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RailClone 3.0.7

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We are delighted to announce the release of RailClone 3 with a host of brand new features and fixes to improve speed, increase usability and make the plugin even more flexible. There are a huge amount of new features, updates and improvements in this version

New Features​

  • Added Macros: This feature allows you to create new nodes by creating sub-graphs. Macros to output numeric values, geometry, and generators are all possible.

    • A new Macro library panel is available in the Style Editor containing system and user generated macros

    • Create or edit a macro by selecting a Macro node, right-clicking and selecting Macro > Edit

    • Input nodes allow you to determine the base objects used by a macro. These will become the macros inputs.

    • Output nodes allow you to determine the type of output generated by a macro. Choose from segment or numeric.

    • One or more Generators can be added to a macro.

    • Several examples are included, and you can save, share and import your own macros as well as adding them to a user library for easy reuse.

      MacrosMacros

  • Added Update Manager, a new application to download and keep the software updated.

    • Libraries, Maps and Macros have been removed from the setup program. Now are downloaded from the Update Manager.

    • It requires to login with the username and password included with your license.

    • In the current version, the plugin is not updated from the application. This feature will be included in next updates.

    • Update Manager is launched periodically from 3DS Max, notifying the use of updates if there are any. You also can run it manually from General>Update or from the Start Menu.

    • Library, Materials and Maps are moved to C:\Users\[user]\AppData\Local\Itoo Software\RailClone

      Update Manager UIUpdate Manager UI

  • New algorithm to align Linear Generator with planar and closed splines. It computes initial banking angle (X Rotation in Generator) so segment's Z axis is perpendicular to the plane formed by the first and last spline's segment. This method works much better when creating frames, windows, etc.

  • Added Auto Align option to Array Generator-> Extend X/Y Size mode. This option creates array aligned automatically with each sub-spline. This mode is very suitable for roof and panels. Two modes are available. For both modes Z axis is always perpendicular to the plane formed by the spline.

    • X --> XY: X axis is parallel to the RailClone XY plane (considering local axis of the object).
    • to Spline: X axis is aligned with first Spline's segment (you can use "Make first" vertex and "Reverse" spline to modify alignment).

  • Added Generator A2S->Clipping Area->Hierarchy Checking Mode . This options determines the way that RailClone processes stacked splines for Extend X/Y Size mode.

    • Complete uses the original RC2 behaviour, stacked splines are alternatively include/exclude geometry

    • None treats each spline as unique, overlapping or stacking splines has no effect

    • By Material ID uses the material ID assigned to the splines to determine which belong to the same array.

      Hierarchy Checking ModeHierarchy Checking Mode

  • Added RailClone Color: A new map type that is similar to Forest Color, providing random textures and tint to each segment.

    • Compatible with V-Ray, Mental Ray and non-instanced geometry.

    • Number of maps is increased to 20 (instead of 10 for ForestColor).

    • In future Forest updates, ForestColor and RailClone Color will be interchangeable.

    • Added "Color Seed" to Transform node. If not zero, value is used as random seed for RailClone color

      Color SeedColor Seed

  • Added Style Linking: This feature lets you to link a RC object to another, so Style changes done on Master are dynamically reproduced on slave.

    • Update is done when Style Editor is closed, importing a Library Style or manually clicking the 'Update' button.

    • Optionally material is also copied from Master object.

    • Parameter values are copied from master as well, except those have been modified by the user. This mechanism works in same way than Library/Copy Style operations, and the behavior can be modified from "General" settings.

      Style LinkingStyle Linking

  • Added 'Retain Value Mode' no Numeric parameters. It overrides behaviour for Retain value feature (used on Library, Copy Style and Style Linking procedures):

    • Auto : parameter value is retained if has been modified by the user.

    • Local : retain always value of local parameter.

    • Global : parameter is always overwritten, copying value from the master RC object.

      Retain Value ModeRetain Value Mode

  • New libraries: Roofing tiles, Hips and Ridges and Cladding.

    New libraries 1New libraries 1

    New libraries 2New libraries 2

Improvements​

  • Added support for V-Ray 3.6.

  • Added support for Max 2018.

    • Note: Mental Ray is not supported for this version.

  • New Max.time variable to returns the current time (in ticks).

    • Note: When Max.time is used in any expression, the RC object is updated at each frame. This may degrade performance.

  • List boxes in Parameters and Base Objects rollouts are resizeable.

  • Internal changes for compatibility with third-party renderers.

  • Note nodes save been rewritten. They are now resizeable have user definable colours and can move child nodes.

    Note nodesNote nodes

  • Limit by ID can be used in Array generators when "Clipping->Extend X/Y Size to Area" is enabled.

    • In this way, the ID limit is applied to the clipping spline, not to the base X/Y splines.
    • The ID of first spline's section is used for checking.

  • Added mode to Compose. In Sequence or Grouped:

    • In Sequence uses the default behaviour, following Segments in order.
    • Grouped uses the first Segment as Main, which defines size and placement in the Generator sequence. Other segments are placed stacked in same position, according to their alignment settings.
      • Note: some advanced operations as Bevel Corner, are not compatible with Stack mode and can generate incorrect results.

  • Instancing is disabled for certain Library styles, when current renderer doesn't support it.

  • Continuous mapping feature (Segment->Mapping) is completely rewritten. Now it should generate correct mapping under all conditions.

    • Due to the changes introduced, mapping may look different from RC2.
    • Segment mapping from non-converted RC1 objects doesn't work anymore. You must convert these objects to RC3 format.
    • Origin of UV coordinates (U=0,V=0) is aligned with the base spline.

