New printing capabilities, sheets, pages and a new way to export
This Beta update brings several new printing capabilities to the GearConnect v2 Beta: drawing pages with their own layers, sheets on the canvas, the new Drawing Settings and Export Settings panes, an Export Preview and multi-page PDF export. Gear Groups and Text Boxes have also been upgraded to be saved in the project database alongside gear and connections, and this update adds new port options along with a long list of improvements and fixes.
Drawing Pages
Your drawings can now be split across multiple pages. Pages are like viewports into your drawing: every project has a Main page that shows all of your layers, and you can add as many extra pages as you need, each showing only the layers you assign to it. For example, you could keep one page for lighting and another for audio, all within the same project.
A layer can appear on as many pages as you like, so you can mix and match. A switch shared between Audio and Video can live on your Network layer, and both your Audio and Video pages can include the Network layer alongside their own layers.
Pages appear as tabs along the bottom of the canvas. Click the add button to create a new page, and right-click any page to choose its layers, rename it, move it left or right, or delete it. Choosing layers opens the new Page Layers dialog, where you click a layer to add it to or remove it from the page, or create a New Layer directly. Deleting a page never deletes its layers or anything in your drawing so you are free to reorganize your pages without losing any content.
The rest of the Draw Page follows the current page you are on. The layer dropdown in the Draw Toolbar only lists the layers on the current page, a new layer created on a custom page is added to that page, and your selected layer is remembered for each page (no longer a global remembered setting). Zoom to Fit, the Mini Map and selection all follow the current page, and jumping to an item that is not on the current page switches to the first page that shows it. Pages also appear in the URL, just like reports, so you can bookmark a specific page and come straight back to it.
Creating and editing additional pages is a Pro feature.
Sheets and Drawing Settings
Sheets are the pieces of paper laid out on a page. They are drawn right on the canvas so you can easily preview what the the final export will look like, and they add and remove themselves as you move items around.
The new Drawing Settings pane controls the sheets for the current page. Choose Landscape or Portrait, pick a Sheet Size that matches your real paper (or choose Custom and enter your own width and height in millimetres), and set the Scale to fit more or less of your drawing on each sheet. Show Sheets turns the sheet outlines on or off on the canvas for easy reference. The pane also holds shortcuts to common drawing settings: Corner Style, Show Grid, Grid Size and Grid Type.
Every page can follow the Main page's sheet settings or use its own. Click Using Main Settings to switch a page to Using Page Settings, and click it again to go back to following Main. This lets you keep every page consistent, or print different pages to different paper sizes to fit your needs.
Changing sheet settings is a Pro feature.
Export Settings and Export Preview
The new Export Settings pane holds everything about how your drawing is exported, without changing your project or drawing itself:
Format: PDF, JPG, PNG or SVG. PDF is new and replaces the old Print export. Like SVG it is drawn as vectors, so it stays sharp at any size.
Resolution: how sharp a JPG or PNG export is, from 72 up to 600 DPI. Larger values produce higher quality but bigger files, and some browsers have limits on the maximum resolution they support.
Scope: export Everything, or Selection Only to export just a subset of your drawing.
Pages: export the Current Page, or All Pages at once. A PDF puts every sheet into one multi-page PDF, while the other formats download a zip file with a separate file for each page and sheet.
Layout: Fit to Drawing sizes the export around your whole drawing, Fit to One Sheet scales the drawing to fit on a single sheet, and One per Sheet exports every sheet at the page's Scale, exactly as you see it on the canvas.
Margin (mm): clear space around the edge of the export to account for printer margins.
The Style rows let you override how parts of the drawing looks without affecting your project in the app. For example, you can work in dark mode with rounded corners but export in light mode and boxed corners. You can also set a different appearance (for example Draft Appearance) and remove gradients with the flat design option.
Click Preview to open the new Export Preview. It shows every page and sheet your export will produce, which you can scroll through with your mouse wheel or arrow keys. You can change the export settings in the preview to see how it will affect the final export. Click Export when you are happy with it.
The Draw Page comes with a new Print layout slot that opens both new panes, and All Closed has moved to slot four. Drawing Settings and Export Settings have been added to all the regular pane places, and like other panes can be mixed and matched freely.
If you have customized your Draw Page layouts, choose View > Reset Layout on the Draw Page to pull in the new Print layout. Resetting removes your saved layouts for the Draw Page.
Changing export settings is a Pro feature. Starter users can still export, but are limited to the default settings for PDF and JPG as before.
Quick Export
The existing export and print options are now quick exports. Drawing (PDF), Drawing (JPG), Drawing (PNG) and Drawing (SVG) in the File menu export the current page in one click using a fixed set of default settings, and never change your saved Export Settings. Drawing (PDF) is new to the menu, and the Print button in the Draw Toolbar has been replaced with Export to PDF. Print in the File menu is now Print Report and is used for reports only. To print your drawing, export a PDF with Layout set to Fit to One Sheet or One per Sheet to ensure it matches the intended page layout.
Gear Groups and Text Boxes Upgrade
Gear Groups and Text Boxes are now saved to the project database, just like gear and connections, instead of only living in the drawing data-less. Their labels, colours, locks, sizing and text box opacity now sync with the rest of your project like everything else and means the entire drawing is now powered by the same sync and database engine that drives the rest of your project.
In practical terms, this means Gear Groups and Text Boxes now support layers. You can move them to another layer with Edit Layer, show or hide them, have them follow their layer's colour, and most importantly, allows you to move them between pages. Gear and connections also now keep track of which Gear Group they belong to, so that information can appear in Item Properties and in your reports. This also paves the way for future expansion into re-usable collections of gear within a group.
New Port Options
New Connectors
SMA
RP-SMA
Locking DC 2-Pin
Locking DC 3-Pin
Locking DC 4-Pin
Aviation 3-Pin
Molex Micro-Fit 3.0 4-Pin
SMA and RP-SMA join BNC, F Type and N Type in the Coax group. Molex Micro-Fit 3.0 4-Pin is in the Power group with its own default colour.
