Software

Release History V23.4 Build 11600

General points

  • As of now, a colour for the drawing area can be determined in the “Drawing area" line => column “Filling” under View, Colour Settings, General. This colour is then displayed accordingly in the 2D and 3D mode and can be saved as a template. The new “grey” colour scheme is now available in the Customize menu. In addition, the tabs have been given a more modern look.
  • Hidden components are correctly taken into account again when searching with scripts.
  • The selection and function of components, which are marked via a right-click, has been completely revised. If a CAD or MCAD group is selected via a right-click, the right-click menu does not only show the group, but also the component that is within the snapping circle of the mouse. This allows a CAD or MCAD object to be marked and thus edited without ungrouping the group. If you press the icon in front of the group in the right-click menu, the group will be dissolved so that all components can be snapped individually. If you right-click on an object of the group again, the group can be closed again using the same icon. The program automatically remembers the components which belong to the selected object and closes the group again. What's more, components of a group can be snapped by pressing the CTRL key and moving the mouse over the object. In addition to CAD and MCAD groups, 3CAD groups can also be dissolved and merged again using a right-click. IFC links will now be dissolved and no longer imported as a group for easier working. Thus, this is the first time that individual objects of the link can be hidden. In order to display the component data, the “Change/Modify” edit command has been activated for individual objects of the IFC link. Needless to say, these groups can also be merged again. Users can now navigate through the list using the scroll wheel in order to further simplify work.
  • In the program it is now possible to change the position and size of the overview detail. Consequently, the overview detail can now be selected. The selected overview detail can then be changed like a frame. The overview detail remembers its new size and position. The overview detail can also be placed outside its frame. An anchor symbol then indicates which frame the overview detail belongs to. The frame of the overview detail can also be customized. This can be determined in the properties of the frame. Any adjustments made to the overview detail will be abandoned when the "Align frame" function is executed in the plan.
  • As of now, “Standard plans” that have been customized can be saved as a plan. To do this, users can call up a standard plan and adapt it to their needs. Whenever a standard plan is changed and the Layout view is exited, a query will pop up asking whether this "Standard plan" should be saved as a plan. It doesn't matter how the Layout view is left: Whether via using the layout button, closing the tab or closing SEMA. If the query is confirmed with "YES", the Drawing administration will open automatically and the desired data for the plan can be entered. If the answer to the query is "NO", the plan will not be saved and the changes will be lost. Furthermore, we have added a button next to the Layout view in the standard interface. This button is used to directly access the Drawing administration.

GRD, CAD, DIM, MCAD

  • From now on, dimension lines and dimension points can be linked to components. Consequently, they adapt fully automatically when the component changes. In order to link a dimension line to a component, the new option “Associative dimensioning" (Alt 1) in the bottom toolbar must be activated during creation. Now the beginning of the component and the end of the component must be selected. If the geometry or position of the component changes afterwards, the dimension line will be updated fully automatically. It is also possible to link two different components at the component beginning and component end and thus dimension them. The same option can also be selected for dimension points. If the function is active, the component on which the dimension point is to be set must be selected. Again, the dimension points will be automatically adjusted when the geometry or position changes. If a component that has been linked is deleted, the dimensions will disappear.
  • Auto dimensioning features that already work with area dimensioning will now be automatically updated as soon as a dimensioned component changes. This includes the auto dimensioning features 'Wall view', 'Wall top view', the dimensioning for roof and floor panels and the dimensioning for floors. For example, if a window is moved in the wall top view, the dimension lines in the top view and in the wall view will adjust automatically. Even if the width of timber components, windows, macros or wall thickness is changed, the affected dimension lines will be adjusted automatically. Of course, this feature has also been integrated into manual area dimensioning and point of intersection dimensioning. Here too, all affected components automatically update the dimension lines in the case of changes occurring. This new feature significantly reduces the effort required for the adjustments to existing dimension lines.

Roof Design

  • Via the "Mark object details" command, it is now possible to snap roof layer edges in the various sectional views and in the 3D representation. After selecting, this can then be changed or moved via location as desired. It is also possible to mark layer edges in the sectional views by pressing the shift key.

Rafter System

  • As a result of the further development of the "Re-allocate assignment" command, it is now possible to subsequently assign timber framing timbers as 3CAD timbers to another system such as a floor, wall, construction plane, roof panel or floor panel. Even if these are not parallel to this system. A message appears to indicate if components cannot be allocated or edits have to be checked.

Carpenter's Dimensioning

  • The carpenter's dimensioning for components has been optimized for the plan output. These enhancements largely also meet the demands of vocational schools, which have to create sophisticated component drawings for timbers with smaller cross-sections. In order to display the optimal scale of the component on the plan, we have improved the distances of the individual component representations. We have also further optimized the positions and sizes of the various dimensions in relation to the component. In the display settings (F7) under “Single Member/Carpenter's dim.” or by using the Single Member toolbar, it is now possible to display the view sides filled, which is particularly helpful when it comes to more complicated components.

