Enhancements 

Oculus Quest

• File cover images in your Prospect for Oculus Quest library - Files that have been downloaded to your Quest will now appear with a cover image. The cover image will be one of the file's Viewpoint thumbnails (once generated). If no Viewpoint thumbnails are available, the first screenshot associated with the file will be used.
• Support ticket submission from Quest - If an error occurs, you'll now have the option to generate a support ticket from within Prospect on your Oculus Quest

• Prospect Desktop

  • IVZ and IVM export is now enabled for files in synced projects

Bug Fixes

• Prospect for Oculus Quest

  • Fixed an issue causing some users with long emails to be unable to log in

• Prospect Desktop

  • Made a handful of improvements to our syncing infrastructure to improve syncing stability
  • Fixed an issue causing the select multiple functionality to malfunction when selecting multiple files in a synced project
  • Viewpoint thumbnails are now supported in files in synced projects
  • Fixed a issue causing 360 Panorama images to have seams due to lighting differences
  • Fixed an issue causing the inability to Navigate in Prospect with a Windows Mixed Reality headset when certain drivers for the 3Dconnexion Spacemouse were also installed
  • Fixed an issue causing file upgrade issues when the Prospect version in which a file was created was 2.4.7 or earlier and the current installation was set up as an "All Users" install.

Known Issues

Custom ordering/selection of Viewpoints in PDL will not yet be reflected when the file is launched on the Oculus Quest and custom ordering will be overwritten when the file next syncs with Prospect Desktop

New Features

• Project-based file organization — We've released the ability to organize files into Projects for Pro, Pro Plus, and Team customers. All files imported prior to this release will be located in a folder called "Unsorted Files." From there, you can drag and drop your files into projects
• Oculus Quest support — Prospect for Oculus Quest is now available to Pro and Pro Plus customers. If/when you have an Oculus Quest, sign up here to receive an access code and learn more.
• Cloud-synced projects — To facilitate file delivery to standalone devices like the Oculus Quest, we've released the ability for Pro and Pro Plus customers to sync projects with the cloud. Once a project is synced it will be available on any device with which you log into Prospect.

Known Issues

• Desktop Library - IVZ/IVM export from synced files is not yet supported - Due to infrastructure changes necessary for syncing files across devices, IVZ and IVM export is not yet available for files in synced projects.

• Oculus Quest — Because the Oculus Quest is a standalone device and does not leverage the power of a PC it has limited processing power. Because of this, there are a handful of differences between the Prospect experience on Desktop vs. the Oculus Quest.

  • Large files may struggle — We'll continue to improve Prospect's performance on Quest, but the hardware itself will always be less powerful than a desktop VR solution. If you're working with files with large amounts of geometry and you're using a Quest, we recommend exporting smaller section box views to Prospect.
  • 360 Panorama capture is not yet supported — We'll be working to provide 360 panorama capture on Quest as soon as possible.
  • Quest Meetings are not yet supported — Look out for collaborative experiences coming to Quest along with other improvements to our Meetings system in the coming months.
  • Reports are not yet supported — We still have some work to do to make Report cloud and Quest compatible—look out for cross-device Reports support in the coming months.

v2.5.0

New Features

• Element-Level metadata for Navisworks files - Any newly exported file from Navisworks will now include all element-level metadata. To view this metadata in-VR, select any element with the Inspect Element tool. The metadata will be visible in your left-hand menu.
• More robust Team infrastructure - We've rolled out a more robust workstation solution to better support our Team plan
  • New Prospect installer - A new installer allows for easier installation of Prospect across all users on a machine and provides more nuanced control over the plugins that install alongside Prospect.
  • Login-free Prospect access for your team - If you have a Prospect Team plan, you'll now register your license to a machine with a Workstation Key (accessed through our new Account Management Portal). Once registered, your team will be able to access Prospect from any user on the machine without needing to log in.
  • Bring your brand into Prospect - As a Prospect Team subscriber, you will now be able to include your logo in the top right-hand corner of your Prospect workstation (uploaded via the Account Management Portal)
• Account Management Portal - We've launched an all-new account management portal to allow you to manage your IrisVR subscriptions, invite colleagues to your team's account, and control their access levels and license assignment.

Enhancements

• Section box support for Navisworks - Now, if you export a section box from Navisworks, we appropriately section geometry that intersects the section planes
• In-VR performance enhancements - We've made a handful of performance optimizations to the in-VR experience in Prospect including:
  • improved performance of our post-processing effects
  • redesigned loading screen with significantly faster load times
• Improved Revit 2019 materials support - We've added support for physically based materials introduced in Revit 2019. Additional details on how to ensure these are exported in our Revit integration article.
• Optionally teleport through glass and transparent surfaces - We've added a toggle in the in-VR settings menu to allow you to turn off the ability to teleport through glass and other transparent surfaces.

Bug Fixes

• Prospect Desktop Library

  • When added to a Report, Revit elements with long names were sometimes breaking the formatting in the right-hand menu in PDL.
  • PDL meeting participants list was not reliably and automatically updating as users joined
  • Custom meeting display names were not reflecting appropriately in the PDL meeting participants list
  • The select/deselect all UI was missing in the Viewpoints tab
  • Line breaks/formatting were not carrying over appropriately in the email generated from email link in Meeting creation flow
  • Improved error messaging when taking actions like attempting to import unsupported file types

• OBJ/FBX

  • Better handling of textures and materials that were previously displaying inaccurately in Prospect

• Rhino plugin

  • The geolocation of files exported from Rhino was sometimes exporting inaccurately
  • Textures that are turned off in Rhino will now not export to Prospect
  • Some textures from Rhino were appearing as solid black in Prospect

Known Issues

• When inspecting an element, the blue outline draws over the user's controllers when they are aligned with the outline

v2.4.8

Enhancements

• In V2.5, we've upgraded our installation process for improved stability and ease of future updates. This minor release bridges the auto-update process between the two installer types.

v2.4.7

Bug Fixes

• We fixed an issue with the new dynamic clipping plane that resulted in distant geometry being clipped from view after the first viewing.

v2.4.6

Bug Fixes

• We fixed a crash that occurred when double-clicking in Preview mode as the model finishes loading.
• We fixed an issue preventing the deletion of flagged elements in Revit files through the new PDL Notes feature when the Iris Viewer was closed.

v2.4.5

Bug Fixes

• We fixed a crash that occurred when switching to certain Viewpoints after they were reordered in the Prospect Desktop Library.

