Remaining points for v2.10

[howetuft]

Overview

This discussion aims at listing the remaining points for v2.10, as of 2025-03-14, and selecting the ones to address before effectively releasing v2.10.

Remaining points

• Feature to build debug version
• Action to publish wheels on Pypi
• TilePathOCL Cuda crash (Linux)
• TilePathCPU crash (Linux)
• RtPathOCL Cuda crash (Linux)

[CodeFHD]

BlendLuxCore tasks:

• Fix version correspondence between BlendLuxCore and pyluxcore for release versions
  --> see related discussion for remaining open items
• Export of Normals and Split Normals #972
  • Ask users to test when alpha is published
  • Re-check during further beta/RC phase
• Ensure all Nodes work (likely not all included in existing test scenes repository)
• Finish review of commit history since last version
• Systematically render existing test scenes again, compare against v2.6 (https://github.com/LuxCoreRender/LuxCoreTestScenes)
  • Render all scenes with v2.10.0 (rc.1 for BlendLuxCore)
  • Render selected scenes with v2.5 or v2.6
  • Write a summary of the differences (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1a65faNF1ZYcnm11T7IYD9J5rukE7ymsgS5aof4UvRcQ/edit?gid=34215594#gid=34215594 -> TestScenes tab)
  • Analyze if there are critical differences --> None critical compared with v2.6
• Fix critical bugs
  • Randomized tiling produces purple hue LuxCore#652
  • Instance Motion blur --> At least partial solution done for now
  • Material pointer node output
  • Unable to start render with multiple viewlayers #994
• Set up initial compatibility with Blender 4.4 (only major block to render at all)

Admin tasks:

• Update major wiki pages and/or GitHub Readmes, e.g. installation and compilation, explanation of new build system, GitHub-workflows.
  • Installation
• Prepare release notes
• Prepare some announcement posts to be placed on other Blender user groups
• Prepare homepage updates
• Open forum registration again

[CodeFHD]

As an additional comment on the process:
When we are about done, save perhaps some admin tasks, I suggest to first release a v2.10beta, announce it on our Discord as well as some other Blender communities, and give it about 2-3 weeks for initial feedback before deciding on the stable release.
What do you think?

[howetuft]

Hello,
Well, no, I don't agree with you:

1. postX sub-version for bug fixing actually does not comply to standard, see here: https://packaging.python.org/en/latest/discussions/versioning/. It was just a hack I used because alpha was already in use, but we should try to stick to the standard in the future.
2. I don't think it's a good idea to base our versioning on that of Blender. That would prevent us from creating intermediate versions if we wanted or needed to. What's more, LuxCore is not limited to its application in Blender. In particular, I intend to develop pyluxcore and finish integrating LuxCore with FreeCAD, for example!
3. wheels and BlendLuxCore are not the only objects we must version, as there are also the dependencies.

But the question of versioning is very relevant! That's why I started a dedicated discussion around that: https://github.com/orgs/LuxCoreRender/discussions/983

[CodeFHD]

Okay, the part about the post-releases I actually had in my mind like that, since you are doing this at the moment, so that is clearer.
The correspondence between BlendLuxCore and pyluxcore was rather a poorly chosen example.

I will follow up on the dedicated discussion where needed.

[howetuft]

A practical question: in the list above, do you tick the tasks when there are achieved or when they are still to be done?

[CodeFHD]

I ticked the ones that are done.
Did you do the opposite? (I had already noticed all your ticks had disappeared again.)

Maybe one that is not completely clear to serve as an example:
"Verify correct handling of custom normals as of Blender 4.1 " is ticked but the sub-action "Ask users to test when RC is published" is not.
In this case, I consider it okay to release the RC w.r.t. this item, but as a reminder to as users to pay closer attention to this.

[howetuft]

Yes, I did the opposite! This is just a matter of convention, from now I will follow your way.

[howetuft]

I shall also add the following:

• Write a wiki article about new Compiling process (include new version standard 'SemVer')
• Implement a github action to build samples (luxcoreui and luxcoreconsole).
• Clean remnants of previous build system: Azure workflow, sdk folder...
• Clean new code (remove dead code, apply linting etc.)
• Review PR backlog and close obsolete ones (those related to deps versions, for instance)
• Refactor Doxygen build in cmake chain (modularize duplicate code etc.)
• Refactor OpenCL preprocessing in cmake chain (should not be in config step)

I wonder: those points and a few above (wiki updating) are important but not critical. I think that, at the moment, we've got a functional, though improvable, version. Therefore, a question:

--> Shouldn't we release an alpha version now, while we get done with the non-critical points?
That would allow us to share our work with our most enthusiastic users, keep them involved and get some feedback...

[CodeFHD]

Agreed and okay on an alpha version.