To keep the connector selector easier to browse, we have also added two new groups. The new DC Power group, after CEE, holds DC Barrel and the three new Locking DC connectors, so DC Barrel has moved out of the Power group. The new Aviation group, after DIN, holds Aviation 3-Pin along with the existing Aviation 4-Pin, which has moved there from Other.
New Signal Types
Nexus (Audio)
X-Talk (Networking)
Connector Compatibility
These connectors can now connect directly to Schuko, BS 1363 and NEMA 5-15, the same as DC Barrel. The external power supply is treated as the cable, so a device powered this way connects straight to the outlet feeding it without needing an adapter.
Locking DC 2-Pin
Locking DC 3-Pin
Locking DC 4-Pin
Molex Micro-Fit 3.0 4-Pin
These connectors can now all connect to one another using an adapter. Previously F Type and N Type could only connect to Generic ports.
BNC
F Type
N Type
SMA
RP-SMA
Default Library Updates
7thSense Design Ltd
Showmaster LE
Advantech
ADAM-6066
EKI-7716G-4F4CI-AE
APC
SMX1500RMI2UNC
SMX3000RMHV2UNC
SRT6KRMXLI-6W
SRV6KRILRK
Apple
iPad (A16)
ATEN
PE6108G
PE6216G
PE8216G
PE8324G
Ayrton
Diablo
Zonda 3 Wash
Beadlight
Racklight
Blackmagic Design
Camera Converter
Multiview 16
Studio Camera HD
Talkback Converter 4k
Digital Audio Labs
DA-8
Pro Solo
Pro-16
Eaton
9E1000IR
9E2000IR
9E3000IR
9SX1500IR
Elation Lighting
Aria X2 IPC
Aria X2 IPC Bridge
SIXBAR 1000
Enjoy Tech
Event Light System
HHP Base Station
Web Server
ENTTEC
S-PLAY LITE
S-PLAY MINI
S-Play SP-1
Estap
M449ALC
ETC
ColorSource Spot
F-DriveRX
FD-RX-RPSU-56/1800
FD-RX-RPSU-56/2800
Source Four Mini LED Canopy 120 V
Source Four Mini LED Canopy 230 V
Source Four Mini LED F-Drive Canopy
Source Four Mini LED F-Drive Portable
Source Four Mini LED Portable 120 V
Source Four Mini LED Portable EU
Source Four Mini LED Portable UK
EZCOO
EZ-SP12H2
EZ-SP12HAS
EZ-SP12HAS-PRO
Flanders Scientific
XMP270
GearConnect
NL4 to NL8
Hokuyo
UST-20LX
inoage GmbH
LUNA 8
Inveo
Nano Digital Input
Nano Digital Input PoE
IPORT
CONNECT PoE+ Adapter
CONNECT PoE+ Network Adapter
JBL
1300Z
140Z
Kling & Freitag
CA 1001 - SP
CA 1201 - SP
CA 1215-6 - SP
CA 1215-9 - SP
CA 1515-6 - SP
CA 1515-9 - SP
L-Acoustics
LA1.16i
LA7.16i
Lab Gruppen
LMX 48
LMX 88
Lawo
A__stage 48
A__stage 64
A__stage 80
Linea Research
44C06
Look Solutions
Unique 2.1
Mean Well
HDR-60-24
HDR-60-48
MINISFORUM
MS-01
Netgear
M4350-16C
Obsidian Control Systems
DA2410V
EN6 IP
EN6D
EP1D
NS8
NS8 IP
RDM 6XL
RDM6 IP
RP2
Powersoft
Mezzo 604 AD
Quattrocanali 4804 DSP+D
T604
QSC
Core 8 Flex
RME
Digiface Dante
Fireface 802 FS
MADIface XT II
Robert Juliat
Dalis 860
Samsung
Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra
Schneider Electric
A9C20732
RM22TG20
SDAPO
GPD2CBT-20V
TP-Link
LS1210GP
TL-POE10R
Uniguest
UGC70
VIOSO
CK_FDN-4
CK_W76-4
Visual Productions BV
CueCore
Improvements
The Layer Manager now shows how many items are on each layer and which pages each layer is on, and you can change a layer's pages right from the Layer Manager.
You can now change a layer's colour even when some of the items on that layer are locked. Locked items that follow their layer colour update to the new colour, where previously the change was not allowed.
Connections have a new Show Label and Hide Label option that replaces Add Label and Remove Label, so it is always clear whether a connection's label is shown or hidden. The option is disabled while a Connection Tag is active.
Item Properties now shows the Type of the selected item, and a new Info section shows which Gear Group a gear or connection belongs to.
Gear Groups now appear in reports, with a new Gear Group column for gear and connection reports that you can also pick in Group by to group your report by Gear Group.
Gear Groups without a label are now numbered (Gear Group 1, Gear Group 2 and so on), so you can tell them apart more easily in reports, menus and the Undo Stack.
Improved how gear is automatically added to gear groups, for more predictable behaviour.
Drawing a new connection between two gear in the same Gear Group now adds the connection to that Gear Group straight away, instead of waiting for the next move.
Undo and redo now let you know when the change they apply is on a page you are not currently viewing, or on a hidden layer.
Project, report and page codes in the URL are now always upper case, for consistency and easier reading.
Pro feature labels have been shortened from "(Pro feature)" to "(Pro)".
The use of "NA" and "-" is now consistent across reports, menus and options. NA means a value cannot be set, while "-" means there is no value yet but one can be set. In reports, cells with no value are left empty instead.
Generic connectors now show as Generic instead of NA. For example, a connection that used to read NA to RJ45 now reads Generic to RJ45.
Help dialogs are now taller to fit more content, and additional help dialogs were added for Drawing Settings and Export Settings to help explain the workflow and options.
