More about Cobalt v8
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More about Cobalt v8
We are pleased to provide more information about the new features and enhancements to Cobalt v8. Click on the dialog boxes to see enlargement.
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The Designer Elements 3D modeling programs are updated with the Spatial ACIS modeling kernel. It provides enhancements to booleans, blends and move face features.
This also includes :
- Updates to STEP & IGES
- Updates to CATIA V4
- Improved memory optimization
- Improved local operations (move, delete, offset faces)
Cobalt, Xenon and Argon v8 support the import of AutoCAD DWG\DXF 2008 files.
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In version 8, the surface analysis tools, such as curvature, draft angle and real-time environment maps are now part of the Edit Object dialog box. These methods can be combined or applied individually to objects in a scene.
Environment maps provide interactive feedback on surface aesthetics. They are used to interactively evaluate curved surfaces in real-time. A real-time environment map is a way to simulate the reflections seen while examining a reflective model in your hands.
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Clipping planes are enhanced with interactive visual clipping and sectioning. Simply designate an infinite plane as a Clipping Plane and all objects on the screen are visually clipped and sectioned. Handles now appear on an expanded plane indicator, making it easy to get just the section view desired. It's now possible to control the display color of the sections and combine two or more clipping planes in one scene.
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It is possible to apply different colors to each face. Some materials additionally adopt the color of the object faces.
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The right-click pop-up menu now features new options for object editing.
Save Entity As Symbol
Save Entity as a Symbol is available via the right-click menu. Parent objects do not become symbols; instead a new symbol is added to the Layer Manager.
Commands Working With Several Objects
It is now possible to modify the common properties of multiple objects via the right-click menu. The ambiguity dialog box appears if more than one object is selected. Choose the All Selected option from the Pick Object dialog and the properties modified through the right-click pop-up menu will apply to all the selected objects.
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Style, Color, Weight & Pattern
Style, color, weight and pattern properties are all available in the right-click menu.
Click to see detail. |
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Line styles can now be assigned to layers. The assigned pen style will be the new default for that layer, when active, for all future geometry, until another style is selected. A different pen style can be set for each layer as desired, though it can be used only when the layer is active.
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All of the Transformation tools, with the exception of the Alignment tool, now support the movement of individual faces in addition to entire items. When one of these tools is selected, the Item/Faces buttons appear in the Message Line and the Message Line changes accordingly.
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The Spherical Duplicate tool copies a selection of either items or faces in a sphere around a central point.
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Use the Mid-point Line tool to create a line that starts from the center and dynamically draws in both directions until the endpoint is clicked.
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This tool creates the Star Polygon object with three control points including center, inside vertex and outside vertex.
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Symmetric Star
Non-symmetric Star
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The Curve/Surface Projection tool now supports projecting and imprinting curves onto surfaces and solids. Options in the Message Line for the Curve/Surface Projection tool now include To Entity and To Face, in addition to Through: |
 
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 Through Projects a curve on a surface that intersects the entire object. |
 To Entity Projects a curve where it first touches the object. |
 To Face Projects a curve only on the specified face. |
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A parametric sketch can now be directly selected for projection and imprinting onto surfaces or solids.
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This new tool stretches a solid along an axis while maintaining G1 continuity (tangent) for the affected and adjacent surfaces. 
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Cobalt, Xenon and Argon v8 extrude a profile even if the profile is nonplanar. |
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Cobalt's Rib Solid tool has been enhanced to include several options. Previously Mid Line was the only extrusion available. Now when the Rib tool is selected from the Solids tool palette the options appear in the Message line. |
 
| One Side |
Extrudes from one side or the other of the profile line using a negative or positive number to control both the thickness and the side. |
| Two Sides |
Extrudes the distances specified for both directions from the profile line. |
| Mid Line |
Extrudes an equal distance in both directions from the profile line. |
| Extend Rib Profiles |
Check this box to automatically extend the rib to meet the corresponding faces of the related solid. If left unchecked the rib will only be as long as the profile line. |
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Advanced Skin Options are available now by pressing CTRL while using the Skinned Solid Tool.
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 Click to see detail.
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Using Context Menu within Feature Tree it is possible to add, remove or replace elements in profiles of the Extrude, Skin, Lathe, Cutout, Protrude, Boss or Hole tools. |
 Click to see detail.
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The Model to Sheet and the Drawing View Properties dialogue boxes are updated to handle rendered views and wireframes separately. During Model to Sheet creation and editing properties with Rendering drop down menu include these options:
- Flat
- Gouraund
- Phong
- Photo-rendered
- Photo-rendered (no Materials)
Click to see detail.
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The Wireframe drop down menu includes:
- Precise Curves (Slower)
- PolyLines (Faster)
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This new feature optionally adds a scale to the layout as a text element with the view names to reduce confusion and errors among different scaled views. |
 