v2.4.4

Bug Fixes

• We resolved a crash that occurred at the start of certain Meeting files, when a saved state file attempted to read another state file that did not exist.

v2.4.3

Bug Fixes

• We fixed an issue that caused the Prospect plugin to not appear on some earlier versions of Rhino 6.

v2.4.2

Bug Fixes

• We fixed an issue that occasionally caused user's libraries to not display their experiences from previous versions. If you updated to 2.4.0 or 2.4.1 and you think any files are not appearing, please contact support@irisvr.com.
• We fixed an issue with mesh decimation that caused missing triangles in some files. We also implemented a toggle in Prospect's Settings panel to allow you to turn off mesh decimation before re-processing a file if you run into any issues.
• We fixed an issue in which sometimes files would not finish processing if Prospect was not already open before using an IrisVR plugin.
• We fixed an issue that resulted in billboard objects not reflecting time-of-day lighting changes.
• We reduced the frequency with which haptic feedback activates in Rift, Vive, and WindowsMR controllers.

v2.4.1

Bug Fixes

• We fixed an issue that prevented multiple guests from joining the same VR Meeting session.
• We fixed an issue that prevented guests from double clicking IVM and IVZ files to open them.
• We fixed an issue changing the screenshot folder location in Default Settings.
• We fixed an issue where in some large files, automatic images captured alongside flagged elements included a clipped skybox, causing a blue circle to appear behind the model's geometry.

v2.4

New Features

• Reports -Now, in any single-user experience or as the host of a meeting, you can add flagged elements and camera captures to an experience's Report, add notes to each entry simultaneously in the Library or after exiting VR, and export the Report as a PDF.
• Revit metadata at your fingertips -Using the Inspect Element tool, you can now access all relevant instance and type properties associated with your Revit families.

Enhancements

• Rhino 6 support -We've added support for Rhino 6 to our Rhino plugin. Grasshopper users should continue to download the plugin from Food for Rhino.
• New Prospect Desktop Library -While, at a glance, your desktop library will look largely the same, looks can be deceiving. We've completely overhauled it to:
  • significantly improve speed and performance, especially while viewing large datasets such as experiences with many viewpoints
  • support use of the library while the VR window is running and while files are processing
  • provide a visible queue for file processing
  • allow for importing of multiple SketchUp, OBJ, FBX, or IrisVR IVM and IVZ files at once
  • perform batch actions on files with common shift+select and ctrl+select interactions
• Navisworks Beta #2 -In addition to general stability and performance improvements, we've:
  • updated the plugin workflow to load the geometry shown in the active Navisworks viewport. This includes support for section planes and boxes.
  • added support for choosing which camera views export to VR via a selection window
• Frame rate improvements with mesh decimation -We're now optimizing elements with high mesh density in our pre-processing engine to improve framerate performance and stability in VR. You shouldn't notice any difference with how your files look, but the experience in them should be smoother than ever.
• Dynamic far clip plane calculation -If you've ever loaded a file into Prospect with a very large area, you may have noticed that we clipped the visible extents on the horizon as you moved about the experience. We've now implemented dynamic calculation of this clipping distance, so you'll always be able to see the furthest extents of your file while still enjoying high performance.
• Reduced Z-fighting in the menu in large files -We know that there was quite a bit of Z-fighting in the in-VR menu in very large files, so we made improvements to significantly reduce this.
• SketchUp, OBJ and FBX processing improvements -These files will now import faster and with a higher quality end result.

Bug Fixes

• We fixed a bug in which avatars' pointers in Meetings were sometimes cast at the wrong angle for other users
• We fixed a bug in which the sphere at the end of the laser when using the Section tool sometimes appeared offset from the laser
• We fixed a bug that, if the Section tool was active, would cause the section plane to move as the model was moved or rotated.
• We fixed an issue where SketchUp elements that were not properly grouped were ending up on many layers—any ungrouped elements will not only appear on the default layer.

Known Issues

• Elements that cross Navisworks sections will not be sectioned in Prospect. We are working to address this in a future release of the Navisworks plugin.

v2.3.1

Bug Fixes

• [Prospect Desktop Launcher] - Fixes an issue where in some instances, you could not launch files as a guest.
• [Prospect Desktop Launcher] - Fixes a rare crash when processing files where a vertex belongs to more than 255 triangles.
• [VR Window] - Fixes an issue where the axis could not be changed for FBX files.
• [Multiuser] - Resolves an issue where no-HMD users' names would sometimes not appear in the meeting panel.

v2.3

New Features

• [Prospect Desktop Launcher] - Navisworks, meet Prospect. With this release, we've included an all-new beta integration with Navisworks. After installing V2.3, you'll see an IrisVR Plugin appear in a new "IrisVR" tab in Navisworks. Click this button to bring your project over to Prospect.
• [VR Window] - Automatic door fade. Open door policy now in effect. Even if you import a model with the doors closed throughout, you can now simply aim your teleportation path at any appropriately named/categorized door, and the door will fade out, allowing you to navigate freely through it. In No-Headset mode, doors won't get in your way either—double click on any door to teleport through.
• [VR Window] - Hide Elements. Now you see it, now you don't. Enjoy more nuanced control over your model's visibility with the ability to hide individual elements via the Inspect Element menu. Select any element to hide or unhide it at will, or bring back all hidden elements with the "unhide all" button.
• [VR Window] - Meeting hosts. Take charge of your meetings. Meeting hosts now have more power to guide the conversation in a meeting with the ability to mute other meeting participants on an individual or group basis using the mic icons in the Meetings menu. Additionally, meeting hosts now have the sole ability to bring along all participants to a viewpoint or gather all users to their location.

Enhancements

• [VR Window] - Section cut line weight. Sections as you'd expect to see them. ****For improved legibility when sectioning your models in Scale Model Mode, you'll now see black caps and outlines on any geometry being sectioned.
• [VR Window] - Mute in meetings. Whether or not you're a host in a meeting, we've added the ability to mute yourself. Click the mic icon next to your name to turn your mic on and off.
• [VR Window] - Dynamic teleport cursor without a headset. We realized that it wasn't always evident in No-Headset Mode where you could teleport within a model, so we've added a contextual cursor to provide some clarity. Whether in Scale Model or Real-Scale Mode, you'll see a target appear with your mouse when you hover over any geometry to which you can teleport.
• [Prospect Desktop Launcher] - Faster file processing. We've made some very exciting improvements under the hood to how we process your files for VR. You should see newly imported files process faster and more reliably than ever.

