Release Notes#

In the following you will find a list of new features within the SOFiSTiK Rhino Interface and the Grasshopper toolbox gh_sofistik released with major and minor releases or service packs of the SOFiSTiK software.

Furthermore, you will find a list of known and reported issues resolved within the SOFiSTiK Rhino Interface and the Grasshopper toolbox gh_sofistik. The issues are directly reported by users via Product Support Cases and SOFiSTiK Communities.

We are alyways happy to recieve feedback and to improve our software. If you detect any issue or unexpected behaviour please contact the SOFiSTiK Product Support or report your issue to the SOFiSTiK Community.

Note

For the optimal product experience we highly recommend to work with the latest version of the Product. You find the version of your product under the SOFiSTiK menu SOFiSTiK ‣ Info About.

2024-6 Release (07.08.2024)#

Bugfixes

  • Grasshopper:

    • Fixed an issue where cross-section variables containing underscores caused an error when creating the section in SOFiSTiK.

    • Fixed an issue where expressions containing whitespaces in cross section definitions caused failures in creating the section in SOFiSTiK.

  • Rhino:

    • New Loading mechanism: From Version 2024-6 on loading of the plugin has been separated from the general functionality of the SOFiSTiK Rhinoceros Interface. Users can select the SOFiSTiK version to be loaded in the Tools ‣ Options ‣ SOFiSTiK Versions This allows to switch between different SOFiSTiK versions without having to re-install the PlugIn. Different SOFiSTiK versions can also be used alongside different Rhino versions.

2024-5 Release (14.06.2024)#

Bugfixes

  • Grasshopper:

    • Fixed issues and improved accuracy in reading alignment curves from LandXML

2024-3 Release (02.02.2024)#

Features

  • Grasshopper:

    • Support of Rhino 8: SOFiSTiK Grasshopper components will be installed for Rhino 7 and Rhino 8.

    • Support for serialization of SOFiSTiK data: All data generated by SOFiSTiK components can be serialized to and re-stored from data packs etc.

    • Section: Support for all section point reference types available in SOFiSTiK. Added support for types “PolarRelativeInY”, “PolarRelativeInYZ”, “ConstructionalPerpendicular”

    • Component “Modify Section”: Change access type of variable input parameters to type “list”

    • Component “Section | Brep”: Added input parameter “Ids” to specify point designations

    • Component “Section | Brep”: Improved geometry detection + improved id assignment

    • Component “Alignment”: Added input parameter “Tolerance” to control accuracy of generated curve in Grasshopper

    • Component “Alignment”: Improved generation of curve (e.g. improved default accuracy)

    • Component “Axis Definition”: Added input parameter for interpolation attributes

    • Component “Variable Distribution | Points”: Added two new point types “Inclination before auto”, “Inclination after auto”

    • Components “PT Geometry | Spline / Straight”: Added input parameter for interpolation attributes

    • SOFiSTiK export components: Added output parameter “Log” for logging purposes + improved error / warning handling

    • Component “SOFiMSHC”: Export axis automatically when created with component “Interpolate Surface”

    • Component “SOFiMSHC”: Improved assignment of identifiers of structural elements (e.g. ids are assigned to all structural elements)

  • Rhino:

    • Support of Rhino 8: SOFiSTiK Rhino Interface will be installed for Rhino 7 and Rhino 8.

Bugfixes

  • Grasshopper:

    • Fixed bug concerning relative file paths not working from within a cluster

    • Geometry Interpolation: Fixed bug where axis variable stations were considered as boundary points when loft type was set to “straight”

    • Component SOFiMSHC: Fixed bug losing information about local coordinate systems of structural points when they were merged


2024-0 Release (14.07.2023)#

Features

  • Portation to major version 2024


2023-3 Release (10.02.2023)#

Features

  • Grasshopper:

    • Component “ReadSection | JSON”: Input parameter “Path”: Support for directories and wildcards

Bugfixes

  • Grasshopper:

