Release Notes 4.0.3

Another preview release of TiXL that comes with a lot of improvements and new features.

Feature Highlights

• Based on the support from @banidu, @nr4, @Messy, and @yoda, we implemented and tested how to control stage lights via Art-Net/DMX with TiXL. This allows you to combine visuals with tightly synchronized and controlled stage light effects.

• In live performance mode, TiXL uses advanced audio analysis to follow the current music tempo and automatically adjust phase and BPM to stay in sync.

• Added scale gizmo to most operators.

Mag Graph Interface

• Improved visibility of snapped connection arrows.
• Horizontal snapping when dragging operators to avoid overlapping connections.
• Operators can be added by clicking on vertical inputs. Improved insertion between vertically snapped operators.
• Improved dragging and snapping of annotations (♥ @newemka).
• Slightly tweaked output picking (now also works with click).
• Mag Graph now supports focus mode interaction.
• Output nodes rendered with their type and additional styling.
• Input nodes are highlighted if updated (i.e., prevent caching).
• Added right padding in operators with custom UI to avoid interfering with additional output indicators.
• Prevent background dragging while adjusting infinity slider position.
• Fixed editing of embedded gradient sliders.

Parameter window

• FloatLists can now be edited in the parameter window and reordered by dragging indices.
• Parameter names with PascalCase are shown as separate words (can be toggled in Settings).
• Bypass buttons are disabled if not available.
• Optional parameter edit smoothing (see Settings) to improve live performances.
• Multiline string input fields grow with content.
• User settings for connection style (♥ @newemka).

UI Improvements

• Added FloatList and IntList output styles with new grid view.

• Prompt before exiting the editor.

• Link to releases in the Help menu.

• Improved image sequence rendering and screenshot support (♥ @newemka).

• Show elapsed compilation time in the console (♥ @newemka / @mrvux).

• Option to disable keyboard shortcuts (useful for live performances).

• Increased resolution of sample images.

• Fixed Shake disconnect on high frame rate displays.

Even More...

• Parameters can be excluded from presets.
• Strings can be part of presets.
• Added monospaced font (for multiline text).
• Increased minimum canvas scale factor for greater zoom-out.
• Show custom titles of symbols in pinned view (♥ @nikki).

UI Fixes

• Fixed unintended creation of connections while dragging operators.
• Fixed item hovering and clicking of animated properties in the dope sheet to center the animated operator.
• Fixed theme dropdown (♥ @newemka).
• Fixed issues related to modifying certain numbers.
• Fixed value output graph scaling with UI scaling.
• Fixed Undo/Redo of transform gizmo actions.
• Editor now ignores mouse if it's on the output window (♥ @newemka).
• Fixed crash when connecting from the parameter window.
• SpaceMouse can control locked camera without output window focus.
• Fixed camera interaction with keyboard while holding the left mouse button.
• Fixed preset thumbnail rendering.
• Canvas grid color uses theme color (♥ @newemka).
• Fixed potential exception when curves were modified while saving (also cleaned up curve code).
• Screenshot button now displays the save location.

New Operators and Improvements

• Almost all operators now have documentation (♥♥♥ @1x-vision).
• Added [Spout] support (♥♥♥ @nikki).
• Fixed spelling mistakes in all operator documentation.

⚠ Breaking Changes

• Removed [DepthOfField] command input.
• [TorusSDF] uses separate parameters for radii.
• Replaced [RepeatWithMirror] with [RepeatAxis] and a mirror parameter.

SDF, Fields, and Raymarching...

• New [CustomSDF] for live coding and converting shaders, with many effects.
• New [PlaneSDF].
• New [MovePointsToSDF], a versatile point modifier.
• New [FieldToImage] to convert a 3D field slice into a texture.
• New [Image2dSDF] for using 2D textures to create SDFs.
• New [RotateAxis] to improve performance.
• Added [VisualizeFieldDistance] transform gizmo.
• Refactored and cleaned up [TwistField].
• Added uniform scale to [BoxSDF].
• Added mirror parameter to [PolarRepeatSDF] (reduces artifacts and looks nice).
• Fixed [TorusSDF] axis update issue.
• Fixed [RaymarchField] behavior inside scaled transforms.
• [RaymarchField] now respects group color overrides.

More

• New [AnimInt] to switch random seeds on beat.
• New [ParticleSystem] Update trigger to freeze simulations.
• New [Dot] and [Cross] product ops (♥ Martin K).
• New [HSE] (Hue, Saturation, Exposure).
• Added TextureFormat parameters to [LinearGradient], [RadialGradient], and [FractalNoise].
• Added amount parameter to [VolumeForce].
• [SetEnvironment] now implements proper caching and auto-converts to cubemap if needed.

New Examples

• [TorusMeshExample]
• [PointTrailExample]
• [SimForceOffsetExample]
• [MoveToSDFExample]
• [EaseExample]
• [PointsToArtNetLightsExample]
• [Image2dSDFExample]
• Improved [SimForceOffsetExample]
• Updated [CombineSDFExample]
• Updated [DrawBillboardExample]

Fixes

• Fixed pixel glitches with [LinearGradient] and [RadialGradient] in ping-pong repeat mode (♥ @newemka).
• Improved [Distort] image parameters and options.
• Improved [GetPointLightOcclusion] parameters.
• Fixed [DrawMeshAtPoints] AlphaCutOff.
• Fixed [RepeatMeshAtPoints].
• Fixed [LinePoints] Twist parameter.
• Fixed [NumberPattern] (♥ @newemka).
• Fine-tuned AudioReaction parameter ranges (♥ @sense).
• Fixed [IntsToBuffer] caching issue.
• Clarified undefined [MidiInput] device names until configured.
• Fixed caching for [PointsOnMesh].
• Refactored [GetTextureSize] to return IsCubeMap.
• Fixed [SpreadLayout] with a single child.
• Fixed [SelectPointsWithField].
• Fixed [SequenceAnim] triggering with multiple connected ops.
• Fixed [LoadObj] status icon messages.

Performance Improvements

• TextureReadAccess now buffered to avoid frame drops.
• Audio analysis now applied directly after receiving the audio buffer, improving latency slightly.
• Fixed JSON document exporter.
• Added typeless support for Output (♥ @mrvux).
• Fixed null reference due to incorrect build version (♥ @mrvux).
• Fixed GPU memory leak in the editor (♥ @mrvux).
• Backup and restore tessellation and geometry shader stages during UI drawing (♥ @mrvux).
• Added option to disable DirectX debug mode for the device (♥ @mrvux).