has been added and the choice of 2D data export has been removed because choice is always available on the flatten dialog.
A crash that occurred when clearing the insole has been corrected. A related problem linked to shapes has also been corrected.
The ability to tap 'F' to create a feather line has been included in the 'stream draw' action.
Some accessories could be corrupted if the design was switched to the other foot. This has been corrected.
The profile depth was not being applied when the button was used, this is corrected.
If there were more than one colour/group in 2D window when skipping from one group/colour to another (using the arrows) – the colour field did not display the actual colour. This is corrected.
The flattening activity icon was not active so it was not possible to flatten designs. The licensing has been corrected.
The global Clear - Features/Accessories/Logos/Textures functions were not clearing from an advanced sole. The Clear function works when 'in' the advanced sole activity.
When starting a new sole the single question; "Do you want to clear existing sole/midsole ?" is now asked.
Sometimes the program selected a logo instead of a loop or the other way around. This has been corrected.
The slide controls to rotate the inside and outside last lines before 'meaning' the last drape lines, were not performing correctly. This has been fixed.
If you had previously used a line to define a panel, but then deleted the panel or exchanged the line for another the program would erroneously report that the line was still part of a panel, and would not let you edit or removed it. This is corrected.
Removing cut-outs from a copied panel would delete the panel. This has been fixed.
Remaining problems with copying panel properties have been resolved.
The missing 3DM export is added and enhanced to include rounded edges.
This is a major update, and as such there have been a lot of changes.
The problems with the creation and appearance of the thumbnail images in all sectionsof the library have been resolved.
A 'refresh' icon has been added to all the library panels so that the listings can be updated if the content is changed.
An icon has also been added to the library panel to turn the preview window on or off. This is in addition to the existing Ctrl+F11 action.
Some minor issues with library thumbnails has been addressed in this version, which were principally a problem with Vista and Windows 7. The changes have also rectified the problem of creating a 'snapshot' from within the program.
Some lasts were a problem for the 'Tennis Trainer' style. This has been corrected.
A problem with the offset and thickness has been corrected.
An option has been provided to remind you to save your design every X minutes.
Dialogs such as used when adjusting a feature or changing component properties are now 'non-modal' so that the view be changed as adjustments are made.
There was a problem with creating panels, particularly when determining an intersection between a line and the feather line. This is now corrected.
The export process was not formatting the IGS file correctly, while Powershape worked OK (probably the basis of the testing) with the slight error, RhinoCAD could only read the first segment of the first line of the file. This is now corrected.
The zoom selected area function has been implemented.
A crash caused by a missing file has been corrected.
The user interface for this tool has been refined and simplified.
Ctrl+K no longer mirrors the selected data item.
If a feature is 'under' a panel it is now revealed when you need to select it to apply to the panel.
It is now possible to put multiple features on a single line.
A new section of library has been added to manage shapes along with a new shape editor. Shapes (as base lines) can also be created or edited in Engineer (saved as .pat files) to be used in both programs
Several problems in respect of importing data into libraries have been corrected.
The billboard or trace function has been improved. References to 'Trace' have been changed to 'Billboard' or variations on this word.
The File-Append menu has been reduced to a single quickly accessible level.
By popular request the 'pointing finger' cursor is no longer used.
A problem that could cause the program to crash has been rectified.
The ability to copy and paste all the parameters from one panel to another has been added to the panel right-click popup menu.
A problem that sometimes resulted in the figure chosen for the heel height being changed from that selected has been corrected.
The visible indication that it is possible to snap to a point has been improved. Hold the 'S' key down to stop the snap action.
The improvements to snapping have made the creation of panels that include the feather edge more reliable, providing that lines are draw snapping to points on the feather line. By using the snap action to close lines the creation of very narrow panels has also been made easier.
It is now possible, in the advanced texture adjustment dialog, to change the texture colour on a panel.
In common with other Delcam products a re-branding exercise has added '2010' to the name or programs. This is separate from the actual version of the program. Included in this work are new splash and about screens. The maintenance release data is also now shown in the about screen.
The default offsets, vertical and horizontal are set to 2.0mm.
The measure option now works in the tread dialog. Exporting a tread to a 2D pattern, the 3D icons and prompts now work properly.
A fault with this process has been corrected.
The action of the shortcut Ctrl+T has been corrected and now accesses the templates folder.
A problem with the 'order' of panel transparencies has been corrected.
A problem with maintaining the colour following the use of exchange line has been corrected.
