News
 

AnyBody newsletter: Version 3.0 now available

September 25, 2007

In this issue:

  • Theme of version 3.0: Interface features
  • License key guidelines for existing customes
  • License keys for evaluation purposes 
  • New AnyBody model repository version 6.1
  • A few new features: AnyScript and modeling
  • A few new features: User Interface
  • Request for feedback


Theme of version 3.0: Interface features 

We are delighted that version 3.0 of the AnyBody Modeling System is now available for download from our website. Also if you have previously tried the free demo license for an earlier version you now have a new chance to try your luck with musculoskeletal modeling for 30 days for free.

The feedback we have received from existing users has made it evident that in general the users are very satisfied with the software: its capabilities of handling sophisticated, detailed models is quite unique.

However, it is also clear that keeping track of all these details during modeling requires effort and skills.

Therefore, the overall objective for the new software has been to deliver:

  1. a significant improvements of the AnyBody interface in terms of supporting the modeling process
  2. a platform for further improvement in the interface (GUI, scripting language etc)

License key guidelines for existing customers

Version 3.0 requires a new license key. You cannot use the one you might have for version 2.

We encourage existing customers of version 2 to try out the new version. Please download the new version and obtain a temporary evaluation license key via the procedure on our website. The evaluation license key is valid for 30 days. We will forward a new permanent license key by email to existing users who already paid for version 3 within a couple of days. Existing users who licensed version 2 but not version 3 will receive a quote for the upgrade.

License keys for evaluation purposes

We also encourage potential new users who downloaded version 2 to try out the new version. Please download the new version and obtain a temporary evaluation license key via the procedure on our website.The evaluation license key is valid for 30 days.

Model repository update: version 6.1

Version 3 includes several improvements and extensions to the AnyScript modeling language. It also checks more rigorously for potential errors in the models. The AnyBody Model Repository has been updated to reflect this. Thus, version 3.0 of the AnyBody Modeling System requires the new version 6.1 of the repository.

NEW FEATURES: AnyScript and modeling

Here are some of the new main AnyScript and modeling features:

Parameter and optimization study features
All Design Studies (parameter and optimization studies) have been equipped with Class Operations to save and load values of the design variables to and from files.

AnyDesignEvalStudy is a new design study which performs an analysis and subsequently updates design parameter values with associated design measures. This is useful to create analytically defined updates of model design parameters.

AnyParamStudy1D is a new parameter study which does a one dimensional parameter study with the option of defining all design points freely. This is useful for creating parameter variations corresponding to any curve through the design space or even for non-sequential design points, for instance design points defined by an external Design of Experiment (DOE).

Net moment measures about joints
AnyForceMomentMeasure2 is a new class for measuring forces. Compared to the existing AnyForceMomentMeasure the new class works more like a free body diagram setup where the contribution of selected forces acting on a segment or a collection of segments are summed up to a resulting force and moment. This new class makes net-moment measures about musculoskeletal joints easy even when the model contains muscles and closed loops.

Linear data filtering
New AnyScript function classes are now available for linear data filtering. The base of these classes is the AnyFunLinFilterBase class which uses a general set of filter coefficients. AnyFunButterworthFilter is a Butterworth filter extension to the general linear filter with a simpler interface. This enables users to import raw experimental data without prior filtering by external software.

Click here to view the example.

NEW FEATURES: User interface

Cameras and recorders


AnyBuddy sitting comfortably in RBM's Model 625 office chair. Click the image to watch the camera panning
RBM: www.rbmfurniture.com

Cameras are a branch of classes that specify view points in different manners.

AnyCamera is the base camera class. One of the derived classes, AnyCameraModelView, is specifically designed to be used in the Model View window but it can also appear in AnyScript model code making easy to transfer viewpoints between the Model View window and the model code. One of the associated facilities is perspective projection as shown in the picture above.

Recorders are objects of the new AnyCamRecorder class. They specify images to be recorded (exported to a file) from the model while running. In principle, the export is working much like the export function in the Model View, but with more options to specify when and what to draw.

Click here to view screenshots illustrating this.

Tree Views and window space
AnyBody users tend to run out of screen space, so the programmers have been optimizing the window layout. An important improvement here is a Tree View in Main Frame window. It replaces many of the functions of the tree views in the editor windows, such that the latter can be collapsed most of the time and free up a significant amount of space. Model Tree View icons have been improved to reveal more details about the underlying datatypes.

Global values and functions are now available in the Tree View tabs. The Model Tree right-click pop-up menu has been extended to provide object information and assistance for browsing the model. Some of these new features are so-called Class Operations which are operations associated with the AnyScript classes. This new interface between the AnyScript classes and the GUI will serve as the foundation for more new features in future releases.

Linking the Model Tree and the AnyScript model code
New features linking the Model Tree and AnyScript are now available.

A right-click pop-up function called "Locate in AnyScript" is available in the Model Tree. A right-click function called "Locate in tree" is available for selected objects identifiers in the AnyScript code.
Click here to view screenshots illustrating this.

Active links to locations in the code are available in information dialogues and in the Output window. Links are made clearly visible in HTML style.

The AnyBody Assistant
This new feature is a window that is aimed at assisting the user with various tasks. In version 3.0 the Assistant contains four tabs:

  1. Getting Started
    This tab assists novice users doing their first tasks in AnyBody.
  2. Recent *.any files
    This tab contains a complete list of the AnyScript files, which have recently been opened by the user. The files are listed in time sequence. This feature extends the functionality of the short list in the File menu.
  3. Recent project file
    This tab contains another recent files list. However, this list solely contains AnyScript Main files and workspace files (*.anyws files). These are the files you would typically need when you want to resume working on an existing project.
  4. Demo
    The Demo tab contains a list of demos that have been included with the AnyBody installation. Actually, the list of demos is empty when opened for the first time: it just includes a description on how to install the demos. The reason for this double-installation procedure is that demos are considered as user files: For instance, they can be modified by the user.

Click here to view screenshots illustrating this.


Naturally, there are numerous other improvements in version 3.0.
Please refer to the release notes for a complete list.

Request for feedback

We need your feedback! Don't hesitate to contact us if you discover a bug, have comments or questions.

- - - o o o - - -

Sincerely
The AnyBody Team.

As usual, if you have news, questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact us.


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