• Solid Modeling Solutions Announces Version 7.0
• SMS to introduce deformable modeling library
• SMS and 3DCAD Tips
• Solid Modeling Solutions wishes everyone happy holidays

Solid Modeling Solutions is pleased to announce Version 7.0 of our suite of libraries. The primary enhancements to the libraries include enhanced robustness, graphical interface changes, better documentation, and improved performance in specific areas. As a result of our analysis of the bugs fixed over the last year, SMS embarked on a focused effort to make the Boolean operations more robust. This ongoing effort has concentrated on improving both the analytic and general intersectors and making improvements to the classification code. As a result, over 90% of all reported Boolean operator failures have been fixed in the last two quarters, and we expect to drive the number of open Boolean bugs to zero in the next quarter. Improving the analytic intersectors has the benefit of generating more analytic curve results than in the past, which helps to reduce the number of control points used in a Brep model. SMS has also started a directed effort to address bugs and deficiencies within the fillet operator. This effort includes improved documentation, the completion of fillet class methods to handle a large number of geometric special cases, and the fixing of reported bugs. The early fruits of this effort are included in 7.0 with the bulk of this project expected to be complete in the next quarter.

The graphical interface has been improved to abstract the graphical state and to improve assigning color, line width, and point sizes to graphical elements at run time. Two new classes have been introduced to isolate the graphical interface. All changes in graphics can be made by adjusting member values in these two classes. These changes will help simplify the creation of multi-window applications based on SMLib graphics. The SMLib draw functions have been modified to limit placing color, line width, and point size commands within display lists. These properties are now stored in a new class, and are used at the time the display list is run. This allows applications to change graphical appearances without having to rebuild expensive display lists. A new function has been introduced to implement a rule-based override color, property color, attribute color, inherited attribute color, default color, color-model to simplify assigning colors to graphical objects at run time. In responding to a customer request, the performance of the SMLib raytracer has been improved by over an order of magnitude.

SMS has also committed itself to a directed effort at improving our software process control. We have extended our documentation, adding a large number of in-code explanations to kernel class types and methods, and accumulating a growing number of white papers on general technology areas. In addition, we've improved our technology for tracking code changes, managing builds, and bug testing.

SMS is pleased to announce that it will be releasing its new VSLib library, a generalized implementation of the calculus of variations to find optimal shapes for a variety of geometry problems, at the beginning of Q2 2006. The first set of problems to be addressed by this library will include deformable modeling, an interactive sculpting technology for the creation of smooth and fair free-form BSpline curves and surfaces, global deformations, the ability to deform complete 3D Brep models by smoothly deforming the space in which the model sits, BSpline curve and surface optimization functions to reduce control point counts while improving parameterization regularity, and curve and surface gap healing functions in which gaps between geometry objects are closed by modifying shapes without degrading the quality of the shapes by the introduction of sharp curvatures, dog legs or hooks within the interior of those shapes.

SMS is happy to cooperate with Don Lacourse, the editor of 3DCAD Tips, a weekly newsletter full to tips, tutorials, and more (www.3dcadtips.com). CAD users and developers will find a lot of very useful information in the newsletter and website.

SMS would like to wish each and everyone a very happy holiday. Regardless of your tradition, we would like to take this opportunity to recognize this time of year as a time of reflection, thanks, and anticipation. It is a time to recall the many trajedies of the year including the destruction of the tsunami, the hurricanes, the earthquakes, and the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Further, we would like to encourage all to find a relief agency and give generously to address these and many other needs in the world. We wish a Merry Christmas to those who follow that tradition, a happy Hannakah to our Jewish friends, and to all a very happy new year.

From the staff of Solid Modeling Solutions

Copyright © SMLib™, TSNLib™, GSNLib™, NLib™, and SDLib™ are trademarks of Solid Modeling Solutions.
All rights reserved.