The sequence of creating a full bite line was broken. This has been fixed.
In certain circumstances Undo was leaving a duplicate line behind. This is fixed.
Sometimes accessories, applied on advanced sole and mirrored were multiplied on both sides. It depended on where it is placed, usually somewhere near the instep. This has been corrected.
'Inside' some functions it was sometimes difficult to pick lines. This has been improved.
The import process now includes a facility that reconnects lines that were 'broken' at corner points and applies filtering to reduce the number of data points.
The options here have been expanded and you can now export a last as 114 and 128 entity types.
This has been moved from the Orientation tool bar and now has its own icon on the Last Activity tool tray.
The option has been implemented in the File menu.
In the absence of the .shoe format for this release the archive functionality is retained on the File menu and enhanced to include the new data types.
An icon has been added to the Views tool bar to supplement the F11 shortcut.
A line now terminates when you release the left mouse button.
The use of 'T' as a shortcut key to rapidly switch between full 2D and 3D views has been added.
This popup menu function has been implemented and there are other general improvements to the management and editing of panel properties.
The facility to apply a feature to the top surface of a panel has been implemented.
You can now adjust the depth (height) of a panel cutout (a popup menu option) to create a 'pushed in' look.
The clear 'Sole Design' and clear 'Sole' functions have been implemented where the former clears just design detail off the sole and the latter removes the entire sole including any design details.
Although there is a separate activity for basic and advanced sole that can only be ONE sole on the design, so the show/hide bars under these two activities work together.
Possibly the most obvious change in this version is the move to 36x36 pixel icons but there are also other big changes in the user interface (UI). In comparison to version 2.4 or 2.6 there are probably more icons but only a few are presented at any one time making a clear, simple and intuitive user interface.
There are fewer menus in this version and, with the exception of 'Active' they do not 'shuffle about' when a particular activity (task) is selected.
The number of activities has increased from three (last, design and sole) to ten (last, lines, panels, features, accessories, logos, loops, components, basic sole, and advanced sole). There is an icon to switch between designing on the upper or advanced sole.
Some of the upper design activities are shared by this process. A main tool bar icon switches between designing on the upper and on the sole.
Though not an activity in the sense of the rest of the program, because it just opens a dialog, this looks like an extra activity at the end of the activities tool bar. However, it does provide an end to a logical design sequence through the activities.
Each activity has its own tool tray containing functions specific to that activity. In many cases there are functions on the tool tray that give access to 'quick' adjustments to selected design elements.
You can select any type of data in any activity. The program instantly switches to the correct activity for the selected data with the appropriate function or functions active and ready to be used.
Small green/red bars under each activity icon, except 'flatten', can be used to turn the related data type off or on. The first of these bars has an 'all on', 'all off' action.
Most of the time the above means that there is no need to use the old display dialogue. It still remains and still uses the 'D' shortcut but it only has a few options for turning data off, such as 'insole' and 'midsole'. The other uses are to set and use 'user views' and control of lighting. There are only two tabs.
Above the first green/red bar is a set of three icons that have the actions; Hide selected (data), Hide not selected and show all. This is very similar to the action in PowerShape and uses the same keys, Ctrl+J, Ctrl+K, and Ctrl+L.
No you can undo and redo changes in the design. However, if you are testing the beta do not rely on this, use 'save' often. Part of this function is the ability to recover data after a program crash but though tests indicate that it works the possibility exists for the recovered data to be missing some detail. Note also that when a design is very complex there can be several seconds delay while the undo or redo is processed.
You can use the 'E' shortcut to start the edit function for any type of data selected.
Some properties, such as height and thickness, are adjustable right on the panel tool tray but tapping 'E' with a panel selected opens a tabbed property dialog. This dialog has some similarity to options in the display dialog of version 2.6 but also has a 'Materials' tab with tools to define and reuse materials on panels. The 'Materials' feature is the equivalent of the 'presets' feature in version 2.6.
This facility, first introduced in version 2.6, has been greatly expanded. In conjunction with a new library facility you can drag almost anything onto your design. For example, you can drag a feature from the library right on to a line without having selected the line.
The activities 'panel', 'accessories', 'features', 'logos', and 'loops' all have associated libraries. For 'panels' the library contains texture images all libraries display their content as 'thumbnails' with a preview for when displayed as just a list of names. The F11 key, maintaining some synergy with Crispin 2D, hides or shows the library panel (window). Normally the library is 'docked' at the base of the program window but it can be 'detached' and made to 'float'.