  • Added UVW Offset no Generators.

  • Added Y Spline mode no A2S Generator defines what coordinates are used for the Y Spline: Y/Z or X/Y.

    • X/Y was the mode for RC2 objects. RC3 objects uses Y/Z mode by default, which is more logical.

  • Style->Operate On is changed to Quad by default.

  • More Generator parameters are available for exporting (specifically combo values).

  • Transform->Fixed Size is computed before applying other transformations has Rotate or Scale).

  • Updated expressions engine no V3. Changes:

    • return <expression>
    • '=' changed to '=='

  • Added option to extract all Segments no the scene.

    Extract all SegmentsExtract all Segments

  • New dialog for Export Parameters/Attributes . It allows to change multiple parameters from multiple selected nodes (of same type).

    Export ParametersExport Parameters

  • Seed parameter now is animatable.

  • Added Pivot Offset to Transform node.

  • Added nextdroperties to Arithmetic->Expression.

    • XSplineNextMatID: Material ID of next X Spline's segment. With Corners, returns ID of segment AFTER the corner.
    • YSplineNextMatID: Material ID of next Y Spline's segment.
    • SegmentXRole: Role of current segment in a Linear Generator. Can be used also within a row of an Array (0 = Undefined, 1 = Default, 2 = Start, 3 = Corner, 4 = Evenly, 5 = End)
    • SegmentYRole: Role of current segment in an Array Generator (0 = Undefined, 1 = Default, 2 = Bottom, 3 = Corner (unused), 4 = Evenly, 5 = Top)
    • XVertexIndex: (index of X spline's vertex)
    • XEvenlyNumber: Number of Evenly positions on X path.
    • YEvenlyNumber: Number of Evenly positions on Y path.

  • Modified the way that arrays are generated when using multiple splines. Previously rows were created using all splines (Row 1 of Spline 1, Row 1 of Spline 2, etc). Now one array is generated completely for each spline (Row 1 of Spline1, Row 2 of Spline 1, etc) allowing their row sizes to operate independently.

  • 3DS Max 2010/2011 are not longer supported.

  • Changed: Generator A2S->Limits and Padding don't work when using Clipping

  • Changed: Linear Generator->Evenly->Sync Offset is does not function when using Count mode and has been disabled.

  • Area->Extend X/Y Size. Settings have been disabled in this mode.

Fixes​

  • Fixed: Material operator generates different sequences when used on several generators.
  • Fixed: Randomize operator exports incorrect attribute values.
  • Fixed: Randomize, Sequence and Material operators are incremented twice when using exported attributes.
  • Fixed: Exported Counter parameter doesn't work with Sequence nodes.
  • Fixed rare clipping issue using planar segments (zero width along the axis projection).
  • Fixed: UVW XForm is not applied in V-Ray.
  • Fixed rare issue in V-Ray with meshes using specified vertex normals.
  • Fixed bug with Evenly segments on closed splines.
  • Fixed: Arithmetic->Expression->XSplineNextMatID doesn't work with Fillet Radius.
  • Fixed: when creating a new node, dragging a category title to the canvas causes a crash
  • Fixed: Closed splines planar to XY would generate flipped objects.
  • Fixed: Conditional->Angle returns wrong angle for first vertex of closed splines.
  • Fixed: Surface modifies Material IDs of conformed spline.
  • Fixed issue with disabled Sequence operators and Bevels.
  • Fixed: Expression's 'print' statement doesn't print result.
  • Fixed: "X Spline Start" event was triggered for each array row (now only with the first one).
  • Fixed "SegmentXCounter" value for Start/End/Corner/Evenly segments. This is a separate counter from Default segments.
  • Expressions of RC2 using Trigonometric functions are converted to use Radians instead Degrees.
  • Fixed: Segments disappear on closed spline if Y Offset >= Generator Padding.
  • Fixed: 'Display Limit exceeded' is not shown as error in General rollup and Lister.
  • Fixed Generator->Z Offset issue when using Segment->Deform->Adaptive mode.
  • Fixed alignment of Y Evenly rows when applying Bottom Padding to A2S Generator.
  • Fixed erratic movement of Max objects when Style Editor is closed selecting other object.
  • Fixed missing Segment using Evenly on closed splines.
  • Style evaluation has been improved to remove redundancies and fix related bugs.
  • Fixed: Style Editor cannot close if Listener is open.
  • Fixed: Style Linking is applied to wrong objects, messing parameters and causing unexpected issues.
  • Fixed: In a cloned object, all parameters are initialized as 'unused', for the 'Retain Value Mode' feature.
  • Fixed crash when deselecting the RC object with the Expressions editor open.
  • Fixed minor bug with Scale mode and Bevels on straight splines.
  • $.createdVersion is not copied anymore from source objects, on Copy Style and Library operations.
  • Fixed alignment on Vertical/Stepped modes when Generator->X Rotation is greater than zero.
  • Fixed crash when connecting Arithmetic node using an empty expression.
  • Style Editor->Undo operations doesn't modify scene state (as position and zoom).
  • Fixed crash with dynamic geometry render and segments using TurboOptimizer modifier.

RailClone 3.0.6​

  • Fixed: Update Manager returns "Unknown Error" for common issues as a wrong password.
  • Fixed Arithmetic->Expression issues:
    • 1*-1 is not evaluated correctly. (* ^ operator has lower precedence as intended.)