CADVANCE V15

CADVANCE Release Notes for V15

This document describes what is new and improved for CADVANCE V15. These release notes should provide all the information needed to get you started with this release. Updated Manuals, SDK and Help files will be included with the release of CADVANCE V15. For the V13 and older versions users, V13 and V14 Release Notes are attached herewith.

What's New and Improved in CADVANCE V15. 2

AutoCad DWG/DXF File Support: 2

Windows Registries. 5

What's New and Improved in CADVANCE V14. 6

AutoCad DWG/DXF File Support: 6

Restrictions: 6

Windows 7 and Vista security permissions setting. 6

CADVANCE V13 Release Notes. 7

Basic CADVANCE Features: 7

AutoCad DWG/DXF File Support: 8

New features and improvements: 9

New INI File variables: 10

CADVANCE SDK Features: 10

What's New and Improved in CADVANCE V15.

AutoCad DWG/DXF File Support:

AutoCad 2013/2014 files can now be read and written directly by CADVANCE V15. CADVANCE will decompress/decrypt the AutoCad file on reading and will then compress/encrypt the file during saving to AutoCad in the selected format.

Translation Options dialog box shows Re-created symbols and Symbol path 16.

· Please see #16 in Options/Path Symbol paths 9-16 tab which shows a path \CADVANCE V15\sym_trans where all translated symbols are stored in this folder.

· Previous versions set Symbol path 1. If user wants to store the translated symbol to a different folder, he can do so by creating a new folder and setting the symbol path #.

Restrictions:

Symbol name length limitations:
Although the expanded the length of symbol name was introduced from V13, there are two limitations in the length as follows.

VWF to DWG translation limits the CADVANCE symbol name length up to 30 characters, which is converted as Block name in the output dwg file.

Line Texture and Area Texture symbols name should be up to 8 characters.

Preview DWG

DWG to VWF translation dialog box doesn’t show Pre-View. The Preview function is moved under Tools menu and thus the opened dwg file can stay on screen while CADVANCE shows the translated drawing.
Up to V14, we have to close the pre-view window in order to resume the translation operation.

Dynamic Zoom

Dynamic Zoom at the cursor position displaying at the center of screen.

If you move your cursor to the edge where you want to zoom up and you scroll mouse wheel upward, the zoomed up portion will be displayed at the center of screen. You can continue to turn the wheel for more zooming.

Move the cursor here and move wheel upward to zoom up.

And CADVANCE displays it at the center of screen.

Bug fixes

A several bug fixed for Macro offset, dwg to vwf translation for big symbol, very small x/y coordinates, etc.

New menu “Tools”

A new menu TOOLS is added. You will see several sub menus under it.
Tools menu is open to users to add application programs and macros programs.
User can add his own macro to this menu by adding one line in cadvance.ini file.

Here are the examples:

Sample functions added to Tools menu

[3rd Party (cadvance.ini)]

DWG View=CBX cv_preview.cbx 2D 3D

Unit Converter=EXE UNIT_CONVERTER.EXE 2D 3D

Cloud=CBX cloud.cbx 2D

Eraser=CBX eraser.cbx 2D

Query=CBX Interactive_Query.cbx 2D

PropertyMatch=CBX Match_Properties.cbx 2D

Rotate=CBX rotate.cbx 2D

Note: Macro programs must be located under a folder CADVANCE V15\Macros.

Example of macro program which runs exe module:

sub main

dim i as integer

i%=shell ("cv_preview.exe",1)

end sub

Windows Registries

Cleaner windows registries.
CADVANCE sets many registries on the fly, i.e., from CADVANCE program, and the installation program doesn’t know such windows registry settings. The uninstall process leaves these registries that are no longer referred once CADVANCE is uninstalled.

========================================================================================

What's New and Improved in CADVANCE V14.

AutoCad DWG/DXF File Support:

AutoCad 2009/2010 files can now be read and written directly by CADVANCE V14. CADVANCE will decompress/decrypt the AutoCad file on reading and will then compress/encrypt the file during saving to AutoCad in the selected format. CADVANCE now supports versions of AutoCad Drawings and DXF files from Release 2.5 through AutoCad 2009/2010.

Restrictions:

Symbol name length limitations:

Although the expanded the length of symbol name was introduced from V13, there are two limitations in the length as follows.

VWF to DWG translation limits the CADVANCE symbol name length up to 30 characters, which is converted as Block name in the output dwg file.

Line Texture and Area Texture symbols name should be up to 8 characters.

Windows 7 and Vista security permissions setting

If your Windows is XP, you can skip this section.

NOTE: Please execute this operation right after your CADVANCE installation is completed.

