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Connecter v.3.x changelog

release: 3.7.0.12916

date: Jan 26th, 2022

Modified Features

Blender integration v.0.6.3: Technical documentation

Cinema 4D integration v.1.5.115: See release notes

Added: Context menu commands in the Previews panel when browsing .zip archives.

Added: .gh, .ghuser, .dyn, .dyf, .mcr, .ms, .mse, .ini, val as default file formats.

release: 3.7.0.12913

date: November 18th, 2021

New Features

Optimization: Workspace loading speed for Teamwork and Server workspaces.

NOTE: The speed gain will depend on the amount of assets that you have. Workspaces with hundreds of thousands of assets will probably load notably faster.

Added: Option to change the HDR Lighting Mode for the 3D Viewers in Preferences.

Added: Option to manually push the synchronization of tagged assets to Web Catalog in Process Manager.

Modified Features

Added: .usd, .vrmat, .rtml, and .renv as default file formats.

release: 3.7.0.12911

date: September 29th, 2021

New Features

Batch Rename Assets.

Interactive Breadcrumb for folders navigation.

Support of Zip Assets:

The Previews Panel now shows the content of selected Zip assets;

Drag and drop assets contained in .zip archives from the Preview Panel to the PBR Material Mixer;

Drag and drop assets contained in .zip archives from the Preview Panel to a folder in the Folders panel or directly into the assets view (if a folder is selected) to extract them.

Commands for creating zip files and extracting assets from zip files are added to the assets contextual menu.

Modified Features

Unreal Engine 4 integration v.0.9.1: See release notes

Further Support of Substance Assets:

Substance materials parameters are now fully editable from within the Previews Panel and the interactive view updates to reflect any changes;

Export PBR Textures from Substance material assets;

Added interactive view settings:

choose from preset and custom HDRI environment options;

choose from preset and custom shader object options;

"Preview PBR Material" command is added in the assets contextual menu for a single selected Substance material.

PBR Material Mixer updates:

Added interactive view settings UI:

background colour;

choose from preset and custom HDRI environment options;

show/hide environment;

rotate environment;

choose from preset and custom shader object options;

camera type;

camera FOV;

Flip YZ Axis option.

Added a “Reset interactive view” option that resets the camera and lighting states;

Added a “Clear texture slots” option that removes any textures added to the texture slots;

The states of the camera and light are now synced between the interactive view and its fullscreen mode;

Added a splitter between the interactive view and the texture slots to offer better usability.

3D Viewers updates:

HDRI interactive preview: choose from preset and custom shader object options;

Added a loader when a long-running operation executes;

Added a “Reset interactive view” option that resets the camera and lighting states;

Added a setting in the Settings -> Preferences that disables or enables the showing of alpha for PNG images when previewed in the Lightbox.

Drag and drop of multiple tags is now supported in the Tags panel;

Added a "Delete asset and previews" command to the assets contextual menu.

Tags and Folders Search UX improvements:

When using the Quick search tags (also for the Folder search) the Escape key is better to first clear the search field if the user has entered something and then with another Escape to close the UI. Also when the search entry is cleared (either by Escape or the x icon) the field is better to become in an active state so that the user can start typing right away (to avoid one additional click in the field).

After a search has been performed, and the focus has been changed to another part of Connecter when the user clicks again into the search field, it’s better to auto-select and highlight the previously entered search term.

Removed “Select all” and “Select none” buttons from “3d assets” type filter’s dropdown. Added “Select all” checkbox in the “Formats” section.

Bug Fixes

Fix: load environment map when opening PBR Material Preview Full Size Viewer

MEF improvement: We received feedback that Connecter cannot open some files in MEF. The problem was that the max file contained external files with invalid file paths. For example an external file may have this path assigned to it: \map.jpg. This is not a valid file name, so reading it caused issues. We added functionality that will try to convert such invalid file names to valid ones - in the example above, remove the “\” and convert the file name to map.jpg when we read the external files from the .max file.

release: 3.3.0.12908

date: July 15th, 2021

New Features

Unreal Engine 4 integration v.0.9.0: See release notes ▶

Modified Features

3ds Max integration v.2.80.6: See release notes

Cinema 4D integration v.1.5.102: See release notes

release: 3.2.0.12906

date: June 24th, 2021

New Features

Interactive previewing of HDRI and EXR images ▶

Use custom HDRI or EXR image as an environment map for the PBR Material Preview tool ▶

Тhe Previews panel now shows the content of the selected stack(s);

The Previews panel now shows the parameters of the selected Substance material asset (.subsar);

Image files’ metadata is now shown in the Previews panel. Also supported for some video formats (.avi, .avici, .mov, .mpg4) and .wav sound files.

