ZWCAD 2021 RC Release Notes

# Overview

ZWCAD 2021 RC has the following new features:

New Features | Description
Transparency | Transparency effects can be applied to different objects.
External Reference Manager | All kinds of External Reference Managers (DWG, DWF, PDF, Image) are integrated into one.
Viewport Layer | Layer properties can be different in different viewports.
Table Formula | Formulas can be applied in a table.
Field Formula | Fields can be calculated by formulas in a table.
Invert Xclip | The part inside the defined boundary is hidden and the outside part remains.
Customizable Mouse Actions | Users can customize mouse actions in the CUI panel.

# New Features

This section expounds the new features in this release.

## Transparency

Users can now assign a value (ranging from 0 to 90) to the transparency of objects, hatches, references, layers, etc. The higher the value is, the more transparent an object will be. Transparency is widely and diversely used in CAD. For instance, objects hidden under an overlapping area can be visible when users increase the transparency of the upper object. Another example is that the transparency of an Xref can be set so that users can easily tell the Xref from the original drawing.

The transparency of all the objects in a layer can be set in the Layer Properties Manager.

Figure 1. Setting the Transparency value in the Layer Properties Manager

As for setting the transparency of a single object, users can do the job in the Properties panel.

Figure 2. Setting the Transparency value in the Properties panel

## External Reference Manager

External files in the formats of DWG, DWF, PDF, PNG, etc. are frequently used as references in CAD. In ZWCAD 2021 RC, all the External Reference Managers are merged into one. Users can now check the information of all Xrefs and adjust their status conveniently in one manager (the adjustments will be updated immediately in the drawing), which can remarkably boost their efficiency.

To invoke this manager, simply input XREF in the command line. By clicking the file name in the manager, users can check the detailed information of the file, such as its size, type, and path and adjust them at the bottom of the manager. Also, users can right-click on the file to perform actions like attach, detach, unload, or reload.

Figure 3. Managing different types of reference files in one panel

## Customizable Mouse Actions in CUI

A mouse action on different objects will have different effects. For example, double-clicking a circle will invoke the Properties panel by default. But now, users can change the effects of double-clicking a circle to copying, moving, or offsetting it. Except for double-clicking, users can also customize right-clicking, Shift+Click, Ctrl+Click and Ctrl+Shift+Click to invoke specific commands for specific object types. In this way, user experience and working efficiency can be greatly improved.

To customize a mouse action, users can input CUI to invoke the Customize User Interface dialogue box, and then configure under “Double Click Actions” or “Mouse Buttons”. For more detailed tutorial on this feature, please check the Help file.

Figure 4. Customizing mouse actions in the CUI panel

## Viewport Layer

The newly added viewport layer can help users highlight layer properties (layer color, line type, line weight, plot style, etc.) differently in each viewport. More importantly, the adjustments of viewport layers will not affect the layers of the drawing.

Figure 5. Different layer properties are highlighted in different viewports

This can be really useful when users are plotting a 3D model in different views. For example, some lines are visible in a top view while invisible in a left view. To distinguish one view from another, users can set the line type of the two viewport layers differently.

## Invert Xclip

Contrary to Xclip, Invert Xclip helps users hide the part inside the defined boundary and keep the outside part. With this function, inserting Xrefs in a certain shape becomes easier.

Figure 6. Hiding objects within the boundary with Invert Xclip

## Table Formula

The availability of table formulas enables users to apply formulas, such as Sum, Average, and Count like they do in Excel® and therefore, create bills of materials effortlessly.

Figure 7. Formulas are available in the table

## Field Formula

When there are changes in the drawing, related fields can be updated. Now that there are field formulas, calculations become even quicker.

To make a quick calculation in a table, users can enter FIELD to invoke the Field dialogue box first. Then, they can select Formula in the “Field names” box, one of the four formulas, and a range of cells to average them out, add them up, count the number of cells that contain numbers, or extract information from them.

If fields need updating, users can use REGEN.

Figure 8. Fields can be calculated by formulas in the table