VW 2014 for Mac Anti-Aliasing in OpenGL Still doesn't work

[bhorv67]

This has been reported 2 versions ago.

Why is the Anti Aliasing button even there if it doesn't do anything?

[bhorv67]

I also posted the fact the VW 2014 is still 32bit and my post was deleted. Coincidence? I think not.

2014 should have been held back until 64bit was ready. This is nothing more than new build for 2013.

[Christiaan]

Probably deleted because there's already a thread on the topic:

http://techboard.vectorworks.net/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=189306

[Dave Donley]

Hello bhorv67:

AFAIK Anti-aliasing in 2014 does indeed work, although it is pretty subtle. As before OpenGL anti-aliasing only smoothes the edges of geometry, not textures and not smoothing the Draw Edges option. You will have to look closely to see that the edges of shaded geometry are smoothed.

The previous problems with anti-aliasing shouldn't exist in 2014 because we do the anti-aliasing in Vectorworks and don't rely on driver support for it.

The Draw Edges OpenGL option also had problems in the past, on certain cards due to lack of driver support for required routines. Those problems are also fixed in 2014 due to the new implementation which does not rely on the driver for Draw Edges.

See attached image comparing 2014 OpenGL draw edges and shadows with the previous version (2014 is the better one).

[Benson Shaw]

The aliasing is much reduced in the 10:55 render, but where did all those "cables" come from? Errant geometry? Guide lines? Actual cables?

-B

[VincentCuclair]

Is it possible to get lines in OpenGL to appear thinner? I find them quite thick at the moment.

[Christiaan]

Is it possible to get lines in OpenGL to appear thinner? I find them quite thick at the moment.

I was wondering the same thing. In fact I've turned them off they're so distracting.

[ray isaacs]

yes, they are too think, especially when zoomed out.

[PVA - Admin]

The thickness of the OpenGL Draw Edges is relative to your current zoom level.

If you want more control over the lines, you'd need to create a viewport with OpenGL as the background and Hidden Line as the foreground.

Also the anti-aliasing does work, but as Dave said it is very very mild. If you want a exceedingly smooth edge, you should work with one of the Renderworks modes instead of OpenGL

[Christiaan]

If you want more control over the lines, you'd need to create a viewport with OpenGL as the background and Hidden Line as the foreground.

It's more to do with working in the file than presentation for me.

[PVA - Admin]

I see what you mean. I often find Draw Edges to be really useful in some modeling situations where I need my eye to follow certain edges or check intersections, when zooming in or out it can be disorienting to have the edges thickness change.

The X-ray Select mode helps to an extent, but a control/slider for the Draw Edges thickness would be useful indeed.

[Kevin McAllister]

Ha, I wondered the same thing about draw edges. It would be great to have some control or at least have the default be thinner.

Kevin

[ray isaacs]

jim, i understand what you are saying about overlapping viewports for presentation.

but, as christiaan says, working on a project is a different situation. the edges add a lot of clarity to a "quick" visualization, along with a better reading of perspective (yes do prefer perspective) and depth. and i do think that they are a lot better in 2014. i just wish they were thinner.

ray

[Dave Donley]

BTW the 10:52 render is 2014, the errant lines are bugs in the previous iteration of OpenGL Draw Edges due to video driver issues (only happened on video cards beginning with the letter "A").