GDTF Builder Release January 2024
Posted January 20, 2024 ‐ 4 min read ‐ Categories: GDTF, GDTF Builder
New update of the GDTF Builder has been released, enhancing yet another part of the GDTF-MVR workflow.
GDTF Builder, the editor to create and edit GDTF files, has received a new update of features, enhancements and fixes. This article is based on the announcement in the GDTF forum.
Updated template fixtures
Fixture templates of Conventional, LED PAR and Moving Head now come with predefined 2D symbol, Pigtail geometry with connector definition via Wiring Objects, with more predefined Attributes like more colors, Virtual Pan, Tilt and so on, allowing faster onboarding when starting from the templates.
Of course, there is always the GDTF Share with 4287 files, which provide an excellent way to take a look at and learn, copy from or modify and turn into another device. There are also the GDTF/MVR Help pages and the Training Videos on YouTube, helping you to get started.
Support for ColorSpaces
Physical Descriptions tab now allows to define ColorSpaces, either Standard or Custom, and link them to relevant ChannelFunctions as per GDTF Specification, allowing to provide ColorSpaces which can be changed during the operation of the device via DMX.
Allow to copy complete geometry trees between files
Geometries could always be duplicated inside one GDTF file but geometries (and complete geometry trees) can now be copy/pasted from one GDTF file to another:
Allow to copy and paste Emitters, Filters, DMX Profiles, and ColorSpaces
Copy/paste operation between files is now also possible for Emitters, Filters, DMX Profiles and also to the new ColorSpaces. These copy/paste possibilities can speed up the workflow significantly.
Improvements
Custom Attributes enhancements
Subphysical units
Custom attributes allow to extend GDTF but should only be used if really necessary, as their utilization depends on software choosing to use it. One can newly define sub-physical units for custom attributes.
Renaming
Summary tab - Attributes allows to edit and also rename custom attributes.
Improved search for Attributes
When searching for a GDTF attribute, better attribute names are shown in the search results, together with the “machine readable attribute name” and also with an image or video of the effect.
DMX Modes improvements
Copy/Paste
Previously, to paste a DMX Mode, one had to create a new mode, use it to right click and paste. Now, one can right click on an existing DMX mode to access the Paste item.
Allow to define the RDM personality in decimal format
Duplicate/Arrange Geometries Wizard
When duplicating geometries via the Arrange wizard, the first geometry is no longer duplicated two times. One can also specify the DMX break Address offset for the duplicates:
Maintenance announcements
Scheduled maintenance notice is now visible also directly in the builder:
Other improvements:
- Username is now displayed in the browser title. This is useful when using multiple accounts for creation/upload or testing.
- Copy and paste geometry improvement. Only provide the copy/paste menu on geometries which and where can be copy/pasted.
- Performance Improvements in the Builder. Several parts of the Builder have been optimized for faster operation.
- An error is shown, when Modes Masters overlap.
- GDTF 1.0 geometry types are not longer available in the builder for new files.
Bugfixes
- Geometry Reference model vertices are now correctly calculated
- Fixed a bug when switching between from/to representations
- Fixed a bug which would not allow to change the model dimension
- Allow to delete a Main Attribute
- Fixed a bug with copying DMX Modes
- Fixed behavior with wrong formatted Attributes names
- Powercon connectors are now inserted with the correct gender
- When copying DMX Channels, custom attributes are now also created
- When starting a fixture based on another, the revision history is cleaned