Reduced the colour on some additional buttons, in line with the rest of the v2 design.
Editing a setting from Item Settings now saves it to your project database before updating the drawing, for the few settings that did not already work this way. This prevents rare cases where your project data could get out of sync with the items in your drawing.
Local Mode now lets you edit the safe settings of locked gear, such as its Gear Group, just like you can with Local Mode turned off. This allows gear to be added and removed from Gear Groups, even when locked.
Improved sync performance for project settings that did not change between syncs.
Importing a project no longer saves it part way through the import.
Improved how project data is cleaned up when a network failure interrupts a save or sync.
Further hardening to make sure a project is never synced while it is still opening.
Added extra server side protection against connections being assigned a layer from a different project.
Connections now keep their own layer when the gear they connect to moves to a different layer instead of following the gear's layer.
Added extra server side validation to some project settings so values outside the ranges the app allows can no longer be saved.
Input limits in the app now match the server exactly, so values the server would reject, such as an out of range grid size or cable inventory quantity, can no longer be entered.
Bug Fixes
Fixed projects imported while offline not always being imported as a new project. Since there is no server to check against while offline, an offline import now always creates a new project.
Fixed a validation error that could appear when deleting items that had already been deleted from the server while Local Mode was turned off.
Fixed changing the layer of locked gear that follows its layer colour not updating the gear correctly.
Fixed changing a layer colour not updating every item that uses that colour on the server.
Fixed selection exports not including the expansion card groupings in gear.
Fixed the corner radius on some pop ups not matching the new v2 style.
Fixed undoing a layer visibility change not showing the hidden gear in the drawing again.
Fixed typos in Undo Stack entries.
Fixed rare cases where a Project Settings could fail to update and then show the wrong value.
Fixed Gear Groups snapping back to auto size and fighting with you after the first resize.
Fixed clicking to select an item sometimes moving it slightly by mistake.
Fixed cases where expansion card groups could be duplicated or detached from their gear during certain undo and redo operations.
Fixed alignment issues with icons and text in buttons.
Fixed the Selection Toolbar staying visible on top of dialogs and other menus.
Fixed being able to create layers from the Draw Toolbar while the project was locked or in read only mode. The server already rejected these layers when syncing.
Fixed rare cases where generating cables in the Cable Inventory Manager failed to assign some connections because there was not enough stock. Stock is now raised before cables are assigned.
Fixed connections with no assigned cable showing a red 0 for cable inventory remaining.
Fixed text spacing issues in the Report Toolbar on small screens.
Fixed connections drawn in bulk sitting behind the Gear Group they were drawn on top of until the next save.
Fixed clipping issues in help dialogs.
Fixed the drawing not unlocking for editing when going straight back to a project right after reactivating a Team subscription.
Fixed a sync failing when two connections swapped ports with each other in the same sync.
Fixed changes to Project Settings, preferences or reports made while a sync was running sometimes never being saved to the server.
This release adds seven new connectors, two new signal types and two new connector groups, along with wider adapter compatibility for RF coax connectors and new direct outlet connections for DC powered gear.
New Port Options
New Connectors
SMA
RP-SMA
Locking DC 2-Pin
Locking DC 3-Pin
Locking DC 4-Pin
Aviation 3-Pin
Molex Micro-Fit 3.0 4-Pin
SMA and RP-SMA join BNC, F Type and N Type in the Coax group. Molex Micro-Fit 3.0 4-Pin is in the Power group with its own default colour.
To keep the connector selector easier to browse, we have also added two new groups. The new DC Power group, after CEE, holds DC Barrel and the three new Locking DC connectors, so DC Barrel has moved out of the Power group. The new Aviation group, after DIN, holds Aviation 3-Pin along with the existing Aviation 4-Pin, which has moved there from Other.
New Signal Types
Nexus (Audio)
X-Talk (Networking)
Connector Compatibility
These connectors can now connect directly to Schuko, BS 1363 and NEMA 5-15, the same as DC Barrel. The external power supply is treated as the cable, so a device powered this way connects straight to the outlet feeding it without needing an adapter.
Locking DC 2-Pin
Locking DC 3-Pin
Locking DC 4-Pin
Molex Micro-Fit 3.0 4-Pin
These connectors can now all connect to one another using an adapter. Previously F Type and N Type could only connect to Generic ports.
This Beta update adds new port options and 10 new Default Library items, improves Mini Map performance on large projects, and fixes a handful of bugs.
New Port Options
New Connectors
OpticalCon MTP 12 SMF
OpticalCon MTP 12 MMF
OpticalCon MTP 16 SMF
OpticalCon MTP 24 SMF
OpticalCon MTP 24 MMF
OpticalCon MTP 48 MMF
NEMA L5-30
To make room for the new connectors, the default colours of the fiber connectors have been re-spaced slightly so the pink to purple gradient across the fiber connectors stays continuous. You may notice a small change in the colour of some fiber connectors when using the default colour scheme.
New Signal Types
Advatek Long-Range T8
Advatek Long-Range T16X
Default Library Updates
Thank you to everyone who has submitted and requested library items! This release adds 11 new items to the Default Library:
AJA Video Systems
3GDA
Analog Way
PLS350-3G
Brainstorm
SR-112
GearConnect (Generic Devices)
4 Port Switch
12 Port Switch
16 Port Switch
24 Port Switch
32 Port Switch
48 Port Switch
Video Tile
LED Tile
Improvements
The Mini Map no longer slows down while editing large projects as connections are drawn in a new performance minded method. In addition, drawings with more than 100 connections hide them as they were difficult to see at that scale and helps improve performance.
The signal type picker is now wider in the Library Editor and in port tables, giving longer signal type names more room.
The Changelogs dialog has a refreshed look, with images shown in a glass frame and updated Beta labels.
Bug Fixes
Fixed the Mini Map's selection outline not updating correctly when you open, close, or resize panes.