Controls like zoom, pan, and rotate match those of PowerShape, where use of the middle mouse button predominates.
Switch between these two views has been simplified to just two choices (no small windows) and along with easy access icons you can just tap 'T' to 'toggle' between two and three D views.
This is a new activity matching the old import surface functions of version 2.6 bringing together the import functions and controls for manipulating the imported components onto a single tool tray.
The program now has a basic level of import from a .s3d file. To use this feature correctly, if importing textures you MUST create a MindTextures directory in the same directory as the file to be imported. This directory must contain the textures in the design.
This is a CRUCIAL change.
THe internal PAF codes have been altered. Any new released PAF codes will work with this version.
However, any older 2.6.xx versions will not. You must upgrade to this version if you get a new paf file.
This is a major change.
The whole interface has been altered to make the look and feel for intuitive especially from the way of moving and picking of items
Updated to a better look and feel, with bigger, clearer icons.
Improved IGS conversion. Backcurve, Featheredge and Topline are now automatically found.
Pre-set views available as icons down the right hand side.
Middle Mouse Button (MMB) is now used for rotation.
Shift + MMB is now Pan.
Option to use MMB or the Z-key to move around a Last when in a Function.
Now only 2 icons visible in Last Process Module. The rest such as Last Extension, are below the menu pick 'Last'
No offset lines are displayed when creating panels and features that are of a greater offset than 0.5. Only 0.5 lines are now displayed.
Pre-set panels now increased to 20.
Textures can be now be applied via Drag 'n' Drop. (DnD).
You can also move, scale and rotate the texture actively on the panel.
Offset copy panel is now a Right Mouse Button (RMB) context menu selection after the 'P' key has been used....'Make Copy'
The function 'Sole Design – File – Append Sole' has been changed and moved to
'Sole Design – File – Import – Surface – Des Sole'
Slide out tabs are now iconised within a toolbar, for individual selection as a dialog.
For applying a 'pull strap' loop to the back of sports or outdoor type footwear.
Various designs of Loop can be created. Colours, thickness and textures can also be applied.
The positioning, rotation and offset of the loop can also be controlled.
Logos applied to the design can have the option to apply a transparency to the background colour.
Created panels now have the option to apply a transparency to the RGB colour applied to the panel.
A design created and saved on a left or right foot last, can be saved on the opposite foot last.
The last changes to the opposite foot and the design re-applied.
The OBJ format has been included to incorporate a smoother import and export of data between Delcam and CRISPIN software products.
In particular, this improves the interactiveness for applying soles created and imported from Delcam PowerSHAPE
An PSLast and PSStyle import feature has been added for importing MIND 3D lasts and style line data.
The last and style line files are imported together, and the PS-Last converted to a CRISPIN last file.
The style lines from the PSStyle file are converted into CRISPIN style lines on the last, ready to save as a CRISPIN design file.
The flatten panel icon is now positioned below the panel icons in the main Upper Design tool chest.
Clicking the flatten panel icon will prompt the user to select a panel on the last, then flatten into 2D for use in CRISPIN Engineer.
Most of the changes are shown in the linked document.
Click here for documented changes
Reverse Engineering from Engineer to ShoeDesign will now read Engineer 2.0 pattern file format.
Click here for documented changes
Now supports the latest DXF format
French language supported
ATI card problem resolved
Shareware graphics manipulator provided. (Licence on request).
Click here for documented changes
To save duplication/multiplication of effort LicenseWizard help is now only provided with LicenseWizard and the installation CDROM 'Readme'. If you experience license problems after upgrading please refer to the 'ReadMe.chm' file on the release CD (available on XDrive) or LicenseWizard help and look at the 'Network Licenses' page.
A variable panel offset is now defined as: 'The largest length of the panel edge at a particular offset'. So if most of the panel edge is at 5mm then the panel is considered to be at 5mm.
When creating a line in the 2D window on reaching the feather edge, centre line, back curve or top line with the end point, it disappeared. When placed, it was short of the feather line etc. The function now snaps to the line, like it does with the start point at the beginning of a line.
Data points and the cursor are now a simple small square to improve accuracy when selecting points. The colour of the cursor and the colour it changes to at centre lines can now be set by the user in Options Box.
When modifying a feature on last that has more than one entity, there was no highlight to show which part of the feature was being modified. A highlight is now used but is turned off as some values are adjusted.