    • Component “Tendon Definition”: Interpret Start/End-station as axis stations when reference axis is available


2023-1 Release (07.10.2022)#

Features

  • Grasshopper:

    • Component ReadSectionJSON: Provide access to ParameterMap with component’s context menu

    • Component SOFiMSHC: Assign ids to BridgeBearings automatically if they have no id

    • Component PT Geometry Spline/Straight: Input “Station”: Changed type to string and accept placement names

Bugfixes

  • Grasshopper:

    • Component ReadSectionLibrary: Bug fix when section consists only of one point at 0,0 (circular sections)

    • Component TendonModule: SOFiMSHC export: Export geometry as GAX type “TEND”

    • Component TendonModule: SOFiMSHC export: Added “CTRL TOPO OFF”

    • AxisVariables: Synchronized evaluation of axis variables with SOFiSTiK

    • Component AxisDefinition: Input parameters Variables / Placements: Changed access type to tree


2023-0 Release (22.07.2022)#

Features

  • Grasshopper:

    • New User Interface (UI) for SOFiSTiK settings in global Grasshopper menu to control various plugin related properties like display and unit settings

    • Support for non-effective zones in cross sections

    • New component “Interpolation Attributes” allowing to control the interpolation process when creating geometry from an axis definition.

    • New component “Bridge Bearing” providing a macro to create elastic supports or coupling conditions for bridge bearings (SOFiSTiK RSET)

    • New component “ReadAxis | LandXML” which reads an axis geometry from a LandXML file

    • Component “Axis Definition”: New input parameter “Direction Z” enabling to control the orientation of the central axis (e.g. in case of vertical axises for piers)

    • Axis modeling workflow: Support of polylines

    • Component “Placement”, input parameter “Types”: New types “L” and “R” to specify where a placement should be located at kinks of a polycurve, allowing e.g. to model segmental bridge geometry.

    • Component “Variable Distribution | Points”, input parameter “IntTypes”: New type “C” - Constant until next station

    • Component “Axis Variable Distribution”: Improved UI to better control the display of axis variables

    • Alignment axis components revised

    • Components to define prestressing systems and tendons revised. E.g. new components to control the generation of plots or define prestressing according Aashto limits

    • Component “Structural Line”, input parameter “Section” and “Local Z Dir”: New option “FromAxis” allowing to automatically take over the orientation of the central bridge axis

    • Component “Structural Point”, input parameter “Local X Dir” and “Local Z Dir”: New option “FromAxis” allowing to automatically take over the orientation with respect to the bridge axis


2022-4 Update Release (01.04.2022)#

Bugfixes

  • Rhino:

    • Fixed crash in command _sofMatchProperties allowing to assign properties from one object to another object


2022-3 Update Release (11.02.2022)#

Bugfixes

  • Grasshopper:

    • Component SOFiSTiK Tendon: Write span station mapping (TOPP) in multiple lines to prevent reaching Teddy’s character per line limit

    • Decreased tolerance when converting AlignmentCurve to NurbsCurve (Wice 196566)


2022-2 Update Release (03.12.2021)#

Features

  • Grasshopper:

    • Provide new context menu entries for input parameters having a fixed set of options (eg. StructuralPoint Fixation, StructuralArea Alignment, etc.)

Bugfixes

  • Rhino:

    • Fixed crash when opening Rhino/GH Interface within Rhino.Inside for Revit (Wice 193941, 192906)

  • Grasshopper:

    • Component SOFiMSHC: Export planar brep geometry when brep was created by InterpolateSurface component to preserve local coordinate system in planar case

    • VariableParameterComponents ModifySection / ReadSpreadsheet: Fixed issue not working anymore after copy-paste

    • Component StructuralLine: Input parameter ElementType: Added missing types

    • Component StructuralLine: Default for section type changed to “FromSection” in accordance to defaults in SOFiMSHC

    • Section geometry: Fixed bug not creating correct fillet/chamfer segments when reaching tolerance range