Fixed confirmation dialogs not focusing their default button as soon as they open.
Fixed changing the Secondary Colour of a gear item in Gear Colour Style "None" also changing its Primary Colour.
Fixed Pro features and team permissions not applying after accepting a team invite until the app was reloaded.
Fixed scrolling over gear or connections zooming twice as far as scrolling over an empty part of the drawing.
Fixed a sideways swipe on a trackpad zooming the drawing out.
Fixed a sync failing when it ran while you were in the middle of drawing a connection.
Fixed an additional rare edge case where a sync could run on top of missing drawing data, resulting in removing drawing items.
Fixed autosave getting stuck if a text box was removed while its text was still being edited.
Fixed logging out from inside a project sometimes trying to save the project and failing in the background.
To make room for the new connectors, the default colours of the fiber connectors have been re-spaced slightly so the pink to purple gradient across the fiber connectors stays continuous. You may notice a small change in the colour of some fiber connectors when using the default colour scheme.
We are thrilled to announce GearConnect v2 Beta! This is the biggest update to GearConnect since launch.
If you prefer a more interactive experience over these release notes, please check out our v2 Betalanding page. Or if you rather a quick 2 minute video overview, check out our announcement video.
We have been working with a number of customers over the last several months, combined with over 2 years of feedback, to help shape this next chapter of GearConnect.
Featuring a brand new design with a choice of 12 themes, more compact spacing, new ways to style your drawings, customizable layouts, a fully rebuilt selection experience, along with over a hundred improvements and fixes. v2 Beta will keep evolving with new features and we'd love to hear what you think!
You can try it today at beta-app.gearconnect.ca and you may wish to review the Known Issues at the bottom of this changelog before jumping in.
A Brand New Design
Every page in GearConnect has been redesigned around a more modern and flexible interface. We have tightened the spacing, removed dead space, and pulled colour back from the interface so it is used where it matters most: your drawing.
Design is subjective, and we've heard your feedback. We often get told everything from "The app looks amazing, it's the best looking system drawing app I've ever seen" to "The UI is weird". And while weird can be good, we think you should be able to choose what your version of weird is for yourself. We have added 12 styles to choose from (six appearances, each with a light and dark version).Three glass appearances are translucent, so your drawing shows through the panes and menus above it, a bit like looking through glass, for a modern sleek look:
Neon: translucent, blurred surfaces with a tint of colour running through them.
Glass: the same translucent surfaces but without the colour tint, giving a clear glass effect. This is the default.
Frost: a "frosted glass" version, where the surfaces sit closer to solid and less of the drawing shows through.
The three flat appearances provide a more minimal and professional look, if you don't fancy the glassy, translucent style:
Flat: clean, solid panes, menus and cards, with gear painted in single fills rather than gradients.
Slate: a polished, professional look in a neutral grey range, keeping the accent colour only for the controls that need it.
Draft: a stark, high contrast look in the spirit of classic CAD software, where a lot of the app becomes monochrome and utilitarian.
The first time you open a project in v2 Beta, the new Choose Your Style dialog shows a live preview of each theme (Automatic, Light or Dark) and each appearance so you can pick the style that suits you. You can change it any time from the Preferences tab in User Settings, and your choice is saved to your account so it follows you between devices.
A More Compact Workspace
The whole interface has been tightened up to give you more working space. You no longer need a 50" monitor just to view the app. Buttons, inputs, menus, corners, and every part of the interface has been tightened up to feel more compact and professional, with less dead space.
The Draw Toolbar now has a compact mode that shows only the most commonly used tools: undo and redo, pan and zoom, and the drawing modes. When in compact mode, it tucks itself away into the top bar, giving you even more space for your drawing.
Likewise, we have also tightened up the drawings themselves slightly, with smaller font sizes and slightly reduced port sizes. This makes the overall drawing feel cleaner, but please be aware when opening v1 projects in v2 Beta, your drawings will be upgraded to the new style resulting in a slight layout shift in some cases, and you may notice additional empty space at the bottom of your gear as the ports are slightly smaller.
Navigation Button
"I tried clicking the logo because it looked like a button, but it didn't do anything." Yeah, us too. We fixed that. The Projects/Library nav button has been moved into the existing top left GearConnect icon, making it more accessible and intuitive. We also added a button for your most recent project. It lets you return to whatever you were last working on from anywhere in the app.
The New Side Rail
There is a new Side Rail that provides quick access to common actions. From top to bottom it offers:
Layout slots: up to six numbered slots for saving and switching between different pane arrangements (more on that below).
Pane buttons: easily open and close the different panes, based on if you are in Draw or Report mode.
Project Settings: quick access to the project's settings and configuration options.
Managers: moved from the top right bar, managers are now faster to access from the Side Rail.
Customizable Layouts
Every pane can now be moved and resized. Drag a pane by the grip in its title bar to reorder it within its column or move it to the other side of the drawing, and drag the boundary between two panes to change their heights. Close every pane on one side and the drawing expands into the space. You can even shrink up a pane so it doesn't need to take the full height of the window any longer. Once you have an arrangement you like, you can save it to easily recall later. The Side Rail holds up to six numbered layout slots per page on the Draw and Report Pages, so you can switch between setups with a single click. The Draw Page comes with Drawing, Editing and All Closed layouts to start from, and you can right-click any slot to update it, rename it or change its icon. Your layouts are saved to your account, so they follow you between devices. You are free to edit the stock layouts or create entirely new ones to suit your workflow. You can always reset to the stock layouts from the View menu at any time.
Hello Mini Map
The Draw Page has a new Mini Map, a thumbnail of your whole drawing for faster navigation. Drag the view box or click an area to move around, scroll over it to zoom, or use Zoom to Fit to frame everything. You can place it in either the left or right bottom corners, and collapse it to a small button when you do not need it.
