Dan, I checked the issue and it's was related to some strange inconsistency in my preferences file.
It got the same window palette stored in saved_windows and saved_cont_windows. So I just edited it removing the saved_cont_windows information and everything is working fine now.

But, thinking about the use of multiple versions of Wings3D (mainly in this version transition) I think that use the old var to store the "undocked" destroy the layout used by a previous version. Users can become unsatisfied about that.

During these tests I noticed an usual error message displayed in the console:

terminate: {plugin,sel_groups} (wx_deleted)

=ERROR REPORT==== 14-Sep-2016::02:38:31 ===
    wx: error
    message: "{badarg,558} in wxGLCanvas:setCurrent/0"

I just docked the Image preview window and after try to zoom in/out I noticed the Geometry window was responding to mouse wheel button.

This crash was caused accidentally when I pressed S instead of D during the fix mesh operation on the AutoUV window.

• The selection mode must be in Face of Body for the AutoUV window.

Bellow is only the first error message and for each OK I hit in the Internal Erro dialog it was repeat - there was a different one in the middle of them.

Internal Error
Version: 2.0.4.56.g2bc85
Window: geom
Reason: {{badmatch,undefined},
         [{wings_draw,'-update_face_sel/2-lc$^0/1-0-',2,
                      [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_draw.erl"},
                       {line,488}]},
          {wings_draw,'-update_face_sel/2-fun-0-',3,
                      [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_draw.erl"},
                       {line,487}]},
          {wings_render,draw_sel,1,
                        [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_render.erl"},
                         {line,321}]},
          {wings_render,render_plain_rest,3,
                        [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_render.erl"},
                         {line,227}]},
          {wings_render,render_work_objects,3,
                        [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_render.erl"},
                         {line,113}]},
          {wings_render,render,1,
                        [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_render.erl"},
                         {line,52}]},
          {wings,'-redraw/2-fun-0-',2,
                 [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings.erl"},{line,271}]},
          {wx,batch,1,[{file,"wx.erl"},{line,180}]},
          {wings,handle_event_3,2,
                 [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings.erl"},{line,433}]},
          {wings_wm,handle_event,3,
                    [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},
                     {line,895}]},
          {wings_wm,send_event,2,
                    [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},
                     {line,862}]},
          {wings_wm,do_dispatch,2,
                    [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},
                     {line,767}]},
          {wings_wm,redraw_win,1,
                    [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},
                     {line,801}]},
          {lists,foreach,2,[{file,"lists.erl"},{line,1337}]},
          {wx,foreach,2,[{file,"wx.erl"},{line,193}]},
          {wings_wm,redraw_all,0,
                    [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},
                     {line,781}]},
          {wings,init,1,
                 [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings.erl"},{line,138}]}]}

Stack trace:
[{wx,batch,1,[{file,"wx.erl"},{line,182}]},
 {wings,handle_event_3,2,
        [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings.erl"},{line,433}]},
 {wings_wm,handle_event,3,
           [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},{line,895}]},
 {wings_wm,send_event,2,
           [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},{line,862}]},
 {wings_wm,do_dispatch,2,
           [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},{line,767}]},
 {wings_wm,redraw_win,1,
           [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},{line,801}]},
 {lists,foreach,2,[{file,"lists.erl"},{line,1337}]},
 {wx,foreach,2,[{file,"wx.erl"},{line,193}]},
 {wings_wm,redraw_all,0,
           [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},{line,781}]},
 {wings,init,1,[{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings.erl"},{line,138}]}]

Tested with wings 2.1.5:

1. Create a cube.
2. Select top face, and make it a HOLE
3. Select two opposite edges of hole, and collapse them.
4. You now have a prism with 5 faces.
5. Save File.

