3D Canvas(tm) 6.0.1.0 3D Canvas is a freeware real-time 3D modeling and animation tool that incorporates a drag-and-drop approach to 3D modeling. Complex models can be constructed from simple 3D primitives, or created using 3D Canvas' Object Building Tools. Creating an animated scene is as simple as positioning the objects within your scene for each point in time in your animation. 3D Canvas will ensure that the resulting animation runs smoothly. No complicated scene timelines are required. Your animation can be stepped through a frame at a time, viewed in real-time, or recorded to a Video (AVI) file so that you can distribute your creation. Minimum System Requirements --------------------------- Pentium Processor 64 MB RAM Graphics Adapter with 16MB RAM Windows 95/98/ME/2000/XP DirectX 8 Internet Explorer is required to view Help Installation ------------ 3D Canvas is distributed as a Windows Installer document in order to reduce its download size. Most computers will be able to install 3D Canvas by double-clicking the 3DCanvas Windows Installer file. If double-clicking the 3DCanvas Windows Installer file does not install 3D Canvas you will need to download the Windows Installer. Windows Installer is available at: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?ReleaseID=32831&area=search&ordinal=1 If you receive a warning that your computer requires Microsoft Data Access Components 2.5 (MDAC) you can download it at: http://www.microsoft.com/data/download_250rtm.htm If you receive error 1904 "3dcsg.dll failed to register" you will need to download the latest version of Microsoft's DirectX which is available here: http://www.microsoft.com/directx/homeuser/downloads/default.asp IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PREVIOUS USERS OF 3D CANVAS: Previous users must remember to uninstall the previous version of 3D Canvas prior to installation of a new version. What's new in 3D Canvsa 6.0.1.0 ------------------------------- o) User-Configurable Function Sets Options are now available to define which sets of operations, plug-ins and scripts are available. This allows users to remove clutter by hiding functions that they do not use on a regular basis. o) Non-Linear Navigation and Editing The Navigation and Edit Controls now work in a non-linear fashion. This allows easier modelling of large objects. o) Operation Defaults Available via Right-Click Operation defaults can now be set using the older right-click method as well as the new "Remember These Setting" function. What's New in 3D Canvas 6.0 --------------------------- o) Subdivision Surfaces Objects can now behave as subdivision surfaces where the object is automatically smoothed in real time as changes are being made. o) Real Time Mirroring (3D Canvas Pro only) Objects can now be automatically mirrored in real time. o) In-place Operations Many operations can now have their parameters adjusted without opening pop-up windows. o) Additional Keyboard Shortcuts New keyboard shortcuts allow for temporary overrides of the current modeling constraints and the current modeling coordinates mode. o) Custom Operation Defaults Operations now support User defined parameters defaults. o) Enhanced Primitives Parameters The parameters for primitives can now be adjusted without the need to open a pop-up window o) Custom Primitive Defaults Primitives now support user-defined parameter defaults. o) Custom Material Defaults The material palette now supports user-defined defaults. o) Enhanced Smooth Operation The Smooth operation has new options to permit multiple smoothing levels and tension. The smooth operation also now retains material information and is up to thirty times faster than in previous releases. o) Enhanced Divide Operation The Divide operation now retains material information when applied to whole objects and is up to thirty times faster than in previous releases. o) User-Defined Default Creasing A default creasing factor can now be specified for objects. This creasing factor is used by operations to re-crease the object whenever the operation can not retain creasing. o) New Scripting methods (3D Canvas Pro/LP only) The Object class now includes two new methods: GetCreaseFactor and SetCreaseFactor. These methods are used to support default creasing. What's New in 3D Canvas 5.7a ---------------------------- o) New Crease All Plug-In (3D Canvas Pro/LP only) Creases all objects in a scene. o) Extrude Operation Enhanced The Extrude operation is now more accurate on heavily deformed faces. What's New