Bug Fixes

• [VR Window] - We fixed an issue in which the section plane could unintentionally end up far above the model and/or out of view.
• [VR Window] - We fixed an issue in which actively selected elements that had already been flagged did not appear red while selected.

Known Issues

• Viewpoints in IVZs exported from older versions of Prospect will have Sun Settings of midnight on January 1st.
• Only the first 100 viewpoints will be shown in the desktop library to prevent performance issues. However, all viewpoints will be accessible in VR.

v2.2

New Features

• [VR Window] - Make model reviews and presentations more dynamic by creating new viewpoints in VR that include layer state, display settings, sun settings, and section position.
• [VR Window and Pro & Pro Plus Library] - Viewpoints are now easier to manage with automatically generated thumbnails for both existing viewpoints and those created in VR. After the file has been launched once, these thumbnails will appear in both the in-VR Viewpoints menu as well as in the Viewpoints list in the Library's right-hand panel.
• [VR Window] - Customize your preferences without leaving VR. We've redesigned the in-VR menu to include a dedicated settings panel, providing control over preferences including toggling your teleportation style, flight increment, comfort mode, and relaunching the tutorial.
• [VR Window] We've begun adding some subtle sound effects to the VR menu, to better indicate interactions taken with it. You can turn them off at any time from the in-VR Settings menu.

Enhancements

• [VR Window] - Contextual auto-exposure now mimics the way the human eye adjusts to transitions between differently lit environments such as going from bright exterior daylight to a dimmer interior.
• [VR Window and Pro & Pro Plus Library] - Your changes, exactly where you left them. Now, when you close an experience launched from your Library, your annotations, sun settings, model position, flagged elements, and sections state will persist to subsequent launches of that experience.
• [VR Window - Meetings] - In a similar vein, improvements to the server that powers Meetings now provide resilient persistence of changes made to the meeting experience (model position, sun settings, layer state, annotations, etc)
• [VR Window] - We noticed that sometimes interior spaces were being cast with light that felt a little bit too blue, so we decreased the saturation of the global reflection probe to reduce this effect while keeping exterior spaces feeling largely the same.
• [VR Window] - We've also made improvements to texture loading and material detection.
• [VR Window and Pro & Pro Plus Library] - Say hello to #4D9DE3. Prospect is now up to speed with our new, more refined, brand identity.

Bug Fixes

• [VR Window] - We fixed an issue where users on machines with drivers for unsupported input devices (such as the 3DConnexion SpaceMouse) caused No Headset Mode users to lose control of navigation.
• [VR Window] - We fixed some placement and display logic issues with controller tooltips for WindowsMR controllers.
• [VR Window] - We fixed an issue where circular Callout previews would not deactivate when teleportation was initiated causing temporary confusion as to whether or not the callout had been placed in error
• [VR Window] - We fixed a crash that occurred when loading files that contain 2x2 textures
• [VR Window] - We fixed an issue in which some SketchUp materials could be incorrectly shared between components
• [Prospect File Processor] - We fixed a crash in the file processing pipeline on machines without Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable installed

Known Issues

• [VR Window] - Autoexposure will not yet be reflected in 360 Panorama captures—this will be resolved in an upcoming release.

v2.1.2

New Features

• [Integrations] Revit 2019 support

v2.1.0

New Features

• [VR Window] Join Multiuser Meetings or single-user sessions without a headset with Desktop Mode—use either your keyboard and mouse or an Xbox controller to navigate.
• [VR Window] Weighted translation tool in Scale Model Mode allows you to easily move your model by holding your right-hand trigger and moving your hands
• [VR Window] Comfort Mode option reduces your field of view when scaled-up models in Scale Model Mode are in motion, making the experience more comfortable
• [VR Window] A readout of your model's scale appears on your right controller when you scale it up or down in Scale Model Mode
• [VR Window] Bounding box corners now appear around the edges of your model in Scale Model Mode while you interact with it
• [VR Window] Fly smoothly or incrementally up and down with HTC Vive in Real Scale Mode
• [VR Window] Ambient occlusion option improves graphics quality. It is turned on by default.
• [VR Window] A VR tutorial now guides users through the basics of the VR experience. The tutorial will play once but can be launched at any time by pressing 'F1'. It can also be set to play every time a file launches in the new Settings panel of the Prospect Desktop Library.
• [Prospect Desktop Launcher All Tiers] File associations for *.ivz and *.ivm to allows files to be double-clicked in the system file browser to launch directly in Prospect
• [Prospect Desktop Launcher All Tiers] A default Settings panel now allows preferences to be set across files.
• [Prospect Desktop Launcher All Tiers] Select between curved and straight teleportation via the Settings panel.
• [Prospect Desktop Launcher All Tiers] Select preferred increment for VR flying via the Settings panel.
• [Prospect Desktop Launcher All Tiers] Select whether tutorial will play on file launch in VR via Settings
• [Prospect Desktop Launcher All Tiers] Select whether Comfort Mode will on file launch in VR via Settings
• [Pro & Pro Plus Library] Select the folder for saving all screenshots taken in Prospect via Settings or on a per-file level in the File Settings panel. 'Documents/Prospect/Screenshots' will be set by default.
• [Pro & Pro Plus Library] A notification will now appear after a VR session is closed if screenshots have been taken with a link to take you where they are saved.
• [Prospect Desktop Library All Tiers] Added Proxy settings on Login view for users on networks which require Proxy settings. These affect both the Launcher and the Viewer.

