====== L3DT release 2.6 ======

Released on the 18th of October, 2008 ([[bundynews>l3dt:ann:v2.6|see announcement]])

===== Major features =====



==== Improved brush tools  ====

  * Added [[bundywiki>plugins:sapphire:userguide:hf_edit:leveller|'level at' and 'leveller']] heightfield brush tools.
  * Attributes and texture map brushes are now available in both 2D and 3D interface.
  * Brush sizes in both 2D and 3D views can now be changed using the mouse scroll-wheel.
  * Updated Sapphire and L3DT userguides for attributes map brush ([[bundywiki>plugins:sapphire:userguide:am_edit|here]] and [[l3dt:userguide:tools:am_brush|here]]). 
  * Wrote Sapphire and L3DT userguides for texture map brush ([[bundywiki>plugins:sapphire:userguide:tx_edit|here]] and [[l3dt:userguide:tools:tx_brush|here]]). 
  * Added radius edit to attributes/texture map brushes, and SetBrushRadius functions to L3DT and Sapphire.
  * Added 'sample' button to attributes/texture map brush tool (it works like an eye-dropper.)
  * Added indexed map brush tool, for painting indexed BYTE/WORD/DWORD maps.
  * Fix pause handling in '//Edit in 3D//' menu options for HF, AM and TX.



==== Improved TGEA support ====

  * Completed blended terrain support for L3DT to TGEA Altas2 plugin ([[bundywiki>plugins:fileio:L3DTio_Atlas2|see here]]).
  * Add start-to-finish tutorial for TGEA unique //and// blended terrain ([[bundywiki>tutorials:torque:aaron|see here]]).
  * Added 'Atlas' button to toolbar, for direct access to the exporter.
  * Increase size limit in L3DT Standard to 2049x2049 pixels to allow TGEA Atlas2 exports of 2k x 2k pixel heightfields ([[http://www.bundysoft.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=893|see this thread]]).


==== Improved Spring support ====

  * Added a //Spring Mapping// wizard, a matching button on toolbar, and wrote a [[bundywiki>tutorials:ta_spring:aaron|comprehensive tutorial]] on how to use them.
  * Added an SD7 importer and exporter.
  * Added a function to auto-calculate team positions from the 'Spring-StartPoints' map.
  * Added an indexed brush tool for grass/patch/geovent/type/feature maps.
  * Added indexed display names for grass/patch/geovent/type/feature maps.
  * Split the feature manager into feature editor and manager windows.
  * Fixed the export of detail/skybox/water texture images in the SMD plugin.
  * Updated all 'Help!' buttons in Spring plugins to point to new/updated pages.

==== Performance / Multi-threading optimisations ====

  * Optimised mosaic system for //fast// multi-threaded calculations --- // [[bundynews>l3dt:2008:aug:28|see awesome benchmark figures]]//
  * Optimised mosaic access in texture calculation. ---  //[[bundynews>l3dt:2008:aug:28|see benchmark figures.]]//
  * Optimised mosaic access in light map calculation. ---  //[[bundynews>l3dt:2008:aug:29|see benchmark figures.]]//
  * Optimised mosaic access in normal map calculation. --- //note: calc appears CPU-bound, not I/O-bound.//
  * Disabled tile synchronisation by default.