Crash:

$ ~/wings-2.1.5/wings
wings-2.1.5
Reading preferences from: /home/bram/.wings3d/preferences.txt
Using GPU shaders.
Internal Error
Version: 2.1.5
Window: geom
Reason: function_clause

Stack trace:
[{gb_trees,get_1,[-13,nil],[{file,"gb_trees.erl"},{line,243}]},
{wings_we,'-do_renumber/3-lc$^0/1-0-',2,[{file,"wings_we.erl"},{line,678}]},
{wings_we,do_renumber,3,[{file,"wings_we.erl"},{line,678}]},
{wings_we,renumber,3,[{file,"wings_we.erl"},{line,269}]},
{wings_ff_wings,renumber,5,[{file,"wings_ff_wings.erl"},{line,1309}]},
{wings_ff_wings,export,2,[{file,"wings_ff_wings.erl"},{line,1251}]},
{wings_file,save_now,2,[{file,"wings_file.erl"},{line,430}]},
{wings_develop,time_command,2,[{file,"wings_develop.erl"},{line,73}]},
{wings,raw_command,4,[{file,"wings.erl"},{line,621}]},
{wings_wm,handle_event,3,[{file,"wings_wm.erl"},{line,952}]},
{wings_wm,send_event,2,[{file,"wings_wm.erl"},{line,918}]},
{wings_wm,do_dispatch,2,[{file,[...]},{line,...}]},
{wings_wm,dispatch_event,1,[{file,...},{...}]},
{wings_wm,get_and_dispatch,0,[{...}|...]},
{wings,init,1,[...]}]

To make things worse, it not only crashes, but if you were working on a file foo.wings, that file will be deleted. You have to look for a wings~ backup file.

The options in the context menu for Selection Groups are not working as it used to be.
The options Union/Subtract/Intersect a present only for stored selections. It used to be available for current selection too. Sometimes Add to/Subtract from are also not shown.

That is forcing us to store an unnecessary selection just to execute this operation.

It happened After delete the only group and try to create a new one - just before the context menu be shown.

Version: 2.0.5.73.ga4d1
Window: "<Unknown Window Name>"
Reason: {{case_clause,undefined},
         [{wings_wm,dispatch_event,1,
                    [{file,"c:/Users/familjen/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},
                     {line,720}]},
          {wings_wm,get_and_dispatch,0,
                    [{file,"c:/Users/familjen/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},
                     {line,630}]},
          {wings,init,1,
                 [{file,"c:/Users/familjen/src/wings/src/wings.erl"},
                  {line,143}]}]}

The only window that seems to always get the focus is Geometry.
In a layout like bellow by moving the mouse from Geometry to any other window in an usual velocity of mouse movement almost the time we don't get the target window focused.

Also, the reason why I noticed that, it the window get the focus - like Outliner - the mouse wheel doesn't scroll the list as we could expect. If the window doesn't get the focus the mouse wheel changes the camera zoom. (not appreciated)

I noticed Wings3D is back in Launchpad, but it's a really old version. Is there any chance that this will be updated?

https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/wings3d

By testing the original dgud/wx-backend branch I noticed those icons on Geometry Graph are not working. I'm not sure when they stopped working.

After we fix the problem with layout, we have to fix the code for loading the layout saved in the subset.
The layout data is getting saved correctly, but it isn't loaded in run-time.
By leaving Wings3d and starting it again the layout is loaded correctly.

Always when a rendered image is automatically loaded the image preview window shows only a small white square (top-left) on window. It's needed to do some action on window in order to get it updated.
For the images loaded with File->Import Image... it happens occasionally.

It seems to be fixed if we add the line bellow after the line 73 in the wings_image_preview.erl code
wxWindow:refresh(Panel),

I have no idea how to prevent that.
Maybe we could just catch the exception and don't create the window. (?)

If disabling a render plugin two wrong things happen:

• the entire File->Render, File->Export and File->Export Selected menus are removed;
• the Edit->Preference plugins doesn't get the respective plugin option removed and by selecting one Wings3D has a hard crash

Some commands like extrude, bevel handles UV coords bad if present.

Requires that the tessellation code moved to plugins_src/accel.

Also wings_pick_drv should be re-written as a nif library?

This is refactor work so we can eventually go to OpenGL -3.0 (and core profile on Mac)

There is a problem with hotkeys. They seem to sometimes use the wrong state. Here is how to reproduce it:

• Start Wings from scratch.

• Press B to enter Body mode.

• Create a Cube.

• Create a Grid.

• Select the Cube by clicking on it.

• Select the Grid by clicking on it.

• Press Shift+Cmd+I (or Shift+Ctrl+I on a PC). Both objects will be deselected.

• Press Shift+Cmd+I again. Only the Cube will be selected.

It seems that sometimes when a hotkey is pressed, it will use a previous state record St instead of the latest.

To prove that the problem is not in the Select | Inverse command, repeat the instructions above, but execute the Inverse command using the command in the Select menu. In the last step, both objects will be selected.