Enhancements

• [VR Window] Scale models up and down using both the inside grip buttons while moving your controllers closer together or further apart
• [VR Window] Rotate models using both the inside grip buttons and rotating the controllers around one another
• [VR Window] Move your model by holding one or both of the middle-finger grip buttons and moving your hand(s)
• [VR Window] Updated teleportation keybinding allows for better multitasking and a more intuitive user experience. To initiate teleport at any time, push and hold your joystick/thumbpad forward, determine your desired destination with the new teleportation preview, and release.
• [VR Window] Curved teleportation path option allows for better control and optionality over your teleportation destination
• [VR Window] Labeled controller skins and additional controller tooltips provide for quick reference to keybindings for available tools
• [VR Window] Improved Oculus Touch controller connectivity with a dynamic check for controllers—now, even if the viewer is launched while Oculus controllers have gone to sleep they will instantiate in-VR once awake without restarting the VR Window.
• [VR Window] Optimizations to in-VR Shaders for improved frame rate
• [VR Window] Keyboard shortcuts for navigating between viewpoints are now "<" and ">" rather than the left and right arrow keys to allow for arrow keys to be used for navigation in No Headset Mode
• [Pro & Pro Plus Library] Synthesized modal flow when importing new files for a smoother workflow
• [Prospect Desktop Launcher All Tiers] Now set Z-fighting reduction preferences for all newly imported files via the Settings panel rather than per file on import
• [Prospect Desktop Launcher All Tiers] Improved performance of OBJ import, most OBJs now take seconds to import
• [Prospect Desktop Launcher All Tiers] Added ability to set up-axis when importing OBJ files
• [Prospect Desktop Launcher All Tiers] Improved texture compression, new experiences should be 10-40% smaller on disk
• [Pro & Pro Plus Library] Redesigned file settings panel to provide clearer, quicker access to the information and settings you're looking for
• [Pro & Pro Plus Library] "Date Added" is now a new option and the default in the date column of the file list.
• [Pro & Pro Plus Library] Screenshot names now include source file names to make it easier to sort screenshots taken in Prospect.
• [Pro & Pro Plus Library] More easily copy and paste your flagged element IDs back into Revit with a 1-click copy button in the Flagged Elements section of the File Settings panel.
• [Prospect Desktop Launcher All Tiers] Check UDP endpoints before joining a meeting to indicate firewall issues.
• [Prospect Desktop Launcher All Tiers] Add feedback if components aren't installed when they should be (plugins, file association, registry etc.)

Bug Fixes

• [Prospect Desktop Library All Tiers] Fix crash on installer when Revit is open (which was holding onto *.dll)
• [Prospect Desktop Library All Tiers] Fix crashes and other issues that would occur when dealing with non-ASCII characters in files, textures or Windows user names
• [Prospect Desktop Library All Tiers] Fix crash that could occur inconsistently when importing some files
• [VR Window] Remove mostly transparent box below menu for Basic users in gaze-based mode
• [VR Window] Address opaque textures with blanket transparencies not displaying properly
• [VR Window] Address persistence of Scale-Model related text in the left-hand menu after teleporting into a model
• [Viewer Launcher] Address mis-formatted display name text field for IVMs with long names
• [Revit] Fixed crash that could occur with decals placed on curved surfaces

Known Issues

• [Pro & Pro Plus Library] - Files added before the release of 2.1 will read "prior to [release date]" because Prospect was not previously saving the date the file was imported
• [Pro & Pro Plus Library] - When importing .IVZs and .IVMs into the Prospect library, an inactive "Cancel" button remains on the processing modal that is not functional
• [VR Window] - If Oculus Touch controllers are not connected when the VR experience is launched and then dynamically reconnect, tutorial launch with F1 is disabled
• [VR Window] - If you're using Windows MR and are in a multiuser session, tutorial launch with F1 is disabled
• [VR Window] - If you're using Windows MR, a tooltip indicating how to teleport is missing. Teleportation is achieved by either pushing the joystick forward or the front of the thumbpad down.

v2.0.1

Enhancements

• [All Launchers] - Added notification if Steam VR version is older than the required version
• [Viewer and Basic Launcher] Added pre-meeting checks to provide feedback on problems joining a meeting before entering VR
• [Viewer and Basic Launcher] Added the "Report Issue" modal to Viewer and Basic Launchers
• [Pro Plus Library] Added "Report Issue" button on the "Create Meeting" modal
• [Viewer Launcher] Made window size consistent with Basic Launcher
• [Report Issue] - Improvements to the options for clarity
• [Report Issue] - Added checkbox to request a support response after reporting an issue.
• [Report Issue] - Updated text for successful issue submission
• [Pro & Pro Plus Library] - Automatically scroll down to file after importing it into the Library
• [Pro & Pro Plus Library] - 'Create Meeting' modal shows files in the same order as in the Library
• [Pro & Pro Plus Library] - Improved readability of update screens

Bug Fixes

• [VR Window] - Section plane behaved differently depending on what mode a user was in when the section plane was moved
• [VR Window] - Fully transparent pixels showed specular highlights (you may have noticed this issue in textures used as foliage)
• [Basic Launcher] - Occasionally quick drag and dropped files were not recognized by launcher
• [Pro Plus Library] - Create Meeting modal window will scroll to file selected in the Library tab
• [Pro & Pro Plus Library] - Update modals for automatically processing IVZ and IVM files
• [Pro & Pro Plus Library] - When selecting a file for creating a meeting, the meetings tab behind it sometimes shuffled items around
• [Pro & Pro Plus Library] - Meetings list sometimes changed as you type in create meetings dialog
• [Pro & Pro Plus Library] - Empty meetings tab stuck on resized graphic after drag and drop of IVZ file to meetings
• [Pro & Pro Plus Library] - When a user dragged a non-IVM file into the Meetings tab and saved it, the file disappeared rather than automatically opening the Library tab
• [Pro & Pro Plus Library] - Library settings menu state incorrect when a file was selected after visiting the meetings tab
• [Pro & Pro Plus Library] - Inconsistent sorting in the Library

v2.0

New Features

• [VR Window] - Turn Glass Enhancement On and Off in Display Settings menu
• [VR Window] - Use the Eraser Tool in the Markups Menu to erase anyone's drawings or callouts
• [VR Window] - Drawings with the Brush Tool are automatically smoothed
• [VR Window] - Adjust the size and thickness of your callouts
• [VR Window] - See selected elements or annotations outlined with a custom glow effect
• [VR Window] - See the avatars and name-tags of other users in Multiuser Meetings
• [VR Window] - See the markups, sun settings, display settings, layers, flagged elements, model interactions sync across the network in Multiuser Meetings
• [VR Window] - See what users are online in the Participants menu in Multiuser Meetings
• [VR Window] - Use the 'Go To' button in the Participants menu in Multiuser Meetings
• [VR Window] - Use the 'Gather' button in the Participants menu in Multiuser Meetings
• [VR Window] - Use the 'Bring Along' toggle in the Viewpoints menu in Multiuser Meetings
• [VR Window] - Users that do not move for several seconds will be marked as Idle and turn grey in Multiuser Meetings
• [VR Window] - New outline visuals for elements selected with the inspector
• [Integrations] - Support for FBX 2018 and earlier models
• [Pro Library & Pro Plus Library] - Library & Meetings tabs added
• [Pro Library & Pro Plus Library] - File settings extended to include File Information, Display Settings, Measuring Tool Units, Viewpoint Transition Options & Participants (for Meetings only)
• [Pro Library & Pro Plus Library] - Can sort files by Name, Date Created, Times Viewed and File Size
• [Pro Plus Library] - Can create Meetings by exporting IVM files
• [Viewer Launcher] - Viewer to load IVZ and IVM files without an account
• [Pro Library & Pro Plus Library] - Can join Meetings
• [Basic Launcher] - Can join Meetings
• [Viewer Launcher] - Can join Meetings

