Beta 16 reports
by Apparatus · in Artist Corner · 01/31/2007 (2:18 pm) · 15 replies
Hi there,
Well, this tool gets bigger. Being able to load dts shapes in it - aside the fact that you can model your stuff in a 3d viewport unlike any other bsp editor out there that I am aware of - and of course, all the other neat features in it makes Constructor a huge giant awesome addition to Torque toolset.
Here are the issues in the current version I am using:
1. Corrupted csx files; Upon crash, the csx file I was working on cannot be recovered. That's a huge auch because I have to start all over again if I am not careful enough to export to map from time to time. And I am not because I am too excited.
2. Selection (faces in particular); at some point I have to deselect everything and try to select the desired face again. This is not a major problem but it should be fixed sometime in the future.
3. CSG tools still act weird, deleting (instead of carving) the entire brush. There is no undo to this. It looks like you have to create a separate brush (clean) to intersect with the target brush in order to perform any of the CGS operations. If you shift-drag an existing brush (duplicating it) it happens what I just said above.
4. Scaling brushes on the z axis is a pain. I have a S+ARK (Microsoft) mouse and I don't think it's because of that. I tried with the my wacom mouse (it's brand new) so it's definitely not that.
5. Texture albums are not saved if the program crashes.
Now, onto wishlist:
1. Clone texture info from one face to another. To set each every face UVs could take loads of time. Also clone texture from one brush to another will be nice. Right now you need to dig up the texture in the album and set it active then select the faces and apply it.
2. texture manipulators... you know what that is so I won;t go further.
That's it for tonight.
Regards,
Apparatus
PS Is Mantis bug report gonna have anytime soon a Constructor section?
Well, this tool gets bigger. Being able to load dts shapes in it - aside the fact that you can model your stuff in a 3d viewport unlike any other bsp editor out there that I am aware of - and of course, all the other neat features in it makes Constructor a huge giant awesome addition to Torque toolset.
Here are the issues in the current version I am using:
1. Corrupted csx files; Upon crash, the csx file I was working on cannot be recovered. That's a huge auch because I have to start all over again if I am not careful enough to export to map from time to time. And I am not because I am too excited.
2. Selection (faces in particular); at some point I have to deselect everything and try to select the desired face again. This is not a major problem but it should be fixed sometime in the future.
3. CSG tools still act weird, deleting (instead of carving) the entire brush. There is no undo to this. It looks like you have to create a separate brush (clean) to intersect with the target brush in order to perform any of the CGS operations. If you shift-drag an existing brush (duplicating it) it happens what I just said above.
4. Scaling brushes on the z axis is a pain. I have a S+ARK (Microsoft) mouse and I don't think it's because of that. I tried with the my wacom mouse (it's brand new) so it's definitely not that.
5. Texture albums are not saved if the program crashes.
Now, onto wishlist:
1. Clone texture info from one face to another. To set each every face UVs could take loads of time. Also clone texture from one brush to another will be nice. Right now you need to dig up the texture in the album and set it active then select the faces and apply it.
2. texture manipulators... you know what that is so I won;t go further.
That's it for tonight.
Regards,
Apparatus
PS Is Mantis bug report gonna have anytime soon a Constructor section?
About the author
Tarakibu Studio
#2
02/01/2007 (2:38 am)
This is a version with bug fixes from previous 15. no new features (yet:) 
#3
T.
02/01/2007 (4:11 am)
Mantis has had a Constructor section since before I joined the team. That was just before the first beta, so if you don't see it it might be an access related thing. Double check and if you don't have it, send Matt a mail.T.
#4
02/01/2007 (4:33 am)
Looks like the crash 'works fine' when you work on a scene with brushes and add a dts static shape. When I try to open that scene again i am being prompted about a missing file but something like this: c:/constructor path/. without the name of the file missing. In some cases it works to replace the missing shapes, in other it sould just crash when I choose to replace the shape. If I choose not, the shape it's still in the scene but textured with the redsquare and a ? mark on it. Looks like Constructor is not writing the paths correctly for dts shapes. at least for now
#5
02/01/2007 (7:31 am)
Don't want to jumping the gun but I fill like Benjamin does when you read the form topic as Beat 16 reports.. Is there a new Beat out or is the key for 15 just not working anymore.
#6
i haven't received any mail IF there has been a beta 16 release.. im just wondering.. because its a loooong time since the last release
Regards
02/03/2007 (6:24 am)
This is kinda confusing.. is there a beta 16? or still beta 15... i haven't received any mail IF there has been a beta 16 release.. im just wondering.. because its a loooong time since the last release
Regards
#7
I didn't make a public announcement about Beta 16 because not very much had changed between it and Beta 15 (just various small bugfixes). When I added some new people to the beta I went ahead and linked them Beta 16. I also linked a couple people Beta 16 because they were giving me excellent feedback and I wanted to make sure they were using the latest and greatest (like Apparatus =).
