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v27 Status?

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kritoke

Member
I’ve started to see a few replies on posts about features added in v27. It would be nice if there is a list of currently implemented features or planned features coming up in the next version.

-Matt
 

simonb65

Alibre Super User
I’ve started to see a few replies on posts about features added in v27. It would be nice if there is a list of currently implemented features or planned features coming up in the next version.
+1. My maintenance renewal is currently on hold until I can justify another financial outlay as the last 2 releases have been quite difficult to justify for me!
 

DavidJ

Administrator
Staff member
v27 release is still some way off. I'm sure once we get close to beta phase there will be information posted about new features and changes. Close to actual release a new version page is usually added to the Alibre web site, which will include videos.

Some fixes for particular issues are already done, and a few of these have been mentioned in response to specific subjects on the forum.
 

TJA

New Member
The last two upgrade versions were pretty good, but I am not sure that overall product is worth the price of the annual maintenance. Yes, I am thankful for many improvements in V25 and V26, but I want a lot more features implemented in V27.

I see many old requests with many from geomagic times, which have never been implemented. Usually it goes like this, User, "Please help me with feature X.." Hypothetical Reply, " Uh Oh why would you want to do this? If you still want this done, it is simple, you can use this other program or you can write your own script or just follow these three hundred steps to get this done."

Here are my issues with this, 1. if it is that simple, why this has not been incorporated already in the app? 2. If I have to use another program to do what I need to do, e.g. import STL, model threads, and so forth, then I might as well consider using another program to design my parts. 3. It is not easy to write scripts. Most of all, if I want to get something done, I want to get this done. I am willing to learn how things should be done, but in the end, it is my choice on what and how I want to do things.

I like Alibre, and I have been paying for the maintenance, but I am constantly forced to look for a competing product. So, the sooner I can see the list of the new and exciting planned/possible features, the more confidence I will have in Alibre. The way I see it, Alibre is a developing product, which needs new feature to be competitive, and it would be nice to see what is being planned.

The earlier people can get excited about new and upcoming features, the more licenses/maintenance fees Alibre can get, what do you think?
 

Tapap

Member
The last two upgrade versions were pretty good, but I am not sure that overall product is worth the price of the annual maintenance. Yes, I am thankful for many improvements in V25 and V26, but I want a lot more features implemented in V27.

I see many old requests with many from geomagic times, which have never been implemented. Usually it goes like this, User, "Please help me with feature X.." Hypothetical Reply, " Uh Oh why would you want to do this? If you still want this done, it is simple, you can use this other program or you can write your own script or just follow these three hundred steps to get this done."

Here are my issues with this, 1. if it is that simple, why this has not been incorporated already in the app? 2. If I have to use another program to do what I need to do, e.g. import STL, model threads, and so forth, then I might as well consider using another program to design my parts. 3. It is not easy to write scripts. Most of all, if I want to get something done, I want to get this done. I am willing to learn how things should be done, but in the end, it is my choice on what and how I want to do things.

I like Alibre, and I have been paying for the maintenance, but I am constantly forced to look for a competing product. So, the sooner I can see the list of the new and exciting planned/possible features, the more confidence I will have in Alibre. The way I see it, Alibre is a developing product, which needs new feature to be competitive, and it would be nice to see what is being planned.

The earlier people can get excited about new and upcoming features, the more licenses/maintenance fees Alibre can get, what do you think?
100% if I could have stl import then I'd only use Alibre. I'm able to import it in Fusion and FreeCad. My first two CAD classes allowed me to use Alibre. It's easy to use. I use Alibre for maybe two hours per week for school but I'm only learning the skills taught in class. I'm spending 8 - 10 hours per week in Fusion editing stl and I'm learning their software more than Alibre. I wish I could stay within Alibre. If 27 doesn't import stl then I'm holding off on the update package as 26 does everything I need now.
 

Ken226

Alibre Super User
100% if I could have stl import then I'd only use Alibre. I'm able to import it in Fusion and FreeCad. My first two CAD classes allowed me to use Alibre. It's easy to use. I use Alibre for maybe two hours per week for school but I'm only learning the skills taught in class. I'm spending 8 - 10 hours per week in Fusion editing stl and I'm learning their software more than Alibre. I wish I could stay within Alibre. If 27 doesn't import stl then I'm holding off on the update package as 26 does everything I need now.

While it's not as easy as having an integral converter, it's pretty close.

I've been using this script that @NateLiqGrav put together a few years ago.

Just download stltostp from GitHub, install it. Then install this script.

 

Tapap

Member
While it's not as easy as having an integral converter, it's pretty close.

I've been using this script that @NateLiqGrav put together a few years ago.

Just download stltostp from GitHub, install it. Then install this script.

I'll give it a shot.
 

