Adobe Dimension 4.0 is now available!

[JMathews]

Hello everyone!  Adobe Dimension 4.0 is now available for download from Creative Cloud!

Adobe Dimension 4.0 is being updated to incorporate some of the same underlying code components as Adobe Substance 3D Stager, particularly in areas like rendering, lighting, and material handling. This update puts Dimension on a more modern and maintainable codebase, ensuring the application is more stable and secure for users. Consequently, users will see some changes in the software – most notably in rendering capabilities and material workflow, as well as minor functionality and quality improvements throughout the application.

Here is an FAQ with more details on the changes:

https://helpx.adobe.com/dimension/whats-new.html

The Adobe Dimension and Substance 3D Stager comparison FAQ page has also been updated:
https://www.substance3d.com/dimension-stager-faq/

[Sansa Europe]

One of the ways found has now worked. Completely logging out of the Creative Cloud app and logging back in. Unfortunately this doesn't always work.
Often after logging in again, the problem persists despite the fact that other applications do not see the problem, they start up.

[Sansa Europe]

BTW - its not problem with open some file, this also happens when starting a new project ‘cleanly’. Dimesion simply does not recognise the fact that the user is correctly logged in.

[JMathews]

Ah I see, thank your for adding details, so the issue is with the licensing and login check, not the actual file opening.  Apologies for the friction.  Our licensing system integration is not good.  We do have some work scoped to try to improve this, after resolving any critical issues and security updates needed.

[jack-prink]

For me, the issue is Dimension keeps loading trying to open the file. after several minutes i have to close it via Windows task manager. i don't recieve any error since the application doesn't actually open.

I downgraded and i could open the file again with no issue at all

[JMathews]

@jack-prink Can you please open Dimension, try opening the file again, then go to Help > Get Logs and get your updated Dimension log file for us.  If possible please send me your log + the file and we can try to reproduce and fix this.  If you can't share the files here on the forum please send me a direct email at jmathews@adobe.com

[joshsfx]

Our team is experiencing the same issue. We get stuck on "loading" and eventually have to just end task on the program. We've rolled back to the previous version for now.

@JMathews I emailed you a link to logs and a DN file.

[iviansur]

It's nice that the glass is now transparent (I am not sure if the feature was added in the latest update), but there are some hiccups. See the attached examples. The split color is added in Photoshop. Also, I really liked that the color background was rendered as an adjustment layer if rendered as PSD. Now, it is a rasterized layer.

[JMathews]

Translucency is a bit complex in it's rendering pipeline in both Stager and Dimension.  For the glasses you get less distortion because it's a thin piece, while the vase is mulitple layers and curves.  Translucent objects will refract the environment light and ground plane causing those graphics results.  We don't have any immediate improvements planned here at this time.

We can see if we can bring back the color as an adjustment layer.

[GGRG_42]

I'm excited for the update (and still sad the 3D tools are split away), but I updated and Dimension today to 4.0.2 and it will launch and bring up the UI. When I start a new document it says the render engine won't start. I can access menus and click tools and stuff but the workspace area never populates. Also I have to force quit to exit.

I went through all fo the troubleshootign steps here including updating my video driver (NVIDIA RTX A4000) and still have the same result - https://helpx.adobe.com/dimension/common-issues/stager-viewport-is-blank.html

It mentions "textures.aeroresource" which is one of the files mentioned in the help section above (which only existed in an AfterEffects folder). The RTECache folder for dimension has nothing in it (which is probably why it can't locate it).

Below is the section from the log where it fails. I also attached the full log.

loadUi: MAIN {}
[core] console::appError 43751ms>Failed to create the scratch Bundle path for textures.aeroresource at path \\fs2\UserRedirects$\ryang\AppData\Roaming\Adobe Dimension\RTECache !
[core] console::renderError 43751ms>>@, AgFileSystem.cpp:1013<@Engine could not initialize the texture scratch VFS.
[core] console::renderError 43751ms>>@, AgRenderingEngine.cpp:76<@Engine file System could not be initialized.
[core] gbl Error 43752ms>FAILED TO START UP THE RTE ENGINE!
coreErrorMessageHandler: RTE_ENGINE_STARTUP_ERROR
showDialog: ERROR_RTE_ENGINE_STARTUP
[CR] Sending report, success? true
rm: removed file \\fs2\UserRedirects$\ryang\Documents\Adobe\Adobe Dimension\reports\reports\d8a5e128-6066-45eb-9288-8ac458d56121.dmp

[Yasir777]

I think this part of your comment is for Stager, not Dn. The link you provided shows Stager window.

