Design++ - Latest Version Information
We are pleased to announce the release of Design++ 5.0 for Windows NT4/2000/XP. This is the third major Design++ release for the PC platform. Design++ 5.0 includes several new modules and enhancements, the most important ones being the following.
Visio Link
A new standard CAD link with Microsoft Visio introduced. Since Visio is a 2D-only system, the Visio Link maps the 3D Design++ primitives into their 2D representation (when feasible) based on the selected view in Visio. The Visio Link supports Visio versions 2000, 2000 SR1, and 2002. Note that the Visio Link is sold as a separate Design++ module.
Java/API
A preliminary version of Java/API introduced. The Java/API comes with a set of Java classes and methods, which allow Java to communicate with Design++.
Relation Browser
Relation Browser, a new visual tool for exploring relations between model components, introduced. Unlike the Model Editor, which displays only the product structure (partof/subparts) relation, Relation Browser lets the user browse all model relations.
Relation Browser is implemented in Java using the new Java/API. To assure the availability of Java this Design++ release includes Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 1.3.1.
Geometric Modeling Made Easier
A new relation, mounted-on (and its opposite relation, mounts) introduced. It is an outcome of our efforts to make the geometric modeling significantly easier by automating the details of inter-component positioning and orientation through the use of predefined relations like mounted-on.
The mounted-on relation comes with a symbolic topology language that allows components to be positioned relative to one another as they are related.
Network Licensing Enhanced - Usage Monitoring and License Sharing
The License Manager dialog is enhanced to display the network license usage information. This allows easy monitoring of the current floating license users.
Network licensing is further enhanced to allow several server installations to share a single license pool, even when running different Design++ versions. The licensing information is hosted in a separate, user-specifiable, directory, which does not have to reside within the Design++ directory. For better performance the client workstations can opt to host Design++ directory on their local disk drives and only mount the licensing information.
COM/API Enhanced
The COM/API is enhanced to allow clients to register with unique names, thus allowingDesign++ to communicate with multiple Visual Basic applications simultaneously. This is identical to what the C/API provides.
New UIP Version - No More Resource Files
The Developer's User Interface (UIP) is modified to save the user preferences to Windows registry instead of resource files. This should eliminate the infamous resource file corruption problem.
New User Functions
Several new user functions are introduced, the most notable being dpp-eval-at-interval and dpp-attribute-evaluation-order.
- dpp-eval-at-interval allows scheduling of expressions to be evaluated repeatedly at a later time. For example, a global garbage collection could be scheduled to run every night while the system is idle.
- dpp-attribute-evaluation-order allows customizing of the attribute value determination order.
Online Documentation Access
Online documentation (PDF) for all functions and design rule macros is now directly accessible from Emacs (shortcut Ctrl-c Ctrl-f) and Design Rule Editor. Give it a try!
Adobe Acrobat Reader is included on the delivery CD's contrib directory.
AutoCAD Link
ObjectARX-based AutoCAD link supports AutoCAD releases 2000, 2000i and 2002. The old ADS-based AutoCAD Link and AutoCAD releases 13 and 14 are no longer supported.
MicroStation Link
MicroStation Link has a preliminary support for MicroStation V8. On Windows 2000 and XP, the MicroStation Link is only supported with MicroStation/J, not with MicroStation 95 or SE.
Windows XP Support
In addition to Windows NT4 and 2000, Design++ 5.0 is also supported on both Windows XP Professional and Home versions.
Additional enhancements and upgrades are listed in the Design++ 5.0 Release Notes.
Find out about enhancements made in Version 4.2
