The new HighDesign R5.2 and HighDesign LT (2019.2) update offers improved performance and new software enhancements and tools to simplify your workflow.
In this update we focused on productivity, reliability and performance. Here’s everything you need to know about this update.
Ready for macOS Catalina and the latest Windows 10
HighDesign R5.2 is fully compatible with the latest macOS Catalina. This new OS from Apple introduced many internal changes that required an in-depth review and update of some functions of the software. If you’re running Catalina, or plan to upgrade your machine soon, we strongly recommend updating to HighDesign R5.2, especially if you are still using version 2017 or older.
Catalina also removed support for 32-bit software: that means that any version of HighDesign before 2016, i.e. 2015.x and the legacy 1.8.7, won’t run at all.
This new update also ensure compatibility with the latest Windows 10 v. 1903 and prepares for the new 1909. We improved the support for dark app mode on Windows, and disabled auto-exiting so that after closing the last window, the software does not exit but opens the Welcome window to let you continue working.
Enhanced Interoperability
The ability to correctly open and save DXF and DWG® files is critical when it comes to share your work with collaborators and contractors. For this reason, we’re always at work improving the translation of AutoCAD drawings to work in HighDesign. This update improves the conversion of 3D entities and extruded shapes from the 3D space to the 2D plane. This is an advanced feature in DWG, but chances are you have come across a 2D drawing that was actually exported from a 3D model. Improving this part of the DWG translator was also important in view of the future developments of HighDesign.
Also, HighDesign LT gains support for DWG in addition to DXF. Now you can import and export drawings from version R12 up to 2018. Since HighDesign LT does not have sheets, DXF/DWG compatibility is limited to Model Space entities. Layouts and any paper space entity will be ignored to keep the translation as smooth and accurate as possible.
New Tools and Enhancements
The Hatch tool now has a new method: “Apply Hatch at Click” lets you insert a hatch or texture in a closed shape, such as circles, polygons, rectangles, with a single click on its boundary or inside. What’s more, this method automatically identifies rooms enclosed by walls: simply click inside a room to insert the hatch inside its inner boundary.
Viewports can now be created by dragging a sheet from the Project Browser onto the current layout. Also new are the auto-alignment guides to ease the positioning of the new element and speed up the composition of the layout.
Speed Improvements
The overall performance was also improved: screen rendering is approximately 18% faster, and selecting, de-selecting and deleting objects is smoother. Snap to interesections now detects endpoints and vertices first, so that precision drawing is also faster.
Better UI
This update improves the light theme on both macOS and Windows by adjusting the background colors and enhancing the contrast between active and inactive buttons.
Floating palettes also automatically hide when a system window, like a Save dialog, is open.
The vertical spacing of the toolbars on the Project window was also adjusted to improve the usability of various toolbars and buttons.
Learn More about the R5.2 Update
To read more about the improvements offered in the HighDesign R5.2 update, check out this page on the Ilexsoft Help & Documentation Center. To download the update, visit the downloads page of the main Iexsoft website.
For more information about purchasing a new license, renewing your existing plan or upgrade from HighDesign 1.8, see the ILEXSOFT Store.
