Originally posted by Paul Gausden: Also FSX uses the alpha layer for something other than translucency.
The suggestion from Paul is a good idea also useful for KRS. The alpha channel can be used for specular (same thing in MSTS2?).
When alpha is used for specular, we must use in 3DC only the bmp part of the texture. Then, after export, it is needed to switch the bmp texture with the one with the alpha channel.
With the suggestion from Paul (as I understood it), we could use the final material right into 3DC with alpha channel not being displayed in 3DC but exported properly. The activation of alpha or not in 3DC should be done by material.
Today I finished making the changes to the 3D Canvas Scripting and 3D Canvas Scene Graph interfaces. I've simplified the scripting interface quite a bit, and have made it a subset (more or less) of the 3D Canvas Scene Graph.
The only place where there are significant differences is in materials. Materials are going to remain quite different, as I want scripting materials to be much like you view them in 3D Canvas rather than how they are in Direct 3D.
I also modified the scripting interface to use the new object selection data structures. This will allow (in future releases) more sophisticated object/face/point/edge selection within 3D Canvas. But, that will be in a future release. I'm just setting the groundwork in this release.
I decided to go ahead and re-write the object/face/edge/point selection functions for this release. So, assuming it goes well, in the next release it will be possible to:
1) select multiple objects that are not in a hierarchy.
2) select faces, edge or points on multiple objects.
This is one of those functions I've wanted to re-write for years. Unfortunately, it's going to take a week of work.
I forgot to mention that when I modified the scripting interface, I made it truly "object based", so statements like "If Object1 is Object2 then" work.
I was waylaid by various items over the past month, but am now back to it. Of course as is usual I stopped at a the most difficult point imaginable. I don't think that was a coincicence
I wish I could just skip what I'm working on and get to what users probably think are the priorities, but what I am working on is hindering 3D Canvas' ability to support more complex models. It is a modelling roadblock, although it may not be immediately apparent from using 3D Canvas.
The selection functions of 3D Canvas are getting a full re-write in all of this. Here's an early preview of what a "hover over" highlight looks like. I still have work to do, including setting the colors of the selection rectangle.
In the past I was creating new objects in order to display highlighting. It's now being done via line-drawing (in effect), so it is much faster.
And, for the first time, faces selected concurrently on separate objects.
I have to add, as usual, that this isn't anywhere near done. But, I'm happy to see it for the first time after all the work I have put into achieving it.
I am busy re-writing the "group selection tool". It was long overdue. It is much faster now. I might even be able to do the selection in real-time, rather than at the end of the drag.
It is getting other enhancements too. But, it's too early for me to say what. The key point was the re-write, which allows lots of new functions to be added in the future.
Things are finally coming together. I'm getting close to finishing the new selection functions. It's a complete re-write. I had been trying to salvage, but in the end the re-write is what was needed.
I'll be posting updated on the selection changes. They are not that different, but it may take a little getting used to.
There are some fundamental changes to how selection works in this release. For example it is now possible to select an point, edge, face or object regardless of what "tool" you have selected. This is done by holding a particular key:
This way you don't have to change tools if you want to quickly select something.
For example if you are using the "Point and Face Selection Tool", you can select an object by holding down "4" as you click. Your tool won't have changed, but you will have a whole object selected.
As another example, you could select a point while using the "paint tool" by holding down "1" as you click.
I think I've already said this, but it is now possible to have multiple unrelated objects selected. That means they don't have to be part of the same group or hierarchy.
The same is true for faces, edges and points. They can be selected on multiple unrelated objects.
So for example, you can have a point on one object selected and one on another object. How is this useful? Well, one could have an operation that welds the points together. In the past, you would have to merge the objects to weld the points.
There are a few restrictions, but they aren't major. Only "like" types can be selected at the same time. For example, you couldn't select points on one object and faces on another at the same time.
I just finished the new, and greatly improved "Group Selection Tool".
The biggest change is that you can now select objects as well as points, faces and edges. The default is to select objects. To select points, hold down "1", to select edges hold down "2", to select faces hold down "3", while dragging.
You can also, add to, or subtract from existing selections by holding down the "Shift" or "Ctrl" key respectively.
Just finished some testing of the updated Group Selection Tool. It's probably 50x faster. Fast enough that the selection can occur in real-time, so you can see the faces/points/edges as they are being selected.
I'm doing some final refinements on the new selection functions. Once I'm done, I'll put out an Alpha version for those who want to try the functions out. This will be a version where almost NOTHING works. ONLY the new selection functions will be operable.
It could still be a while until a working beta comes out. But, I feel I have made it over the hump and am on my way downhill.
I tried to put out an alpha, but had trouble getting the installer to work properly. I'm going to have to think a bit about what the problem is.
There have been a lot of "dependencies" in this version. I can't finish one thing until another is done, but can't finish that until yet another is done. I'm getting to the point where I can start actualy finishing things. It really is all downhill from here.
3D Canvas Community 
