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Viz Artist Release Notes

Version 5.1 | Published February 01, 2024 ©

Viz Artist Release Notes

Viz Artist 5.1.0

Release Date: 2023-08-30

These are the release notes for Viz Artist version 5.1.0. This document describes the user-visible changes that have been made to the software since release 5.0.1.

Note: Viz Engine maintains its release notes in a separate document starting from version 3.12.0.

Installer Notes

General

The Software ships with a bundle installer containing all necessary components. It is recommended to use the bundle installer when setup needs to be done manually.

  • Viz Artist is installed in C:\Program Files\Vizrt\VizEngine\VizArtist.

  • Visual C++ Redistributable files are not part of the msi-setup file anymore. These files are now installed with the bundle setup application (VIZENG-13210, VIZENG-12629, VIZENG-12701).

  • The new bundle setup application installs or upgrades Viz Artist together with its required Visual C++ Redistributable files (VIZENG-12936, VIZENG-13804).

  • All files contained in the bundle setup application can be extracted using the /dump commandline option. This creates a sub-folder where the files are extracted (VIZENG-13020).

  • Multiple installations of Viz Artist are not supported.

  • The installer automatically upgrades (replaces) any existing Viz Artist 3.x installation. However, downgrading is currently not supported (VIZENG-7098).

  • The installer package is digitally signed (VIZENG-7378).

  • The user account must have SeCreateGlobalPrivilege (SE_CREATE_GLOBAL_NAME) enabled.

Windows

This software has been tested to run on the following systems:

  • Windows Server 2019

  • Windows Server 2022

  • Windows 10 (LTSC 1809)

  • Windows 10 (LTSC 21H2)

  • Windows 11

Note: Only English language Operating Systems are supported.

  • It is recommended to install the latest Windows Security Updates and Patches, except Nvidia drivers.

  • Dot.NET Framework 4.5 or higher is required (VIZENG-6036).

  • Minimum Windows Installer version is now 5.0.0.

  • To run Viz Artist/Viz Engine without Administrator privileges, you need to grant the following permissions:

    • SeIncreaseBasePriorityPrivilege

    • SeCreateGlobalPrivilege

    • SeCreatePagefilePrivilege

    • SeIncreaseWorkingSetPrivilege

Note: Viz Artist requires a minimum resolution of 1920x1080 pixels.

Windows

  • Network shares are not accessible from within Viz Artist when UAC is enabled or when running on Windows 10. The Viz Configuration page Local Settings has been extended for enabling Network drive linking (VIZENG-15594, VIZENG-15319).

UAC

  • Viz Artist is UAC aware. Log-files and additional files are stored in %VIZ_PROGRAMDATA%, which defaults to %ProgramData%\Vizrt\VizArtist. Configuration-files and profiles are stored in %ProgramData%\Vizrt\VizEngine. Temporary data is stored in %VIZ_TEMPDATA% which defaults to %TMP%\Vizrt\VizEngine. The default value can be changed in viz.cmd or on the command line of viz.exe.

  • Starting Viz Artist shows a UAC popup for VizStarter.exe (VIZENG-8683).

New Features

Summary

Key

Accurate Colorpicking

VIZART-4290

Add "Multi Draw" Flag to scene rendering options

VIZART-3873

Add "multilayer" sequence

VIZART-4165

Add Advanced Blendmodes to Expert Plugin

VIZART-4060

Add check box for NDI out from GFX channel

VIZART-4238

Add debugging infrastructure to our script editor

VIZART-3951

Add plugin doc to Documentation dock

VIZART-4160

Add support for TransitionShader

VIZART-3956

Add visual feedback to indicate which editor has focus

VIZART-4275

Asset view: One message error per item appears when try to move items and operation is not possible

