Skip to main content

4.40b March 2023 Release Notes

Phil Langrishe
Updated

New:

  • n4ce now supports cloud licensing where the license is hosted on a server controlled by AIC. Click here for more details.
  • New tools to draw road markings and car parking spaces have been added. Click this Link for more details.
  • LS and LC attributes can not be used to change the Style and Colour of Shapes on the fly.
  • Named Views in the 2d views can now be generated, stored and retrieved.
  • New option when graphically creating layouts to plot a survey grid on the first viewport of each drawing. Link
  • New option for prism volumes to calculate the theoretical cut and fill of the topsoil strip.
  • The option to simplify strings using Douglas-Peucker now allows for a 3D option.

Improvements:

  • Meshing of point clouds in Designer now supports colours extracted from the point cloud.
  • The Normal and Noise filters in the Point Cloud engine have been made faster and the results are also much improved as well.
  • UCSs in a DWG are not supported in n4ce CAD views.
  • When reading a DWG/DXF file, if the colours are in RGB, a new option allows you to convert them to a single pen.
  • New option when extending the end of a line feature by distance to specify that it is a slope distance.
  • When importing XPad RAW files, a code of -ST is now recognised as a control reading.
  • When transforming models, any points whose annotation has had a new angle set will be re-orientated accordingly.
  • When reading GeoMAX RAW files, if a point has a type of USER, it is now read as a station.
  • When reading GeoMAX RAW files, if a point has a type of COGO, it is now read as point

 

Bug Fixes: 

  • The issue of converting huge Tiffs to ECW has been fixed.
  • Some IFCs took ages to import because there were a large number of circular columns and n4ce was adding too much geometry to them, for such small objects.
  • When using Region Control for volumes, if the region groups had very long sides, the calculations may have been incorrect.
  • When querying points, the coordinates in the fields were applied to the point even if they had not been changed.
  • The option to commit a grid appears twice in the Professional version when viewing CAD.

 

n4ce Dec 4.40a 2022 Release

New:

  • New option in CAD dimension to allow point-to-line distances by projection to a polyline rather than just the segment.
  • New option in CAD dimensions to allow just 1 arrow on certain dimensions.
  • New option in points to add string numbers to points using the current pick mode.

Improvements:

  • If an imported DWG is missing any reference images a report window will list the missing images.
  • In the Rail module, when generating a Cant and Gauge report.  Instead of just reporting the values, they are now added to the points as attributes.
  • For title box text that needs to be filled in by the user. Before this was just specified with a ?? before the item, now you can now put 01::, 02:: in front of the text items so that they are sorted when displayed in the dialog.
  • When deleted points are imported from JXL, they are now flagged with, I and will not be used to create a model.

 

Bug Fixes: 

  • A crash would have occurred when trying to move or edit overlapping Height Annotation.
  • When in a dedicated CAD backcloth.  Dimensions did not lock to Model data.
  • A few small bugs to do with the exporting of data to PDF, to do with their draw order and colour have been fixed.
  • Creating Symbols from a List would not have worked properly.
  • CAD editing using bearing and distance and polar used the defined angle incorrectly
  • The code export to GeoMAX CSV had an additional element in the export of attributes which caused an issue loading it.

 

n4ce Nov 4.40 2022 Release

New:

Improvements:

  • When importing stations from data files, stations are not filtered if they have a remark.
  • When loading a DWG, if duplicate symbols are found a more informative message is displayed.
  • When displaying DTM Slopes, you now have the option to display the text value of the slope together with lines, arrows and filled arrows. https://help.appsincadd.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/360005074772
  • The Point Properties dialog in Models, Observations and Coordinates views has been hugely updated. https://help.appsincadd.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/360013914831
  • The OSGB36 point transformations now allow the transformation to ETRS89/WGS84 world coordinates.
  • Images in DWG files are now exported as embedded OLE objects rather than a reference to a file.
  • Images in Drawings and Models can now be exported to DWG as OLE objects. This does not apply to images in a backcloth as these are generally too large to get converted to OLE objects. So, these will still be exported as a reference as before.
  • When forming a DTM, the DTM Errors layer is now automatically deleted if there are no errors or they are not plotted.
  • When importing CSV files, the hash code separator is now honoured without coding conventions.
  • New option when inserting points that remembers the last 16 codes that were used for point insert. https://help.appsincadd.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/360013449152
  • New option in the group settings that allows height shading to be turned off for each group.
  • New option in coding to specify that a particular code prefix is a control reading.
  • Improvements to reading XPad RAW files for control readings and feature codes, including layers, styles and group codes.
  • New option when inserting points such that the attributes dialog will only be displayed on the first point of a multi-point feature.
  • New option in station transformations to offset the heights by the average height difference between station pairs.
  • Importing of Layouts from DWG has been improved so that it always sits inside the drawing paper extents.
  • New options for Layer Snapshots in a CAD model to load from and save to a new file in Settings called SNAPSHOTS.INI.
  • For section volumes along a design line or alignment, you can now define a results interval for volumes.

