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Alias API changes (2024)

We have made significant changes to the Alias architecture. Plugins will need to be updated to use the new API and then recompiled against Alias 2024.0 DLLs to be loaded into Alias 2024.0. The process for compiling plugins remains the same as previous years and can be done using Visual Studio 2022 / VC 14.3.

Updates and additions to the Alias API include the following:

  • Removal of the scheme file (.scm) architecture for building options boxes and editors. As a result the AlEditor class has been rewritten and changes have also been made to the AlFunctionHandle class.
  • Deprecation of image planes in Alias means that the AlImagePlane class has been removed. Significant changes to the Paint and Animation features in Alias have resulted in some small changes to the API.
  • Removal of one-off functions from classes that deal with the GUI as required. For example, functions used for adding and removing custom icons and for specifying directories for finding GUI elements, such as makeAltPath() have been removed.

For more information, see the following:

Additions to the AlSubdiv class

These new methods have been added the AlSubdiv class to provide style information, such as assignment of materials and shaders, to subdivision objects.

  • AlSubdiv::assignShader( AlShader* shader )
  • AlSubdiv::layerShader( AlShader* shader )
  • AlSubdiv::assignSwitchShader( AlSwitchShader* switchShader )
  • AlSubdiv::assignLayeredShader( AlLayeredShader* layeredShader )

For more information, see the AlSubdiv.

Additions to the AlFunctionHandle class

  • AlFunctionHandle::removeSeparator( const char *menuName )

For more information, see the AlFunctionHandle.

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