Floor Wall

  • If different electrical combinations are created within a wall one above the other, the CAD macros that were assigned to the electrical container in the top view now also shift.
    In addition, component values from the display settings (F7) are now always displayed opposite the electrical combination. This prevents the combination and the component value from lying on top of each other.

Coverings Floor Wall

  • Panel components in walls and roof/floor panels can now be copied from an existing layer into another layer. The relevant components can either be copied via Ctrl + C or cut via Ctrl + X. When inserting the components into a new layer, users can now use the new feature “Without layer info (Alt+2)” to determine that the components are inserted into the new layer. The components are inserted back into the original layer by using the option “With layer info (Alt+2)”. This function also controls the layer reference when storing and reinserting covering macros. In order to have covering macros and now also coverings in the macro container benefit from this function, a new option to regulate the layer belonging has also been created there. When setting the reference points in the container, the layer belonging for coverings can now be determined. Of course, all parameters such as “Bedstop-dependent” or “At wall axis” also apply to covering macros and coverings. These new functions enable that panel components can be adjusted even more flexibly and the master data can be enormously reduced.
  • The height offset of walls can now be pre-set in the first tab of the wall.
  • Consequently, walls, which always have to be created with a height offset, can be pre-defined in the master data.

Sheet Metal

  • The Profile editor has been provided with the option to swap the editing side. It is now possible to further edit or change a sheet metal folding profile in both directions. For this purpose, we have installed a new button in the profile editor. When this button is pressed, the editing side will be swapped. This works even if the mouse control is active. Users can also perform this function by pressing CTRL + W. We have incorporated this button in the profile editor to the right of the mirroring function. The button has two points connected by a line. When swapping the editing side, it is also pointed out that the input reference should be checked.

Stair Design

  • As of this Version, there is the new connection type at the bottom for risers "Riser is mortised into the back of the tread", so that the folded areas are at the front side of a riser.

Single Member

  • Continuous mortises are now exported completely as machining with "Yes" during a Hundegger BVX export. Consequently, joinery lines that support this form of machining are able to produce mortises from both sides. As a result, the machining can also be carried out with a shorter milling tool and additional folding of the components might not be necessary.

IFC Import and Export

  • Windows and doors with design and inscription can now be exported during IFC exports. In the settings for the IFC export, users can determine whether the components are exported with design and/or with inscription. The former version with 3D geometry is still available. Furthermore, electrical combinations including all 3D inscriptions are now also taken into account during exports.
  • The IFC import menu has been expanded with additional options and made more user-friendly. All possible settings for the import can now be found in the menu under the “Options” button. The options floor thickness, wall geometry and the intersection on the roof and floor are available now. Users can define whether the IFC floor thickness is applied to the timber layer or to the entire floor. When it comes to the wall geometry, users can determine whether the wall height and the height offset from the master data of the wall or the original heights from the IFC file are employed. What's more, it can now be determined whether walls intersect the roof or the floor. Here too, it is possible to activate or deactivate the option - or the master data of the wall determines the intersection.
  • In the first tab of the wall, users can now pre-define that the wall shape automatically intersects the lower edge of the floor shape. (During XML and IFC imports, walls can be automatically intersected with the floor if they have not been clearly pre-defined.)

Loading Manager

  • From Version 23.4 on, there is the new load space control feature for the points of weight control and protruding components available. A maximum additional load can now be defined for each load space so that weight control is activated. If no value is stored there, the weight control is inactive. Components and spacer elements that do not have their own weight defined are marked with a yellow warning triangle - besides, the "weight" is displayed in bold font.
    If you move the mouse over the respective load space in the list of load spaces, a hint will be displayed with the remaining load capacity. Components and spacer elements that have not yet been loaded are marked with the yellow warning triangle if they would exceed the free load space capacity. Thanks to this marking, users have the opportunity to select other loading components that still are to be loaded due to their weight in order to guarantee the optimal use of the load space. If too much weight has been loaded, the warning triangle pops up in the list of load spaces to indicate that a checked parameter has been exceeded there. Furthermore, if the weight is exceeded, a labelling of the load space will now be displayed, indicating that the maximum load has been exceeded - it will also be displayed by how many kilograms the load space is overloaded.
  • Loading components and spacer elements that protrude beyond the load space are marked with a yellow warning triangle in the loading list of the load space. In addition, loading components themselves are marked with an exclamation mark in the component labelling. Users can now see at first glance which of the components does protrude.
  • As of the new Version 23.4 it is possible to anchor various 3D objects to load spaces. This has been enabled by load spaces that now have a new "3D" tab in the master data as well as the 4 references contained therein - 2 of these references are intended for the representation of 3D vehicles and 2 references are for 3D loading platforms or trailers. To make it possible that these can be shown and hidden, the new options "3D vehicles" and "3D loading platform/loading trailer" have been added to the display options under "Loading" --> "Load space". They can also be switched individually that means whether they are only displayed in the oblique view, or in the side views or in all views.

Survey Systems

  • From the new Version 23.4 on, newly converted *.SPW(x) files have a smaller file size than in direct comparison to previous SEMA versions. Please note that point clouds or *.SPW or *.SPWX files from Version 23.4 or higher can no longer be imported into SEMA Versions 23.3 or lower.