DAZ Studio Pro BETA (4.6.0.81), Now Available!
DAZ_Brian
Posts: 345
DAZ 3D is pleased to announce the next public version of the DAZ Studio Pro BETA - version 4.6.0.81!
What is a BETA?
Despite our best efforts, DAZ 3D cannot possibly test the software under all possible conditions. So, we are providing this version of the application to the general public in order to uncover problems that were not discovered during internal/private testing. We expect that there will still be problems and we hope that when users encounter any problems, they will report them to the Bug Tracker so that they can be validated, prioritized and fixed.
As with any software classified as being in the BETA phase of development, you should expect to encounter bugs. Any bugs you do encounter while using BETA software can vary in terms of severity, from minor features that do not work correctly to problems that cause your computer to crash. Before choosing to use BETA software for production purposes, you should decide whether the benefit of new features and bug fixes provided by the BETA version outweighs the risk of instability you may encounter.
What is new in this version? Do I need to update my copy?
The 4.6.0.81 version resolves several issues and implements many improvements since the 4.6.0.18 General Release. More detail on specific fixes/changes/improvements can be found in the Change Log, which can be viewed online within the Documentation Center portion of our site. All new downloads of the DAZ Studio Pro BETA product (SKU: 12000) will be of this version.
Public BETA 1 (4.6.0.81) highlights are:
1) Added support for allowing a BETA build to co-exist with the General Release of the same major version; i.e. 4.6.0.18 and 4.6.0.81 installed at the same time; see below.
2) Updated the 3Delight render engine to 10.0.144; see 3Delight Change Log for more details.
3) Updated OpenSubdiv support to 1.2.1
4) Significant improvements to viewport display; currently implemented as the "Texture Shaded 2.0" DrawStyle. This DrawStyle implements per-pixel lighting, rather than the vertex lighting used in earlier versions, with improved specular, normal maps, bump maps, reflections and gamma correction. Viewport display of the default distant, spot and point lights now match 3Delight results much more closely. These improvements are hardware dependent.
5) Added support for "Projection Morphs"; used to override the shape of a specific morph with an alternate shape for the purpose of auto-generated morph projections.
6) Added support for arbitrary node selection helpers; parented props can now be set [within Joint Editor Tool Settings] to promote viewport selection to their parent node; allows for "handles" to be made from any object in the scene, including instances.
7) Added an "Open Recent" submenu to the File menu; lists recently opened/saved scene files. The menus need to be rebuilt for this option to appear; applying a default layout, or importing the Default Advanced menus will cause menus to be rebuilt. A script to update/merge menus is being worked on for a future build.
8) Added a "Display Separate Items" action to the Parameters, Posing and Shaping pane option menus. These actions toggle whether the display of property groups in the pane are separated according to the items in the scene or consolidated into a single hierarchy.
9) Added a "Display Followers" action to the Parameters, Posing and Shaping pane option menus. These actions provide the ability to see the properties of followers (i.e. clothing, hair, etc) in the Parameters, Posing and Shaping panes when the host figure is selected.
10) Fixes/workarounds to various GoZ plugin issues; saving of morph assets; spaces and/or special characters in scene item labels causing creation of subtools to halt.
11) Added an alternate image option for the splash/about screen
Has the Genesis Starter Essentials, or the Genesis 2 Female Starter Essentials, content packages been updated too?
No, the Genesis Starter Essentials and Genesis 2 Female Starter Essentials content that is provided with the product has NOT been updated beyond what is currently available with the General Release.
How do I get the latest version?
If you have previously added the DAZ Studio Pro BETA product to your account, launch Install Manager, log into your account and type "DAZ Studio 4.6 Public Beta" into the filter field to filter out anything else. Then simply download and install as you would normally.
Optionally, you can locate, download and install the BETA from the Product Library [once you are logged into your account] by entering "DAZ Studio Pro BETA" into the text field near the top left of the page and clicking the "Filter" button, or by clicking here. Then, simply click the "download & install" button.
If this is your first time downloading DAZ Studio Pro BETA, simply follow this link, click the "Add to Cart" button on the page and then follow the checkout process.
*Note: This BETA version is not available as a standalone installer. It must be downloaded and installed using Install Manager.
Can I have the General Release and the BETA installed at the same time?
Yes! You can now have both the General Release and a Public Beta (as well as a Private Beta, for those involved in that endeavor), of the same major version, installed at the same time. Please be aware that the settings for each of the builds are now stored independent of each other.
What about the plugins I have?
The DAZ Studio 4.5 SDK has not changed in any way that is binary incompatible, which means that any plugins created for a previous version of DAZ Studio 4.5.x should continue to load and function. That said, as with any new release, there is always the possibility that a plugin has had bugs fixed or features added, so the latest versions should be downloaded and installed if they are provided.