If any of you wants to use Beta 16 feel free to grab it form here:
constructor-beta.garagegames2.com/Constructor_Win_01_31_07.zip
login: faster
pass: g39l1ggxW
I am getting close to having a basic Direct-to-Dif exporter working in Beta 17 and will be shipping that out to all of the testers when it is done!
02/03/2007 (2:27 pm)
Hey guys!I didn't make a public announcement about Beta 16 because not very much had changed between it and Beta 15 (just various small bugfixes). When I added some new people to the beta I went ahead and linked them Beta 16. I also linked a couple people Beta 16 because they were giving me excellent feedback and I wanted to make sure they were using the latest and greatest (like Apparatus =).
If any of you wants to use Beta 16 feel free to grab it form here:
constructor-beta.garagegames2.com/Constructor_Win_01_31_07.zip
login: faster
pass: g39l1ggxW
I am getting close to having a basic Direct-to-Dif exporter working in Beta 17 and will be shipping that out to all of the testers when it is done!
#8
Matt, i still can't figure out how to make a csx file with both dts and brushes. It works starting from scratch, with all the files in place (scenes in testscenes folder and so on) but it still crashes.
I tried this like 20 or 30 times in a row on both my computers. Same result. If the scene gets a bit more complex, its over.
Regards
02/03/2007 (2:38 pm)
That's great news!Matt, i still can't figure out how to make a csx file with both dts and brushes. It works starting from scratch, with all the files in place (scenes in testscenes folder and so on) but it still crashes.
I tried this like 20 or 30 times in a row on both my computers. Same result. If the scene gets a bit more complex, its over.
Regards
#9
02/04/2007 (5:41 am)
Can you send me a scene that is on the verge of crashing and directions on what to do to make it crash?
#10
all I do is create a brush or two than add some dts shapes. Save and close, open and repeat these steps. Id does at one point ask me to replace a file but it fails to tell me in the warning dialog witch file is missing. In the warning dialog it only gives me an incomplete path (the constructor path). When I have one scene with only one dts file I know what to replace and it works (not showing the textures this time on the 'replaced' file, which is the same dts actually).
02/04/2007 (5:47 am)
Hi thereall I do is create a brush or two than add some dts shapes. Save and close, open and repeat these steps. Id does at one point ask me to replace a file but it fails to tell me in the warning dialog witch file is missing. In the warning dialog it only gives me an incomplete path (the constructor path). When I have one scene with only one dts file I know what to replace and it works (not showing the textures this time on the 'replaced' file, which is the same dts actually).
#11
That bug did exist in Beta 15 but it should be fixed in Beta 16 (both the "file not found" bug and the name of the missing file not showing up in the dialog...it should at least be telling you the file name in the dialog caption at the top).
I'll play around with Beta 16 and see if I can get it to reproduce this bug. Have you opened up the csx file in a text editor and looked at the paths to the shapes to see if they are getting corrupted in some weird way?
02/04/2007 (1:19 pm)
And this is with Beta 16?That bug did exist in Beta 15 but it should be fixed in Beta 16 (both the "file not found" bug and the name of the missing file not showing up in the dialog...it should at least be telling you the file name in the dialog caption at the top).
I'll play around with Beta 16 and see if I can get it to reproduce this bug. Have you opened up the csx file in a text editor and looked at the paths to the shapes to see if they are getting corrupted in some weird way?