When your panes are full height, it will sit next to the pane columns, but when it's given enough room it will slide over to the far edge of the screen giving you more drawing space.
Sync Status Pill and Activity Bell
All of your project save and sync information now lives in one place. The new Sync Status Pill in the top right of the header shows a status icon for your local save, a status icon for the server and your version history, and a short status such as Saved, Syncing 45%, Sync pending or Offline. Hover over either icon for the full detail, click the laptop icon to save straight away, click the cloud icon to open Version History, or click the pill itself to run a full save and sync.
During saving and project sync, a new animated progress indicator appears within the Sync Status Pill, giving you a visual reference of how far along the process is.
At the end of the pill sits the new Activity Bell. Every notification the app shows you is recorded there, so a message you might have missed is still accessible. And if all the success notifications are too annoying while working, you now have the option to silence them via the new Reduced Notifications setting. Warnings and errors still appear, and every success message is still listed in the Activity Bell.
Adaptive UI
To give you even more room to work, the UI adapts to what you have open. While a pane is open on the left, the Side Rail and the top bar sit together in one solid frame, acting like a border around the drawing/report area. When you close the panes on the left, the Side Rail and top bar morph into a floating glass style: the frame disappears and they break apart into small glass bubbles over your work. The drawing runs underneath them, giving you even more drawing space and turning the page into a clean view, perfect for focused work or presenting.
This style activates whenever there are no left panes, so if you prefer to always use the floating glass style, you can arrange your panes on the right and save them as custom layouts, replacing the default layouts.
Style Your Drawings
We have added several new ways to customize your drawings as well.The new Corner Style option in Project Settings controls how boxy your drawing looks. Choose Rounded (the default), Moderate or Box, and every item in your drawing updates accordingly: gear, gear groups, ports, connection labels and text boxes. Rounded and Moderate can also be paired with the new Round Ports option for circular ports. These settings are saved per project rather than to your user like the above appearance settings.Detail Mode gear has a new look with a header that centers the text. A new Gear Colour Style setting lets you customize how colour is used:
Header + Body: this is the classic GearConnect v1 look where the entire gear item is coloured in your chosen colour. Any projects opening in v2 Beta will default to this mode.
Header Only: a new style where only the header is coloured and the body follows your dark/light theme.
None: fully colourless gear, where the header also follows your dark/light theme.
Standard Mode gear has no header, so it offers Body and None. You can set the colour style per gear from Item Settings or the right-click menu.
Data Fields, Right on the Gear
Pro/Team users can now choose two optional fields that will display under the label in the header in Detail Mode gear or the body in Standard Mode gear. The new Primary Field and Secondary Field settings offer Manufacturer, Brand, Model, IP Address, Notes or None. These can be set with with project wide defaults in Project Settings or per gear in Item Settings. All settings will update in real time as you make changes as they are synced from your project's live database.
Existing projects opened in v2 Beta will default to None for both fields, whereas new projects will default to Manufacturer and Notes for Pro/Team users.
Redesigned Item Selection
Selection in the drawing has been completely rebuilt from the ground up for a consistent, and uniform experience across all menu levels.
First, we have renamed some of the existing panes to better reflect the new selection updates:
Gear Properties is now Item Properties.
General Settings is now Item Settings.
Gear Config is now Gear Ports.
Item Properties and Item Settings have been rebuilt to reflect the new uniform nature of the selection system, grouping related settings together, and now fully support multi-selection, gear groups, text boxes and connections. Before, multi selecting items would result in these panes disabling, whereas now, not only do they remain active, they dynamically update to display the current selection, the settings that apply to that selection with their current values which include a new mixed state if they differ. This provides a true properties‑panel experience, familiar from many professional applications.All actions that can be taken on items in the drawing are now organized, consistently presented, and applied across all levels of the app. Filtered selection now works everywhere, not just the Selection Toolbar, keyboard shortcuts work on your current selection, the Edit Menu applies to your current selection, every single action now received a multi action counterpart, and more.
A few examples of the productivity gains this unlocks:
Bulk edit Text Box opacities in one action.
Change the colour of every single item in your drawing at once.
Filter your selection to connections only and press backspace to delete just those lines.
Quickly see mixed setting states in the Item Settings.
Hide unused ports across several (or all) items at once.
Item Settings, the right-click menu, the Selection Toolbar and the Edit Menu now all share the same options, order and grouping, so an action is always where you expect it to be, no matter how you like to work.
Coming Next in the Beta
Print Mode is the next major feature planned for the GearConnect v2 Beta. It will add multiple drawing pages, paper sheets on the canvas, new Drawing Settings and Export Settings panes, and multi-page PDF export. Keep an eye out for updates!
New Port Options
Connector Compatibility
USB-A can now be connected to USB-B without an adapter.
Default Library Updates
Thank you to everyone who has submitted and requested library items! This release adds 40 new items to the Default Library:
Adder
XDIP
XDIP-POE
Advatek Lighting
A4-S Mk3 - Expanded (8 x 3U)
A4-S Mk3 - Standard (4 x 6U)
E16-S Mk3 - Expanded (32 x 3U)
E16-S Mk3 - Standard (16 x 6U)
E4-S Mk3 - Expanded (8 x 3U)
E4-S Mk3 - Standard (4 x 6U)
R1F-S - Default / T16X
R1F-S - Expanded / T16X
R2F-S - Default / T8
R2F-S - Expanded / T16X
R4D-S - Expanded / T8
T16X-S Mk3 - Default (R1)
T16X-S Mk3 - Expanded (R1/R2)
T8-S Mk3 - Default / R2F
T8-S Mk3 - Expanded / 4x R4D
Blackmagic Design
Blackmagic Streaming Decoder 4K
Blackmagic Streaming Encoder 4K
Blackmagic Streaming Encoder HD
Blackmagic Web Presenter 4K
Blackmagic Web Presenter HD
NEXO
CD12
GEO S805
GEO S830
NX241 Digital TDcontroller
NX242 Digital TDcontroller
RF Venue
4ZONE
COMBINE4
CP Stage
D-OMNI
DFIN
DFIN-IPX
DISTRO4
RF-PA
RF-PA-RX
Shure
P9T
Yamaha
T3n
T4n
T5n
Improvements
Connections can now be sent to the front or back, which controls which line hops over the other where two connections cross.