Enhancements

• [Unity Viewer] - Longer Element Names supported in the Inspect Element Tool
• [Pro Library & Pro Plus Library] - Welcome screens updated
• [Pro Library & Pro Plus Library] - Screen can be resized
• [Pro Library & Pro Plus Library] - Import/Add File button updated
• [Pro Library & Pro Plus Library] - File rows UI updated
• [Pro Library & Pro Plus Library, Basic Launcher] - Plugin information modal window added
• [Pro Library & Pro Plus Library] - Simplified flow to add IVZs and IVMs to the Library
• [Pro Library & Pro Plus Library, Basic & Viewer Launcher] - File format icons updated
• [Basic Launcher] - UI updated
• [Meetings] - Multiuser Meetings now encrypt all network traffic

Bug Fixes

• [Integrations] Support for Dynamic Components in SketchUp

Known Issues

• [VR Window] - Measuring Tool is accurate within 1-2"
• [VR Window] - Selection outlines may not work on double-sided objects
• [VR Window] - Selection outlines will not appear when materials are turned off
• [VR Window] - Selection outlines may cause render sorting errors
• [Library] - Unable to use "Report Issues" from Viewer and Basic Library Tiers

v1.8.2

New Features

• [Viewer] Experimental support for Windows Mixed Reality via SteamVR

Bug Fixes

• [Viewer] Users can no longer see their own avatars in 360 captures
• [Viewer] Fixed issue where perpendicular measurement could fail for some geometry
• [Viewer] Fixed Vive controller Tooltip z-fighting issue in Scale Model Mode
• [Viewer] Fixed crash when clicking on measurement readout
• [Rhino] Fixed issue found in texture mapping of single surface breps

Multiuser beta update

• [Launcher] Fix rare scenario where request meeting id would cause Launcher to be restarted

v1.8.1

New Features

• [Viewer] Improved performance when viewing larger models
• [SketchUp] Support for SketchUp 2018 files

Bug Fixes

• [No HMD Mode] Links on the "No HMD" warning work correctly
• [Revit] Corrected handling of texture offsets
• [Launcher] Force minimum window size to prevent hidden Launch button
• [Launcher] Fix crash when uploading bug reports before running viewer
• [Viewer] Fixed crash when toggling off controllers via overlay menu on Vive

Multiuser Beta Updates

• [Viewer] Adding many annotations/callouts no longer causes a session to become unjoinable
• [Viewer] Receive a text warning when someone is about to relocate you using the 'Gather' you to their location
• [Viewer] Experience a fade to black and fade back to the scene when another user has relocated you using the 'Gather' tool or Viewpoints
• [Viewer] Avatars now have black headsets and controllers
• [Viewer] Avatars laser have become less opaque and will not be visible when pointing directly at your face
• [Viewer] Avatars will turn grey if they do not move for 5 seconds to indicate that they are idle or someone has taken the headset off
• [Viewer] The local user's avatar will now appear in screenshots that they take with the camera pointed at themselves
• [Viewer] Fixed issue where annotations would sometimes show up in Scale Model Mode
• [Viewer] You can now stop the automatic re connection process and continue in single user. You are then able to manually trigger a new re-connection process if you wish.

v1.8.0

New Features

• [Revit only] Export list of all the elements flagged during your design review in VR as a CSV file.
• [Viewer] View Element and Family Name using Inspect Element tool.
• [Viewer] Added access to a limited set of Prospect tools from the desktop window using a mouse. Includes Sun Settings, Display Settings, Layers, and Viewpoints.
• [Viewer] Added ability to toggle visibility and functionality of hand-based VR controllers (Vive, Oculus) from the desktop window.
• [Viewer] When you do not have a headset plugged in you are now able to minimize the warning
• [Licensing] Basic is now a paid tier and allows you to use Sun Settings, Display Settings, and Scale Model Tools.
• [Launcher] Added Report Issue to the help menu to make reporting bugs easier.
• [Launcher] Layout changes and UI improvements.

Bug Fixes

• [Rhino] View object and material names correctly using the Inspect Element tool
• [Grasshopper] View material names correctly using the Inspect Element tool
• [Launcher] Fixed text display issue when exporting IVZs.

 

v1.7.1

Bug Fixes

• [Viewer] Fixed crash when clicking on text in the measuring menu.
• [Viewer] Fixed crash that occurred with invalid SketchUp geolocation data.

v1.7.0

New Features

• [Launcher] UI Changes to simplify header in Pro.
• [Launcher] UI Changes to right panel which has a hierarchy to make way for future features.
• [Viewer] Added Element Inspector tool for analyzing and flagging design elements.
• [Viewer] Added "Projected" mode to brush tool to allow for drawing on surfaces.
• [Viewer] Added color picker to Annotations menu for changing the color of callouts and drawings.