VIZART-3865

Blur option for Razor Texture mode

VIZART-4098

Disable scene settings for subscenes

VIZART-4236

Displaying colored font face preview

VIZART-4075

Expose REQUESTED_FORMAT property to SubScene, GFX channel and Superchannel gui

VIZART-4187

External Image Editor Preview dialog UI improvements

VIZART-4036

Group directors

VIZART-2628

Hide Blur and Outline fonts in context menu only in font tab

VIZART-3915

Image Editor - UI / UX changes

VIZART-4093

Implement Post Render - UI Improvements

VIZART-4228

Implement visual feedback during layer icon group drag operation

VIZART-4181

Integrate "TexGen" mode into PBR Material

VIZART-4134

Integrate "TexGen" mode into Phong Material

VIZART-4133

Integrate Documentation into Userinterface

VIZART-3468

Integrate Texture Blur

VIZART-4035

Make drag overlay from plugins dock slightly transparent

VIZART-4263

Multiselect Prefilter environment maps

VIZART-4125

New Fontstyle Icons

VIZART-4161

New icons for Stage View Editor Bar

VIZART-4099

No "Fields" in progressive mode

VIZART-4517

No Warning if duplicate operation fails

VIZART-3654

Option to disable scripting suggestions

VIZART-3875

PSD Import as SCENE

VIZART-3414

Port Fontstyle Editor to QT

VIZART-4122

Port Image editor to Qt

VIZART-3922

Port VertexColor fontstyle plugin to Qt

VIZART-4163

Post Render - UI Improvements

VIZART-4110

Post Renderer Improvements

VIZART-4071

Re-implement CfxPlusPlus plugin UI in Qt

VIZART-3140

Re-implement Dexter plugin UI in Qt

VIZART-3131

Re-implement Director Control using Qt Widgets

VIZART-4049

Re-implement ImageFx plugin UI in Qt

VIZART-3139

Re-implement OnAir information using Qt Widgets

VIZART-3722

Re-implement PxGradient plugin UI in Qt

VIZART-3136

Re-implement PxLensRays plugin UI in Qt

VIZART-3135

Re-implement PxRecolor plugin UI in Qt

VIZART-3137

Re-implement RfxSmoke plugin UI in Qt

VIZART-3132

Re-implement TfxPlusPlus plugin UI in Qt

VIZART-3134

Re-implement WClouds plugin UI in Qt

VIZART-3141

Re-implement Wave plugin UI in Qt

VIZART-3133

Re-implement performance analyzer using Qt

VIZART-4041

Register Texture Renderer to Stage via Dragging

VIZART-4239

Replace alignment text with icons

VIZART-2907

Save script changes when changing away from script

VIZART-4068

Scene Tree: Show indicator what is being dragged

VIZART-3827

Search buttons can overlap input fields

VIZART-3863

Size of the Stage when working in UHD

VIZART-3966

Spinboxes: Disable min/max limits when modifier key is pressed

VIZART-4155

Stage Editor: Add scroll option in clip section in the stage editor

VIZART-3622

Support for parameters added to BoxTransformation and FlexBox in 3d content support

VIZART-4188

Unify Workspaces

VIZART-3698

Update design of Director Control

VIZART-4116

Use "Rect" instead of "Quad" when creating "Phong+Geom+Image"

VIZART-4448

VirtualWindow integration

VIZART-4146

VirtualWindow: add fallback and soft border properties

VIZART-4197

Viz Engine Text: add texgen properties

VIZART-3967

65 issues

Fixed Issues

Summary

Key

Containers are out of order after moving them

VIZART-4539

Local Stop Button doesn't stay triggered

VIZART-4532

Classic Text Tracking "Letter Spacing" parameter value rounding off if third decimal place is added

VIZART-4469

Alpha value 0-255 and resets when RGB values set to 255

VIZART-4468

Purple bounding box when adding textures via the scene editor

VIZART-4458

Workspace reverts to default when returning from "On Air" Mode

VIZART-4383

Shadow settings are not properly disabled if the light type is Area in Light V4 plugin

VIZART-4317

Artist crash when changing the GH user while the GH is offline.

VIZART-4313

Wrong order of container names

VIZART-4279

Asset view to remember List/Icon view

VIZART-4256

Cannot rename workspace object

VIZART-4247

ESC + About dialog quits Artist

VIZART-4218

Viz Artist crashes on Import View after GH failover

VIZART-4217

InfoText plugin adds Quotations Marks

VIZART-4168

Selected camera saved inside a scene isn't shown correctly in the Artist GUI

VIZART-4166

Key on/off button doesn't send command to the renderer

VIZART-4159

Different icons for Classic Text

VIZART-4158

Selected plugin category is not remembered

VIZART-4153

Camera selection inside the Scene Editor only works inside the Main layer

VIZART-4152

Control channels don't get highlighted when a container is selected in the scene tree