"I went through all fo the troubleshootign steps here including updating my video driver (NVIDIA RTX A4000) and still have the same result

- https://helpx.adobe.com/dimension/common-issues/stager-viewport-is-blank.html

[GGRG_42]

That is he link that DN gives me directly on the error screen - since Stager was forked from DN I'm sure there will be overlap for a while. 

[JMathews]

Apologies for any confusion.  The data in the link is correct, but the page incorrectly had the wrong app name.  I've had those pages updated.

[JMathews]

I have filed a ticket for our engineering team to take a look at this in more detail.  It is definitely not expected here.

[JMathews]

Thanks for attaching the log file!  Taking a look it seems like you have folder redirection turned on the OS and the application is having a hard time resolving that.  I've filed a bug with the engineers but it's a new area we haven't explored before.  If you can turn off redirection or use a non-redirected folder for installation, it may resolve on it's own.

[Sansa Europe]

Still huge problems getting started. Only Adobe Dimension out of the whole Adobe suite can't see the workstation logged in correctly. And so every so often for 2 years. This is some kind of tragedy.

Unfortunately, I guess these ‘updates’ are designed to discourage the use of Dimension even more - I read about the truncated options and shapes and to force the purchase of the Substance package.

[JMathews]

Apologies for the friction.  Indeed, our implementation of the licensing system is not good.

[JerRS16]

Having a hard time learning how this works.  Used to be so simple...not anymore.  The render quality is so bad.  I don't even know where to begin.

[Francesco5FAE]

This is not good at all!
This update is full of bugs! For example, the ability to set the canvas size has disappeared!
The File→New with settings menu...is gone!
It is not possible to set the resolution, the configuration of new documents, etc...
This is all deplorable!

[mdhumpy2]

YES. This is going to be a huge problem for those of us that create 3D images used in print. Not being able to set the document size or resolution is a big problem. WHY?? This is definitely the phasing out of Dimension. The writing is on the wall. It looks just like Stager now. They want to soften the blow so when Dimension is phased out or no longer supported. Then we will be forced to purchase the Substance Package ON TOP of the Creative Cloud.

[Yasir777]

I hope they don't. 
They have removed all the 3D tools from Photoshop to include them in Substace, but added more 3D features in Adobe illustrator,  although it is not as robust as Photoshop version 22.2. It will take a big learning curve for users to learn the Substance apps.

all I want is to use illustrator and Dn to produce my packaging designs mockups. 

[JerRS16]

I hope that's not the case because I will drop my CC license once and for all.  

[ZivoDesign]

You can set a resolution. it took me a while to find it too

1. when you set a camera you can edit the size and focal length - you don't see the resolution and size on "viewport camera"

2. If you decide to render your "viewport camera" you  can then in the render right sidebar select "override camera size" and scale the resolution just for the render

[mdhumpy2]

I just reinstalled version 3.4.11 and all is back to the way it was. At least my old files are opening ok. Files were not opening correctly in the latest version. Let Adobe work through the bugs of the latest version before I dive into the learning curve.

[Yasir777]

I’m very optimistic once Dn 4.0 is streamlined from bugs. It will be a much better improvement than 3.4.11.

I’m especially excited about the approximately 500 materials to choose from with about 16 categories.

But it's a bit time consuming to navigating through the extensive material library in Adobe Dimension 4.0, I would a suggestions to improve the workflow and ease of use:

They are Categorized by Tabs, if they are collapsed closed, you can see all the categories but no sample, if you collapse  open, there will be 500 like Metal, Paper, Wood, Fabric, and Translucency without extensive scrolling. For me, my default will be all collapsed closed.

I will post a suggestion through the app. Maybe have a floating tab.  

[JerRS16]

I like having a lot more material options though you're right, it would be easier to navigate if they were in drop menu categories so you can open and close each category as needed.  This was my thouht exactly.