That is in truth an old issue.
After we use the option Create Texture in AutoUV window - keeping the background as white colour - the model in the Geometry Window become transparent. User expect to get it White.

attached it a file for checking it. (just remove the txt after download :-) )
wx-uv_testing.wings.txt

Between windows (materials) worked in 1.5.4 and have been lost in 2.X branch.

Add drag 'n' drop of files after erl 19.2.

Should bring up a toolbox window instead of adding commands in menu.

The error happens after we close and reload Wings3d a couple of times. The window become more narrow each time until we get the crash

** Reason for termination == 
** {badarith,[{wings_palette,calc_size,4,
                             [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_palette.erl"},
                              {line,617}]},
              {wings_palette,resize,2,
                             [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_palette.erl"},
                              {line,486}]},
              {wings_palette,handle_info,2,
                             [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_palette.erl"},
                              {line,460}]},
              {wx_object,handle_msg,5,[{file,"wx_object.erl"},{line,432}]},
              {proc_lib,init_p_do_apply,3,
                        [{file,"proc_lib.erl"},{line,240}]}]}

=ERROR REPORT==== 3-Jun-2016::22:21:16 ===
** wx object server {local,wings_frame} terminating 
** Last message in was {'EXIT',<0.32.0>,
                        {badarith,
                         [{wings_palette,calc_size,4,

*In order to test, it's a good idea backup the Preferences.txt first.

That is an old problem that seems to be back.
To reproduce: In AutoUV, during Create Texture operation select one of the 3D shaders; Click in the color button and try to move the HUE slider.

After the changes made to wings_hotkey module due new UI changes, there is no general handler to process any call made by a plugin.

As a example of the problem take a look at the changes needed to make the feature enabled for Sculpt plugin (commit) - it was needed to add a specific code in wings_hotkey in order to make it available to Sculpt module.

I have experiencing some situations which the Geometry stops response to hotkeys - that include the space bar too when I noticed the problem.
In these cases I have noticed the Geom window's title isn't indicating it's focused, but other window.
At some point I noticed if I use TAB (used for change between controls) a couple of time I fall back to Geom window and it becomes to response the keys again.

I still couldn't find any steps that enable us to repeat the problem and figure out what is causing that.

By checking a bug reported I found the problem was related to the BOM marker that was causing the problem. Currently, the e3d_obj.erl read the file in binary mode.

I tried to make it process unicode files, but I was not able to make the call to io:read/2 works and I didn't find any good example on the net.

I tried to follow the orientations I found in Using Unicode in Erlang -> Unicode Data in Files

Add a image command that converts an image to a normal-map.

Should probably be added to wings_image.erl and a command in outliner.

Note there is code in wings_image that calls 'e3d_image:height2normal/3' but is seems Micheus code
works much better and should replace that.

Rewrite rendering to use shaders for both 'Two lights' and 'Scene Lights'.

Maybe shadows in 'Scene Lights' and adding ambient occlusion.

3D Text needs unicode support.

Something happened to the light icons on Outliner window. The are now that same small box used in the Geometry Graph window.

Note:

1. what about to have a light icon for every type of light? That could give us a visual feedback about the used lights.
2. I noticed the new icons used in the bluecube theme needs to be copied to the other folders (classic and purpletube) - they contains one of those we tried before.

Check if ?FUNCTION_NAME can be used to remove parse_transform?

I think that was already subject of an discussion (or email), anyway...
I believe the Alpha value for the Background color dialog called from Create Texture has being used in the inverse way.
By default that value is zero and the texture image get a translucent background. Also, by entering in the AutoUV editor later we get a black background.

I read the Alpha = zero with the meaning background totally opaque and one for totally translucent. Am I misunderstanding its meaning?

If that is the correct behaviour, then I think the default value should be one.
Do you have any thoughts about that?