Modified Features

Improvements in the Folders panel:

Following the Asset context menu improvements we introduced with Connecter v3.0, we now introduced some of these concepts in the Folder context menu. These include:

grouping with separators of logical sets of commands;

styling updates to make the menu visually consistent with the other context menus used in Connecter;

showing only the commands that are applicable for the selection. Before, some context commands worked for the whole selection (hide, star, delete, change color, manage external files) while others didn’t (create a new folder, copy Connecter path).

“Rename”, “Change color”, “Manage External Files”, “PBR Material Preview” commands on missing folders are now disabled;

The “hamburger” context menu which, after the introduction of the now-standard right-click context menu, became obsolete and somewhat confusing, is now removed;

Added “Copy Path” command;

Added “Properties” command;

Fixed: The context menu now doesn’t close when interacting with the “Show Files in Subfolders” and “Apply on Subfolders” options;

Doubleclick on an empty space in the Folders panel executes the Add folder command;

Showing the “not allowed” icon and block interaction when dragging a folder on any of its subfolders.;

Showing the “not allowed” icon and block interaction when dragging subfolders to their own host folder (one level up);

Showing the “not allowed” icon and block interaction when dragging a folder to itself;

When a selected folder is deleted, the Asset view used to go into a new state (an empty Assets view). Now the view navigates one step up in the folders hierarchy (same as in Windows’ File Explorer);

When moving a folder the Assets view now navigates one step up in the folders hierarchy (same as in Windows’ File Explorer);

All dropdowns and context menus in Connecter can now be closed with ESC.

Filenames are now shown on hover on preview thumbnails in the Preview panel for External Files and Custom Preview views.

Bug Fixes

Fixed: Pasting a folder with the same name now adds “-copy” in the name (standard Windows behaviour). Before, a warning appeared blocking the operation;

Fixed: The playback speed of certain animated assets (.bvh, .fbx, etc.) was not correct;

Fixed: A validation for non-valid symbols when renaming folders is now added. Before “Something went very wrong” notification appeared blocking the operation;

Custom previews are now ordered by name when multiple previews are added at once.

release: 3.0.8.12905

date: March 11th, 2021

Bug Fixes

Fixed: Issue preventing some FBX files from being previewed in Connecter.

Modified Features

3ds Max integration v.2.80.1 (released March 2nd): See release notes

Cinema 4D integration v.1.5.102: See release notes

Problem Reporter app was completely rebuilt to make it easier and more reliable for the users to report issues they are facing and to allow us to provide faster support and solutions.

Video volume level is now saved after closing the video player.

Shared and Server workspaces no longer require network paths only for any folders being added to Connecter. Now folders with local paths can also be added.

release: 3.0.1.12903

date: December 16th, 2020

New Features

PBR Material Preview ▶

Find Duplicate Assets ▶

Tile Image ▶

Compare Images ▶

Interactive previews for glTF assets;

Revit Integration v1.0.1 ▶

Workspace backup;

New key shortcuts in Assets view:

Add Preview: Ctrl+P;

Manage External Files: Ctrl+E;

Isolate Selection: Ctrl+I;

Tile Image: Shift+T;

Compare Images: Ctrl + Enter.

Connecter integrations are now being updated separately from Connecter itself to provide more flexibility, faster releases delivery and better user experience.

Modified Features

3ds Max integration v.2.6.22: See release notes

Blender integration v.0.6.1: Technical documentation ▶

Locate asset: Now the command also selects the asset after navigating to its folder

Lightbox:

Complete redesign;

Now all assets can be opened in Lightbox even if they can be visually previewed. This makes certain workflows more consistent across the different contexts in Connecter. ;

Added zoom value: Shows the current percentage of zoom on the asset;

Added file extension and render (where applicable) after the asset’s filename;

Added fullscreen mode;

Now custom previews can be added with drag & drop from Explorer to Lightbox toolbar;

Changed key shortcuts:

Navigating previous / next asset with ← → arrows;

Navigating previous / next preview for assets with multiple previews with Ctrl + ← → arrows;

Navigating previous / next same type asset with Shift + ← → arrows.

Tile Image tool: Shit+T.

Now Delete command deletes the actual asset instead of its custom preview.

Improvements on asset right-click context menu:

Now context commands are logically combined in groups that are visually separated from each other;

Now the context menu show only the commands that are applicable for the current selection e.g. Interactive Preview is not available on asset multi-selection.