Read Me for PatchDance v1.0b17

The program is now available at no charge - email for a license key. Support is available but not guaranteed to be quick (previously registered customers get priority.)

Welcome to PatchDance!

This release follows v1.0b16

See the Change List at the end for details of the update.

It's finally here! The polygon mechanism is totally rewritten and it works much better than it did, much faster, and in nearly no extra memory. And it even gets the shape right! (in my tests so far.) I don't pretend to have tested all the models you folks can invent, nor every possible special case (most of you don't seem to want to wait another six months.) I am confident that fixed subdivision works, but the adaptive modes could still mess up under the right circumstances. If this happens, use fixed and let me know (hopefully including the trouble file so I can go through it triangle by triangle and see what I missed.)

I built v1.0b10 with QuickTime 4. While it uses no specific features requiring QuickTime 3 or 4, older versions than 4 are not guaranteed to work right.

I've added a Manual chapter concerning file export (now that I can do it). This is available from the documentation area of the web site.

I plan the 1.0b's as a (hopefully) last chance to shake out bugs before a v1.0 release. Let me know if you're seeing stability problems and I'll get them fixed!

All the licenses out there are good until at least v2.0. I intend to move PatchDance to an open source model, meaning that all or most of its inner workings will become publicly available; I will continue to provide prebuilt copies and support for the foreseeable future, and will not likely charge for updates unless the volume becomes unmanageable (no time soon.)

IMPORTANT NOTES:

The PatchDance web site has moved, to <http://www.patchdance.com>. The old site (America Online) will shortly be discontinued (I'm getting less than an email / month.) The new site should be faster and it offers a number of advantages, including a mailing list. That will let me more easily post announcements, as well as letting everyone else chat with each other. All it lacks is a digest mode: I'll work something out if the volume gets out of hand.

Inoperative features/limitations:

• No native high quality imaging (QuickDraw 3D preview rendering is available).
• Booleans (surface trim) are still disabled.
• Interactive lathing with the Rotator (R) does not draw ghosted arcs - not impossible, just a pain. Complain loudly if you need this.
• QuickDraw 3D support has several limitations. See the Manual.

Known problems:

• Crashes: They happen from time to time! Please let me know if any specific (reproducible) action causes one. Trouble getting the program to run at all is NOT NORMAL, and we'd like the chance to figure out what is wrong.
• Ongoing problems with QuickDraw 3D (NURBS) on highly curved, 3 sided patches (slight edge distortions). Also affects POV-Ray files.
• Currently about 3 people have severe crashing problems that I am unable to resolve (can't be duplicated anywhere else.) I am very interested in any trouble you have.
• I have reports of slow screen updating with System 8.5. I'm looking into it, it appears to be a result of Platinum Appearance.

System requirements:

• Power Macintosh only. Should work with all PowerPC upgrade cards, clones, and PowerPC 601/3/4/G3 systems.
• 3MB of available RAM (minimum + at least 1MB free for the System). The Preferred Size of 8MB (or more) provides much better performance and is STRONGLY recommended.
• QuickDraw 3D requires 16MB minimum, and this leaves fairly little memory for other applications. (Though not officially supported by Apple, QuickDraw 3D has been operated successfully in 8MB using RAM Doubler.)
• All testing for v1.0b1 was done with System 8.1. Other Systems are not guaranteed to work completely, but 7.6 or later should be okay. Let me know if you find a problem.
• 8 bit color and VRAM video give the best results, unless QuickDraw 3D is in use (QD3D preview doesn't work right with less than Thousands of colors.) Fewer colors will run but cause display problems, more just slows things down.

Installation:

• Simply copy the application and ToolBox 3.0 to your hard disk and run it!
• PatchDance creates a Preferences File in the System:Preferences:PatchDance Folder when its default settings are changed AND set as new defaults. Deleting this file has no effect other than restoring factory defaults.
• If you've paid the shareware fee, you'll receive a small Key file that enables extra features. Place it in the System:Preferences:PatchDance Folder, or just drop it on PatchDance to have it moved there automatically.
• Beginning with v1.0b9, there is a file called Faster Video Plugin, which must be in the same folder as ToolBox 3.0 to work. If you experience crashing, try removing it and restarting the program.

System Notes - Additional information for System Requirements above.

- The program has been run successfully with a 3MB partition. Performance was drastically affected, and this is considered the bare minimum. Monitor the Free Memory readout closely under these conditions (see the Manual, under General Dialog.) Recovering safely from all possible out-of-memory problems is very hard to guarantee, and I don't (yet).

- As usual, avoid using Virtual Memory to make up for insufficient RAM. (Slow!!!)

- There are no proven extension or hardware conflicts: please report any that you discover or suspect.

- Antivirus software should have no effect on installation or operation. PatchDance does write to your System Folder (Preferences).

Registration / Tech Support: <patchdance@patchdance.com>

Latest information/releases: <http://www.patchdance.com/>.

You are encouraged to register (free! License keys are available by return email.) Feel free to look it over first and send along your comments / bug list. See Paying the Price for details; as promised, most features are fully enabled and the program is entirely usable except that there are file size limits when saving or pasting into other programs. A few other "comfort" features (such as default documents) are also limited to registered copies.

Tech Support is available via e-mail, direct from the programmer. Every effort will be made to reply promptly, but I cannot promise same day service (though I've done fairly well so far). Free support will be available to all for as long as possible; registered copies do get priority. Don't hesitate to ASK ME AGAIN if the answer seems slow.