Plugins that are currently built/produced by DAZ 3D will provide a separate package specifically intended for the BETA. 3rd party plugins that DAZ 3D creates install packages for will be updated to allow simultaneous installation into the General Release and the BETA builds. These packages will display as "Product Updates" within Install Manager once they have been updated.
Is there any documentation?
Yes, some documentation is located here.
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Comments
OK, I'll keep this DiRECTLY relevant.
I am disgusted that as a non-DIM user I am not allowed/enabled to try this beta. This is not a fully public release, just a semi-pubic release for DIM users.
DavidGB, I'm sorry that you feel like you are excluded. However, DIM is freely available to anyone thus the beta is available to anyone. It is your choice that is limiting you as clearly you could participate if you wished to do so.
Still, I raised the issue of non-DIM availability to the web team just in case they want to enable that type of functionality.
Given the change log has a bunch of entries about creating/fixing BitRock installers for plugins, it seems like DAZ still intends to support installers for Studio itself and the various plugin modules.
I, for one, will never use DIM until they fix the boneheaded requirements for its database location. I LIKE the DIM ZIP files, as I install everything manually anyway. But the stuff that is real executables (meaning Studio and the various binary plugins like the dynamic clothing control) should remain available in stand-alone installer format.
I see nothing in this beta's change log to suggest I should even bother trying it, though. None of the bugs I have open in the BTS are indicated as fixed. So I'll just wait for prod release, which will hopefully also include the stand-alone installers.
Re edit checked it out cant DL without dim lame.....
It looks like the Beta version did not load with the GoZ plugin that I have in the General release, how do I get the GoZ plugin into the Beta version?
The 4.6.0.18 version of the dzgoz.dll works with the Beta 4.6.0.81
1. Copy dzgoz.dll from the 4.6.0.18 plugin folder to the 4.6.0.81 Beta plugin folder
2. In zBrush, go to Preferences>GoZ, change the "Path to DazStudioXX" to the DazStudio.exe in the DAZStudio4 Public Build folder
The 4.6.0.18 version of the dzgoz.dll works with the Beta 4.6.0.81
1. Copy dzgoz.dll from the 4.6.0.18 plugin folder to the 4.6.0.81 Beta plugin folder
2. In zBrush, go to Preferences>GoZ, change the "Path to DazStudioXX" to the DazStudio.exe in the DAZStudio4 Public Build folder
Lindsey, you are a life saver!
Thanks BTLProductions, I got it taken care of! I'm testing the Beta now...so far so good
I clicked the link from my account so that I see the name in DIM 'Ready to Download' tab, but if I click download or queue, it immediately says "download failed!". I even tried running DIM as administrator, but I get the same results. Am I doing something wrong, or is the download file just not up right now?
It did not load Reality 2 plugin and my importer says all my downloads failed.( I had about 16) I am having to manually install everything I just got. The importer, also, asks for a path to Poser but doesn't see it after I've done it.
I really dislike how when installing software Install Manager doesn't give you any choices of where. I had to uninstall and then change my options and have it reinstall. But it still adds on an Extra DAZ 3D to the beginning of the path. So for example I don't install apps on my C: drive. All my apps are in d:\Apps for DAZ Studio that means:
d:\Apps\DAZ 3D\DAZStudio45
d:\Apps\DAZ 3D\DAZStudio45-32
So I set IM to use d:\Apps\DAZ 3D but it installs the Beta in
d:\Apps\DAZ 3D\DAZ 3D\DAZStudio4 Public Beta
Making an extra DAZ 3D directory. But if I set my 32 bit dir to the same directory what will it do? I'm scared to find out.
The new beta of course doesn't have any of my plugins or shaders and seems to have issues loading scene files. Complains about tons of missing .dsf files in the data folder. Scenes the real 4.6 have no problem opening.
The implementation of Open Recent is also kind of poor. But I may have a chip on my shoulder on that one. But it's not half as good as my free plugin version. Doesn't seem to update right. Has issues with where it shows up in the menus. Doesn't appear on the left hand side of the Customize dialog either. If I delete it how could I get it back?
Is there some easy way to move my menu/workspace/layout settings over to the beta? Re-doing all that would be a lot of work.
Having a bunch of problems with the render too. The tiny red/black cross hairs on the render problem is back big time. It's been around as a DS bug for a long time but this new build seems a lot worse. Though it's almost impossible to reproduce. You re-render and it won't happen. But see the attached at how bad it is. Was going to report this on Mantis but that's been decommissioned.
So because people do not want to use DIM that means we should be denied the option of trying the Beta.????..REALLY..????
I hope that when the General release is available that too WILL NOT be restricted to the DIM installation process otherwise this is where Daz and I will part company, period.
S.K.