TJA

New Member
I still need more convincing why I should renew my maintenance next time. I want things just work without having to use MOI or Rhino or FreeCAD or Fusion or script that may or may not work and not as easy as a built-in STL importer. It's great to see that Nate made the script available.

Alibre is great and easy to use, but lack of certain features, which are now seems to be standard in packages, such as FreeCAD, Fusion, SketchUp, Tinker, FormZ, Rhino, Onshape, and probably others (in no particular order) are still missing. Furthermore, some packages are either free for personal use or cost about as much as Alibre for professional use (Fusion, Rhino, Sketchup, FormZ). So, instead of making my designs in Alibre, I have been spending time searching for new software and learning FeeCAD. Come to think of it Solidworks also has a very affordable edu. pricing.

I think Alibre would benefit from sharing their plans, and having their plans aligned with what people want. I am sure that Alibre has its own base that will never go away, but to grow and attract more users Alibre needs to make more efforts. The more news Alibre shares, the more users they can attract, unless the news are not really worth mentioning.
 

Tapap

Member
While it's not as easy as having an integral converter, it's pretty close.

I've been using this script that @NateLiqGrav put together a few years ago.

Just download stltostp from GitHub, install it. Then install this script.

seems to work. do you have any tips on the import? when I import i have a solid thats 43,000 triangles. i can insert planes to do some crude editing. would be nice if it was a single part dummy solid
 

Ken226

Alibre Super User
seems to work. do you have any tips on the import? when I import i have a solid thats 43,000 triangles. i can insert planes to do some crude editing. would be nice if it was a single part dummy solid

Unfortunately, no. I have the same issue.

I use it for small files. Anything over about 1mb and my computer hangs at 21 percent, pretty much forever.

Fusion's .stl converter is pretty good. I'm hoping someday Alibre might put this on their list of really basic things to do.

Not sure if it's related or not, but this script seemed to have worked much better when I had V25.
 
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kritoke

Member
I still need more convincing why I should renew my maintenance next time. I want things just work without having to use MOI or Rhino or FreeCAD or Fusion or script that may or may not work and not as easy as a built-in STL importer. It's great to see that Nate made the script available.

Alibre is great and easy to use, but lack of certain features, which are now seems to be standard in packages, such as FreeCAD, Fusion, SketchUp, Tinker, FormZ, Rhino, Onshape, and probably others (in no particular order) are still missing. Furthermore, some packages are either free for personal use or cost about as much as Alibre for professional use (Fusion, Rhino, Sketchup, FormZ). So, instead of making my designs in Alibre, I have been spending time searching for new software and learning FeeCAD. Come to think of it Solidworks also has a very affordable edu. pricing.

I think Alibre would benefit from sharing their plans, and having their plans aligned with what people want. I am sure that Alibre has its own base that will never go away, but to grow and attract more users Alibre needs to make more efforts. The more news Alibre shares, the more users they can attract, unless the news are not really worth mentioning.
I agree on this, the norm these days is more transparency in plans and things like that. Especially worth open source alternatives that weren’t there prior. Also the norm seems to be iterate quickly and respond to customers more than they used to. If they communicated more, the more people will see new stuff and more chance to grab attention for new users. I still am surprised I pulled the trigger on a paid product that is more than the 10 or 20 dollar a month competitors. Being easy to use and having an accessible first project to teach the ins and outs of the product helped me learn the software better than their competitors. I think the pdf project tutorial is a great thing that could be leaned into especially showing other lesser known features.
 

Max

Administrator
Staff member
It is perhaps a bit premature, but here are a few of the biggest things on the docket for v27:

Disassociated Dims
A few scenarios have been identified that are addressable that should prevent this from happening in those cases.

3Dconnexion
Some upgrades to the 3Dconnexion interface are happening. We do not have time right now to move to the full new shiny SDK, however we are able to address a few things such as some button mapping issues for views and rotation speed etc. Depending on how much noise is (or is not) made after those adjustments are made, we may prioritize moving to the new SDK in a subsequent release.

Grouping / Reordering Stuff in DE
Note this does not mean dynamic subassembly generation/dissolution. Reorder configs, reorder constraints, create folders containing groups of items.

Patterning Features along paths
We believe this is doable in v27 and will try. It may get cut. Today you can feature pattern in a direction - imagine being able to chain select edges and using that edge chain as the "direction" so it flows cleanly along a spline or along an edge profile etc. For example:
1679705905394.png

Deform text along a path
Some kind of input will be added to the Text box that allows the resulting text to be laid about a path, for example around a circle.

Chain and Paint Select (Sketching)
The ability to rightclick a sketch figure and select the whole chain. The ability to hold the mouse down and "paint" over figures, selecting any that the cursor moves over.

API Related
Some changes related to points and potentially SMP, primarily in service of NateLiqGrav's issues related to the structural assembly script.