VIZART-4149

Light icons do not get updated

VIZART-4148

Startup commands are ignored by Artist

VIZART-4136

Entry field loses focus when another container is selected

VIZART-4132

Plugin properties sometimes not available

VIZART-4129

Wrong image order in scene tree when using an image sequence

VIZART-4111

Script incorrectly escapes " character

VIZART-4107

Core license doesn't get updated inside the config file

VIZART-4092

OnAir Engine GUI parts disappear when using toolbar menu

VIZART-4090

RegisterParameterHList does not exist in the new GUI

VIZART-4086

Switching User in Import view keeps session open

VIZART-4064

Registerparametertext creates big empty areas in script gui

VIZART-4051

Artist Freezes when selecting a large number of containers

VIZART-4019

VizGui crashes when switched from Onair mode to Editor - 5.1 CLONE

VIZART-3975

Scene Tree: Lost functionality - rename multiple Containers by Keyboard

VIZART-3946

Verify Color picking issues - fails on HiDPI displays

VIZART-3825

Wrong user when sending messages via GH

VIZART-3803

GH projects and folders properties missing

VIZART-3752

Wrong licenses set when switching from network to local

VIZART-3619

Scene Tree - State of Toolbar icons

VIZART-3618

New Scenetree - Improve speed on selecting larger amount of containers

VIZART-3608

SceneTree: Support Middle mouse down scrolling

VIZART-3603

Resetting length of channel clip in Stage not working correctly

VIZART-631

42 issues

Known Issues

Summary

Key

Adaptive: Postion/Rotation/Scale do not show underline

VIZART-4332

Drag & Drop of Flexbox Parameters

VIZART-3515

Input fields can lose focus and can not be edited afterwards

VIZART-1838

Jump to Container from Texture Media Asset not working in New Render pipeline

VIZART-4348

Logicmaker: After deleting all states, no new one can be added

VIZART-3277

Material Editor icon not updating correctly

VIZART-4437

Missing queue for update notifications causing Windows wait cursor when working in Artist

VIZART-4699

Multi Key Frame Select and Adjust all the same time,...

VIZART-790

Scenetree: Horizontal scrollbar does not appear automatically

VIZART-3609

The alpha value jump to 100% when changing the color of the materials in Engine5 renderer

VIZART-4076

UI needs more feedback when main replication are down and a failover server configured

VIZART-1638

Viz One: Test Connection only works if entry is selected

VIZART-4398

12 issues

  • Due a technical limitation of QT framework, the focus of an input field can not be restored when switching containers.

  • Referenced Materials do not correctly update their icon if changed.

  • Shortcuts can not be customized.

  • It is not recommended to run the User Interface within a Virtual Set environment, as it can cause timing issues under certain circumstances.

  • Viz One Browser: When the Viz One Browser window is minimized (either using the minimize button in the window bar, or WIN+D to hide all windows on the desktop), it can only be brought back to the screen by using the Restore and Maximize entries in the context menu of the window in the Windows taskbar.

  • Viz One Browser: The preview of clip elements in the Viz One Browser doesn't show the content correctly anymore when the browser window is moved to another display (e.g. second screen). The application must be restarted to bring back the clip preview.

  • Viz Engine render window is always on top when started in videowall mode -u1 -y -n and output system FULLSCREEN (VIZART-2400). Does not happen in mode -u1 -w or with any vga_preview and is independent on the number of monitors and if a mosaic is used or not.

    • What can be observed is that the output is always on top and it is not possible to get anything else on top (taskbar, other windows with ALT + TAB, task manager). SHIFT + BACKSPACE works only when Viz Artist has focus. When CTRL + BACKSPACE does not work it can be achieved with CTRL + ALT + DEL, task manager, ALT + TAB to Viz Artist and SHIFT + BACKSPACE. ALT + TAB does not work initially as the window is not shown. This behavior is actually desired to have the output of Viz Engine always on top (for example, interactive scenes shown on screens in the studio).

Windows

  • Right clicking on the Taskbar icon of Viz Engine starts a new instance. Starting an additional Viz GUI process is prevented on Windows 10.

  • On Windows version LTSC 1809: Logging out/in may be required for the fonts in the Viz Artist user interface to apply the set scaling after the user changes the Windows scaling setting.

Build Information

Platform Toolset: Visual Studio 2019 (v142)
Windows SDK Version: 10.0.14393.0

Documentation

Documentation for Viz Artist, Viz Engine and Viz Plugins are available at the Vizrt Documentation Center:

Installation and Support

Installation

The installation wizard guides you through the installation process. Make sure to close any running Viz Artist/Viz Engine application, prior to the installation. To run Viz Artist or Viz Engine independent of a database server, you need to install the Graphic Hub database software locally.

Support

Support is available at the Vizrt Support Portal.