in 3D Canvas 5.7 --------------------------- o) Enhanced Object Building Tools The Lathe, Extrude, Text and Terrain tools now provide in-place views to simplify model creation. o) Skeletal Auto-Weighting System An enhanced auto-weighting system for bones is now available that improves the skin's appearance around joints. o) Bone Range of Effect Improvements Bones now have more flexible facilities for setting bone effect ranges, including the ability to encompass irregular shapes. o) Outline Rendering Mode A new rendering mode has been added where the faces that make up an object are rendered outlined. o) Microsoft Flight Simulator Export Exporting to Microsoft Flight Simulator format is now supported. o) Microsoft Train Simulator Export Enhanced The Microsoft Train Simulator export now supports specular highlighting. o) Optimize Function Removes inactive object layers to reduce file size. o) Clone Function Enhanced The Clone function now operates on object hierarchies. o) New Scripting method (3D Canvas Pro/LP only) New Bone object method: GetAffectedPointWeight Note that plug-in developers must now implement the "GetName" and "GetAuthor" methods. Examples are provided in the "Plug-in/Samples" folder. What's New in 3D Canvas 5.6 --------------------------- o) Shockwave 3D Export Export to the Shockwave 3D (w3d) format is now supported. Export of animation and skeletal information requires 3D Canvas Pro. o) Improved DirectX Export (Available with 3D Canvas LP/Pro) The DirectX export has been updated to conform to DirectX 8. This allows for the export of skeletal objects (skinned meshes). What's New in 3D Canvas 5.5c Revision 4 --------------------------------------- o) Enhanced Extrude Operation The Extrude Operation now extrudes edges as well as faces. o) Improved Wavefront (OBJ) Export Wavefront (OBJ) files are no longer triangulated on export. What's New in 3D Canvas 5.5c ---------------------------- o) Extrude Tool Enhanced The Extrude Tool is now capable of creating 2-d extrudes. o) Train Simulator Wizard Enhanced - Now supports all available compression formats. - Supports water and coal intakes for tenders. - Now permits animation information to optionally be updated so that pre-animated models retain their animation information. - Automatically orients the part identification view towards model. o) Triangulate Operation Improved The Triangulate operation now preserves materials and is considerably faster. o) Lathe Tool Enhanced The Lathe Tool now supports the creation of solid lathe segments. o) Boolean Operations Improved Boolean operations are now more accurate and no longer require pre-triangulation. o) UV Map/UV Re-Map/UnWrap Operations These operations now support mapping rotation. What's New in 3D Canvas 5.5b ---------------------------- This is a maintenance release. No new functions are included. What's New in 3D Canvas 5.5a ---------------------------- Minor revisions were made to face and point movement to make them consistent with object movement. What's New in 3D Canvas 5.5 --------------------------- o) Right-Click Access to Common Operations Many of the most common operations are now available via the right-click popup menu. o) Right-Click Selection Features Many new object, face, edge and point selection features have been added to the right-click popup menus. New features include Select Group, Grow Selection, Edge Loop, By Direction, By Material etc. o) Center Mouse Button Navigation The center mouse button is now used as a navigation button. Center-dragging while the mouse pointer is over an object examines the object. Center-dragging while not over an object results in zooming in/out. Holding down the ctrl, shift, or ctrl-shift keys provide additional navigation options. o) Chamfer Operation (3D Canvas LP/Pro only) Chamfers points and edges. o) Chamfer Scaling Chamfer scaling is available by shift-dragging on the scale planes of the Edit Control. o) Point Position Operation Permits direct entry of the position of the selected point. o) Inset Operation Creates a new faces inset within the selected face or faces. o) Smooth Operation Uses a new smoothing algorithm. This result is better adherence to the general shape of the original object. o) Soften Operation Softens the edges of an object. Similar to the Smooth operation though it does not increase the number of faces or points. It also can be used on a selection of faces, edges or points. o) Equalize Operation Equalizes a selec...
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