From 9899fe63a457e378d760379ae7ec4b00d39f1ff3 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Konstantin Dmitriev Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2020 10:55:44 +0700 Subject: [PATCH] Release Notes text (converted from HTML via pandoc) --- source/releases/stable/1.4.0.rst | 489 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-- 1 file changed, 471 insertions(+), 18 deletions(-) diff --git a/source/releases/stable/1.4.0.rst b/source/releases/stable/1.4.0.rst index f5df593..8cfc037 100644 --- a/source/releases/stable/1.4.0.rst +++ b/source/releases/stable/1.4.0.rst @@ -7,42 +7,495 @@ Synfig 1.4.0 Release Notes Synfig Studio 1.4.0 is a major stable release, which is introducing many new features and improvements. Please read below for details. Animation Tools -=========================== +=============== -... +Editable curves in Graphs Panel +------------------------------- +Now curves in Graphs Panel have control points, and you can drag to +change curve shape. Multiple selection for waypoints is also available. +You can also use arrow keys on keyboard to move points. Double-click on +a curve creates a new waypoint, Ctrl+A/Ctrl+D shortcuts are +selecting/deselecting all points. Much thanks to Rodolfo Ribeiro Gomes +for implementing this! +https://www.youtube.com/watch?time\_continue=9&v=yd-HtV4PiWY +https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Bi--fpBhsM -Rendering & Export -=========================== +Sound synchronization features +------------------------------ -... +We did a major cleanup of code responsible for sound playback, fixed +non-working volume parameter and eliminated synchronization issues. In +addition to that, Rodolfo Ribeiro Gomes implemented a special panel to +display waveform. Now it's so easy to sync your animation with +soundtrack! |image0| -Render Engine -=========================== +Control point to change Transformation Origin +--------------------------------------------- -... +Now transformation widget has a special control point to easily change +origin of transformation. |image1| +https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz4aXu-flDY + +Animation Baking +---------------- + +Now you can "bake" animation of any parameter! This operation "burns" +any interpolated curve as a sequence of waypoints. |image2| Result: +|image3| + +Improved TimeTrack +------------------ + +TimeTrack Panel got several improvements. Now you can define playback +range and make playback looped. Hovering mouse cursor over TimeTrack now +shows frame preview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwbB0Q20Myo +[caption id="attachment\_1170" align="aligncenter" +width="664"]\ |image4| Frame thumbnail shown when cursor hovers +timeline[/caption] + +Open images in external tool +---------------------------- + +Ankit Kumar Dwivedi implemented a possibility to open images in external +editor. Right now it is possible to configure preferred image editor via +relevant option in Preferences. After that you can right-click any Image +Layer and choose "Edit image in external tool...". |image5| |image6| + +Fixes and changes for onion-skin functionality +---------------------------------------------- + +Onion-skin functionality was mainly broken since version 1.2.0 - it +wasn't able to display more than one onion-skin layer. Now this ability +is restored. At the same time, we have changed functionality of +onion-skin: in all previous versions it was linked to keyframes only, +now it is set relatively to ordinary frames. We plan to continue +improving onion-skin features as part of `issue +#600 `__. |image7| + +Importing +============== + +Simple import of image sequences +-------------------------------- + +Now it is easy to import image sequences - just choose "File" -> "Import +sequence..." from menu. |image8| +https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoAvm4VmUG4 + +Vectorization of bitmap images +------------------------------ + +Synfig Studio now allows to convert raster (bitmap) image into vector +image constructed from outlines. The vectorization algorithm is ported +from OpenToonz animation software by Ankit Kumar Dwivedi, as part of +Google Summer of Code 2019 program. `Read more about this +feature... `__ +https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liixFv7TUjA + +Basic video import functionality +-------------------------------- + +This version introduces basic functionality for importing video files. +At the current state the system is still too slow to work with large AVI +and MP4 videos, but it is already possible to play with small animated +GIFs (yes, it can import GIF as well). +https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrAhZKSAOJg   + +Rendering and Export +==================== + +Export animation for web (Lottie) +--------------------------------- + +Synfig Studio can export animations to `Lottie JSON +format `__, which allows to embed them +into web pages, play them natively in web browser and on mobile +platforms. This format is also +`used `__ +for creating Telegram’s animated stickers! This feature is implemented +by Anish Gulati as part of Google Summer of Code 2019 program. `Read +more about this +feature... `__ +https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJq8yoP8Ji8 + +Default render settings +----------------------- + +Default rendering settings now configured to use AVI format with popular +mpeg4 codec by default, which