Operation instructions to select your CADVANCE V14 folder and set Security Permissions to Users.

Windows Start at the lower left corner of the windows status bar.

Select Computer, Select Local Disk (C:)

Select Program Files(x86).

Mouse right click CADVANCE V14 or CVLT V14 folder.

Select Properties.

Select Security Tab.

Select Edit.

Select Users (pc name\Users)

Click (mark) Full control.

Select OK and select OK.

This security setting allows CADVANCE to create/update files under the CADVANCE V14 or CVLT V14 folder.

Without this setting, all files CADVANCE creates or updates during your CADVANCE operations are made/stored in a folder controlled by Windows. for example,

C:\Users\your name\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\ CADVANCE V14 or CVLT V14

With this security setting, you can control and manage your files under your CADVANCE V14 or CVLT V14 folder.

If you run CADVANCE without above security permission setting, updated/created files such as CADVACNE.INI are stored in

C:\Users\your name\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\ CADVANCE V14 or CVLT V14.

You can move the files to your CADVANCE folder and delete the folder

C:\Users\your name\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\ CADVANCE V14 or CVLT V14.

CADVANCE V13 Release Notes

Basic CADVANCE Features:

Increased the initial maximum size of drawings from 8mb to 128mb.

Increase maximum members of Symbols/Groups from 255 to 7,500 per Nesting level. Nesting level currently is defined to be 15 deep.

Symbol names can now be up to 256 characters in length (Including path).

TrueType Creation/Editing supports both the V12 TrueType dialog box and a new multi-feature Text Editor. The new Text Editor supports the RTF (Rich Text Format) specification with a built-in Spell Checker. The System Variable “TrueTypeEditor” selects which editor to use. Note: TrueType fonts use Paper Space Units when defining font size and word wrap. The Drawing Scale in Options/Units define the relationship between Design Units and Paper Space. For correct TrueType scaling the Drawing Scale must be set appropriately. (See notes at end of document.)

TrueType text has been enhanced to provide additional features that are defined in the Windows RTF specification. One of the new features is the ability to show colors of the TrueType text. The System Variable “TrueTypeColors”, selects if TrueType colors will be used or if the object color will override the TrueType colors (V12 compatible).

Drawings now pack out deleted symbol/group definitions and their deleted members during drawing save.

Query/Edit object has been combined to display object and size information in one dialog box.

Edit/Properties now performs Edit/Properties on a single object or Edit/Properties on all objects on the OSL (Object Selection List). Edit/Properties is accessible via the Edit/Properties menu, Double clicking the object, or Properties on the B2 pop-up menu. If only one object is on the OSL then Edit/Properties displays a Dialog box for that particular object. If more then one object is on the OSL then Edit/Properties displays the Dialog box to modify all objects on the OSL.

Double clicking any object will activate that object. If the object type is an OLE object then the application that created that object will be activated. If the object type is TrueType then the Text editor will be activated. If the object is CAD text then the Cad text dialog box will presented. Other graphical objects will activate the Edit Properties dialog box for that object type and display information for the object.

A new B2 popup menu will be presented when no objects are selected. This popup menu will provide a set of commonly used operations for faster access to those commands. (Feedback from our Beta Users on which Cadvance features should be included is welcome.)

The Menu File/Reference has two additional features added for the handling of reference files. They are “Merge” and “Expand”. The “Merge” feature allow for the merging of all attached reference file drawings that have visible objects to be added to the current drawing. The “Expand” feature provides the same as Merge but it includes all objects in the reference files.

File/Reference/Setup now supports window clipping to include objects that cross the window when using the window option. Reference files also support the Area Fills under lines option in Options/Miscellaneous.

A new clipboard feature: Edit/Copy with Basepoint, provides the ability to accurately copy objects to the clipboard and locate those objects onto the drawing at a specific location.

Draw/Line and Draw/2Line include the ability to sketch lines freehand by using the mouse. Holding down the left button while moving the mouse sketches the lines onto the drawing.

Object selection now includes two additional methods to select objects on the drawing. They are “Window Crossing” and “Polygon FreeHand”. Window Crossing provides the ability to select objects with a rectangle and all objects that reside within or crossing that rectangle will be selected. Polygon FreeHand allows for the selection of objects using a sketching motion with the mouse to define the polygon. The Options/System variable “SelectionWindow” provides for selecting by Window or Window Crossing as the default in Point Select mode. In Point Select mode the default is “Window”.

Text extents now are displayed for the entire block during placement, not just the first line.

When background is black, all black colored objects become white; when background is white, all white colored objects become black.

A New Options/System Variables… dialog box provides operations that allow you to view and modify the system parameters and save them without accessing the ini file directly. It provides information about the system parameters and allowable values. It currently includes about 100 user settable variables and will be expanded as needed. There is an associated help .pdf file that describes the System Variables.

