0.5.0 beta

Gimel Studio v0.5.0 beta was released “Nov. 2020”

The v0.5.0 beta release marks close to a year of development on Gimel Studio (already!) and includes a major update to the API, Node Graph and backend.

This involved a re-write of much of the codebase and many breaking changes both in the API and interface usage (hopefully, for the better).

Note

The huge improvements in this release has some tradeoffs, though: The opening/saving as a Project File ability is not available (This is planned to be re-implemented again in a future release).

General

  • Fixed make files for building from source, etc.

  • Code fixes, compatibility with Python 2 (thanks to Metallicow)

New API

  • Major updates and additions to the Gimel Studio API. It can in effect, be called a new API due to the huge differences vs the old API.

  • API now combines the old Property objects and UI code so that the Properties automatically generate the UI code for the Node Property Panel. No more need to write wxPython code unless you need a custom widget/a widget that is not provided with the API already.

  • Improved support for overrides and more control over the look/functionality of the node itself (with the proper knowledge, of course).

Blender Addon

  • Initial support for integration with Blender 3D was added via a bridge addon

UI

  • The interface was improved in general to be sharper, more customizable and less distracting

  • The Light theme was dropped and the Dark theme was improved for better contrast and performance

  • Buttons toolbar options were moved to appropriate menus

  • Added toolbar to show help to the user

  • Added ability to toggle showing Image Viewport

  • Added scrollbar to Properties Panel

  • Added various menu options for controlling the application window, reading docs, etc.

Node Registry

  • The Node Registry is now in it’s own popup menu (searchable list), with drag n’ drop functionality

Node Graph

  • Nodes can now have more than one connection from the Output socket. This makes a lot more sense than the limit of one-per-node before.

  • Added center node graph feature to center the Node Graph view to the center

  • Added toggle Node Graph grid background feature

  • Added button for Node Registry menu and info text in the bottom-left corner

  • Many optimizations for the Node Graph

Renderer

  • The renderer code was re-factored and improved

Nodes

  • Nodes were updated for the new API with the improvements that come with it. :)

  • Added 3 new core nodes: Flip (thanks to @iwoithe), Invert (thanks to @iwoithe) and Get Channel

Project File

  • Temporarily removed.

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed some long-standing issues with node connections

  • Fixed issues on Linux