Bug Fixes: 

  • If Construction Volumes are run with no groups with constructions, a crash occurred.
  • When inserting points in the 3D view, if the last selected view was not the parent model, undo would have been in the wrong queue.
  • When importing hash codes from JXL, if from survey data, coordinates would not have had multiple points.
  • Volume reports with group region control had two depths columns transposed.
  • When plotting sections in lengths, the preview display was incorrect if you changed the segment length.
  • When extending to reference on a closed feature, extending to the closed leg would not work.
  • Problem with layer translation when a layer does not exist, hangs. Also, new layer name defaults to old layer name in prompt.
  • When using groups for region control, problems were caused when the group was in more than one polygon.

 

July 19th 4.40 BETA Update

New:

Improvements:

  • When digitizing from a point cloud, a new local Plane Fit tool helps to insert points where there is not necessarily any point.
  • New Backcloth button on the Home Tab in the 3d View to allow models to be added and removed from the view.
  • When interpolating from the 2d view onto a point cloud.  The Clipping box and Active groups are taken into account.
  • Automated digitizing of Circles improved. Max and Min radius', together with clustering distances added to improve multiple circle location.
  • The saving of imported CAD data has been hugely sped up.
  • The import of line feature string numbers from GeoMAX RAW data is now improved.
  • Leica AP20 data is recognized on import.  Options are provided to read the data in with or without the tilt corrections.  If tilt corrections are kept the readings will be highlighted in green, and the tilt corrections applied when the observations are reduced.
  • Point Insert Properties dialog has been upgraded to help digitize detail from Aerial Imagery.https://help.appsincadd.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/7747870902673-Inserting-Points-With-Attributes
  • General Point Properties dialog has been upgraded to allow most of the points attributes to be edited in one view.
  • Generating surfaces from point clouds is now multi-threaded, so sped up proportional to the number of cores on the PC.
  • Scan locations in a Point cloud can now be set as fixed positions to view a point cloud from.
  • n4ce Lite can now interpolate heights onto other Models in the Project.  Not just the current one.
  • Remarks can be added to points based on CAD elements. Similar to Setting Heights or Point Numbers.
  • When generating points from lines with bulges, the additional bulge points did not have the correct height
  • New option in river cross sections allows you to specify that the 0.0 chainage of a section is at the left bank point.
  • New option in river cross sections to calculate the chainage of the section by intersection with a centre line.
  • When creating elements in CAD, pressing the backspace will go back one stage. Such as removing the last point in a polyline...

 

Bug Fixes:

  • Small bug when densifying by number of Segments fixed.
  • Images in a Drawing were not scaled correctly when exporting to DWG.
  • When generating points from lines with bulges, the additional bulge points did not have the correct height.
  • Heights in gridded models could be offset when generated from point clouds.

April 1st 4.40 BETA Update

New:

  • User-definable Profile templates can now be passed along a 3d Feature to generate 3d Objects. This video demonstrates the process from start to end. https://youtu.be/70gspRv7Lug
  • Once extruded by the above tool.  They can now be stitched together. The video demonstrates its function. https://youtu.be/a3NvwdqXO5w
  • Support has now been added for RIEGL .rdbx files.  So there is no need to convert registered RIEGL data to E57 or LAS files before importing them into n4ce.

Improvements:

 

Bug Fixes:

  • In the project manager, the "Send To Folder" option to move a Model into a Custom Folder could have caused a crash.

 

March 3rd 4.40 BETA Update

New: 

Improvements:

  • The Circle Finder in the 3d View and under the Design menu in Designer has been improved to find multiple circles in a scan or point data. (https://help.appsincadd.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/4413892942225-Best-Fit-Circle-From-Selected-Points-Design-Tab-Menu).
  • When picking points in the point cloud, a new setting called "Pick Precision" is available.  This is to try and improve the picking of data closer to the camera so that points behind are not accidentally picked instead. Course can be thought of as picking with a finger... Where Fine is pin sharp. (https://help.appsincadd.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/360024024832).
  • Topcon Magnet XML import improved.
  • Speed of deleting lots of Points and Linework that are in the DTM improved.
  • # coding was not properly implemented in JXL files.
  • The elevation create and reverse tools have been migrated to Lite.
  • DTM Boundary commit and import has been added to Lite.
  • Solid fills now support curved boundaries.
  • New option in coded points to allow the alignment of the point symbol to a line feature.
  • New option to query the chainage and offset of a point along a feature.
  • Improvement in speed when handling code text data including heights, number and codes.
  • New option in observations to export the selected observations using the CSV filters
  • New option to calculate smoothed gradients at points in model using the surrounding triangles. https://youtu.be/leRDxkh_SoQ
  • When committing a line, shape or symbol feature, you are now given the option to delete the original feature
  • The LS= and LC= dimensions can now be used at any point along a line feature.
  • The number of custom folders that can be added to a project has been increased to 40.