A new Select Cursor Mode shows clearly which mode you are in at all times (compared to existing modes like Gear Group Cursor Mode).
After placing a Gear Group or Text Box, the drawing now returns to select mode. Hold Shift while placing them to stay in that mode.
Press Ctrl+A (Cmd+A on Mac) to select everything in the drawing.
Double-clicking a gear now opens View Ports.
You can now hide and show a gear's unused ports with one click, and the option is also in Item Settings for multi-selections.
Using Multi-Select to select only one item now falls back to a normal single selection.
Your full multi-selection is now kept when switching between the Draw and Report pages.
Selection filters now apply everywhere. Item Settings, and the label, align, lock and delete actions in the toolbars, all respect your filtered selection.
The layer dropdown in the Draw Toolbar now reflects your filtered selection.
Colours in Item Settings now always show the item's actual colour, including when it uses its layer colour. Changing a colour now also updates the gear's colour style so the two always stay in sync, including across multi-selections: Detail Mode gear switches to Header Only unless it already has a colour style, and Standard Mode gear switches to Body.
Connection colours are now edited directly from Item Settings and the right-click menu: Connection Mode (Port Colours, Layer Colours or Custom Colours), Primary Colour and Secondary Colour each have their own setting instead of one large dialog, and picking a colour switches the connection to Custom Colours automatically.
Tag options are now consistent with other settings. Edit Tag Mode and Edit Tag Labels now open a dropdown with the three modes.
Tag labels can now be edited even when the tag is not visible, as long as the tag is set to Auto or Force On.
Added more stock colours to the colour palette and refreshed the existing ones.
Bulk actions now give better and more immediate feedback while they are being applied to the drawing.
The undo stack is now more detailed, with more granular entries for gear changes, entries for assigning and removing cables on connections, and several other new actions.
Improved performance when resetting the drawing origin and during undo and redo.
Upgrading ports in older projects is now much faster.
Cable assignment dropdowns now only list cables compatible with the connection.
The Cable Inventory Manager can now generate cables for you, creating a cable for each connector type and assigning it to every connection that does not have one yet.
A new Gear Counts report template gives you a quick count of all your gear.
Gear reports now include Total Quantity and Used Quantity columns.
The Gear Type column in gear reports has been renamed to Category, matching the category selector.
When creating template reports, custom columns now move to the front of the column list.
Unsaved reports are now shown in yellow instead of orange for better visibility.
Port categories in reports now sort alphabetically instead of by vertical.
Report sorting is slightly faster.
Updated the print style for reports to better reflect the app's new design.
The gear category and port category dropdowns now use two panes, making it easier to find what you are looking for.
Port filters in port tables now use the same two pane selection, letting you pick whole categories or individual ports.
View Ports now shows a message when a filter or search has no results.
Long names in the library now truncate with a tooltip showing the full name, instead of pushing the library tree wider.
Your library search is now kept when switching between the Default, Team and User tabs.
The library tree now loads about 30x faster. This is most noticeable when opening and closing the Library Browser, switching between the Draw and Report pages, opening the Library Editor, switching between the Default, Team and User tabs, and replacing library items in the drawing.
The library now installs into the app significantly faster, making library loads much quicker.
The library now always loads in the background instead of blocking the app with a full screen loading screen.
Missing library items are now fetched from the server faster.
A gear's library item can no longer be changed while the library is still loading, so you always choose from the latest library rather than an out of date one.
A new New button in the Library Browser takes you straight to the Library Editor to create a new library item.
Auto numbering can now be turned on for port labels in the Library Editor without using the \d trick.
Auto numbers in port labels are now only added at the end of the label. A \d in the middle of a label no longer adds a number there.
The Library Editor preview now redraws when the window is resized.
Your most recent project is now shown in the navigation menu whenever you are not on the projects page.
Projects now load from the server in the same order as your Sort By choice, so the list updates in the order you see it so you no longer need to scroll to the bottom of the page to get your most recent projects to show up when switching devices.
Managers are now wider, fitting more content by default.
Dialogs with dropdowns now open the dropdown for you, and more dialogs now focus their first field automatically for faster editing.
Sizing is now consistent across the whole app.
Text colours in help dialogs are now consistent in every dialog across dark and light mode.
Added a new Reduced Animation setting in User Settings.
The app now opens in your chosen theme from the very first frame, so reloading in dark mode no longer flashes a light screen.
Your theme, appearance, pane layouts and other preferences can now be changed while offline, and will sync back up the next time you are online.
If a project fails to load fully, a new recovery option lets you revert to a previous version from Version History. This works even without Pro, so you are never stuck with a project that will not open.
GearConnect now refuses to save or export a drawing that would come out empty, so a project that failed to load can never overwrite your real work.
Added a new Log Out Everywhere option in User Settings, under Account, that logs you out of all your devices at once.
Downloading the full project from Dynamic Mode now starts straight away, instead of doing nothing when a save is in progress or pending.
Enabling Local Mode from a prompt while Dynamic Mode is on now also offers to download the full project.
If logging out fails while you are in a project, you are now taken to the projects page instead of being left on an empty Draw or Report page.
Several improvements to expiring sessions and sign-in checks, with clearer messages, fewer duplicate error messages, and smoother redirects when you need to log in again.
Improved how the app protects the sign-in information stored in your browser.
Improved accessibility for screen readers in some parts of the app.
Bug Fixes
Fixed gear not being able to fetch its ports in rare situations.
Fixed pressing Escape during a multi-selection not clearing the dashed selection frame in the drawing.