resolves issues with playback on most +systems (`issue #464 `__). +|image9| Still, if you wish to achieve best quality, consider to choose +"H.264 (Lossless)" codec option. |image10| Other notable changes of +rendering process: + +- Changing rendering target now automatically changes extension of + output file. Thanks to Ankit Kumar Dwivedi. +- Rendering status is now indicated with a progress bar at Info Panel + (issues `#383 `__, + `#626 `__). +- A sound notification is played when rendering is done (`issue + #648 `__). + +Render engine improvements +-------------------------- + +Render engine got some major optimizations, which greatly reduces time +of handling scenes with many layers, comparing to version 1.2.2 (see +`issue #314 `__). In this +version following layers got special optimizations: Outline Layer +(completely rewritten), Region Layer, Checkerboard Layer, SuperSample +Layer. Also, render engine now has downsampling algorithm for bitmaps, +which greatly improves quality resulting image. [caption +id="attachment\_1167" align="aligncenter" width="480"]\ |image11| +Rendering result in Synfig 1.2.2[/caption]   [caption +id="attachment\_1166" align="aligncenter" width="480"]\ |image12| +Rendering result in Synfig 1.4.0[/caption] + +"Preview" rendering mode for workarea +------------------------------------- + +Downsampling algorithm for images (mentioned above) greatly improves +quality if your scene uses big images scaled to smaller size. +Unfortunately, this operation demands additional CPU resources and you +will notice general application slowdown when working with such scenes. +There is an option to enable Draft rendering mode (it disables +downsampling), but this solution doesn't fits for all cases, as it is +hides many layers, which could be important for you. So, we added one +more display mode for workarea - "Preview" - which displays all possible +layers, but with some simplifications - i.e. no downsampling, +approximations for blur algorithms and some other simplifications. +"Preview" mode is giving a fair compromise between speed and display +quality and is used by default in GUI. For more details please check +`this discussion `__. +|image13| + +Workarea Cache and Background Rendering +--------------------------------------- + +Synfig now remembers already rendered frames, which is greatly improves +experience of playback and timeline scrubbing. Also, now it is possible +to have background rendering of all frames in current animation. This +allows to achieve very smooth playback and timeline scrub. You can +enable background rendering using a relevant button on toolbar (see +second video below). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_HI1UAL8cMY +https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re79je9nZvw + +Gamma handling +-------------- + +Since the very beginning of its development, Synfig was handling all +color calculations with Gamma value set to 2.2. As result, there were a +lot of issues with color interpolation and blending, like `this +one `__. We decided, that +it is good moment to get rid of this behavior and changed how Gamma +handled in Synfig. The tricky part here was to keep compatibility with +old files. Here's what we did: + +- Gamma is now defined on per-document basis (in previous versions it + was an application-wide setting). So, now every document has its own + gamma value defined. You can see/change Gamma value by selecting + "Canvas" -> "Properties" from menu and switching to "Gamma + correction" tab. +- For all newly created documents Gamma is set to 1.0. +- Old documents (from previous versions) are opened with Gamma set to + 2.2, so you won't notice changes (although you will still notice same + artifacts from old version, like the one noted + `here `__). You can + manually set Gamma to 1.0, to get rid of those issues, but this will + change the look colors would look in your animation. + +So, with this change users should not notice any change when working +with their old documents. Still you can encounter an issue, when copying +layers from old files to new (and vice versa) - the colors of copied +layers appear different in destination document. This can be easily +fixed manually `as described +here `__. +|image14| Layers -=========================== +====== + +Advanced Outline Layer +---------------------- + +Advanced Outline Layer was completely rewritten and optimized in this +version. Also, it si now capable to display two new types of tips - +"Off-Peak Stop" and "Inner Rounded Stop", that can be used to define +outline start/end for dashes. |image15| With this addition you can +easily do effects like shown here (`source +file `__): +|image16| + +Switch Layer +------------ + +Now it is possible to select visible layer by index in Switch Layer. +This is done using a new parameter - "Active Layer Depth". The parameter +takes effect when "Active Layer name" parameter is empty. |image17| -... +Rectangle Layer +--------------- + +Rectangle Layer now capable to have two types of rounded corners and +horizontal/vertical feather. Users with a deep knowledge of Synfig know, +that those features were available in Filled Rectangle Layer (not the +same as Rectangle Layer), which was a part of Example layers. Now all +those features are merged into standard Rectangle Layer, and the Filled +Rectangle Layer is removed. See GitHub's `issue +#745 `__ for details. +Thanks to Yash Kapoor