OK I fixed the problem with old scenes not loading (and complaining about files in \data\auto_adapted\... being missing). Turns out while the new install did know about my primary DS/Poser directory, it didn't actually bring over all my DS content folder locations (not really sure how it got the one primary one but not the others). I ended up taking a screen snapshot of my content manager settings from 4.6 and duplicating that in the Beta 4.6.0.81. That fixed my missing \data files. I didn't even realize my DAZ Scene folder (where I save all my DAZ Scenes) was also listed in the Content Manager (under Other Formats) and had it's own \data folder.
Had this new version installed with the same preferences and settings I don't think I would have seen this problem. Hopefully they can work on that.
Its working again. Downloaded and installed in 30 seconds. Started up fine too. must've just been the DL server
According to this we are suppose to have the option of installers. Are they are changing their minds? Kind of wishy washy if you ask me....
having the same old "download failed"...This new version of DIM is the worst!
Edit: Is downloading now, though I still feel this version of DIM is the worst...
I am in full agreement with most of the posts here... I would like the option of choosing to download items as I wish.
I tried your fancy DIM thingy several times and I find it is glitchy under most circumstances.
So please if you will, put up the download links in the downloadable products page for this version of the DS Beta.
Please and Thank you!
:D
I agree that DIM only is not proper for Programs but for content the ZIP format is usable as Both Hand install and DIM install. No user has to use DIM for Content if they do not wish too.
Well, obviously prior to the zips when everybody was still making the plea, the users who enjoyed the installers were most likely not advocating the switch. Now that the switch is made is when they come out of the shadows. What's wrong with Daz just keeping both and allowing users to choose?
Don't get me wrong, I'm down with the zip files. ;)
This still does not resolve the issue of D/L studio beta without using DIM. The reason I am making such a stink is I get the feeling we will be forced to do this for future releases of Studio..
I have put in a request for clarification of this -- my understanding is that this is only for the Beta, and the general releases will continue to be available as stand-alone installers.
I have put in a request for clarification of this -- my understanding is that this is only for the Beta, and the general releases will continue to be available as stand-alone installers.
I put in a complaint / feedback as well we should be able to get Betas since it may fix some issues for some folks....I included the advert I posted above claiming that we still would have installers
As near as I can figure the 'logic' involved for the paths - the assumption is that you will have a high-level 32-bit directory (default for windows is C:\program files(x86) ) and a high-level 64-bit directory (C:\program files) and DIM will create a 'DAZ 3D' directory under those and then the product directory.
And like you, I'd rather do D:\daz3d\s4-64 and D:\daz3d\s4-32.
I think I'm going to D:\32-bit and D:\64-bit for my high-levels. They'll only see whatever DIM installs anyway. I tend to put every major app in it's own high-level - I still only end up with two dozen (or fewer, on some systems) directories this way.
Um, are the replies to this thread only meant to be about downloading the beta, or is this where I should put noticed bugs in the beta itself? I have been using this beta since it appeared in DIM and have found 2 issues.
1st, switching to Cartoon Shaded display mode in the viewport menu crashes DAZ Studio. I don't ever use this mode, but thought it should be noted.
2nd, an issue with using sliders in the shaping tab. This issue is a bit lengthy to explain and only seems to apply when using the shape sliders on Genesis in saved scenes (saved from prior to beta install). On Genesis in a new scene, this does not seem to happen. But, here it is... select Genesis in the scene, go to Shaping tab and slide shape sliders. If you simply scroll through the list without choosing a subcategory (ie Female, Male, Universal, Head, Face, etc.), sliders have no problems. But, if you choose a category/filter (such as Male, Female, Head, Face, Torso, etc.), then try to apply a shape, the slider only goes a little way up before jumping you off of the slider and back to the beginning of the Actors list. So you end up only applying about 23% or so of the morph, then you have to click on the category again or scroll back down the list to finish applying it. Sometimes it will apply 100% of the morph, but it still jumps you back up to Actors and the beginning of the list.
As I said, it only seems to happen on pre-beta scenes. I tried opening a saved scene, then saving it in the beta, then re-opening it, but it still does this.
I think its a bit strange that I am only getting the option to download a 32bit version of the beta, but can dl 32 and 64 bit plugins.>:-(
Is this an error as I would rather a 64bit version. >:(
Where are you seeing the plugins? They don't show in my DIM, but the application itself does.
If you click on the little gear icon at the top right of the DIM interface, and select the Downloads tab, do you have both 32 bit and 64 bit ticked?
And AGAIN they slip in a handful of these awesome nifty thingies that make my beloved Studio better/easier/nicer.
That list of highlights has gotten me quite excited, looking forward to the next stable release. Might even give the beta a try if i can find some time.
You rock, Daz !
Is there any way to get this with out the need of the download manager