2022-0 Release (29.07.2021)#

Features

  • Upgrade to SOFiSTiK version 2022-0


2020-10 Update Release (11.06.2021)#

Features

  • Grasshopper:

    • Component PlanViewAxis: Visualization of plan view segments when selected

Bugfixes

  • Grasshopper:

    • Component ReadAxisCdb/PlanViewAxis: Improved conversion from SOFiSTiK database curve to Rhino curve

    • Expression handling: Improved conversion of expressions (eg. section point coordinates) SOFiSTiK semantic <-> GH semantic

    • Improved calculation of cross section face topology


2020-9 Update Release (20.04.2021)#

Features

  • Grasshopper:

    • New component TendonGeometryStretched

    • New icons for tendon components

Bugfixes

  • Rhino:

    • Fixed incorrect ugrade of kinematic constraint properties from earlier versions (Wice 165772, 166641)

    • Fixed issue with incorrect scaling of support symbols.

    • Improved the placement of annotations in surface objects. For trimmed surfaces in some cases, annotations were not placed within the outer surface boundaries.

    • Fixed some issues in the communication with the SOFiSTiK Structural Desktop SSD. In some cases, the SSD did not open correctly and start the meshing process when exporting a model to SSD

  • Grasshopper:

    • Interpolation components: several minor improvements

    • Component SOFiMSHC: Fixed bug on merging structural points with no id

    • Component SOFiMSHC: Set CTRL INIT 7 when “init system” is true

    • Component ReparameterizeCurve: Major rework of station and length calculation for arc-length reparameterization

    • Component OffsetCurve: Considers curve discontinuities of main axis and sets correct domain

    • Crosssection: Added property BarCount to LineReinforcements as alternative to BarSpacing

    • Component TendonGeometryStandard: Calculate stations for evaluation based on curveLength + reduced default segment length from 0.5m to 0.2m


2020-8 Update Release (12.02.2021)#

Features

  • Rhino:

    • Support of Rhino 7: The SOFiSTiK Rhino Interface now supports both versions, Rhino 6 and Rhino 7 with the same features set. The installation will automatically activate the PlugIn in both versions.

    • Updated Rhino SDK to Version 6.33 (Version Date: 08.12.2020): The PlugIn may not work with older Rhino 6 versions, we recommend to update Rhino 6 to the latest version.

  • Grasshopper:

    • New components for axis geometry creation based on plan view and elevation information

    • Component ReadAxisCdb reads additional axis properties: AxisVariables, AxisPlacements

    • Component ReadSpreadsheet: extended functionalities via context menu

    • Grouping and reorganization of toolbar

    • Component StructuralLine: New input parameter for hinge conditions

    • Component StructuralArea: New input parameter for support conditions

    • Component StructuralArea: New input parameter for EdgeAttributes

    • New Component EdgeAttributes specifying various properties of a structural area edge

    • Components ReadSpreadsheet, ReadAxisCdb, ReadSectionCdb, ReadSectionJson, TextFile: Support for relative file paths (relative to current .gh file location)

Bugfixes

  • Rhino:

    • Performance improvements in generation and visualization of support symbols in large models

    • Fixed issues in loading and updating the SOFiSTiK Toolbar in Rhino

    • Fixed issue in updating properties in the SOFiSTiK Properties Panel. In some cases, when switching between e.g. Structural Points to Structural Lines, Modifications in the Structural Points Tab will not be assigned to the Rhino objects correctly.

  • Grasshopper:

    • Component SOFiMSHC: Fixed issue when reparameterizing exported non-planar surface geometry

    • Component ReadSectionCdb: Fixed missing unit conversions


2020-7 Update Release (09.12.2020)#

Features

  • Grasshopper:

    • New component Axis Placement By Plane which creates axis placements defined by global planes.

    • Support for circular elements within solid cross-sections.

    • Support for thin walled cross-sections.

