new xlights version 2016.1

[sean]

New release xLights.

Starting in 2016 we are changing our version numbering system. The versions this year will be 2016.1 thru 2016.nn where nn is however many releases we do in 2016. This does not change the code in any way.

In this first release , 2016.1, we have a major code refactoring by Dan Kulp. This was huge! Nearly one month to complete, maybe a couple hundred files touched. If everything works as expected you will see no differences. What the refactoring does is allows us to keep adding more effects and makes it easier to add them.
For technical folks, we used to have all the wxwidgets page layouts in a single file, now there are 34 files that matches the 34 effects. In this build we also rebuilt our wxwidgets libraries (a 1 hour process) to allow some new capabilities we need.

Keith Wesley has fixed the snowflakes effect (it was broken sometime last year). Snowflakes are supposed to swirl as they fall, somehow we got them all falling one direction. That is now fixed.

Keith also created a new effect called 'Tendril'. Try it out on a matrix model to see what it does.

Work was done on the Linux builds.

Dan again added code to speed up saves.

Latest releases are found at http://nutcracker123.com/nutcracker/releases/
Issue Tracker is found here: https://github.com/smeighan/xLights/issues

XLIGHTS/NUTCRACKER RELEASE NOTES:
--------------------------------
2016.1  Jan 25, 2016
    -- enh(dkulp) Refactor Effect rendering code to make it easier to create new effects
    -- enh(dkulp) Update Linux Text effect to render on background thread
    -- bug(dkulp) Linux toolbar buttons sizing problem and buttons on effect panel
    -- enh(dkulp) Plasma/Butterfly/Meteors render performance enhancements
    -- enh(keithsw) Add tendrils effect. Also includes introduction of GraphicsContext. Builders please see README.Windows for rebuild instructions.
    -- enh(keithsw) Add natural snowfall without accumulating to the snowflakes effect


So try saving some of your sequences, and then try saving with new code. Maybe post before and after times. Some sequences will not see improvement, some will see 20-30% improvement.

[bpducman]

New win 10 machine i7-6700k

XML file size 34,953

4_3_2
opened in 25.477 sec
saved in 66.278 sec

2016_1
opened in 18.0 sec
saved in 53.714 sec

Thanks Dan

[nmiller0113]

Nice work!

One quick question.  What is the proper way to correct any sequences that previously had the snowfall effect saved when it was broken and going the wrong way.  Do I need to actually replace it in all of my sequences or can I just open and re-save?

[sean]

just open a sequence and immediately save it. new snowflake effect will then take effect.

[sean]

I get this error when trying to launch 2016.1 (see attachment)

double clicking to install is not replacing the wx libraries for everyone.
Try removing all files that begin wxmsm*.dll in your c:\programfiles(x86)\xlights directory. You should then be able to double click exe file to reinstall.

wxmsm30*dll files should have a january date, not a december date.

[Dave Nibeck]

I also got the error but removing the wxwsm* files allowed for proper installation.

[dkulp]

Forgot a one thing in the README for MAC folks:

The Font dialog for the Text effect now allows the strike through and underline effects (previously didn't work)


Also, for those building on the Mac, you need to rebuild wxWidgets using my fork.   Instructions in the README.   I fixed a bunch of bugs in wxWidgets (patches submitted back) that need to be picked up.

[danj]

thanks so much to Dan, Sean, Gil and others who work so hard on this fantastic piece of software...
Better & better & better

[danj]

thanks so much to Dan, Sean, Gil and others who work so hard on this fantastic piece of software...
It just continues to get better & better & better

[bravado67]

Looks great to me. I love the snowflake effect on my Mega Tree with Blue Wash.  Let It Go is going to be a lot of fun to sequence. Oh, there's too much fun to be had with Tendril. Push the Friction to the max and we have some interesting combinations. Nice Keith!

Ron

[Gilrock]

Bbjuk


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Shall we call this "Tapatalk butt posting"? LOL

[bpducman]

I thought that was some high tech secret code. 

[danj]

That worked; thanks Gil.   I am up & running now with 2016.2!!
My double posts were because it didn't look like my first post had been posted..   Arrgh.

[sean]

I have removed 2016.1, 2016.2 from the releases page. It should be apparent that some people have major problems with those releases (I didnt). New people are downloading them and then posting the exact same issues that have come up over the last few days and been reported. Gil and Dan are working on a fix. It looks like we will do a major upgrade. Codeblocks versions 12.03 will got to codeblocks version 16.1, this is a jump of 3 years. We will also update our gcc C++ compiler from 4.7.1 to 5.3. We have been meaning to do this last year but held off until after Christmas. When all these changes are done we will then do a new release. Prob 1-2 weeks.

[bpducman]

Just an observation.

I was using 2016_2 and importing lms files and it worked on 2 of my  models but would only show me 1 of 16 strands on the 3rd model. I went back and forth and decide to uninstall 2016_2 and installed 4_3_2. Nothing else changed, went to the 3rd model and it imported the lms file perfectly.

Just an observation.