New variables have been added to the ini file to allow usage of colors in TrueType (RTF) text blocks( System variable “TrueTypeColors”). Also a new variable “TrueTypeEditor” allows selection of either using the existing Dialog box to be use the new text editor for TrueType entry.

AutoCad DWG/DXF File Support:

AutoCad 2007/2008 files can now be read and written directly by CADVANCE V13. CADVANCE will decompress/decrypt the AutoCad file on reading and will then compress/encrypt the file during saving to AutoCad in the selected format. CADVANCE now supports versions of AutoCad Drawings and DXF files from Release 2.5 through AutoCad 2007/2008.

Cadvance now supports Windows RTF blocks in the translation to/from DWG/DXF files. Cadvance RTF blocks map to AutoCad’s Mtext blocks. TrueType fonts will attempt to maintain the same names and there are no limits to the number of TrueType fonts that can exist in a VWF file (drawing).

Color mapping is now available during the importing/exporting of DWG/DXF files to provide better control over the selection of how colors map between DWG/DXF files and CADVANCE colors. The file CAD.TRN now contains the options for loading and saving DWG/DXF files, the font mapping and the color mapping between Cadvance and AutoCad. This file is stored in the same format as a Windows .INI file for easy modification.

The function Utility / Translate DWG SYM now translates AutoCad R2007/R2008 blocks (in DWG format) to CADVANCE Symbols (SYM files).

Drawing scale information is now exchanged between Cadvance and AutoCad drawings. The Load AutoCad drawing dialog box allows modification of the drawing scale.

Increase Symbol names to 256 characters. Truncation of the symbol names has been eliminated.

Increase the size of Symbol/Group members from 255 to 7,500. per Nesting level. Nesting level currently is defined to be 15 deep.

Numerous enhancements and bug fixes have also been included in the updated translator.

New features and improvements:

Resizable dialog box for file handling such as File/Open, Symbol/Place, etc.

File/Print --- Load/Save printer ini file.

When a new printer is selected, margins, color, pen width are updated per the selected printer.

When a new printer.ini file is loaded, color and pen width are updated.

Three icons are added. Please see bitmap folder in the V13 files.

TT font edit is now switched back to V12 style as a default, but if TT Font Edit is set ON in the cadvance.ini file, it changes to TT font edit screen.

A new TT font edit can be activated by setting On, Options/System variables/TrueTypeEditor.

Freehand line draw. Draw/Line/Sketch

Huge nested symbol/group problem is corrected.

Degree, Radius, and +- signs are translated properly from/to Acad.

Angle lock off for Move/Duplicate by setting OFF on AngleLock in System Variables.

Kind on/off. Set on or off on KindEnable in System Variables.

User can run his exe module from within CADVANCE. Refer to cadvance.ini and toolbar.txt files.

Double click object. Text shows text edit box, other object shows object property dialog box.

Help file is added which can be open from System Variables dialog box.

In addition to the above new features and improvements, the following are added/corrected/improved:

CdiLoadFile to load image fiile when called by a macro program.

Display dialog box only when DoDialog is TRUE.

Values set in CDI_FILE_BMP_LOAD_CONFIG are now effective.

Values in dialog box stay, i.e., unchanged for the next operation.

Keep the rotation angle as input angle value.

Improvements for TT font in dwg to vwf translation.

Smallest unit is always set for model space in dwg to vwf translation process.

(If the input dwg was only paper space, the smallest unit was set 1/0 for model space. )

Updated CDI_FILE_DWG_SAVE_CONFIG for V13.

To eliminate crash when bad assoc. dim data left in vwf file.

Huge symbol process update for DWG to VWF translation.

TT Font Ghost when zoomed up is eliminated.

Selection bar update with new functions Windows Crossing and Free Hand.

Any color #1 - #15 can be black or white, and changes Black or White if B/G color is white or black.

TrueType Editor screen B/G is always white. It shows only if TrueTypeEditor is set ON in Options/System Variables settings

Areafill under line update.

Image File Not Found error update.

Raster data loading dialog box update.

New INI File variables:

[System] TrueTypeEditor=ON/OFF ON - Use the V13 Text Editor, OFF – use the V12 Dialog box.

[System] TrueTypeColors=ON/OFF ON - Display TrueType font colors, OFF – use color of object.

[System} WindowSelection=0/1 0 – Use V12 TrueType Dialog Box, 1 – Use V13 TrueType Editor.

CADVANCE SDK Features:

There are several Cdi routines are updated or added for V13.

Please refer to SDK manual under “New Cdi Functions.”