RapidAuthor 12.0
Release notes

Key changes in version 12.0

• Data import process speed and memory usage has been improved
• Parts catalogs: existing DPL rows can now be cloned; imported 3D data can be linked to existing DPL tables.
• Procedures: creating 3D animations has become much easier
• S1000D support: a new user interface for editing SCORM Content Package Modules (SCPM) and improved user interface of SCPM publications; automatic publishing of all projects referenced from SCO or SCPM data module
• 2D authoring: corner effects such as fillet, scallop, and chamfer are supported; an easy method of adding tables to 2D images

RapidAuthor and RapidAuthor for Teamcenter improvements

• The existing DPL row can now be cloned
• The part associated with an existing DPL row can be changed to another part
• The revision status of an IPC page changes automatically when an attached illustration or a clipping plane is added, deleted, or modified

• The creation of animations is now one step shorter: default animation for all transform actions is now equal to zero; no need to click Reset for each animation
• A new fast method of creating multi-key animations
• New action is automatically expanded in the Procedure Editor if it has editable parameters
• The procedure time marker can be moved to an animation key position by a click on the key
• The last key of a multi-key animation can be removed
• The New Action and Select Item or Collection dialog windows are now resizable
• All bookmarks can now be quickly removed by the new Clear All Bookmarks button
• Function and atom names in the procedure specifications have been changed to a more readable form
• Custom specification components can be configured to display and edit step and action metadata directly in the Procedure Editor

• Web browsers used for previewing publications can be defined by the user
• Generated SVG files are now successfully validated against the SVG schema
• The local manipulator position is preserved for each object when its position is changed
• The manipulator position can now be used for aligning items
• DITA version for generated documents can be specified explicitly (DITA Topic, DITA Task, and GENERIC IPC specifications)

• The default window position can be restored with a new command Reset Layout
• Easier navigation in the Metadata Explorer window: empty metadata can be hidden
• The frame rate can be displayed in the status bar
• A prompt to update project 2D images is displayed after accepting changes in Update Wizard
• Toolbars and buttons for the macros created in a custom specification are now visible only when the current project uses this specification

• Model number and service bulletin filters are supported in IPD publications
• 2D PDF IPD publications now contain all DPL entries and match HTML publications
• The footnote element is now supported
• Internalization of internal references to warnings and cautions in the Document Editor
• Externalization of the Common Information Repository (CIR) references when the S1000D data module is published
• Names of IPC pages are published to IPD data modules
• Data modules can be attached to an IPC project from Teamcenter
• Improved visual presentation of the SCPM tree structure in the publication
• New commands for editing SCPM data modules in the Document Editor: the ability to add, move, and remove the elements of the table of contents*
• Projects, referenced from SCPM or SCO projects, are automatically published when the referencing project is published*

*Applicable for standalone use of RapidAuthor, when it is launched not from Teamcenter

• Corner effects, such as fillet, scallop, and chamfer, can be applied
• New text properties are supported: strikethrough and underline
• Tables of different styles can be easily added to 2D images via new parametric gallery objects
• Hotspot names can be automatically defined via the new Autoname property of Callout objects
• The default style is better visible and can be easily changed in Property Inspector
• Snapping to text objects is now supported
• Guidelines in axonometric projections can now be dragged from the ruler
• The dragging of the Callout object has been improved: when the object is dragged for its body, the borders of the hotspot region are used for snapping; when it is dragged for the reference line – the ends of the reference line are used instead.

• Performance improvements: the import process is up to two times faster; the memory allocation has been reduced to up to two times
• New geometry can be linked to existing DPL rows (configuration of the import profile is required)
• New CAD formats supported: Creo 6, Inventor 2020, Parasolid v31.1, NX 1847 Series, STEP XML**
• The Excel import plugin can create IPC pages with images, automatically activate DPL rows on specified IPC pages, and set a recommended page
• Import of surface edges from JT data has been improved***

** This functionality requires RapidAuthor or RapidDataConverter for Teamcenter
*** This functionality requires RapidAuthor for Teamcenter or Rapid JT Component

• Publications that do not require plugins are now the default publishing option
• 2D PDF output is now available for RapidWorkInstruction, DITA Task, and DITA Topic specification components

• The transparency bar is now available in plugin-free procedure publications
• The camera can be aligned horizontally in plugin-free publications
• Revision marks are now displayed in 2D PDF publications of parts catalogs using Generic IPC specification

• The 32-bit version of the authoring tools is no longer available
• Republishing tools for procedures and parts catalogs have been combined into a single tool, which now supports also RapidText, RapidIllustration, and RapidLearning projects
• Numerous bug fixes

Improvements in RapidDeveloper and RapidDeveloper for Teamcenter

• Names of actions, functions, and atoms and their parameters for a particular specification component can be localized with the help of the RapidSpecification module of RapidDeveloper

Improvements in RapidAuthor Connector for Teamcenter

• The new Reviewer module for commenting data modules during their approval process

Improvements in RapidDataConverter for Teamcenter

• New CAD formats supported: Creo 6, Inventor 2020, Parasolid v31.1, NX 1847 Series, STEP XML

Improvements in Cortona3D viewer for Windows

• Native support for 3Dconnexion devices
• Some default settings have been changed: the anti-aliasing is on, and the background color is set to a grey gradient
• Addresses the issue with the automatic size of panels when using the offsetLeft and offsetTop fields