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The photo-realistic rending features of Cobalt, Xenon and Argon are enhanced in v8 to include a number of new settings: Advanced Control of Antialiasing for Objects, Edges, Shadows and Reflections; Independent Control of Reflections and Refractions; Use of Custom Render Presets.
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Cobalt v8 includes photorealistic environment maps for scene rendering. Set the type of environment map (Cube, Fixed Cube, Cross, Fixed Cross, Sphere, Angular, Lat/Long), and the size. The map can also be added to the render library and used in other projects.
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 It is possible to interleave 3D wireframe geometry in photo-renderings including all types of edges, curves, pictures and text. To enable interleaved wireframe geometry check the Interleave Wireframe Geometry option in the PhotoRender command menu or in the Photorealistic Render Settings window.
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 Click to see detail. 
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To edit the Interleaved Wireframe Geometry options, select Interleave Wireframe Geometry from the PhotoRender menu or press the Edit button next to Interleave Wireframe Geometry in the Photorealistic Render Settings window.
The Interleave Wireframe Settings dialog box appears.
In this dialog box it is possible to enable interleaving separately for wireframe geometry and object edges. It is also possible to override color and line weight properties.
Click to see detail.
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Previously decals were opaque images with a transparent mask. Now, if the image has an alpha channel, it is used as the mask.
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Previously a decal inherited the material option of the object to which it was applied. Now decals can have their own material properties.
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Variables and equations are now referenced within Cobalt in the Edit Object box and in the Status Line. The Variables/Equations dialog box is accessed by Window>Equations.
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Equations can now reference other equations within Cobalt for more robust equation-driven parametrics. The results of one equation can be used in other equations.
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Cobalt's parametrics now contain equations for more complex and intelligent geometric constraints. This enables adding if-then-else statements to the parametric constraints bounding the upper and lower limits of geometry.
For example, a sketch has the dimensions: D2+D1x3.
If the maximum constraint of these dimensions is 20 and the minimum constraint is 1, then a conditional equation could be written:
If (D1x3≥20;20; If (D1x3≤1;1;D1x3))
This bounds the dimension at 1 and 20.
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New tabs have been added to the Import and Export dialog boxes making it easier to select the correct format for file translation. Click the tabs to switch between the lists of formats or software programs.
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Converts entire folders of files from one type to another by automating the import/export process through the new convert command in the File menu.
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Ashlar-Vellum's built-in PDF writer has several advantages over printing to PDF. From within Cobalt, Xenon and Argon it is possible to create multi-sheet vector PDFs drawn from multiple models in the same file and embed the source files or translations directly in the PDF.
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Everything for an entire project can be emailed, displayed and archived. Use Adobe Acrobat to further enhance the file, inserting and replacing pages, commenting and marking changes or tracking revisions.
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Hand sketches, photographs and other 2D images can be imported and displayed in 3D. This makes it significantly easier to trace over the sketches to create a 3D model. These images can be oriented in any direction and viewed from any perspective regardless of the work plane.
Use File>Import or simply paste the image. The bitmap comes in on the current work plane. Use the trackball to view the images from all directions.
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Bitmap images with alpha channels, such as TIFF files, are now supported in Cobalt, Xenon and Argon so that the alpha channel remains transparent to enhance visual effects.
Click to see detail. |
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Choose the look of the user interface using the Skins page of the Preference settings.
Theme: Select the color theme desired.
Icons: Select the icon style. The default is Modern.
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The Paths page is added to the Preferences dialog box. This page is used mostly by system administrators and Ashlar-Vellum tech support specialists. It is useful for work groups to set up a custom network folder for the PhotoRender, BOM and Layout libraries.
It is also a useful tool for allowing others in the group to have access to common data. For example, if a user creates a new material or adds a texture, this can be exported to the Custom Network Folder for use by others without copying it to each local machine.
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Cobalt, Xenon and Argon feature a new installation program to quickly check the website for newly available updates. Using this feature under Help>Check Web for Updates... downloads and installs just the update, not the entire program.
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This allows you to:
- Keep your designated Preferences.
- Keep your registration code in place.
- Quickly install patches.
- Download smaller files.
- Update your software with less effort.
It's a much easier way to keep your software up to date.
Click to see detail.
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To receive assistance from your technical support experts, submit a ticket via email directly from your system. The email will automatically capture your product and system information, but you MUST include the following within the body of the email:
- Tell us exactly what the difficulty is.
- Attach any files or screen captures to help us understand the issue.
- Include all contact information including an alternate email address, your cell phone and desk phone. We often don't have access to this.
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