Fixed the expansion card dialog being cut off on small screens.
Fixed keyboard shortcuts in the right-click menu and the File and Edit menus not showing the Mac versions. They already showed correctly in the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog.
Fixed a memory leak in the window sizing logic.
Fixed connection labels sometimes not appearing in rare cases when switching tag modes on and off.
Fixed the active layer resetting when changing other project settings, such as grid size.
Fixed submenus such as in the File and Edit menus not always closing when you moved the mouse away, or getting stuck open depending on how you entered and left them.
Fixed tall gear sometimes disappearing when you hovered over it.
Fixed a rare case where a library item could fail to load correctly on a poor internet connection.
Fixed older projects not being upgraded with the latest drawing changes when they were loaded directly from the local database.
Fixed large projects from older versions sometimes not getting all the visual drawing updates until the next time they were opened.
Fixed upgraded older projects sometimes missing default project settings, which could cause odd behaviour such as Zoom to Fit misbehaving when using Tags.
Fixed some very old projects with legacy ports having their ports swap gear sides when upgraded.
Fixed a rare case where some legacy multi mode connector and signal settings on ports were lost when a project was upgraded.
Fixed older projects not converting legacy Cable Inventory connectors when upgraded.
Fixed input fields in port rows being misaligned when an error was shown in the Library Editor port config.
Fixed report groups sorting unexpectedly when sorting by other columns. They now follow the same sort unless you sort the group column itself.
Fixed the default sort order being lost when custom sort was turned off for the three report types.
Fixed port categories not sorting alphabetically.
Fixed labels in reports sorting as 1, 10, 2 instead of 1, 2, 10, so labels such as Fixture 1, Fixture 2 and Fixture 10 now sort in a logical order.
Fixed a typo on the 404 page.
Fixed being able to open the project list and the Plans page before accepting the Terms and Conditions.
Fixed being able to start creating a project before accepting the Terms and Conditions, only to be sent away before you could edit it.
Fixed a sync failing if you locked a report, then unlocked it and made a change within the same sync.
Fixed Team Settings pages not redirecting to your selected team when the address contained an invalid team.
Fixed an issue that prevented more projects from loading past the first 25 after switching Teams until the next refresh.
Fixed syncs not correctly handling projects with more than 50 reports in a single sync.
Fixed rare cases where very large gear in the Library Editor would not register unsaved changes.
Fixed a rare timing issue where switching projects while a version history was still uploading could save that version history to the new project.
Fixed Pro features not showing a consistent disabled state in the Selection Toolbar.
Fixed keyboard shortcuts still firing while editing text box content in the drawing.
Fixed an extra space appearing after the auto number in library port labels.
Fixed a rare case where a project bookmarked while signed in as one user could be opened from the local database after signing in as a different user (on the same machine), and would then fail to sync or make edits. Projects opened from the local database are now always checked for the correct owner.
Fixed gear not resizing correctly after hiding and then showing its ports again.
Fixed panning with the middle mouse button in Node Edit Cursor Mode sometimes would leave the drawing unresponsive until a reload.
Fixed the middle mouse button locking the drawing when panning over the start or end circle of a connection.
Fixed expansion card port groups with only one port showing a stray nub on their outline.
Fixed being able to paste values into report cells that should not accept them, such as pasting an input into an output direction when Full Edit Mode was off, or pasting an RJ45 cable into an XLR row.
Fixed rare cases where pending saves could get stuck.
Fixed a rare case where the project validation and reload dialogs could appear on top of each other.
Fixed long port groups or expansion cards making a gear's ports overflow with a scrollbar.
Fixed some Pro status and library data being left behind in memory after logging out.
Fixed being logged out when the account check ran into a temporary error such as rate limiting. You are now only logged out when your session is actually no longer valid.
Fixed rare cases where a session expiring while work was still being saved could lose your most recent changes to a project.
Known Issues
The below are known issues with the v2 Beta that you may wish to be aware of.
When first upgrading an existing project to the new v2 Beta, existing projects may have their connections shift slightly to accommodate the smaller gear sizing.
When first upgrading an existing project to the new v2 Beta with Local Mode disabled, all your gear will first open as either black or white depending on your theme for the first few seconds while the project brings over your v1 colours. To avoid this, we recommend ensuring you have enabled Local Mode prior to opening any existing projects.
Opening a project in GearConnect v1 that was saved in v2 Beta will work, but various drawing elements will look odd such as colours, ports, and gear labels. We recommend you make a backup / copy any projects you intend to continue to use with v1, before opening them in v2 Beta in case you decide to switch back.
Certain editing and drawing operations are experiencing performance issues on large projects with the Mini Map open. This will be fixed in an upcoming release, in the mean time you may collapse the Mini Map when it is not needed to improve performance.
Changing the Secondary Colour of a gear item while in Gear Colour Style: None, also changes the Primary Colour unintentionally. This will be fixed in an upcoming release.
We are have started to roll out Canadian pricing options for our Pro, Team, and Perpetual options. We are initially working with a few customers before rolling it out more broadly, so if you are a Canadian individual or business and would like to switch to Canadian dollar billing, please get in touch!
Default Library Updates
In addition, this release adds 112 new items to the Default Library, bringing our total to over 3,100 verified library items! Thank you to everyone who has submitted and requested items!