When inserting a cutout at a height of 3mm in a panel with an offset of 5mm offset panel, the cutout picks up the panel offset. In a previous version the effect was of a circle cutout slightly sunk below the panel surface. This has been repaired and the sunken effect is restored.
A new function to mirror selected panels to the opposite side of the last is added.
The redundant 'Regenerate Panel' icon in the Insole toolbar has been removed.
Values in the Basic sole function are now rounded to avoid problems with settings.
Stitch down dialogue. As the recalculation can be slow the stitch down value field is now enabled when stitch down is off. To change value, switch it off, change the value and switch it on.
The mesh at the back part of the Basic sole has been refined to improve the look of the heel.
When creating an Advanced sole using a 2mm offset line, the thickness that can be applied to this sole can not now exceed the 2mm that initially specified how far out the sole is from the last. If you need to pull part of the sole away from the surface of the last to insert a panel behind it, you can not now increase the sole thickness to fill all of this gap, because it looks wrong with the sole having a variable thickness.
The use of the 'C' shortcut has been added to invert the colour of the cursor in circumstances that would normally make it invisible.
Zoom level is now maintained when moving between the 2D and 3D views in the edit accessory dialogue.
The Edit Tread Dialogue values field in the spin-box has been enlarged to 5 characters as negative 2 decimal place numbers were not completely visible. It is now also possible to enter values directly.
It is now also possible to enter values directly in the spin-boxes of the Shapes dialogue.
The maximum width of the Mid-Sole the Basic Sole Welt Forepart and Seat Width are now all 'synchronised' to the same limits.
If a part barefoot last has been digitised using ModelTracer, converted to *.lst, and then 'Change Last Type' is used, the last now keeps the shape of the barefoot.
Export of the current design in Rhinoceros CAD 3DM format has been added. An import function is pending.
The ability to flatten lines or panels at any selected height has been added.
Conflicts with duplicate 'accelerator keys' (shortcuts) in the File menu have been resolved.
A file sharing conflict when exporting an accessory to Engineer has been corrected to be handled properly.
The display of the two file names in the title bar has been simplified.
The position of the small View control dialogue is now maintained if the main window is resized.
The automatic saving of the last on completion of the creation of guidelines has been dropped but a prompt is presented if the program is ended without the last changes being saved.
'Measure' is renamed to 'Line Length' and is also added to right button context menu.
The shortcut 'V' is added to show or hide the view controls.
The standard Windows shortcut F12 is added for Save As.
The size of the window last set for the program was not being recorded an applied on restarting the program. This is fixed.
Change to the prompt to clarify the options when using the Feature function.
When moving and existing logo cancelling the process actually remove the logo being moved. This is fixed.
Addition of StyleWizard. A way of applying styles onto the last in their correct flattening position.
If you pick lines to delete in the edit Accessory or Tread dialogues you can now use escape without losing the lines.
The 'view speed' slider adjustment has been changed to improve the effect on really fast PCs where the old one didn't slow the system down enough. The new adjustment also affects the 'auto-rotation' speed.
A zoom function has been added to the initial 2D view when importing lines from Engineer.
It is now have a variable insole where the forepart can be a different thickness to the seat.
Unused Lines has been added to the Clear menu.
The ability to convert and import a last from an STL file has been added to the file menu.
this is current released version.
The above icons have been added into last process for last modification. The 3 icons from left to right are "Offset Last Upper", "Offset Last Bottom", "Offset Last Region"
Clicking on the Offset Last Upper button shows the following dialog.
By typing or using the arrow keys to change the value, the last upper will become bigger or smaller overall. The value range is -3.0 to 3.0. We have found that if a bigger or smaller value is applied to the last upper at one time, the last becomes distorted. This may affect the flattening.
Clicking on the Offset Last Upper button shows the following dialog.
By typing or using the arrow keys to change the value, the last bottom will become bigger or smaller overall. The value range is -3.0 to 3.0. We have found that if a bigger or smaller value is applied to the last bottom at one time, the last becomes distorted. This may affect the flattening.
The Offset Last Region button will be inactive, until a guideline, is created into a shape using a single line, with the start and ends points merged. e.g.
On selection of the icon, you will be prompted to select the line with LMB. When selected, the line will be highlighted Magenta, you will then be prompted to either, de-select and select another line with LMB or Set offset value with RMB. When RMB ha been selected, the following toolbar appears,
By typing or using the arrow keys to change the value, the last bottom will become bigger or smaller overall. The value range is -3.0 to 3.0. We have found that if a bigger or smaller value is applied to the last bottom at one time, the last becomes distorted. This may affect the flattening.