for this work. |image18| |image19|   Settings & Customization -=========================== +======================== + +Saving workspace layouts +------------------------ + +Now it is possible to save your workspace layout - just choose +"Workspace" - "Save workspace" from menu. Also you can edit list of +custom workspaces by calling "Workspace" - "Edit workspace list...". +|image20| -... +Default background for new files +-------------------------------- + +Now it is possible to set default background for newly created documents +(`issue #636 `__). The +background can be a solid color or image. You can configure this via +“Edit” -> “Preferences” -> “Document”. |image21| Other notable improvements -=========================== +========================== -... +- Improved process of creating Splines and Polygons: now it is possible + to finish shape creation with double-click or by hitting Enter. Also + you can click first vertex of Spline to loop and finish shape + creation. +- Now it is possible to remove Layers by hitting Delete key. +- Tab placement crosses now hidden by default and revealed only when + user starts dragging some panel. See `issue + #238 `__ for details. +- Now it is possible to change animation length directly from workarea + (see `issue #684 `__). +- Double-clicking waypoint in Timetrack panel shows Waypoint Properties + dialog. +- Now it is possible to configure color of transparent areas in Preview + Window (`issue + #636 `__). +- Workarea now has a widget to change length of timeline. +- Brush Tool is now disabled by default. User can get it back by + enabling "Experimental features" option in Preference. +- Home/End keys now set time cursor to start/end of timeline. Minor improvements -=========================== +================== -... +- DashItem Offset and Length parameters of Advanced Outline now use + consistent units when editing them (`issue + #1265 `__). +- Do not waste space for dropdowns in combo boxes (`issue + #650 `__). +- Show interpolation type directly in waypoint’s context menu (see + `details `__). +- Disabled scientific notation when displaying numbers (`issue + #635 `__). +- When new Text Layer is created, its name is set the same as text + content (`issue + #407 `__). +- Vertex handles now placed above tangent handles (`issue + #645 `__). +- Color dialog now opens with HSV tab active (`issue + #672 `__). +- Portable version of Synfig (zip) now writes settings to its own + configuration directory (`issue + #716 `__). +- "Amount" parameter renamed to "Opacity". +- Playback is stopped when user clicks on timeline (`issue + #415 `__). +- Removed unused Change Preview Quality menu item. +- Activate widget\_filename right after user chooses file via + button/file dialog (`issue + #1425 `__). +- Homogenous parameter of Advanced Outline is enabled and static by + default. +- Set Animation Speed parameter of Noise Distort Layer as static by + default. Bugfixes -=========================== +======== + +- **Fixed issue when copying skeletons from one file to another. + Previously this was resulting in corrupted file, but now it isn’t.** +- **Fixed a very old and annoying + `issue `__ with + Ctrl+C/Ctrl+V shortcuts behavior, which was making impossible to use + them for text entries in UI (layers were copy-pasted instead).** +- **Fixed behavior “Local Time” parameter of Time Loop layer** (`issue + #479 `__). +- **Fixed issues opening and exporting of files with multibyte (i.e. + Arabic) symbols in filename.** +- **Fixed hang when opening a second .sif file from Explorer on + Windows** (`issue + #291 `__). +- Fixed "No disc in drive" error (issues + `#489 `__, + `#724 `__). +- Autosave now enabled by default (`issue + #657 `__). +- Removed "Cancelled by user" dialog that happens when the user tries + to move an animated object (`issue + #693 `__). +- Fixed incorrect behavior of Draft rendering mode in some + circumstances (`issue + 582 `__). +- Timebar is not hidden anymore for cases when scene is only 1 frame + short. +- Fixed issue with incorrect GUI font on some Windows systems (`issue + #667 `__). +- Fixed issues with incorrect window placement on Windows (`issue + #523 `__). +- Fixed issue which was preventing to change parameters at some + circumstances (issues + `#659 `__, + `#526 `__, + `#520 `__). +- Fixed crash when exported value is set from parameters panel in + animation mode (`issue + #588 `__). +- Fixed crash when user cancels parameter changing (`issue + #671 `__). +- Fixed wrong behavior of "Lock Ratio" button in Canvas properties and + Rendering window (`issue + #771 `__). +- Fixed issues with Canvas not preserving Length and Resolution after + exporting (issues + `#715 `__ and + `#874 `__). +- Fixed issue with Linear interpolation for Integer parameters (`issue + #828 `__). +- Fixed bug with empty floating windows appearing after workspace + switching (`issue + #1143 `__). +- Fixed crash when removing a Spline vertex using “Remove item (Smart)” + (`issue #1102 `__). +- Fixed popup menu disappearing right after button release for Widget + Gradient/Spline (`issue + #1274 `__). +- Fixed crash when exporting with “pngspritesheet” target (`issue + #356 `__). +- Fixed crash when unexporting value node (`issue + #231 `__). +- Fixed renaming layer set affecting other names (`issue + #1146 `__). -... +.. |image0| image:: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/sound_screenshot_002.png + :class: wp-image-1374 alignnone + :width: 735px + :height: 510px + :target: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/sound_screenshot_002.png +.. |image1| image:: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/group_origin_screenshot_005.png + :class: size-full wp-image-1375 alignnone + :width: 791px + :height: 320px + :target: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/group_origin_screenshot_005.png +.. |image2| image:: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/bake-1.png + :class: alignnone size-full wp-image-1380 + :width: 948px + :height: 342px + :target: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/bake-1.png +.. |image3| image:: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/bake-2.png + :class: alignnone size-full wp-image-1381 + :width: 945px + :height: 351px + :target: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/bake-2.png +.. |image4| image:: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/screenshot_002.png + :class: size-full wp-image-1170 + :width: 664px + :height: 276px + :target: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/screenshot_002.png +.. |image5| image:: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/image-edit-1.png + :class: alignnone size-full wp-image-1391 + :width: 803px + :height: 509px + :target: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/image-edit-1.png +.. |image6| image:: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/image-edit-2.png + :class: alignnone size-full wp-image-1392 + :width: 631px + :height: 326px + :target: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/image-edit-2.png +.. |image7| image:: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/onionskin-1.3.11.png + :class: aligncenter size-full wp-image-1174 + :width: 541px + :height: 395px + :target: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/onionskin-1.3.11.png +.. |image8| image:: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/import-image-sequence.png + :class: alignnone size-full wp-image-1382 + :width: 609px + :height: 368px + :target: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/import-image-sequence.png +.. |image9| image:: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/render-settings-avi.png + :class: aligncenter size-full wp-image-1176 + :width: 644px + :height: 300px + :target: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/render-settings-avi.png +.. |image10| image:: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/screenshot_002.png + :class: size-full wp-image-2129 aligncenter + :width: 652px + :height: 441px + :target: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/screenshot_002.png +.. |image11| image:: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/morevna-shot003-1.2.2.gif + :class: size-full wp-image-1167 + :width: 480px + :height: 272px + :target: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/morevna-shot003-1.2.2.gif +.. |image12| image:: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/morevna-shot003-1.3.11.gif + :class: size-full wp-image-1166 + :width: 480px + :height: 272px + :target: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/morevna-shot003-1.3.11.gif +.. |image13| image:: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/preview.png + :class: alignnone size-full wp-image-1394 + :width: 748px + :height: 166px + :target: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/preview.png +.. |image14| image:: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/screenshot_004.png + :class: alignnone size-full wp-image-1385 + :width: 1258px + :height: 659px + :target: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/screenshot_004.png +.. |image15| image:: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/adv-outline.png + :class: alignnone size-full wp-image-1386 + :width: 376px + :height: 378px + :target: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/adv-outline.png +.. |image16| image:: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/adv-outline.gif + :class: alignnone size-full wp-image-1387 + :width: 480px + :height: 270px + :target: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/adv-outline.gif +.. |image17| image:: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/switch_layer_001.png + :class: alignnone size-full wp-image-1379 + :width: 437px + :height: 154px + :target: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/switch_layer_001.png +.. |image18| image:: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/rectangle-1.png + :class: alignnone size-full wp-image-1389 + :width: 791px + :height: 426px + :target: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/rectangle-1.png +.. |image19| image:: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/rectangle-2.png + :class: alignnone size-full wp-image-1390 + :width: 1251px + :height: 759px + :target: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/rectangle-2.png +.. |image20| image:: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/workspaces.png + :class: alignnone size-full wp-image-1383 + :width: 862px + :height: 393px + :target: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/workspaces.png +.. |image21| image:: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/background.png + :class: aligncenter wp-image-1152 + :width: 819px + :height: 468px + :target: http://www.synfig.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/background.png