Bug Fixes

• [Launcher] Fix auto-save button not working when importing *.ivz.
• [Launcher] Fix dropped view count on experiences.
• [Launcher] Fix issue that might have left deleted experiences on disk. This also checks at startup for them and removes them.
• [Launcher] Fix UI overflow issue when exporting *.ivz with long name.
• [Viewer] Transparent textures are no longer displayed when materials are turned off.
• [Integrations] Fix crash that occurred when access to standard Revit resources was restricted.
• [Integrations] Fix crash that occurred with specific mesh topology.
• [Integrations] Fix crash that occurred with invalid SketchUp embedded image.
• [Viewer] Fixed issue with time of day that occurred after teleporting into the model and then re-entering Dollhouse mode.
• [Viewer] Fixed issue where hidden layers would still appear in 360 panos.

v1.6.0

New Features

• [Integrations] Revit 2018 support is here.
• [Viewer] Measuring Tool has been added. This feature lets you check for accuracy/scale within model leads to better, more quantitative in-VR review sessions.
• [Viewer] Camera Viewfinder helps you take better, more detailed photos for more efficient design review.
• [Viewer] Camera tool now works in Scale Model Mode, allowing users to more comprehensively document their experiences, including sun/shadow studies.
• [Viewer] Updates to Sun Settings in Scale Model Mode now provide better sun/shadow studies.
• [Viewer] The table is now gone from Scale Model Mode and model will be 2x larger at launch.
• [Viewer] Teleportation scale figure will now be scaled to be human sized in relation to your scale model.
• [Viewer] Section tool now allows for snapping for true vertical and horizontal sections.
• [Viewer] We've added a feature to auto-detect glass surfaces and add some visual enhancements, glass will now look better and more realistic.
• [Viewer] Improved menu navigation and performance. 
• [Viewer] Improved performance for larger models.
• [Viewer] Improvements to teleportation now provide better visual feedback on which surfaces you can teleport to. We've also improved the logic to provide an overall better experience and easier entry to your model.
• [Launcher] Upgrade experiences in your Prospect Pro Project Library to take advantage of new and upcoming features.
• [Launcher] Grasshopper logos have officially been added to Prospect Pro and Prospect Basic.
• [Launcher] Error dialogue has been reformatted and simplified.
• [Launcher] Prospect Basic can now import and process .IVZ files.

Bug Fixes

• [Launcher] Fixed rare crash when detecting GPU.
• [Viewer] Fixed issue where controllers were appearing in pano captures on Vive.
• [Viewer] Fixed crash when loading 1x1 textures.
• [Viewer] Fixed usability issues when manipulating section plane and menu in Scale Model Mode.
• [Integrations] Fixed possible incorrect geometry for modified instances of Revit Families.
• [Integrations] Fixed possible incorrect appearance for SketchUp faces without materials.

v1.5.1

Bug Fixes

• [Viewer] Shadows are now properly sectioned while using the sectioning tool.

v1.5.0

New Features

• [Viewer] Users can now teleport to saved Viewpoints using the menu in both Scale Model Mode and Real Scale Mode.
• [Viewer] Added toggle that allows users to turn on/off all layers.
• [Viewer] Added "Reset Layers" button that resets the layers to the default state (as set in Launcher).
• [Viewer] Display Settings (outlines, materials) can now be toggled using the menu in both Scale Model Mode and Real Scale Mode.
• [Viewer] Added Layers tool to Scale Model Mode.
• [Viewer] Users can now take panorama / stereo captures from within the experience.
• [Viewer] Added slider to change brush size in Annotations tool.
• [Viewer] Added larger thumbnails in Snapshots menu.
• [Launcher] Added 'View License' and 'View Logs' menu items.
• [Launcher] Improve IrisVR service communication warning to log out and back in.
• [Launcher] Simplify Export to .ivz dialog.

Bug Fixes

• [Viewer] [Launcher] Fixed 'Open File Location' button on export to .ivz dialog which was not bringing the Explorer window to the front.
• [Launcher] Fixed timeout during .ivz export/import that some Win7 machines were affected by.
• [Launcher] Fixed possible crash after a successful upgrade when restarting Prospect (still possible for crash from 1.4.0 to 1.5.0, crash fixed for upgrade from 1.5.0 to future versions.)
• [Integrations] Improved visibility settings for nested layers in Rhino files.

v1.4.0

New Features

• [Viewer] Model can now be sectioned while in Scale Model Mode.
• [Viewer] Added controller labels (tooltips) for Scale Model Mode controls.
• [Integrations] Added support for Rhino worksessions.

Bug Fixes

• [Viewer] Improved teleportation and rotation for room-scale operation.
• [Integrations] Fixed issue where Rhino blocks were not assigned to the parent layers when belonging to a child layer.
• [Integrations] Fixed issue where Viewpoints coming from Rhino files were not aligned with the originating Named Views.
• [Integrations] Improved material processing for Rhino files.
• [Integrations] Fix a crash that could occur when processing OBJ files.

v1.3.1

Bug Fixes

• [Integrations] Fixed Rhino plugin which was missing dlls, resulting in Rhino plugin silently failing without providing feedback.
• [Viewer] Fixed geolocation parsing error resulting in experience being set at the wrong location and causing the sun position to appear incorrectly.

v1.3.0

New Features

• [Viewer] Model can now be moved, scaled, and rotated.
• [Viewer] Added movement and teleportation in Scale Model Mode.
• [Integrations] Added support for Revit decals.
• [Integrations] Performance improvements for processing of large models, particularly when "Apply Z-fighting Reduction" is turned off.
• [Basic Mode] "Apply Z-fighting Reduction" toggle added to leverage performance improvements when it is disabled.
• [Pro Library] Experiences can now be renamed. This affects the Library and metadata when exporting/importing *.ivz.

Bug Fixes

• [Pro Library] Fixed processing error when extracting large *.ivz too early (before metadata loaded from the file for validation.)
• [Viewer] Removed sky color contribution (blue tint) from ambient lighting. 
• [Integrations] Fixed case where objects modeled far from origin was creating a jittery VR experience
• [Integrations] Fixed case where breps, surfaces, and extrusions in layers with visibility set to off were skipped and were not available in VR.
• [Integrations] Fixed issue where layers in VR were shown in a different order than in the Rhino UI panel.
• [Integrations] Fixed case where Rhino layers that have no objects or only objects that are not supported by Prospect (such as curves or points, for instance) were shown in VR.

v1.2.0

New Features

• [Pro Library] Viewpoints can now be turned on and off, renamed, and reordered from the Library.
• [Pro Library] Enabling the “Apply Z-Fighting Reduction” toggle when importing files helps to fix flickering geometry due to overlapping surfaces by separating them slightly.
• [Pro Library] The Launcher will now remember the location you select for exporting IVZ files during a session and use it as the starting folder the next time you export.
• [Integrations] Revit perspective cameras will export as viewpoints into Prospect.
• [Viewer] Added the ability to preview scenes without a VR headset. A headset is required for the full experience.
• [Viewer] Graphics styles can now be applied in Scale Model Mode (M and O keys).
• [Viewer] Added buttons to scrollbar for improved navigation of Snapshots and Layers.
• [Viewer] Added buttons and time looping for improved control over Time of Day and Time of Year sliders.
• [Viewer] Increased increments of Time of Day slider from 1 to 10 minutes in order to improve usability.
• [Viewer] Added haptic feedback for Vive and Touch controllers.

