Varwin XRMS 0.16

The Varwin XRMS is powered by the Unity3d engine, which is also updated and improved to give developers new development tools. In the new version of Varwin XRMS 0.16, one of the main and large-scale innovations is the move from the old version of Unity 2018 to the newer Unity 2021. This allowed Varwin developers to implement new mechanics and improvements in the platform. One of the clear examples is the processing of the behavior of objects, the work with which has become much more convenient and understandable. Also, considerable efforts have been implemented versioning of objects to maintain the health of projects that use different versions of objects. But this is only the tip of the many changes that made it into 0.16.

Moving to Unity 2021

The Unity version update allowed developers to start improving the platform in places where it was technically impossible due to the limitations of the old 2018 version of the engine. Now, starting with this update, the platform is being actively developed, having gained access to new tools. Along with this, the developer toolkit for Varwin has also been updated. The new version of the SDK supports innovations, which you can read about below and which every user can use!

Extending Standard Object Behaviors

New object behaviors allow the user to more flexibly work out the logic of interaction between objects, manipulating them at a new level. As part of the new behaviors, more than 190 blocks and groups of blocks have been redesigned to make it easier to interact with them. Also, some of the blocks were abolished due to duplication of functionality. Updated block categories:

group of blocks “Movement”
group of blocks “Rotation”
group of blocks “Scaling”
group of blocks “Visualization”
group of blocks “Physics”
group of blocks “Interactivity”
group of blocks “Vectors” in the section “Mathematics”
new section “Chains”
new section “Auxiliary”
new section “Colors”

Object versioning

The purpose of this innovation is the ability to update any object or scene template in the library and at the same time preserve the invariance of the work of projects, that is, preserve their integrity and performance. Read more in the article “Versioning objects”

Changing the execution order of block logic

The platform is developing allowing users to take a fresh look at the process of assembling logic by building parallel logical sequences called chains.

There are two main features of this innovation:

A conceptual change in the work of logic - if before the logic was executed sequentially, strictly following the order of execution, now with the help of this set of blocks you can perform several actions at the same time.
Single execution of a logical construct - if earlier, a block or a logical chain was executed constantly and until the project is stopped, now they will be executed only once. To return a repeating execution of a logical construction, it is enough to place it in the appropriate block!

Preinstalled Objects

A general reworking and optimization of pre-installed objects was carried out, as well as correction of errors and shortcomings in the work.

Varwin Starter License Limitations

General restrictions have been highlighted for the platform whose users have the Starter version:

Ability to choose the path to create the VarwinData folder
Ability to choose the path to save projects with each export and select the default export folder
Choice of displaying the number of projects on one page
Blockly style selection window
Mute Blockly Sounds
And other improvements

Improvements in the RMS interface

The RMS interface is being finalized to suit user requests. Here’s what’s been added:

Ability to choose the path to create the VarwinData folder
Ability to choose the path to save projects with each export and select the default export folder
Choice of displaying the number of projects on one page
Blockly style selection window
Mute Blockly Sounds
And other improvements

Improvements to the Blockly editor

The logic editor also continues to undergo changes and continue to improve, in particular, the following has been added:

Ability to resize the Blockly toolbox
Search for required blocks by their names or standard values
Selecting all blocks in the workspace using the keyboard shortcut``Ctrl+A``
Selecting multiple blocks and block designs via Ctrl
Duplication of selected blocks/structures using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+D
Simplified interaction with the creation of additional conditions, values or variables for blocks
Choice of Blockly design style from three standard ones
And other improvements

Whole list of changes in Varwin 0.16

Blockly

Corrected

Incorrect default text when renaming Blockly main tab
Long name of objects, due to which the library of blocks does not fit on the screen
Multiline text that did not resize when large text was entered
Changing the execution of logical structures. Blocks are now executed once

Added

Added toolbox search
Replaced global variables with local ones in functions and loops
Implemented group selections and operations with blocks on the canvas
Added ability to resize toolbox and flyout
Added grouping of blocks in the toolbox
Added blocks with vectors to the section “Math”
Added new sections “Color” and “Chains” to the toolbox

RMS

Corrected

Cursor not centered and inactive when maximizing a minimized DP screen
The download button does not disappear after canceling the package installation from the marketplace
Hotkeys do not work and the interface is deformed after folding - expanding the client in DE
Client embeds incorrectly when launched in minimized window state
Part of the client window is rendered on RMS after minimization
Replaced action.cancel with Cancel in Task Manager when downloading from marketplace
Description of the error if there is not enough space on the disk for backup
The installer offers a backup of projects if VarwinData has been deleted, but the application itself is not
Can’t cancel installation
Update local IP in project launcher modal on mobile headsets when changing LAN
Wrong position and size of DP and DE window when maximized
The location is not updated after it is loaded with changes
The panel with user settings, spaces and help disappears when the client is open
F12 developer console not hiding
The client does not connect to the server automatically after raising the network
The width of the blockly window does not change when hiding/expanding the sidebar
When appearing, the library item’s modal window twitches if Varwin is not in full screen mode
Scene icons in the project list do not update after importing a new scene
The project creation menu does not move behind the button when the sidebar is hidden
Access key is not updated immediately if it has been used
Fixed the absence of the “Close” button in the password entry window
Project remains mobile-ready after changing objects to non-mobile-ready

Added

Prevent a user from creating a duplicate of their own server
Feature Manager refactoring for rules with non-boolean values
Now it is written in which project the object / scene template / resource is used, when trying to delete it
Added notification about limitations of the Starter version of the platform
Launch configuration menu updated
Revealing an image from its modal window
Creating a backup of projects before installing a new version of the platform
Subscribe to the RMS Library Update event
Setting up additional fields for analytics
Marketplace is now available on all licenses
Ability to change user from EDU licenses under your email
First and last page in project pagination
Ability to enable/disable sounds in Blockly
Selecting the blockly editor style
Grouping objects on the stage according to those used in logic
Filtering by mobile-ready objects and scenes in the marketplace
Button for loading objects from the marketplace in the general list of objects

Removed

“New” icons from the sidebar
The functionality of downloading the new version of the platform in the upper right corner

Client

Added

Support for new behaviors
Support for objects with Resource Arrays