==== New heightfield algorithms ====

  * Added a number of different design/inflate algorithms, including:
    * DesignInflate16
    * DesignInflate32
    * DesignInflate64
    * DesignInflate128
  * ...plus some changes required for variable design map / heightfield ratios, including:
    * Split 'Design map size' wizard into new 'Heightfield size' wizard and a reduced 'Design map size' wizard.
    * Modified the 'Perlin parameters' wizard to use the new 'heightfield size' wizard. 
    * Added DM/HF ratio combo-boxes to:
      * 'Design map size' wizard ([[l3dt:userguide:wizards:design|see here]])
      * 'Import design map' wizard ([[l3dt:userguide:wizards:import_dm|see here]])
      * '//Operations->Design map->Generate from HF//' menu option ([[l3dt:userguide:ops:dm#making_a_design_map_for_a_fractal_perlin_imported_heightfield|see here]]).
      * '//Operations->Design map->Resize DM//' menu option ([[l3dt:userguide:ops:dm#resizing_the_design_map|see here]]).
  * ...and accordingly updated the userguides for:
    * Design/Inflate ([[l3dt:userguide:newmap:design_inflate|see here]]).
    * All design map calculations ([[l3dt:userguide:io:import:dm|see here]]).
    * The walkthrough guides ([[l3dt:userguide:wthru|see here]]).

==== Scripting options ====

  * Added a new 'scripts' menu, with script manager and editor windows ([[l3dt:userguide:scripts|see here]]).
  * Allowed user to set preferred script editor.
  * Added Zeolite function explorer option (from [[bundywiki>plugins:general:atFuncBrowser|atFuncBrowser]]) to script editor.
  * Fixed the script loader in [[bundywiki>plugins:general:ZeoScript|ZeoScript]] plugin.
  * Added support for python scripts in menu/edutor, via [[bundywiki>plugins:general:cdPython|cdPython]] plugin by Carl Douglas.
  * Added several demo scripts to the installer.
  * Added 'Completion script' to [[l3dt:formats:specs:run|batch definition file]] to allow custom post-generation scripting steps in batch generation (e.g. exporting as non-native format.)

==== OS compatibility ====

=== Windows Vista ===

  * Moved resources to AppData (inc. climates/materials, overlay files, Sapphire stuff, Spring images, etc.)
  * Moved HKCR reg keys to HKCU/disk.
  * Added 'RequestExecutionLevel' flag in installer to request admin privileges when installing.


=== Linux/Wine ===

  * Fixed bump-mapping --- //now works in Ubuntu 8.04 with L3DT 2.5.4.0//
  * Fixed alpha layer drop selection in alpha wizard --- //now works in Ubuntu 8.04 with L3DT 2.5.4.0//
  * Fixed climate drop-list in DM wizard --- //now works in Ubuntu 8.04 with L3DT 2.5.4.0//
  * Disabled ZeoPerfMon_NT plugin by default, and enable when requested by CPU throttle. --- // fixed in L3DT release 2.5.4.8//

===== Minor features =====




==== User interface  ====

  * Added tabbed map view ([[bundynews>l3dt:2008:aug:04|see here]])
  * Widened toolbar buttons to 20px to accommodate longer labels.
  * Added 'edit' and 'mouse tool' sub-menus to right-click context menu.
  * Added '//Edit->Screen capture->to file//' and '//Edit->Screen capture->to clipboard//' options to L3DT and Sapphire.
  * Marked unread items in [[l3dt:userguide:updatemanager|update manager]] window in **bold**.
  * Add more spin controls to wizards, including [[l3dt:userguide:wizards:hfsize|heightfield size]],  [[l3dt:userguide:wizards:am|attributes map]], [[l3dt:userguide:wizards:normals|terrain normals]], [[l3dt:userguide:wizards:lightmap2|light mapping (2)]], [[l3dt:userguide:wizards:texture|texture map]], [[l3dt:userguide:wizards:alpha|alpha mapping]], [[l3dt:userguide:wizards:mosaic|mosaic settings]], [[l3dt:userguide:wizards:import_dm|import design map]].
  * Added new palettes, including 'logarithmic'.
  * Auto-selected 'thermal' palette for salinity map (note to self: done in InitGroup).

==== Image drape ====

  * Added 'image drape' button to toolbar.
  * Added 'map transparency' options to drape controls.
  * Added CCriticalSection to guard drape handle to prevent crashes when clearing drape during drawing.
  * Added 'view.ImageDrape.Load', 'view.ImageDrape.Clear' and  'view.ImageDrape.IsShown' zeofuncs, for scripting control of the image drape.
  * Added 'image drape' button to //Spring Mapping// wizard.

