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Release Notes - CET Designer 2.3

The CET Designer 2.3 release brings several enhancements. Among others, it offers a set of new features in the Calculation dialog, new rendering options and the ability to place panoramic views outside windows in buildings.

With the release of CET Designer 2.3, two brand-new Extensions will also be available for download: Google SketchUp™ Interface and CET Movie Studio.

>> Read more about the new features in CET Designer's Help File

A listing of the main new features in CET Designer 2.3:  

New Extension - CET Movie Studio

The new CET Movie Studio Extension enables you to create, edit and save movies in CET Designer. Create a unique experience for each of your customers as you demonstrate exactly how their space will look. 

You define your path in the 2D view and then go into a 3D full screen view to record the video. Here, you will find options to set the camera motion, its pace (walk, pan, fly) and its direction. After recording, you can view, modify and edit the order of the recordings. The final video can be saved to multiple AVI formats. These formats do not require any additional codecs in Windows. You can set the rendering quality, the video resolution and the output quality.

Click the Extension button at the top of the application window, go to the Download Extensions tab in the Extension Manager and download CET Movie Studio Extension for free.

New Extension - Google SketchUp™ Interface

CET Designer 2.3 will support the import of Google SketchUp™ objects. This allows you to pick and choose from a huge library of objects of all sorts. Add these objects to your drawing to get a more realistic impression.

Click the Extension button at the top of the application window, go to the Download Extensions tab in the Extension Manager and download the Google SketchUp™ Interface Extension for free.

New features in CET Designer's Calculation dialog

There have been several improvements in the Calculation dialog. Below are a few examples: 

  • A control panel is now available for each individual Article view where you can set the order of the columns, create filters and more.  
  • You can select a component in the drawing area and then identify it in the Calculation dialog and vice versa.
  • You can stretch each column to desired width.

 

Decide how often your drawing should be saved

You can decide how often your drawing should be auto-saved during your work process. Choose a time interval between 5 - 90 minutes (9 minutes is default). 

Some users have experienced moments when CET Designer seems to freeze while auto-saving in the background; this will not happen anymore. When an auto-save is about to be done, CET Designer will try not to interrupt your work. If this is not possible you will receive a message telling you that CET Designer is in the process of auto-saving your work and that this may take a moment. The same thing happens when CET Designer makes backup files.

New rendering options in the 3D view toolbar

You will now find four different rendering options in the 3D view toolbar. You are probably familiar with two of them; the other two are new.

From the left: 
  • Contour Image (old) - renders a black-and-white contour image.
  • Render Quick Image (new) - gives you a quick preview of what the image will look like when rendered.
  • Render Image (old) - gives you a rendered image with good quality.
  • Render High-Quality Image (new) - gives you a high-quality image.  

Share print reports

When you have created unique print reports, you are now able to save them to a location where your co workers can access them.

Add panoramic backgrounds

Add panoramic backgrounds to your drawing to create a realistic environment outside the window. Choose between three different environments: daylight environment, city skyline by night and city skyline in dusk. More options to come.

Go to the 3D tab and select the Background tool. Select desired background on the Panorama tab in the 3D Background dialog that appears.

Note: You need to have the advanced graphics engine active to be able to add a panoramic background.

Real-time lighting in CET Designer

The new option Enable real-time lights means that lights and shadows update themselves instantly as you work and move objects in the drawing area. Note: This is a very resource-intensive operation.

You find this option in the Rendering dialog, on the 3D tab and on the Views tab in the Control panel.  

New options in the Select Material dialog

At the bottom of the Select Material dialog you will find some new options. The Mirror option has changed name to Reflection and the Reflection sharpness option is new, as well as the Keep the settings when changing material option.

Here is a short description of the new options:  

  • Reflection (previously called Mirror): Use the slider to define the level of reflection of the material.
  • Reflection sharpness: Use the slider to define the sharpness of the reflection (is only available if the advanced graphics engine is active). Max sharpness will result in a mirror-like reflection, while lower sharpness will create a blurry reflection similar to what you would get from a polished wooden floor, for example. 
  • Keep the settings when changing material: This means that the settings you do will stay unchanged when you change material in the dialog.

CET Designer checks your graphics drivers

CET Designer now checks the drivers of your graphics card. If it turns out that you don't have the recommended drivers required for running the advanced graphics engine, you can click a link to download the right drivers.

You find the test and the link in the Control panel. Click the Graphics Engine Selection button on the Views tab. 

Different behavior when placing spotlights

When you place spotlights in the drawing area, you now place the target point first and then place the spotlight at desired distance from the target point.

New colors when selecting components, or groups of components

When you select a component, or croup of components, they are surrounded by a colored square. Different colors are shown depending on if you have selected a single component, a group of components, a locked component, etc. 

  • When one component, or several snapped components, are selected, an orange color frames the components. 
  • When you have made a group of several components, a turquoise color will frame the group when selected.
  • When you select a locked component, or a locked group of components, a grey color will frame the components when selected. 
  • When you use the Select single object tool, the selected component will be framed by a purple frame.

Note: You need to activate the "frame when selected" option on the Views tab in the Control panel to be able to see these frames. 

Two new buttons for ceiling and floor settings

You will now find two new buttons on the Wall drawing component tab. Ceiling settings and Floor Settings. Click these buttons to make detailed settings for your ceiling and floor. You access the same dialogs by right-clicking the drawing area.

New elevation option when importing CAD drawings

When you have imported a CAD drawing you can select the drawing in the drawing area and set the elevation in the green input box that appears.

 

  

Stretch the thickness of walls

   

You are now able to stretch the thickness of walls by its snap point.

Adjust the precision level for all dimensions 

Now there is a possibility to set the precision level for dimensions. Select desired option in the drop down menu in the Dimensions and Leaders field on the Tools tab.   

   

Lock components in the drawing area

You can now lock components in the drawing area to prevent accidental moving. Locked components will have a grey frame that indicates they are locked. Right click a component in the drawing area and select the Lock position options.

Group components

You can now group components together for selection and movement. Select the components that you wish to be included in the group, right-click and select the Group option .

Grouped objects will have a turquoise frame.

New options in the Paper View

  • 3D view ports now have a quick property option where you can set the background to white.
  • You can decide the quality of the captured image in a  view port. Note: The selected quality does not effect the printed image. Note, this option is only available if the advanced graphics engine is activated.

Fixes

Below are three examples of fixes: 

  • Accessories are now correctly part of the Accessories category when working with view ports and visibility. 
  • Show all hidden tools for imported DWG drawings should now behave in a more intuitive manner instead of only working when clicking in the center of the imported file. 
  • The problem with positioning of text in Print and Print preview when the advanced graphics engine is active has been fixed.