Netherlands
Joined: Sep 26, 2009
Post Count: 3948
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Online
Wishlist version 3.1
Emmanuel,
The progress in the development of SH3D over the last year has been enormous. So many new features have been included, that the program has matured beyond expectations. This includes several of the excellent plug-ins contributed by users.
Of course there is always room for improvement. The roadmap for version 4 sounds exciting, and I can hardly wait for the day v4 will be announced. Nevertheless, there are a number of smaller wishes and issues that could solve all kind of small problems.
Now, you know very well how eager I am to see layers and roofs, but I have decided to be modest this year. So, instead of asking for version 4, may I ask for version 3.1? Most, if not all, of these things have been asked before. Where possible I have added the link to the thread/post in the forum.
USER INTERFACE The new user interface should offer the possibility to see all relevant info in one screen, including the "texture manager" and the "render manager". Users who don't have a large screen can switch the additional panes off in the Preferences.
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Hans
new website - under constuction hansdirkse.info
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[Edit 1 times,
last edit by hansmex at Dec 5, 2010, 7:50:22 PM]
France
Joined: Nov 7, 2005
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Re: Wishlist version 3.1
Thank you Hans for this updated wishlist. Not sure the ones I agree with will appear in version 3.1 though...
PREFERENCES - add option to choose between 12/24 hrs system
My preference at this time would be to offer to users a better way to enter hours than a text field.
WALLS - add a simple and intuitive Join Walls feature (feature in AdvancedEdit plug-in is too complex)
The one in the Advanced Edit plug-in could be improved, but I don't mind to program this function in Sweet Home 3D, since many users don't seem to get they should double-click during wall creation to perform the same thing.
DATA ENTRY - fix issues with jumping cursor when entering dimensions
I'll try to fix that one, once I'll be able to reproduce it...
DOORS/WINDOWS - move Doors/Windows option from Import to Modify
Sorry, but I'm really not found of that one and don't want to create an Advanced tab just for this option...
ADVANCED TAB
I'll see if bump maps can be supported at importation time (furniture import and why not texture import), but this won't appear in furniture modification dialog.
VIRTUAL VISITOR - fixed size, independent of zoom
Why not, but we can live without such an option...
- exact control of VV
Ok for that one, I'll change 3D view modification dialog.
AERIAL VIEW ROTATION POINT - set different aerial view rotation point
RESCALING AFTER ZOOM - change zoom behaviour in 2D window
I'll see if I can improve it.
ROOM LIGHT - move ceiling light on/off from Create Photo to Modify Room, so that light can be switched on/of for every room - make light strength per room adjustable
I don't think proposing lights option in 3 different dialogs (photo creation dialog, furniture modification dialog and room modification dialog) is such a good idea. If users don't like the default automatic ceiling lights, they'll place their own lights.
VIDEO - make it possible to skip a part of the walk in a video with on/off switch for recording
I would prefer to let the choice to edit different videos in the same document (similarly to the stored view points).
TEXTURES - texture editor, similar to furniture editor
Why not.
- make it possible to attach MTL-file to an object
Color / Texture / Shininess are options of MTL files. MTL files offer more than that but I don't think it will happen soon.
- correct texture orientation (at least for elementary objects like boxes, cylinders, triangles, etc) - fix issues with transparent textures
The current orientation wasn't chosen by chance, and changing the way it's done would have more drawbacks. In the current version, just rotate your objects 180° and you'll see the text correctly oriented on the other side. In the future, applying textures on each side of a cube (including left and right sides), around a cylinder or a sphere will be also available with the wizard I have foreseen in the roadmap.
REPLACE FEATURE - select multiple objects and replace them with another object
I'll prefer that one appear in a plug-in.
IMPORT - fix issues with DAE import or use FrontFace filter
I'm discussing with the author of SunFlow to see what can be done on this one.
- rotate object during import in smaller steps than 90 degrees (on all 3 axes)
That shouldn't be difficult, internal data is already able to handle any kind of rotation.
EXPORT - export OBJ as a ZIP-file
I still don't understand why you need this feature, since I developed Copy as new furniture plug-in. External 3D tools don't handle OBJ within a ZIP file.
- fix loss of data on export (transparency, light)
Transparency is fixed. Lights aren't supported in the OBJ format, so that won't happen...
- export CSV data for external cost calculation
With prices coming from where?