It appears that collect_bmp was rewritten to use wx and now compiling for distribution requires an X display.

make[1]: Leaving directory '/home/jer/portage/media-gfx/wings-2.1/work/wings-2.1/e3d'
make: Leaving directory '/home/jer/portage/media-gfx/wings-2.1/work/wings-2.1/e3d'
make -j10 -C icons
make: Entering directory '/home/jer/portage/media-gfx/wings-2.1/work/wings-2.1/icons'
erlc -Werror +debug_info -o. collect_bmp.erl
erl  -noinput -run collect_bmp start . ./classic ../ebin/wings_icon_classic.bundle -s erlang halt
erl  -noinput -run collect_bmp start . ./bluecube ../ebin/wings_icon_bluecube.bundle -s erlang halt
erl  -noinput -run collect_bmp start . ./purpletube ../ebin/wings_icon_purpletube.bundle -s erlang halt
LoadingLoadingLoading06:59:33: Error: Unable to initialize GTK+, is DISPLAY set properly?
06:59:33: Error: Unable to initialize GTK+, is DISPLAY set properly?
06:59:33: Error: Unable to initialize GTK+, is DISPLAY set properly?
{"init terminating in do_boot",{{einval,"Could not initiate graphics"},[{wxe_server,start,1,[{file,"wxe_server.erl"},{line,65}]},{wx,new,1,[{file,"wx.erl"},{line,115}]},{collect_bmp,do_start,2,[{file,"collect_bmp.erl"},{line,28}]}{"init terminating in do_boot",{{einval,"Could not initiate graphics"},[{wxe_server,start,1,[{file,"wxe_server.erl"},{line,65}]},{wx,new,1,[{file,"wx.erl"},{line,115}]},{collect_bmp,do_start,2,[{file,"collect_bmp.erl"},{line,28}]},{init,start_em,1,[]},{init,do_boot,3,[]}]}}
init terminating in do_boot ()

Crash dump is being writte,n {to: eirnli_tc,rasstha.rdtu_mp...em,1,[]},{init,do_boot,3,[]}]}}
init terminating in do_boot ()

Crash dump is being written to: erl_crash.dump...{"init terminating in do_boot",{{einval,"Could not initiate graphics"},[{wxe_server,start,1,[{file,"wxe_server.erl"},{line,65}]},{wx,new,1,[{file,"wx.erl"},{line,115}]},{collect_bmp,do_start,2,[{file,"collect_bmp.erl"},{line,28}]},{init,start_em,1,[]},{init,do_boot,3,[]}]}}
init terminating in do_boot ()

Crash dump is being written to: erl_crash.dump...done
Makefile:47: recipe for target '../ebin/wings_icon_classic.bundle' failed
make: *** [../ebin/wings_icon_classic.bundle] Error 1
make: *** Waiting for unfinished jobs....

The (reused) vbo's are deleted after a call to amb occ.

When we toggle between One Light or Two Lights the menu item stays in One Light.

After enter in Sculpt mode the button on the top bar doesn't response correctly:

• The selection mode buttons can be all selected or deselected at once. After switch application and comeback to Wings3d the buttons are updated and only the Face one is active (but it still can be deactivated);
• The axis and grid buttons doesn't update the geometry screen instantly - it's necessary to move the camera or do any other action on the screen to get it updated;
• View or Shader button doesn't have any effect over the scene;
• Save, Load, Undo and Do don't have any action.

In truth, even in normal operation the selection buttons can be all deactivated. I believe at least the last one must be selected (down).

The combo key to activate the context menu also needs to be changed to be consistent with the change made to Tweak - it need to be activated by ALT+RMB instead of the old CTRL+LMB.

There is not problem saving to the root directory. The problem can be observed when using Import Image for which message says:
Failed to load "f:stone_wall.png": unknown POSIX error

and for loading wings file it says:
Read failed: no such file or directory

That was verified under Windows7.

I'm going to group some observations I have been doing during my use of Wings3D, so we can discuss about solutions, changes or do nothing. :-)

✅ a) By having some image viewers and/or AutoUV windows docked, if we start a new project they becomes invalids since the Outline is empty;
b) When there is a image viewer active/opened and the image is updated in the Outline that viewer isn't updated;
c) Folder visualisation in Geometry Graph has been getting some complains. I use it a little and I also think the old way (all together) seemed to be better to use. What about to use a TreeView control as the one for Outliner?
d) The layout isn't preserved if we decide to Maximise the main window and then restore it back. Maybe we should keep the current layout stored for use when Restore window be activated. Would this kind of event is available for all OS's?

By trying to load some preferences that should change the windows layout and size I noticed that the only thing that happens is only the color schema changing.
Restart Wings3D doesn't fix that too.

Dan, if you make the static void SetAutoPop (long msecs) available in Erlang we could allow users to disable it (as we were already asked) as well as set its delay time (as asked by Fonte Boa).