You could start by releasing a pyluxcore version on PyPi, as that will have to be coded into BlendLuxCore according to the new scheme.

I currently have the __init__.py of BlendLuxCore open to adapt to the latest discussion on the development workflow, I'd finish that (shouldn't take long), and then publish when I have the version info from you.

[howetuft]

Right, I'll try to do that this evening when I'm home.

[howetuft]

For the record:
1.0.0-a1 released on 2025-03-24
1.0.0-a2 released on 2025-03-26

[EgertKanep]

I would like to add a list of things from user side of view.

Core

For Beta?

• Fixing the triplanar displacement orientation to match color(maybe blendluxcore thing) -Triplanar displacement wrong rotation #989

Full release

• Randomized tiling discoloration - Randomized tiling produces purple hue LuxCore#652

Blendluxcore

For Beta?

• Fixing pointer node, currently material output disappears.
• Motion blur for duplicated collections and linked objects - Motion Blur doesn't work on collections instances #805

Full release

• Viewlayer issue - Unable to start render with multiple viewlayers #994
• Support for geometry nodes material assignement - I will make a separate issue about Geometry Nodes on github
• Support for Volume objects - Volme object support in BlendLuxCore #995
• Geometry nodes attribute support - I will make a separate issue about Geometry Nodes on github
• Gometry nodes instancing workflow - I will make a separate issue about Geometry Nodes on github

Changes to nodes

These are enhancements, which I think can be a separate things from the main developing process, as these are mainly related to UI and just reimagining some node layout and perhaps introducing some new nodes.I dont think main developers should put too much effort into this, but rather validate the code and if it is good enough to be part of the main branch.

• Exposing the already existing normalmap node
• Unifying triplanar nodes under one triplanar node and to achieve bump/normal, user can add relevant node after triplanar node.
• Making a separate clamp node
• Simple color correct node with gain, gamma and lift.
• Exposing mask socket for additional nodes (hsv, colormath with all modes)
• Adding a toggle on displacement node, to offset scale*-0.5 to displace mesh equally on both normal directions. Or exposing Scale and Offset as input sockets
• Removing brightness and gamma from imagemaps. Replacing it with sRGB and Linaear/Data/Raw. Removing normalmap toggle from Imagemap, but for backward compability it is problematic.
• Exposing OpenColorIO settings in BlendLuxCore extension settings and a way to point to a ocio.config file. - Exposing OpenColorIO in Blendluxcore #993
• Object ID mask node.

My fear is, if there is a full release that is missing some of the newer workflows, especially regarding geometry nodes, new user experience might be rather disappointing.

[howetuft]

What "cool feature" do you think of?

[epileptrolytics]

I think v2.10 is ready for release as it is and does not need an additional promotional feature.
But as we are used to with Cycles and old LuxCore as well, simultaneously (at least not too much behind) with the release there could be a release in the "latest" branch with some interesting experimental stuff.
So that professional users get a reliable base provided while the adventurous croud can be involved testing new stuff at the same time.

I don't know what features from the list for the poll can be made ready shortly for experimental release (maybe there isn't?), the devs should decide.

[EgertKanep]

Browsing through the forum, there are some of cool features, that have never been exposed in BlendLuxcore yet. If the core has been updated and is in a good spot, perhaps we could focus on bringing the not exposed features to BlendLuxcore?

Currently user defined sampling - for advanced users
Bevel node - I think this is not documented and I am not sure, what is the state of this implementation, but as experimental feature, maybe?
Baking render mode - I am not sure how needed or popular this would be
Camera projection UV shape

The rest is more or less enhancement. For example node groups in material editor. Most of these and in my previous list are quality of life changes. Which I still think are quite important for everyday use. But also bugs that hinder the work, I think they would be higher priority.

[howetuft]

simultaneously (at least not too much behind) with the release there could be a release in the "latest" branch with some interesting experimental stuff.

Yes,that would make sense for me!

We could target to release (nearly) simultaneously:

v2.10.0 = current base + last build system refactorings (doxygen, opencl, development workflow) + @CodeFHD's bug list + required doc
Stable, dedicated to professional users.

v2.11.0-alpha1 = v2.10 + some impacting quick wins + some interesting experimental stuff
Experimental, intended for cutting-edge but bug-tolerant users.

Challenge being to select the scope of 2.11.0-alpha1:

• appealing enough for "adventurous" users
• restricted enough to be released in 1 to 3 months, I would say

[epileptrolytics]

perhaps we could focus on bringing the not exposed features to BlendLuxcore?

There are also BIDIRVMCPU and LIGHTCPU engines as candidates for experimental release.
LIGHTCPU cannot render specular surfaces currently but that could be enabled via DOF/camera aperture.

[CodeFHD]

@howetuft perhaps before we close this one (and lose sight of discussions), we should review and incorporate into any new v2.11 roadmap?