Comments and suggestions are very welcome (provided that they minimize personal insults, etc.) We aim to please, and we are NOT too proud to make changes if they improve the product (but there are limits to what can be done!)

Upcoming Events

• File format support: FACT, Ray Dream Designer, and RIB are currently most requested.
• Boolean operations.
• Animation. Delayed due to heavy demand for modeling features.

Boolean operations have proven to be by far the most difficult part of the program: the design spec calls for creating editable splines rather than (relatively easy) polygons. I fully realize how badly everyone wants this, and I'm doing the best I can.

Legal Stuff

PatchDance and all its documentation is copyright 1994-2003 by Paul Sexton. All rights reserved.

This application (in Demo form) is FREE. It may be given away freely; for mass distribution, please e-mail for permission and latest version information. Permission is automatic and condition-free EXCEPT:

- All copies must be complete with all documentation files and copyright notices, and there must be NO CHARGE beyond reasonable downloading / duplication fees.

- PLEASE make sure you have the latest version. We'll be glad to help.

Registered copies (with demo limits removed) are NOT distributable. License keys are free but need to be requested individually. (Unless you want to write a program this big by yourself.)

Change History (Recent, incomplete)

The oldest Change History entries have been deleted in the interest of saving space. The information is available on request.

Major (crashing) bugs fixed:

• * Crashes/hangs when saving large polygonal models.
• * Hang when viewing certain models in Mesh form.
• * Crash when opening large 3DMF files containing Polyhedra/Trimeshes.
• Nasty bug involving moving the Target and then undoing the move.
• Bug in Fill Mesh that could corrupt database and cause crashes.
• Added Faster Video plugin to disable certain video modes that caused problems with non-Apple video hardware.

Minor bugs fixed:

• One more attempt to make Drop-Key-on-program-to-register work w/ all Systems
• Patch/splines counts not updated correctly.

Corrupt 3DMF files generated by older versions are probably unrepairable. If in doubt, attempt to open with SimpleText, etc (Extra memory may be required for large files.)

Major (crashing) bugs fixed:

• Crash w/ Path Extrusion and twist/scale (path dependent).
• Bug in polygon system generated corrupt 3DMF files that couldn't be opened and/or crashed programs (geometry dependent.)
• Nasty bug when creating a hemisphere object (crashed later on.)
• Killer bug involving Join operation (always suspected it was there somewhere).

Minor bugs fixed:

• Path Extrusion didn't twist/scale correctly with 2 point paths.
• Hemispheres displayed as full spheres in QD3D modes.

Status:

The following bugs have been reported. All 3 are from single users, and I cannot reproduce them on any hardware/System that I have. Any updates are welcome, as are new bug reports.

• General instability on a PowerBook 3400
• Crash when subdividing a sphere.
• Hang when quitting the program.

Major (crashing) bugs fixed:

• *Crash on startup with MacOS9 (variety of spurious error messages).
• *Crash on startup. May have affected some of you (I saw it for the 1st time when testing new b14.)

Minor bugs fixed:

• Cones/cylinders didn't draw correctly if using Depth Control in North/West views.
• Spurious (non-existent) points were drawn by certain operations.
• Old debugging code caused mystery beeps with certain operations.
• *Couldn't always change windows from floating to non-floating with MacOS 8.6 and later (at least). Cmd-Option single click in titlebar now works too.

Major (crashing) bugs fixed:

-

Minor bugs fixed:

• New Points weren't always getting drawn (shapes, new splines.)
• Clicking a Point with the Arrow & not moving immediately was not working right.
• Window positions were NEVER saved right w/ OS8+ Appearance on.

General

• Cursor moves when using the arrow keys to adjust something on screen.
• When using Depth control, cursor "snaps back" when space bar is released. Intended to be more intuitive; if unpopular, may become a preference.

Major (crashing) bugs fixed:

• Lathing an object twice crashed under certain circumstances.
• Reading invalid DXF files (text files) hung or crashed.

Minor bugs fixed:

• Click/no drag w/Pen created a single Point (as intended) but didn't draw the Point.
• Sphere data wrong, didn't export correctly to 3DMF.
• Import QD3D Box objects didn't work right.
• First Save... failed when using stationery or default project.
• Operations Palette had problems "hearing" keystrokes when the user was working n a Modeling Window, etc.
• Opening more than one New document using default Project failed (Error #49.)
• Assorted problems with special cases of polygonal files.

General

• First attempt at supporting direct export to Animation:Master's file format.
• Major improvement in polygonal export (may be a bit slower, though.)
• Auto-add extensions when saving in different file formats (.dxf, .3dmf, etc)
• When double-clicking a handle to smooth splines on a Point: holding down Option limits the action to selected splines only (not counting the smoothed Point itself.)
• In Save/Open dialogs, command-1,2, etc selects that item in the Format popup menu.
• Manual revision. This affects so many chapters that I'm not doing an update: you need to download the whole thing.

Major (crashing) bugs fixed:

• Memory bug in Animation:Master system could crash with certain files.
• Bad Demo files could cause all sorts of strange behavior, probably due to being generated with old program version. Replaced on the web site.

Minor bugs fixed:

• Auto-add file extensions didn't work right with very short file names.
• Animation:Master files totally trashed! Last minute cosmetic addition to my (text) output turned out to completely confuse their file reader.