This icon is for Last Manipulation. Pressing it gives us the following dialog.
All the above are changeable within the set tolerances. Either, by typing or the Up/Down scroll buttons. Selection of the Green tick applies the change. Selecting OK, will open the save dialog box. When changing the values, you can see it visually change on screen. There are basic view buttons, and visual icons (coloured Yellow) to show what part of the last you are changing.
We are planning to make the above functionality 'optional' in the next release of ShoeDesign.
This function would be used in conjunction with the 3D Viewer. For example; if a designer has created and saved their design, a customer, with the Crispin 3D viewer, would open the design, make a comment regarding for example, Texture. The customer saves the design, sends it back to the designer, who then opens the design, opens the comment, to see exactly what needs to be changed.
On selection of Image Trace, the following toolbar will appear.
You can scale the image bigger or smaller, move it left to right, right to left, up and down. Select Green tick to accept new position. Or, on opening image trace, you can by pass this if not required, by just selecting the Green tick. You can then position the last, if required.
On selection of the following icon,
a default 5mm diameter circle will appear. It is controlled by the cursor and mouse movement. A single LMB click places the circle onto the surface, with the option of another LMB click to duplicate and place another and another etc... Also, when the icon is selected, a single click on the 'C' key, will open a toolbar to change the diameter value, either by typing or Up/Down button keys. The lowest value is 1.0, the highest value is 10.0.On selection of the following Icon,
a single panel can be selected to be mirrored. If you reqiure all the panels to be mirrored, simply select 'A' key with a single click.On selection of the following Icon,
a dialog appears for selection of the required Logo (JPG or BMP) When selected, it will be attached to the cursor on the last surface. Mouse movement will move it around the last surface. The use of the Cursor arrow keys Up/Down will change the offset, the use of the Num-Pad keys, will rotate, scale bigger or smaller and mirror on own axis. Select the 'G' key, select the required Logo, a single RMB click opens a pop-up menu for, move, edit, copy or delete logo.Found in Last Process, and is for a design, where the tongue extends above the height of the last. On selection of the following Icon,
a toolbar appears, for adding a value to extand by, typing or by the arrow buttons. The default is 10.00. The lowest value you can go down to is 1.00, the highest value you can go up to is 50.00. This will extend the tongue area of the last, and blend it to 1.00 at the top of the back of the last.There is now 2 choices of colour for the cursor. Red and Orange. Both have a pencil like shape attached if required. The following dialog box
is found in Options, Miscellaneous. A) If nothing is checked, then the cursor will be a Red square. B) If 'Colour' is checked, then the cursor will be Orange. C) If 'Use Pencil' is checked with 'Colour'unchecked, then the cursor will be a Red square with a pencil shape attached. D) If 'Use Pencil' is checked with 'Colour' checked, then the cursor will be a Orange square with a pencil shape attached.Cursor to middle of workspace. When ShoeDesign has been opened, and a last has been retrieved, select the Reset View Icon. This will the nactivate the cursor to be positioned in the centre of the workspace after selecting a function. When zoomed and a function has been selected, for example move point, hit the Z key. This will activate F6.
The shape of the cursor has changed from a spider like shape to a square shape. This shape will keep the same size, if you are at a zoomed in or a normal viewing level.
The shape of the data point has changed from a spider like shape to a square shape. This shape will keep the same size, if you are at a zoomed in or a normal viewing level. It also matches the cursor shape for easier selection and movement.
There is now a vrml output for designs.
There is now a .X output for designs.
Now in smaller steps.They now go up in steps of 0.1 instead of steps of 0.5. Found in panel toolbar, below Offset Move and Offset Copy icons.
When scrolling through the panels in the sldie-out. An extra Icon has been added in the Texture tab of the slide-out. If panels have textures applied to them, scrolling through the panels tab, was sometimes a little slow. To help scroll through quicker, select the icon to turn off textures while scrolling. When icon is like this,
you can scroll through seeing textures in preview window. When Icon is like this,
you can scroll through without seeing textures.Move shape and Copy shape icons have been added into Accessories dialog box. This icon
for selecting shape and moving, this icon
for duplicating shape and moving.To find cursor below panels that are at a higher offset than the cursor. Holding down the 'Q' key, will turn the cursor Black.
Now goes down to 0.5 diameter. Previously it was 1.0.