PLUG-INS - improve current plug-ins and integrate them into program
CREATE PHOTO - for easy reference, give a number from 1 to 4 to the quality settings; now only Ubuntu users have this, but it's useful for the others as well
I'll check whether it's feasible.
USER INTERFACE The new user interface should offer the possibility to see all relevant info in one screen, including the "texture manager" and the "render manager". Users who don't have a large screen can switch the additional panes off in the Preferences.
I didn't start anything about that, but be sure I'll do it with great care. Many reviewers think that Sweet Home 3D user interface is simple, and I just don't want they think the opposite in next major version.
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Emmanuel Puybaret, Sweet Home 3D developer
Netherlands
Joined: Sep 26, 2009
Post Count: 3948
Status:
Online
Re: Wishlist version 3.1
It's 5 December, everybody is unpacking their presents!
SH3D users about to unpack and admire all the new features
PREFERENCES - add option to choose between 12/24 hrs system I would like to see 19:24 and not 7:24 PM/AM. This is Europe after all.
WALLS - add a simple and intuitive Join Walls feature (feature in AdvancedEdit plug-in is too complex) The double-click to auto-connect the end wall to the start wall works fine. Some people don't read manuals. That said, the AdvEdit plug-in could use some improvement.
ADVANCED TAB I'll see if bump maps can be supported at importation time (furniture import and why not texture import), but this won't appear in furniture modification dialog. Photo realism would certainly improve. Calculation time not :-)
VIRTUAL VISITOR - fixed size, independent of zoom Why not, but we can live without such an option... We can live without vacuum cleaners too. But they make life a lot easier...
- exact control of VV Ok for that one, I'll change 3D view modification dialog. Great!
AERIAL VIEW ROTATION POINT - set different aerial view rotation point You know my opinion about that one... I see people asking for this feature, that's why it's in the list. Personally I think it would be nice to have it, but I don't consider it urgent.
RESCALING AFTER ZOOM - change zoom behaviour in 2D window I'll see if I can improve it. Thanks.
ROOM LIGHT - move ceiling light on/off from Create Photo to Modify Room, so that light can be switched on/of for every room - make light strength per room adjustable I don't think proposing lights option in 3 different dialogs (photo creation dialog, furniture modification dialog and room modification dialog) is such a good idea. If users don't like the default automatic ceiling lights, they'll place their own lights. Maybe I'll ask again next year :-)
VIDEO - make it possible to skip a part of the walk in a video with on/off switch for recording I would prefer to let the choice to edit different videos in the same document (similarly to the stored view points). Separate videos would mean that you need video editing software to make one movie of it, or accept boring stretches between points. An on/off switch would be rather simple, I think.
TEXTURES - texture editor, similar to furniture editor Why not. Great!!
- correct texture orientation (at least for elementary objects like boxes, cylinders, triangles, etc) - fix issues with transparent textures In the future, applying textures on each side of a cube (including left and right sides), around a cylinder or a sphere will be also available with the wizard I have foreseen in the roadmap. WOW
REPLACE FEATURE - select multiple objects and replace them with another object I'll prefer that one appear in a plug-in. Maybe we can ask the original authors?
IMPORT - fix issues with DAE import or use FrontFace filter I'm discussing with the author of SunFlow to see what can be done on this one. Let's hope it'll be a fruitful discussion.
- rotate object during import in smaller steps than 90 degrees (on all 3 axes) That shouldn't be difficult, internal data is already able to handle any kind of rotation. That would be nice! Rotation round the 3rd axis would still be a desirable feature, but this would be a great first step.
EXPORT - export OBJ as a ZIP-file I still don't understand why you need this feature. I want "one model, one file". Now you get a long list of files and jpg's for every texture.
- export CSV data for external cost calculation With prices coming from where? If the right data are exported, you could manipulate them in a spreadsheet. Prices is one possibility. Calculating the amount af wallpaper or paint is another. I'm pretty good with spreadsheets, I might be able to develop something.
PLUG-INS - improve current plug-ins and integrate them into program I'll try first to handle the roadmap. Maybe we can ask the original authors?
CREATE PHOTO - for easy reference, give a number from 1 to 4 to the quality settings. I'll check whether it's feasible. Great!
USER INTERFACE I think SH3D should start up the same as now. In Preferences there's the "Advanced features" tab that switches ON the extra panes. A few people have a second screen and have the "External screen" feature for it. Many people have wide screens, and could use the extra space with these new panes. Also, it would save a lot of switching back and forward for many users.
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Hans