    • Input parameter “User Text” for components Coupling/ElasticCoupling/Spring

Bugfixes

  • Grasshopper:

    • Component SOFiMSHC: Set CadInp parameter “CTRL NODE” to value of input “Start Index”

    • Component ASE: No default output for CadInp parameter “CTRL SOLV”


2020-6 Update Release (28.09.2020)#

Bugfixes

  • Rhino:

    • Fixed issue where the properties of boundary hinges of surfaces have not been restored correctly when opening a project file. (Wice 177319)

  • Grasshopper:

    • Fixed issue installing the Grasshopper components in case SOFiSTiK license is temporarily not available

    • Fixed AQUA output for sections where loop points reference following loop points

    • Fixed missing interpolation in output when structural lines with different start/end sections are available

    • Interpolation components now create geometry between placements of type B/E correctly

    • Fixed component EvaluateSection not considering placements outside geometry bounds

    • Fixed issue of disconnecting wires in components ModifySection/ReadSpreadsheet


2020-5 Update Release (09.07.2020)#

Features

  • Grasshopper toolbox gh_sofistik updated with a number of new features:

    • New component SOFiSTiK Project allowing to run a calculation directly from inside Grasshopper. It also provides access to a number of SOFiSTiK programs to visualize results or check the report.

    • New group of components to define geometry and properties of prestressing tendons and to create input for the SOFiSTiK program TENDON.

    • New component Read Spreadsheet allowing to read data from Microsoft Excel. Input data can be set up within tables in excel and can be connected with components in Grasshopper. Once the data in the Excel file is modified, the Grasshopper skript is recomputed automatically.

    • New component Reparametrize Curve allowing to re-parametrize a given curve according to the true arc length of the curve. The curve can be re-parametrized either according to the arc length in 3d or according the arc length in plan or any other projective view.

    • All components working on an axis now allow to define a position on the axis either by curve station, span station by selecting placements with filter options.

    • Component for Point loads extended to provide input for defining displacement or rotational boundary conditions.

Bugfixes

  • Grasshopper:

    • Fixed issues with exporting cross section definitions of different unit sets to AQUA input.

    • Fixed issues when passing input data given in trees or lists to the components generating SOFiSTiK input data.

    • Increased accuracy of curves being imported from a SOFiSTiK database (cdb). For example, alignment axes defined in plan view and elevation should now be imported with an accuracy in the range of millimeters.


2020-4 Update Release (07.04.2020)#

Features

  • Rhino:

    • New command sofEditBoundaryHinge allowing to create and edit release conditions at boundaries of structural areas. Rotational and/or translational modes can be released at the connection between two surfaces (e.g. a wall and a slab).

Bugfixes

  • Rhino:

    • Fixed issue: a manually adjusted scaling factor of the size of support conditions has not been stored in the Rhino file.

    • Fixed issue with point coordinate systems displayed incorrectly.

    • Fixed issue with planar surfaces being exported incorrectly to sofistik, causing parametrization errors during meshing.


2020-3 Update Release (14.02.2020)#

Features

  • Release of gh_sofistik, a Grasshopper toolbox providing components to define cross-sections, structural elements and loads as well as components to define bridge models based on the SOFiSTiK CABD concept.

Bugfixes

  • Fixed issue with element properties (e.g. fixations) being assigned irregularly to other elements.

  • Fixed issue with servicepack number not being displayed correctly in Help About command


2020-2 Update Release (15.12.2019)#

Bugfixes

  • Fixed issues with editing text boxes in SOFiSTiK Structural Properties tab

  • Fixed issues in definition of coupling elements

  • Fixed issue with support symbols not being scaled correctly according to the model sizes

  • Fixed issue with aligning the quad element direction on mesh surfaces


2020-2 Update Release (15.12.2019)#

Bugfixes

  • Fixed issue where calculation did not start immediately when exporting a model to SSD


2020-0 Release (01.08.2019)#

Features

  • New command sofCreateNewCoupling allowing to create rigid and elastic links between points and lines. These elements can be edited like any other elements through the SOFiSTiK properties tab.