Last Updated: 29 Feb 2024

This page provides you with some insights about the HOOPS Communicator roadmap. If you are interested in providing input or collaborating on any of the projects below, please contact HOOPS Communicator's Product Manager or Tech Soft 3D support.

RELEASE PLAN

HOOPS Communicator release schedule consists of a major release and two service packs per year.

Minor updates might be released in between according to needs:

• Fix regressions or high priority issues

• Deliver updated formats to reduce availability delays

RELEASE SCHEDULE

See the HOOPS Target General Availability Dates.

FORMAT UPDATES PLAN

Refer to the HOOPS Exchange Roadmap for Format Updates Plan.

SHORT-TERM PROJECTS

Projects planned to be delivered in the next 4 months

• Modular Framework

  • Release a version of HOOPS Communicator compatible with the ESM framework

MID-TERM PROJECTS

Planned or on-going projects that might be delivered mid-term (in one or two releases) – After 4 months / before 12 months

• Editing workflows

  • Cloud issue resolution workflow: provide tools and functionalities to build leading web applications for cloud based issue resolution

  • PLM workflow: provide tools and functionalities to build leading web applications that can create new assemblies and/or edit existing ones.

• Linux Arm support

• Support for Multiple Canvases and off-screen renderers

• Usability

  • Improved HOOPS Communicator Web Viewer API Reference: The Web Viewer’s API reference will be improved considerably, with all APIs documented sufficiently.

  • HC Web Viewer API Simplification: A refactor of the Web Viewer API will be done in order to improve stability and ease of use.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

Longer-term projects we are considering

• WebGPU

  • Investigate support for WebGPU

• Custom shaders

  • Investigate the introduction of Custom Shaders in HOOPS Communicator

• Add support for implicit modeling

  • The generative design market is pushing the boundaries of what can be manufactured. However, since they do not typically use standard BRep / single body mesh forms HOOPS Communicator cannot display these models efficiently. This project will be to investigate what changes would be required to make it easier for generative design applications to use HOOPS Communicator.

• Support of massive point clouds

  • As workflows in BIM & AEC continue to use large point cloud sets, Communicator needs to scale its support for massive sets. Some workflows include comparing large point cloud sets to the original data files to check that construction is as designed.

• Investigate adding custom shader support to HOOPS Communicator

  • Currently, Communicator does not support custom shaders. This project would aim to expose the ability to insert your own shaders into Communicator's web viewer.

• New format support: PLM/XML reader

  • PLM/XML format is an XML-based file format designed by Siemens PLM Software to facilitate interaction in product lifecycle management.

• Support and display of Mates

  • This project will focus on delivering support of the CATIA V5 mates to help applications in Manufacturing simulation, Robotic, Kinematics Analysis and more generate a kinematics model of the assembly.

  • Mates will be supported both semantically and graphically.

  • Note that the support of Mates for other formats might be considered in future release cycles.

• Improved support of HSF files

  • HSF files that contain drawings may not display correctly in HOOPS Communicator. This project aims to bring parity where possible between HOOPS Visualize and HOOPS Communicator for rendering.