Second Orca3D WIP Released!

Feel free to send comments and suggestions as you use the WIP. We appreciate your interest!

Orca3D Release Notes 

Orca3D is a plug-in for designing and analyzing marine structures in Rhinoceros. These release notes describe the status and updates included in the current release of Orca3D.

Orca3D Requirements

• Rhino Version 4, SR 3 or higher
• Hardware: See Rhino hardware requirements (http://www.rhino3d.com/4/systemrequirements.htm)
• Operating Systems tested: Windows XP , Vista
• Operating Systems not tested: Windows XP 64-bit, 2000
• Operating Systems not supported: Windows ME, 98, 95, NT
• Mac: The Intel Mac with Bootcamp or Parallels has not been tested
• Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 (the Orca3D installation will install it if it is not already on your computer)
• Microsoft Report Viewer Redistributable 2008 (the Orca3D installation will install it if it is not already on your computer)
• Valid license key (without this, Orca3D will operate as a 30-day fully functional evaluation copy, not required for WIP releases)

WIP Release 2 (May 1, 2008) 

New Features:

• OrcaHydrostatics: Added an option to insert the resultant flotation plane in the hydrostatics command. Also added an option to alternatively transform the model so that z=0 represents the resultant flotation plane. When either of these options is selected, Orca3D places points representing CB and CF. It labels and groups these objects with their associated flotation plane in case multiple flotation planes are being computed.
• Reports: Hydrostatics reporting now uses the Microsoft ReportViewer control. This control makes for faster reporting and has a much smaller installation footprint; User formats are supported through the use of the MS Express Web Developer with the appropriate report designer add-in
• OrcaSections: A new command to refresh the Orca3D Sections has been added (OrcaSectionsRecompute). It is assigned to the right mouse button on the Sections icon.
• Real-time Hydrostatics: The ability to see real-time hydrostatics while editing a surface has been added.  This is enabled via the Design Hydrostatics.
• Export Formats: IDF and PIAS formats can now be exported using the Orca Sections that have been defined.

Enhanced Features:

• Installation: The installation program now opens the default web browser to display the Orca Theater html page, so that installation is not interrupted.  It also now works with a FireFox browser.
• OrcaProperties: The handling of SI, Imperial, and Custom units has been overhauled.  A user can now choose from four pre-defined Orca3D Unit Preferences: SI-kg, SI-tonne, Imperial-lbs, Imperial-LT.  Further, a user can now choose a Custom units scheme, which allows the selection of specific units for different categories, e.g. volume in foot^3 and area in inch^2.  The Custom settings are accessed via the Show Units button.
• OrcaExportCurves: Default file extensions are now added when exporting to IDF or PIAS file formats.
• OrcaHydrostatics: Through the use of report parameters, the project, company, and analysis info is shown on all hydrostatics report pages.
• OrcaHydrostatics: BM, GM, LCF, TCF, and VCG values have been added to the condition summary and the summary has been slightly restructured.
• OrcaHydrostatics: Added button to access Orca3D Properties from the hydrostatics form
• OrcaHydrostatics: Modified the behavior of the Hydrostatics input dialog so that if Model Sinkage is chosen, Model Heel and Model Trim are automatically selected and LCG,TCG are disabled; if Weight is chosen all options are available.
• Orca3D Tree: The Orca Tree now supports multiselect.
• OrcaSections: Orca Sections may no longer be deleted with the Rhino Delete command. They can only be deleted by removing them in the Orca Sections dialog.  They also cannot be edited directly.  You must make a copy if you want a curve that is editable.
• OrcaSections: Made all of the layers created for Orca Sections a child of the "Orca3D Sections" layer. Removed the option to put all sections on one layer; the default color of sections is by layer; right-clicking section(s) and setting color changes the color to By Object or lets user set it to ByLayer.
• OrcaSections: Orca Sections are now given names according to their type and location.
• OrcaSections: The Orca Sections tree now allows multiselect.
• OrcaSections: Behavior has been changed so that the Orca Sections are updated any time a surface is transformed or modified.  Real-time (dynamic) updating still only occurs when editing Orca Control Points.
• Real-time Sections: When moving Orca control points with Sections updating in real-time, after each move the Sections would be selected. This has been corrected.

Bug Fixes:

• General: Verious speeling errers hav bin fixd.
• Orca3D Toolbar: Issues regarding the visibility of the toolbar have been fixed.
• Orca3D Tree: Inserting control points into a surface while the Orca Tree was on caused an error. This has been fixed.
• Orca3D Tree: Fixed an error where the lightbulb indicator in the Orca Tree would be off for items that were just grouped.
• Orca3D Tree: Fixed a bug in the Orca Tree where a layer could remain highlighted in the tree after an object had been selected in the graphical window.
• OrcaCreatePlaningHull: Planing hull assistant did not allow flat sheer line. This is now allowed. Corrected in the Sailboat Assistant as well.
• OrcaHydrostatics: Stability calculations at 90 and 180 degrees are now correct.
• OrcaHydrostatics: Corrected waterplane inertia unit labels in hydrostatics output.
• OrcaHydrostatics: Fixed the reporting of section locations in the Hydrostatics output to reflect the current units.
• OrcaHydrostatics: Hydrostatics reports no longer include blank pages for section and righting arm data if that data is not available.
• OrcaHydrostatics: Corrected error in the reporting of TCF.
• OrcaHydrostatics: Corrected waterplane area calculation in English units.
• OrcaProperties: Removed zoom extents behavior after OK on OrcaProperties dialog.
• OrcaSections: Error caused when Preview was used in the Sections dialog before defining any sections has been fixed.
• OrcaSections: Corrected error that caused the section calculation checkbox to not remain unchecked.
• OrcaSections: The names of Orca Sections now update in the tree to reflect a change in units.
• OrcaSections: The options in the Orca Sections dialog are preserved for each Section type.
• OrcaTree: The Orca Tree was modified so that it no longer slows way down when large models are loaded.
• Real-time Hydrostatics: The units in real-time hydrostatics would not reflect the units of a model that was read in while the real-time hydros window was open. This has been fixed.
• Real-time Sections: Corrected error that when recomputing sections; locked sections and section layers did not get deleted when they should have been.
• Real-time Sections: Corrected a problem that caused the real-time section line types to not be correct.
• Vista OS: Fixed a bug that caused a crash when exiting in the Vista operating system.

WIP Release 1 (Feb 29, 2008)

The Work-In-Progress (WIP) is intended to begin the process of soliciting feedback from the user community. While every attempt is made to release stable code, it does not undergo as thorough a testing process as a commercial release. After receiving feedback, there may be major changes in functionality.