Bug Fixes:

  • Bug that stopped digitising in the 3d View, when the Project manager was minimised.
  • Bug that panned and zoomed incorrectly when the camera is in a 2d view in the 3d Viewer and it synced with a model view.
  • Model view not updating when data digitised in the 3d view.
  • Volume tables could have double columns for group depth.
  • Creating a Model from a single group with a depth did not take the group depth into account.
  • In the string volume table, when turning on plan areas with slope areas ticked, the columns were not correct
  • Placing a Legend on a Drawing could have caused a crash.
  • Snake grid transforms on CAD data incorrectly adjusted the height.
  • The import of CSV code files for Geomax now imports attribute fields correctly
  • Threaded contours in Grid Models would not always be coloured correctly when using DTM shading.

 

November 12th 4.40 BETA Update

New: 

  • A file is now written next to any imported IFC file called <name of ifc>.ifcSettings.  This stores the state of the IFC data so that when the IFC file is reloaded at a later date, the same elements within the IFC are hidden or visible.

Improvements:

  • The speed of sectioning IFC data has been improved.

Bug Fixes:

  • PDFs could no longer be imported because a file was missing from the installation.
  • Certain TIFFs would not read correctly

 

November 5th n4ce 4.30b Update

New: 

  • IFC data can now be sectioned to extract setting-out data.

Improvements:

  • The state of IFC data is remembered whilst the Project is open.

Bug Fixes:

  • Fixed an issue when digitising in a Section view in a Point cloud that prevented the point from being locked to properly.
  • Plotting Cad Legends could cause a crash

 

November 2nd 4.30a Release

New:

  • IFC files can now be imported into the 3d Viewer. To import an IFC simply drag and drop the file from your file explorer into the 3d window.  This video link explains more about what can be done with IFC data. https://youtu.be/7Zm34OYb0lA

  • For users of the Ribbon Bar interface.  When in CAD a Properties pane will appear when an object is clicked on.  This interface allows the properties of the selected entity to be edited on the fly.

  • For users in the Rail industry with Designer and the Point Cloud Feature extraction bolt-on, a new Height and Stagger tool has been added. This video link https://youtu.be/xA1zGatULLs explains more about how to use it and what can be done with it.  Note that this tool works hand in hand with a specialist Excel plugin that can be found in the Excel Plugins folder off of the n4ce Settings file shortcut that is placed on the desktop during an install. To install the add-in please double-click on the HandSAddin.vsto file.

  • A new Image Place tool is available to allow a selected image to be fitted to a given baseline.  So if an image appears in a CAD dwg, and a line drawn across its base.  The same line can be used to place the image into the same coordinate system in n4ce.

  • In Pro and Designer, the Line Extend tools now have the option to extend to meet CAD linework in a CAD backcloth.

  • A new option in the code table under the Lines tab allows you to ignore line features when calculating cross-sections through features.

  • New option to adjust all horizontal angles on a setup so that the initial RO angle is set to a specific bearing.

Improvements:

  • # coding that allows multiple codes to be applied to the same point in the field is now supported on JXL, Magnet MXL, GeoMAX RAW and Leica ICON.

  • Import LandXML survey data improved for the Topcon style of XML export

  • Large numbers of Points can now be deleted from a DTM very quickly, without the system becoming unresponsive for a while as each point is removed and the DTM stitched up after.

  • The speed of thread contour calculations for grid models has been improved for large Lidar models as long as the option to Dissect the model was enabled when it was generated.

  • When calculating the intersection of two features, the option to only insert on the first has been added.

  • When importing from JXL, hash codes and coding conventions now followed when added after the Code on the logger.  Needs the "No Dims Labels" Code Convention in the codetable.

Bug Fixes:

  • A bug was found and fixed that would cause n4ce to crash randomly because a windows UI resource was not being properly released.  Normally this would take at least a few hours to build up to cause the crash.  But some users did experience it happing much sooner, for unknown reasons. 

  • Volume tables could have had additional unwanted columns.

  • When importing images from PDF files, if the PDF was rotated, the image displayed in the dialog was not correct.

  • When importing from DWG files into CAD, the Import 3D Faces check box did not work correctly.

  • Bi-Arc fitting could come up with a divide by zero when curving points that a very close together.

  • When carrying out a single string volume using a grid model, the table preview crashed.

  • When densifying, if either point of a segment had a null height, interpolation of new points to a model did not take place

Related articles

Comments

0 comments

Please sign in to leave a comment.

Powered by Zendesk