Bug Fixes

• [Integrations] Fixed case where some objects were not exported in Rhino files with nested layers
• [Integrations] Fixed issue where Rhino files that had hidden geometry modeled far from visible objects was creating a jittery VR experience.
• [Integrations] Fixed case where degenerate meshes could crash Pipe.
• [Integrations] Fixed crash that could occur when importing SketchUp files on certain systems.
• [Integrations] Fixed "outline is an empty Outline" error that could prevent some Revit files from being exported.
• [Viewer] Fixed crash that could occur when viewing OBJ files containing non-ASCII text.
• [Viewer] Fixed case where shadows for closed geometry could display light leaks.
• [Viewer] Annotation menu now starts with pen tool off by default.
• [Pro Library] Fix hidden 'Launch' button which could happen if the window was resized to be too small
• [Pro Library] Force very long filenames to ellipsis to ensure columns are reasonable.

Known Issue

• Rhino BREPS and surfaces belonging to layers with visibility set to off do not get exported - meshes are supported.
• Prospect will not run if installed under a username containing non-ASCII characters.

 

v1.1.0

Bug Fixes

• [Launcher] Ignores case on file extensions which affected SketchUp and OBJ import and display
• [Integrations] Fixed case where SketchUp textures could be assigned incorrectly
• [Integrations] Fixed case where SketchUp components and groups could incorrectly share materials
• [Integrations] Fixed case where SketchUp geometry would use back face material instead of parent material
• [Integrations] Fixed case where textures applied to Rhino polysurfaces were mapped incorrectly
• [Integrations] Fixed display issues with Rhino files containing geometry far from the origin
• [Viewer] Scenes now match at eye-level with the original camera
• [Viewer] User can now teleport while annotations menu is open as long as the Pen tool and Callout tool aren't active

New Features

• [Integrations] Added support for SketchUp 2017 files
• [Viewer] Oculus Touch controllers are now supported
• [Viewer] Added capability to toggle white material override with 'M'
• [Viewer] Added capability to toggle edge display with 'O'
• [Viewer] Arrow keys can now cycle through scenes in Scale Model Mode
• [Launcher] Adds "Viewer is Running" Dialog that can be used to close the viewer.
• [Launcher] Disables import while viewing, processing, creating *.ivz.
• [Launcher] Enables ability to cancel processing.
• [Launcher] Improves Pipe/Processing error feedback.
• [Launcher] Adds Grasshopper extension support for front end. (Still requires separate Grasshopper plugin download).
• [Viewer] Time now defaults to 12:00 PM in the file's local time zone on June 21st, 2016
• [Viewer] Snapshots are now captured in higher quality
• [Viewer] Keyboard controls have been updated

Known Issues

• Prospect will not run if installed under a username containing non-ASCII characters

1.0.2

Bug Fixes

• [Viewer] Eliminated blue tint introduced in 1.0.0
• [Viewer] Corrected orientation for scenes

1.0.1

New Features

• [Launcher] Disables forced Prospect update - shows an update dialog instead during launch, also accessible from Menu -> Help -> 'Check for updates'

Bug Fixes

• [Launcher] Fixes misleading Duplicate Pipe Error dialog that was not an error that appeared in Basic Launcher
• [Launcher] Fixes potential crash when loading corrupt session data that would result in Library not loading

1.0.0

Known Issues

• [Integrations] Rhino models will produce graphical errors if not centered on origin (0,0,0)
• [Viewer] Removed scene markers in scale model mode
• [Viewer] Brightness control removed; incompatible with new environment lighting
• [Viewer] Vive GUI lacks hover state over menu items
• [Viewer] Screen capture tool saves images directly to desktop instead of a subfolder

New Features

• [Integrations] Rhino 5 x64 Support (accessed from within the Rhino toolbar)
• [Integrations] Improved Revit 2015 - 2017 support
• [Integrations] Oculus Remote Support
• [Launcher] Pro Library now available for saving IrisVR experiences
• [Launcher] Import IVZ files from the Pro Library with Metadata
• [Launcher] Auto-launch / Auto-save Toggles added
• [Launcher] Library displays VR session metadata including date saved, date last viewed, and view count
• [Launcher] New Installation Animation
• [Launcher] Improved error handling system
• [Launcher] Improved Prospect Basic layout
• [Engine] ~2x load times across all file formats
• [Engine] Significant improvements in frame rate, allowing larger files to be loaded.
• [Viewer] Materials of a certain transpareny will include a "glass" shader to improve realism
• [Viewer] Environment based color grading and lighting
• [Viewer] New Scale Model Mode environment
• [Viewer] Overhauled GUI icon design and layout
• [Viewer] Snapshots sorted in a scrollable list and saved at 1080p resolution
• [Viewer] Layer Management - Redesigned as a scrollable list
• [Viewer] Scenes - Cycle through scenes via Keyboard "Q" and "E"
• [Viewer] Improved loading experience before scale model mode is active
• [Viewer] Redesign Sun Position menu with date and time sliders
• [Viewer] Sun position based on geolocation from Sketchup, Revit, and Rhino fully supported
• [Viewer] HTC Vive - Menu system is always on
• [Viewer] HTC Vive - Annotation tool includes wand marker for precision
• [Viewer] Feature toggle between basic mode and pro mode

0.3.8

Known Issues

• Double sided faces are currently not being rendered in order to improve performance
• Choppy loading bar and judder during load.
• Some larger firms have experienced firewall issues that prevent login -- we have some more information on that here.
• Sketchup files that were originally converted from Rhino / ArchiCAD might not be fully scaled or appear smaller in Scale Model Mode.

New Features

• [Integration] Moves Revit addin from %ProgramData% which should only be used for multi-user installs (which is currently not supported for Prospect) to %AppData% (which is user specific). - NOTICE: All users on machine that want to use Prospect must upgrade in order to continue to use the Revit Prospect Addin.

Fixes

• [Integrations] If Prospect was not already running, user would have to launch from Revit twice in order for it to show up. Now it works regardless.

0.3.7

Known Issues

• Double sided faces are currently not being rendered in order to improve performance
• Choppy loading bar and judder during load.
• Some larger firms have experienced firewall issues that prevent login.
• Sketchup files that were originally converted from Rhino / ArchiCAD might not be fully scaled or appear smaller in Scale Model Mode.

