HOOPS Exchange Public Roadmap

Last Updated: Sep 3, 2024

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

1.1. RELEASE PLAN

The HOOPS Platform has been delivered during the last years as “Major”, “Service Pack” and “Update” releases with rules in terms of API continuity, license compatibility and content.

Starting with the first release in calendar year 2024, the HOOPS Platform will follow a 6-week release cadence, shipping any available content on the scheduled release dates over the year.

The name of each release will follow the pattern using the year, release number of the year and patch level.

For example, the first minor release of the calendar year 2024 will be named HOOPS 2024.1.0.

Note that:

• The major versions will indicate a breaking change (the next major release will be the 2025.1.0, targeted 2025 Jan. 14th)

• Minor releases might still contain breaking API changes (e.g. 2024.1.0), but this will be minimized as much as possible

• Patches (e.g. 2024.1.1) will only be bug fixes without API changes or new features. The “patches” releases will be produced only when required and might not even be the full HOOPS Suite.

1.2. RELEASE SCHEDULE

1.3. FORMAT UPDATES PLAN

Provisional plan – Subject to change

1.4. SHORT-TERM PROJECTS

Projects planned to be delivered within the next 4 months

• Standard tessellation improvements: Removal of T-junctions

• Support of Linux ARM architecture

• CREO Reader: Support of layers (at part and assembly levels)

• STEP Reader and Writer: Support of STEP AP242 Ed.2 & Ed.3

• JT Writer: Ability to export wireframe entities

• SOLIDWORKS Reader: Support of missing features

1.5. MID-TERM PROJECTS

Planned or on-going projects that might be delivered mid-term (up to12 months)

• IFC Reader: Support of IFC 4.3 schema (structure changes and partial support of new infrastructure classes)

• New format support: MicroStation DGN V7 & V8 Reader

  • DGN MicroStation is a CAD software platform developed by Bentley Systems and used in the architectural and engineering industries.

• glTF format: Support of DRACO compression for glTF Reader & Writer

• Hoops Exchange Python API

1.6. LONG-TERM PROJECTS

Longer term projects we are considering

• New format support: QIF Reader & Writer

• New format support: USD Reader & Writer

• New format support: IFC Export

  • This new export capability will help design applications in manufacturing, plant design, ship building spaces to share their data with BIM applications. For example, an assembly designed in a CAD software will be shared with a BIM application to federate models. The first version of the IFC Writer will support a subset of the IFC classes and will be delivered as a Beta version during the year 2024.

• 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.