==== File I/O ====

  * Added [[bundywiki>plugins:calc:atMeshDecimator|mesh decimation]] support to OBJ and X mesh exporters, with [[bundywiki>plugins:general:azurite|Azurite mesh renderer]] preview option.
  * Changed version of project settings files to '2540', with the following changes:
    * added 'DM.HF_in_DM'
    * changed DM parameters from bytes to ints.
    * moved 'Perlin.nx/ny' to 'HF.nx/ny'
    * added version checker and auto-updater to DEF.XML loader.
    * updated all wizards accordingly.
  * Added ordinal padding for alpha map export ([[http://www.bundysoft.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=4483#4483|see request]]).
  * L3DT now recognises '.zs.txt' files as ZeoScript files too, for when they are downloaded from the wiki.














==== New/improved plugins ====

  * Created georeferencing UI plugin ([[bundywiki>plugins:general:atGeoRef2|see atGeoRef2]]).
  * Modified [[bundywiki>plugins:calc:atCalc_FFT|FFT plugin]] to use phase/amplitude, rather than real/imaginary coordinates.
  * Added [[bundywiki>plugins:general:atIndexBrush|atIndexBrush plugin]].
  * Added [[bundywiki>plugins:general:atSpringWizard|atSpringWizard plugin]].
  * Added [[bundywiki>plugins:calc:atMeshDecimator|atMeshDecimator plugin]].
  * Added [[bundywiki>plugins:general:Azurite|Azurite mesh viewer plugin]].



==== Plugin API ====

  * Made L3DT check plugin-side API version, to ensure that L3DT doesn't try to load plugins compiled with a more recent (i.e. incompatible) API version. 
  * ... other changes to Zeolite API in v2.6 are [[l3dt:history:v2.6:zeolite|documented here]].


==== Bug fixes ====
  * Fixed handling of slashes at end of string in ZeoScript (e.g. "c:\\hello\\" returns error).  --- // reported by Shima via e-mail.//
  * Fixed OnLButtonUp handling in index map brush when using drape (brush was left on sometimes).
  * Fixed crash when double-clicking with attributes map brush.
  * Enabled indexed palettes in standard edition (was disabled by misplaced precompiler guard). 
  * Fixed mosaic/multithread concurrent access bugs for TN, LM and TX calculations. 
  * Fixed bugs in alpha mapping wizard ([[http://www.bundysoft.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=951&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=|see this thread]]).
  * Auto-delete SD7 archives when overwriting ([[http://www.bundysoft.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=889|see this thread]]).
  * Fixed backup/restore plugin when backing up alpha maps (couldn't find formats).
  * Fixed 'InvertY' option in [[bundywiki>plugins:fileio:L3DTio_FI|L3DTio_FI]] (BMP/JPG/PNG plugin).
  * Fixed crash on exit when errors occurred during initialisation.
  * Fixed forced shutdown/restart handler.
  * Fixed random numerical instability in peak/fractal roughness generator for design map.  --- // reported by Leon via e-mail.//
  * Fixed (mostly) the deep-digging by the erosion routine on some maps.  --- // reported by Leon via e-mail and Fusi in the forums.//
  * Made non-threaded progress bar process message queue properly.

==== Other ====

  * Recompiled in VC9, and fixed some resulting bugs:
    * Fixed size of code type selection combo box in activation dialog.
    * Fixed activation date handling (was causing exception).
  * Revised/re-wrote L3DT codebase to better resemble Zeolite API (e.g. VarList methods.)
  * Added '//Settings->Load patch file//' menu option.
  * Added ''calcman.AddCallback'' function to set ''OnComplete'' callbacks for calculation manager (used by atNetClient //et al.//)

===== Documentation =====

  * Completed the [[bundywiki>tutorials:l3dt:roads|roads tutorial]].