Native Part Library Infrastructure
A new Excel-driven approach to designing part families shall exist. It is primarily suited for part families where data can be easily represented in Excel and requires no front-end business logic to occur - read another way, each excel line must fully define the part's properties/dims.

Along with this infrastructure, we have entered into an agreement with a 3rd party to generate a complete native part library including ANSI, ISO, DIN, GB, and some others. This library will be native and will contain all the usual suspects - structural members, fasteners, bearings, yadda yadda. It is hoped that along with v27 we will release ANSI - the rest would be released over time over the next year or so as they are completed. It is unknown if ANSI will be released in conjunction with 27 at this time.


There's a few other things in flux but this is a high level of something you can look forward to (hopefully) until we get more granular in our information, videos, etc.
 

H.C

Member
New to Alibre...
Same here, service fee of the price of one year f360...mmm
Can like Alibre, but often it's a walk around the block instead of going true...
 

gsieben

Member
Same here, service fee of the price of one year f360...mmm

It depends on what you want to accomplish. For many of us, the fact that if Autodesk has a bad day (or we don't resubscribe) - we lose access to the drawings and the software is an intolerable situation. It's also not theoretical - random portions of paying users have had outages of parts of their software for days (see the Fusion 360 subreddit for an outage that occurred 2 days ago causing disruption - in which file exporting was broken).

Something to consider. Let's say you are a production shop, who either sells parts for a living, or has employees, or maybe needs something fast. How much would you pay, at that instant, to have Fusion 360 available? And yet, no amount of money you can pay, or amount of money you are losing, will remedy the situation an ounce. Not only that, but Autodesk also reserves the right to alter the deal with their software at any time, with zero recourse. For example, they decided in August to just remove local simulation tools and move it to a system that was cloud-only and required credits on every use, minimum order $1,500 worth, automatically expiring after 1 year. Don't like it? Too bad, nothing you can do.
 
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NateLiquidGravity

Alibre Super User
The ability to hold the mouse down and "paint" over figures, selecting any that the cursor moves over.
Paint Select! Please make this work for trimming too like SolidWorks power trim.
Some changes related to points and potentially SMP, primarily in service of NateLiqGrav's issues related to the structural assembly script.
Thank you! Being able to create reference geometry with API/AlibreScript that "sticks" to its sources like user created reference geometry does is key to things updating correctly to changes. These updates (and the fix for angle constraint for face to plane) are what I need for the next big version. I know some users have been asking me to include the ability to make formed profiles automatically and would be very happy about API SMP feature creation.

Lots of other great things on the list too!
 

JimCad

Senior Member
Thank you Max.
I'm an ex Inventor user and all of the above improvements look great. I only have Atom at the moment but intend buying Expert in a few weeks (new tax year)
I'm semi retired and need this for occasional freelance stuff.
Autodesk software is VERY over priced.
Alibre looks like a fair price and very good.
Thank you for being a listener an responding to the requests from the more experienced users (not me).
Jim Davies
UK
 
Agree on chain/paint select...make something similar as SW for trimming. Really speeds things up.

Also, on the 3D Connexion front. I have a SpaceMouse Pro Wireless and have had very few issues with it other than not having some of the native access to Alibre functions (assuming SDK). Just hoping things don't get broken in the changes as I really like how it functions now. Of course could be better and hope it does.

Still wish measurements were a bit better, similar to what SW does.
 

TJA

New Member
Max,
Thanks for helping us to reduce the anxiety of being left behind! Interface polishing is always a good thing, but the feature I really like is the Part Library!!!! It is so annoying to import drawings and having to re-draw them by hand. We also need this done for the thread modeling, please, just start with a dozen of standard/metric threads.

Adding more creative features can also greatly improve Alibre attractiveness, and the pattern along the path is a great addition.

I think Alibre is well positioned to grow and expand its market share, but there is a lot of competition. I was watching some YouTube about FreeCAD, and out of hundred comments only one has mentioned Alibre as an alternative to either free or commercial CAD software. So, this means there is a lot of room for growth.

Again, thanks for the information update, keep it going!
 

bolsover

Senior Member
API Related
Some changes related to points and potentially SMP, primarily in service of NateLiqGrav's issues related to the structural assembly script.
Updates to the API would be most welcome.
As you probably know, I have done some work on a gear generator add-on written in C#. I would like to continue this work but there are some real challenges because of features missing from the API in particular:

Ability to add Feature Patterns - particularly circular.
Ability to Add and edit Planes and Axes.
Ability to Add Helical Cut/Loft features.

To date, I have overcome these issues for straight cut and helical gears by using a template file that contains the required features and editing these. However it is far from satisfactory and for some more advanced gear geometries (worm, bevel and helical bevel) this approach may not be viable.

David
 
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