New Features

• [Integrations] Revit 2017 Support
• [Navigation] Simplifies teleporting through Transparent objects
• [Auto-Update] Updates shortcut, registry, and plugins on Update
• [Integrations] Installs plugins every run to handle Revit installation after Prospect

0.3.6

Known Issues

• Double sided faces are currently not being rendered in order to improve performance
• Choppy loading bar and judder during load.
• Some larger firms have experienced firewall issues that prevent login.
• Sketchup files that were originally converted from Rhino / ArchiCAD might not be fully scaled or appear smaller in Scale Model Mode.

New Features

• [Integrations] Windows 7 Support
• [Interface] Adjustable interior lighting

0.3.5

Known Issues

• Double sided faces are currently not being rendered in order to improve performance
• Choppy loading bar and judder during load.
• Some larger firms have experienced firewall issues that prevent login.
• Sketchup files that were originally converted from Rhino / ArchiCAD might not be fully scaled or appear smaller in Scale Model Mode.

New Features

• [Interface] Adjustable interior lighting
• [Interface] Turn off / on real-time shadows to improve performance
• [Interface] Port UI from Oculus Rift support to HTC Vive
• [Interface] Brush tool in HTC Vive allows for 3D sketching
• [Integrations] OBJ Layer support for Grasshopper plugin
• [Integrations] "Scene Selection" - Import of Scenes and Cameras from Sketchup and Revit, respectively

Fixes

• [Integrations] OBJ Measurement dropdown was not working properly

0.3.4

Known Issues

• Double sided faces are currently not being rendered in order to improve performance
• Choppy loading bar and judder during load.
• Some larger firms have experienced firewall issues that prevent login.
• Sketchup files that were originally converted from Rhino / ArchiCAD might not be fully scaled or appear smaller in Scale Model Mode.
• Our new auto-update feature experiences issues with some firewalls and anti-virus software.

New Features

• [Integrations] HTC Vive Support
• [Graphics] Faster Auto-fixed Z-fighting
• [Graphics] Faster performance enhancements
• [Graphics] Turn off Shadows automatically when FPS is low 

Fixes

• [Graphics] Special Character support for Sketchup and Revit textures

0.3.3

Known Issues

• Currently incompatible with the HTC Vive.
• Choppy loading bar and judder during load.
• Some larger firms have experienced firewall issues that prevent login.
• Sketchup files that were originally converted from Rhino / ArchiCAD might not be fully scaled or appear smaller in Scale Model Mode.
• Our new auto-update feature experiences issues with some firewalls and anti-virus software.

New Features

• [Integrations] Improved Revit 2014 Support
• [Integrations] Improved support for Linked Revit files
• [Integrations] Improved .OBJ and .MTL support
• [Graphics] New and Improved Skybox system
• [Graphics] Shader enhancements
• [Launcher] Auto-update is now available

Fixes

• [Graphics] Overall better performance across the board with numerous memory optimizations and bug fixes related to Revit.
• [Plugin] Revit export fails with error "Unexpected nested element" occured while exporting from our Revit plugin
• [Plugin] "Empty path name is not legal" occured while exporting from our Revit plugin
• [Plugin] "Object reference not set to an instance of an object." occured while exporting from our Revit plugin

0.3.2

Known Issues

• Currently incompatible with the HTC Vive.
• Reversed faces will draw SSAO behind them, giving the effect of transparency. To disable this effect and resolve this error, tap "P" on the keyboard.
• Hidden Layers in SketchUp will affect bounding box size in Scale Model Mode.
• Hidden geometry in SketchUp will be visible in Prospect. To hide this geometry, put it on a hidden layer.
• Choppy loading bar and judder during load.
• “Scale Model Mode” teleport issues. Read More
• Some larger firms have experienced firewall issues that prevent login.

New Features

• [Integrations] Revit 2016 support
• [Integrations] SketchUp 2016 support
• [Integrations] .OBJ and .MTL support
• [Interface] GUI Overhaul, radial menu is now a toolbar
• [Interface] Annotations - draw, callout, and undo while in VR
• [Interface] Screen Capture - take a screenshot while in VR
• [Interface] Tutorial Scene now available in the Help Menu
• [Interface] Layer toggling from SketchUp and Revit

Fixes

• [Graphics] Texture saturation values are now more accurate to original bitmap.

0.2.4

Known Issues

• On some versions of Windows 7 and with certain network configurations, the IrisVR application does not open. Instead, a window opens with the text "NW.JS." We have not been able to reproduce this bug and if you encounter this problem, please email support at support@irisvr.com
• The teleport cursor in VR travels through some inverted faces.
• The teleport cursor in VR does not allow the user to teleport through transparent materials.
• Invisible layers in SketchUp generate invisible colliders in VR
• After the user selects a Revit model using the drag-and-drop interface, the VR experience is launched even if the user subsequently cancels 3D view selection
• In VR, it is impossible to scroll to the next page when selecting visible layers
• The dropbox is not selectable the first time the application is started automatically by the installer, although it is fully functional when launched by the user
• The system to detect input method - Xbox vs keyboard - and display the appropriate instructions is not functional. The instruction panel is stuck displaying the keyboard controls

Updates

• [Launcher] The screen that alerted some users of an expired trial period now allows registered users to access the application.
• [Launcher] Error logs are generated in the application folder.
• [Launcher] File names with UTF-8 characters are supported
• [Viewer] Support for Oculus Runtime 0.7.0.0-Beta
• [Viewer] 2D view appears fullscreen on the primary monitor while the user is in VR
• [Viewer] Fullscreen aspect ratio is no longer warped
• [Viewer] In-VR instructions include a new, clearer control diagram
• [Viewer] Dark background color and new loading screen are more comfortable in-VR than before
• [Viewer] If the file is not geo-located, lighting settings default to an arbitrary point on the equator to the west of the continent of Africa
• [Viewer] The user can exit from the VR experience by pressing ESC
• [Viewer] Holding shift allows the user to increase their walking speed
• [Viewer] Models scale more appropriately (to fit on the "dollhouse-mode" pedestal) than previously
• [Plugin] Icon image displayed properly in add-in toolbar
• [Plugin] After installing the application, the plugin is immediately accessible from within Revit and can be used without ever opening the drag-and-drop interface of the launcher
• [Plugin] Updated links, names, registry keys, and file paths prevent issues encountered by some users on some machines