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/

[Francisco247184090pei]

I placed a decal on an object, but once I do the render, the image won't appear on the render.

You can render in real time and that will show the decal, but the resolution is bad.

Shortcuts also changed, so while it takes time to get use to, this is not ideal and is time consuming.

[Yasir777]

I would like to try and duplicate that.

Are you on a Mac, M1, OS

was the graphic PNG, or Ai?

was your object from Dn or created in another software and did it have two parts? Like a bottle and a cap.

[JMathews]

@Francisco247184090pei If you can please add some screenshots and more description about your rendering issue, that would be helpful.  Or if you need please email me directly jmathews@adobe.com to triage the bug with the decals not appearing in the render.  This is unexpected behavior.

[Francisco247184090pei]

It was strange. I redownload it and turn off the computer and it finally work. I see that setting the canvas to the PPI you want is gone. You can't preview it, but you can render in real time or ray tracing. I render the art in Full, but the outcome is not as great as before. Could you tell us what is samples, max time denoise export and displacement mean? I increase the number of samples, but I do not see any improvement in the render. Thanks

[Kosta349998245g33]

I appreciate the new materials, even though it's now a little harder to navigate all the presets. However, there is one big mistake in the new version: removing the option to click on the axis arrow or angle widget and type in the value you want to move or rotate the object. This was one of the most useful options in Adobe Dimension that I used 100% of the time while setting up scenes.

Additionally, I don't see how to remove the live rendering and revert to the simple old view where nothing is rendered live. Can anyone confirm whether the option to move objects by specific value or rotate by specific value was intentionally removed? I don't see any other new feature when clicking on the axis arrow or rotation widget. I'm forced to use the older version since the new one is less user-friendly. While the new options are welcome and appreciated, this particular removal is a UI/UX disaster for the workflow. This should have had more beta testing before being released.

[Kosta349998245g33]

Also, can anyone explain to me how does the new align and distribute tool work? Because if I click on any of the widgets it just deselects all or selects what ever was behind the widget. There is also no indication of any kind when you mouse-over any of the align and distribute widgets.

[Yasir777]

There is mention in new Guide just published on the 26th of July

on how to use the Align and Distribute tool, using gifs.

https://helpx.adobe.com/dimension/user-guide.html

[Kosta349998245g33]

Reinstalling Dimension fixed it. My align tool just wasn't working after update, knowing how it works wasn't the issue. Thank you for the link anyway. Still, don't understand why the option to move object by clicking on the axis widget arrow was removed.

[Yasir777]

I still dont understand about the removing the option to click on the axis arrow or angle widget and type in the value you want to move or rotate the object. Can you show a screenshot? I have not seen in it Dn 3.4.11.

I checked the guide, nothing about being able to move by typing your values on screen. only in properties under Transform

[Kosta349998245g33]

So, when you hover over the axis direction, rotation or size widget it fills with the color so you know what you are about to click, same as with the align tool. Now, when you drag it, ok it works the same as before, it moves, it scales and it rotates, but when you click it, it does nothing. Before, it would open a small window next to it where you enter the value that you want the object to move. For example, you have a cube, you make an instance of it, click on the arrow, type 10, enter, and it moves the cube +10 cm, if you type -10 it moves the cube -10 on that axis on which you clicked on the arrow, pretty simple, pretty intuitive right? Well, that option doesn't work in v4. Actually, if you click, it doesn't do anything. So my question is still the same, why was it removed? Another example why it's useful. Let's say you are editing one object's material and you multiply it, keep editing material, but between that you want to quickly and precisely move each object by a specific value, you would need to each time go to transform and enter new value manually, and before, you could just click on the arrow pointing to the direction you want to move the object and boom it's done.

[Yasir777]

That's sounds like a good feature. I looked up an older Dn guide (2022) and read and watched their video on transforming, there was no mention such a field to enter your values for the next move on canvas.  

can other users verify if this feature was available before?

[Kosta349998245g33]

Just roll back to v3 and here's how it looks like:

[JMathews]

It is not intended that clicking on widgets to type in values was removed.  I have filed a bug with the team to investigate that.

Raytracing can be toggled on and off in design mode in the upper-right corner of the viewport.  Dimension had a slightly different implementation where raytracing would also turn off while interacting with the viewport.  This has been removed as it is not currently supported with our rendering engines.

[Captivating_helperB833]

Decals quality are still teribble, they are the same terrible pixelated as in stager... When you will fix this, Adobe?

[Yasir777]

Can you post one of those decals? What file format and where did you create them.?

[Captivating_helperB833]

Just look. Decal file format - adobe PSD. ... :((((  Link to image download: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/752oh4opwsredmbbv5sil/Decal-quality.jpg?rlkey=q78ezgpxx6bbx87jkhu127b...

[Yasir777]

I see what you mean,

I see the jagged edges on the 4.02. I wonder what happens if you try a jpg and a PNG file, will you get the same results?

I'll have to try and see what happens when I import a psd graphic.

[Yasir777]

I just created a PNG, PSD and a Ai file with the same graphics and placed as a decal, I didn't see much difference in all 3..

I'll do more testing in the morning.  A question, what software did you create the psd file from?

[Captivating_helperB833]

The situation is as follows: initially I make labels in Indesign. Then I export them to PDF format. Then I open the PDF file in Illustrator. I copy it and paste it in Photoshop as a vector smart object. (this is very convenient because when needed I can change the label to another one in Illustrator and it updates both in the PSD file itself and in Dimensions) Then I save as a PSD file. Resolution ~ 2500-3000 px. In the end I put it on the bottle as a decal. In Dimensions 3.4.11 the label looks great, but in the new version 4.0.2 it looks terrible. By the way, Stager has the same bad result. Overall, this new version of Dimension looks exactly like STAGER to me, just with less functionality. The rendering engine looks the same to me now. Literally, the situation is such that I can only render normal-looking labels with the old version of Dimensions, even though I bought an additional STAGER license specifically for that... I am very, very disappointed in this situation... Well, isn't it possible to fix this problem?

Link to PSD file: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/w2szo4g09po1ikeiljtyr/Decal.psd?rlkey=qw394fsjn32ki8d8yz6n8t5or&dl=0

[Govind5CBC]

Hello JMathews,

Ever since I updated Adobe Dimension to the latest version, every time I save the file (Command+S), a new pop-up window appears to save it again. Please suggest a solution.

[JMathews]

Hi @Govind5CBC !  Can you please open Dimension, repeat the steps that are causing the issue, and then get your log file for us?  You can get the log in the menu Help > Get logs and email it to me jmathews@adobe.com or attach here.

[Govind5CBC]

I have added the log file, please check

[Govind5CBC]

Hi @JMathews , 
Any update on this?

[jack-prink]

With this morning update i can't open previous .DN files.

Is it normal?

Should i downgrade to the previous version?

Thanks for the reply

[JMathews]

Are you getting an error trying to open files? We will need more information.  Please get your file that isn't able to open, and your application log from the menu Help > Get logs item and email to me at jmathews@adobe.com