Please consider make this function available.

Just to not be lost in the time...

v2.1.5 broke the Input dialog / drag commands that hangs Wings3D; crashes it and slow down the system making necessary to reboot the PC sometimes. Really annoying, because most the times we invoke the dialog and if we just touch the mouse at this moment....

Would be nice to have in a modeler.

Yafaray and other plugins with large material boxes are slow.

Measure and see if we can optimize the dialog code.

Reported by tkbd:

While the Merge window is open, the mouse cursor will be to a clock.

He noticed that only in OSX, but it should happens in Windows too. Anyway, I'm changing the code and that should be fixed.

It used to be allowed before, but now we can edit elements name directly on the lists (like materials, objects, views,...) it became easy we enter in edit mode, clear and accept a blank/empty name.

Maybe we should prevent that directly in the dialog module?!

We just need to check or uncheck the Develop Menu and click in OK button to get the error.
The variable is still set since in a new access to the dialog it is in the correspondent value.

Internal Error
Version: 2.0.4.56.gc2db.dirty
Window: geom
Reason: undef

Stack trace:
[{wings_frame,set_title,[geom,"Geometry"],[]},
 {wings_wm,toplevel_title,2,
           [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},{line,1289}]},
 {wings,handle_event_3,2,
        [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings.erl"},{line,470}]},
 {wings_wm,handle_event,3,
           [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},{line,895}]},
 {wings_wm,send_event,2,
           [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},{line,862}]},
 {wings_wm,do_dispatch,2,
           [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},{line,767}]},
 {wings_wm,get_and_dispatch,0,
           [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},{line,619}]},
 {wings,init,1,[{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings.erl"},{line,138}]}]

I was working in other application (Wings3d in background) when I noticed the message bellow in the Erlang console. It happens during auto-save action, but I already got similar error when other dialog was about to be shown. I just cannot find a standard for this bug.

Internal Error
Version: 2.0.4.64.g0f10
Window: autosaver
Reason: {function_clause,
            [{wxDialog,new,
                 [undefined,-1,[],[{style,536877128}]],
                 [{file,"gen/wxDialog.erl"},{line,109}]},
             {wings_dialog,'-build_dialog/3-fun-0-',3,
                 [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_dialog.erl"},
                  {line,724}]},
             {wx,batch,1,[{file,"wx.erl"},{line,180}]},
             {wings_dialog,dialog_1,5,
                 [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_dialog.erl"},
                  {line,261}]},
             {wings_file,autosave_event,3,
                 [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_file.erl"},
                  {line,586}]},
             {wings_wm,handle_event,3,
                 [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},{line,907}]},
             {wings_wm,send_event,2,
                 [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},{line,883}]},
             {wings_wm,do_dispatch,2,
                 [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},{line,779}]},
             {wings_wm,get_and_dispatch,0,
                 [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},{line,631}]},
             {wings,init,1,
                 [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings.erl"},{line,138}]}]}

Stack trace:
[{wx,batch,1,[{file,"wx.erl"},{line,182}]},
 {wings_dialog,dialog_1,5,
               [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_dialog.erl"},
                {line,261}]},
 {wings_file,autosave_event,3,
             [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_file.erl"},{line,586}]},
 {wings_wm,handle_event,3,
           [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},{line,907}]},
 {wings_wm,send_event,2,
           [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},{line,883}]},
 {wings_wm,do_dispatch,2,
           [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},{line,779}]},
 {wings_wm,get_and_dispatch,0,
           [{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings_wm.erl"},{line,631}]},
 {wings,init,1,[{file,"f:/unixlike/src/wings/src/wings.erl"},{line,138}]}]

During actions like Absolute Command->Move we can manage the camera rotation and pan, but not zoom. It was working in 2.0.5. (I'm using the default Wings3d camera)

Seems to not export hard normals?
http://wings3d.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=2119

Still in the following files:
auv_snap
wpc_autouv
auv_texture

wings_image

I noticed the Add to group and Subtract from group operations are working with the wrong destination group - they are using the Index+1 - or considering the list index is zero based we need to decrease one to get the right destination group.

Not sure that is what Marcin was talking about on his post, but if we have a opened project with that uses UV mapping we can open the UV Editor window and dock it - no problem.
The crash can be reproduced by keeping it docked and creating a new project (File->New).