Hans, you're right, I just released the version 3.0 Beta 9 with new features that you requested. [;)]
As the following capture shows, there's two new check boxes in the Furniture modification dialog:



- When the Keep proportions check box is selected, width, depth and height are updated proportionally.
- A selected Part of base plan check box means that a piece of furniture will be considered as an item belonging to the base plan when locked and then won't be selectable (this new check box can't be unselected for doors and windows on purpose). This new option was discussed with Hans in this discussion.
This new option has an other side effect on locked plans too. From this version, all doors, windows and not movable furniture is considered to be part of the base plan (before only doors and windows were taken into account).
- I also improved color transparency rendering again for the 2 best qualities. Read my answer to db4tech below for more information.

@db4tech

The current factor is smaller than in the plug-in but I tried it at 100% with a light located in very large rooms and felt the value I finally chose was largely enough.. Remind that Sweet Home 3D isn't designed to draw stadiums...

Hmmm after doing some tests, still not bright enough at 100%. Actually it's funny that you make that second point, with you not knowing a feature I've already added to version 1.6.2!

Unless, you really have a very convincing proposal that would make me change my mind, I don't think I'll change it again (and it would oblige every beta tester to reset again their light power settings).

There has been no misunderstanding so far about that feature added to 1.6.1.

The advanced rendering plug-in is used by... advanced users, who generally don't mind some more difficult concepts.

I've been giving this some further thought, all other 3D applications (that I can think of) don't hide the lights place holder, when the lights aren't selected?

The other 3D applications like AOI or Blender don't target the same kind of audience, and don't offer a printing function, so it's not that much comparable.

All I ask is for a preference option to let a user choose, so they can make their own decision.

I'm going to think about it.

[...] To my eyes the original glass colour (as seen in 1.6.1 render) is the most accurate to real life so far, and fairly closely matches OpenGL 3D and DirectX previews. Obviously this will vary slightly for people viewing this thread on uncalibrated screens.

I had to change the way the transparency color was computed because the formula didn't take into account the transparency factor (SunFlow "absorbtion.color" is ignored when "absorbtion.distance" is equal to 0!). I changed it again and I hope this time it will satisfy everybody. Here are image tests I computed:

Sweet Home 3D OpenGL rendering


Advanced Rendering Plug-in 1.6 rendering


Sweet Home 3D v3.0 Beta 7 rendering


Sweet Home 3D v3.0 Beta 9 rendering


A detail under Beta 9 rendering


@whippetsleek

Also, maybe a choice whether or not the sun is on? Now that transparent textures are fixed, and with more outside foliage, the sun casting such strong shadows at night time makes for some unrealistic renders. But I can understand the reasoning you gave for having the sun on.

There's no sun light at night, so your problem must come from something else. [:(]


Finally, two questions:
- Does Matte should be spelled "Matt" or "Matte" in English?
- I really would like to add support for horizontal/vertical move of selected items + proportional resizing of the selected piece of furniture with the mouse. Most drawing software let the user perform this operation with the Shift key pressed, but in Sweet Home 3D the Shift key is reserved to temporarily toggle magnetism. [:(]
At this time, as version 3.0 will be a major version change, I wouldn't mind to introduce a little incompatibility in the mouse behavior compared to previous versions. My idea is to change the toggle magnetism short cut from the Shift key to Ctrl+Shift keys (or alt+Shift under Mac OS X), and use the Shift key for horizontal/vertical move + proportional resizing, instead of keeping the current Shift key and use Ctrl+Shift keys for the new behaviors.
What is your mind about this proposal (don't forget unadvanced users)?