#12
look at how the paths are written, from my (very poor) knowledge this should indicate some default program path (the files are within the program folder specified somewhere)
02/04/2007 (1:29 pm)
Yes it sure is 16.<SceneShapes nextShapeID="5">
<SceneShape id="0" type="2" file="./././../testshapes/window.dts" pos="-1.94105 -4.75491 1.86032" rot="1 0 0 0" scale="0.72 1 0.54" group="-1" locked="0" />
<SceneShape id="1" type="2" file="././../staticshapes/mystuff/chairGeneric.dts" pos="0 -9.30684 0" rot="1 0 0 0" scale="1 1 1" group="-1" locked="0" />
<SceneShape id="2" type="2" file="././../staticshapes/mystuff/securityCamera.dts" pos="1.12939 -5.5651 4.95351" rot="0 0 1 4.71239" scale="1 1 1" group="-1" locked="0" />
<SceneShape id="3" type="2" file="././../staticshapes/mystuff/genericdoor.dts" pos="2.76166 -4.72376 0" rot="1 0 0 0" scale="1 0.39 1" group="-1" locked="0" />
<SceneShape id="4" type="0" file="./../testshapes/orc/player.dts" pos="0 -11.5638 0" rot="1 0 0 0" scale="1 1 1" group="-1" locked="0" />
</SceneShapes>look at how the paths are written, from my (very poor) knowledge this should indicate some default program path (the files are within the program folder specified somewhere)
#13
edit:
I did and guess what: it does ask me to replace the file and it also names that file in the warning dialog
02/04/2007 (1:32 pm)
I'll try a stunt: download now the program 'clean' and forget about (probably messed up something in there, I stuck my nose everywhere) the current one.edit:
I did and guess what: it does ask me to replace the file and it also names that file in the warning dialog
#14
Now, with this clean build I put my shapes in staticshapes folder and created a new scene. Added a cube, a window, a ladder and a door. Saved after each step worked fine to reopen the csx file. Selected all and shift+drag to duplicate the entire thing. Constructor crashes upon reopening.
I tried again (test 2) doing the same as before but adding each dts in scene via add dts shape button not duplicating it. It worked fine.
In next step, I selected all my stuff again and shift+drag. Saved the file, Constructor crashed upon reopening.
Next step. Just a dts now. Created an empty scene, added one dts. Saved, reopen fine. Shift+drag duplicate the dts object. Save, open fine. Repeated the stunt (duplicated with shift both dts objects, now I have four) it works fine.
Next (rechecking). Created a brush, added a dts chair, selected all that, shoft+drag duplicate it 3 times. Saved as test5.csx, tried to close, Constructor prompts me to save. Save it again as test5.csx, closed Constructor, open Constructor, reopened the file, Constructor crashes
Final step create a brush, add dts files in, shift+drag duplicate (after save and reopen ok) a dts shape around, works fine. Now Shift+drag again on next open my blue dts door, next time crashes.
And lastly, one thing about saving. I create a new scene, save it (ctrl+s) and prompted, I choose the name and csx extension. With only these steps performed when I try to quit I get prompted if I want to save. If I don't the file will crash the program next time. If I cancel it and save it again, it will be fine (or not). It looks to me like somehow (or not at all maybe from a different perspective) the problems are related to the saving feature. Simple save does'nt always work. Save as maybe scrambles the file (when I save against an existing file).
Up to this point I tried everything possible. It could be dead simple but I am missing something in this case. In which case, I can;t wait to get slapped and returned to the right track.
I need a smoke :))
02/04/2007 (2:06 pm)
All previous scenes worked fine until I shift+drag one dts object (duplicating it).Now, with this clean build I put my shapes in staticshapes folder and created a new scene. Added a cube, a window, a ladder and a door. Saved after each step worked fine to reopen the csx file. Selected all and shift+drag to duplicate the entire thing. Constructor crashes upon reopening.
I tried again (test 2) doing the same as before but adding each dts in scene via add dts shape button not duplicating it. It worked fine.
In next step, I selected all my stuff again and shift+drag. Saved the file, Constructor crashed upon reopening.
Next step. Just a dts now. Created an empty scene, added one dts. Saved, reopen fine. Shift+drag duplicate the dts object. Save, open fine. Repeated the stunt (duplicated with shift both dts objects, now I have four) it works fine.
Next (rechecking). Created a brush, added a dts chair, selected all that, shoft+drag duplicate it 3 times. Saved as test5.csx, tried to close, Constructor prompts me to save. Save it again as test5.csx, closed Constructor, open Constructor, reopened the file, Constructor crashes
Final step create a brush, add dts files in, shift+drag duplicate (after save and reopen ok) a dts shape around, works fine. Now Shift+drag again on next open my blue dts door, next time crashes.
And lastly, one thing about saving. I create a new scene, save it (ctrl+s) and prompted, I choose the name and csx extension. With only these steps performed when I try to quit I get prompted if I want to save. If I don't the file will crash the program next time. If I cancel it and save it again, it will be fine (or not). It looks to me like somehow (or not at all maybe from a different perspective) the problems are related to the saving feature. Simple save does'nt always work. Save as maybe scrambles the file (when I save against an existing file).
Up to this point I tried everything possible. It could be dead simple but I am missing something in this case. In which case, I can;t wait to get slapped and returned to the right track.
I need a smoke :))
#15
02/04/2007 (8:09 pm)
Hmm...that does sound like a bug. I'll look into it. 
Torque Owner Benjamin Schneider