Apex Audio
CP1504
CP1504D
CP3004
CP3004D
CP354
CP354D
CP704
CP704D
CP716D
Epson
EB-PU2216B
GearConnect (Generic)
Expression Pedal
Keyboard
KVM
Mouse
Sustain Pedal
HP
E60
G62
IP Ceiling Mic Array (875S1AA)
Innosonix
MA16L/P2
MA24L/P2
MA32L/P2
µMA01/POE
µMA04/M
µMA04/POE
Luminex
GigaCore 10i
GigaCore 10t
GigaCore 10t-IP
GigaCore 16i
GigaCore 16tf
GigaCore 20t
GigaCore 30i
GigaCore O26i
GigaCore S30i
LumiCore 16
LumiCore 32
LumiCore 64
LumiNode 1
LumiNode 12
LumiNode 12 RJ45
LumiNode 2
LumiNode 4
LumiNode 4 DIN-ETH
LumiNode 4 DIN-TB
LumiNode 4 Wall
LumiNode 8
LumiSplit 1.6
LumiSplit 2.10
LumiSplit 2.10-ETH
MIDI Solutions
Beat Converter
Beat Indicator
Breath Controller
Dual Footswitch Controller
Event Processor
Event Processor Plus
F8
Footswitch Controller
M8
Merger
MIDI Delay
Pedal Controller
Power Adapter
Programmable Input Selector
Programmable Output Selector
Quadra Merge
Quadra Thru
R8
Relay
Router
T8
Thru
Velocity Converter
PIXREAL
ENZO 3/3V/3H/3Q
ENZO 4/4V/4H/4Q
ENZO 5/5V/5H/5Q
ENZO CL
FIDO1.9
FIDO2.6
FIDO2.9
HIRO 1.5
HIRO 1.5Pro
HIRO 1.5R
HIRO 1.9
HIRO 1.9Pro
HIRO 1.9R
HIRO 2.3
HIRO 2.3Pro
HIRO 2.3R
HIRO 2.6
HIRO 2.6Pro
HIRO 2.6R
RAVEN0.6
RAVEN0.7
RAVEN0.9
RAVEN1.2
RAVEN1.5
RAVEN1.8
SPARK 100
SPARK 100 Black
SPARK 200
SPARK 200 Black
SPARK 50
SPARK 50 Black
QSC
TSC-101-G3
TSC-50-G3
TSC-70-G3
Roland
FS-5L
FS-5U
Yamaha
mLAN16E
mLAN8E
ZOTAC
MAGNUS ONE EU27507TC (Barebone)
Improvements
App support for Canadian pricing for Pro, Teams, and Perpetual options.
App support for customers on 2 year billing cycles.
Bug Fixes
Fixed the Upgrade to Yearly button displaying a generic error message for accounts on manual invoiced billing.
Fixed an issue where users who clicked "Free 7-Day Trial" on the Plans page before logging in caused the checkout page to load on every project page visit after they logged in.
Fixed a rare issue where custom report settings may not be updated when a newly imported or copied project synced for the first time.
C5 and C6 follow the same rules as the other recent IEC connectors we have added. Adding either one to a gear item in the Library Editor sets the port direction and signal for you as well.
Connector Compatibility
The C6 inlet can now be connected directly to Schuko, BS 1363 and NEMA 5-15, joining C8, C14 and C20.
Bug Fixes
Fixed not being able to export reports if either the IP Address or Subnet columns were visible.
Expansion cards for audio equipment, and new IEC power ports
This release brings Expansion Cards to the audio equipment gear category, adds IEC C7 and C8 as new connectors, lets IEC device inlets connect straight to a wall outlet, and we've now crossed 3,000 items in the Default Library!
New Port Options
New Connectors
IEC C7
IEC C8
C7 and C8 follow the same rules as other similar IEC connectors, such as how we treat C13 mating with C14. Adding either one to a gear item in the Library Editor sets the port direction and signal for you, as the other IEC connectors already do.
Connector Compatibility
IEC device inlets can now be connected directly to a mains outlet. C8, C14 and C20 each connect to Schuko, BS 1363 and NEMA 5-15 with no adapter, treating the removable power cord as the cable. This is the same rule DC Barrel already follows, so a device with a detachable cord draws power straight from the outlet feeding it.
Default Library Updates
Thank you to everyone who has submitted and requested library items! We have crossed 3,000 items in the Default Library! This batch is mostly stage keyboards and audio interfaces:
Audiofront
MIDI Expression
MIDI Expression iO
MIDI Expression Quattro
Barco
Ex
iConnectivity
iConnectAUDIO4+
PlayAUDIO1U
PlayAUDIO2U
Kurzweil
K2061
K2088
K2700
PC4
Native Instruments
KOMPLETE AUDIO 6
Radial Engineering
SW8
SW8-USB
Starlink
Standard 4
Ubiquiti
U7-Outdoor
U7-Pro
UCG-Ultra
UPS-Tower-US
USW-Lite-8-PoE
Yamaha
CP300
CP4 STAGE
CP40 STAGE
CP73
CP88
S90
S90 ES
YC61
YC73
YC88
Zoom
UAC-8
Improvements
Audio Equipment now supports expansion cards, allowing devices like keyboards to have swappable cards.
View invoices, USB-C adapters, and performance improvements
New Port Options
Connector Compatibility
Using an adapter, USB‑C can now connect to Schuko, BS 1363, and NEMA 5‑15 connectors, allowing a USB‑powered device to draw power directly from mains.
Improvements
Subscription settings now include a “View Invoices” button that opens the billing portal. The button appears in both User Settings and the Team Settings Subscription tab.
Significant server and network performance improvements during project syncing operations, specifically targeted at large projects which result in up to 10x faster sync times from our testing!
Gear loads back from the server faster in projects with a lot of connections.
Updating gear, ports, and connections are all significantly faster, most noticeable on projects with hundreds to thousands of items.
Deleting layers then syncing is now significantly faster, especially when deleting several at once.
Drastically reduced server RAM usage during large project syncs, resulting in less transient sync errors as our servers dynamically scale up during heavy user usage.
If a drawing doesn’t finish loading, you’re now prompted to reload the project instead of the failure passing silently.
Several security improvements and hardened edge cases related to project data.
Bug Fixes
Fixed rare cases where the drawing would stay locked and read‑only after a project reloaded.
Fixed the loading screen staying up when a project failed to open.
Fixed Background Sync stopping early when the server refused a connection update; the rest of the sync now finishes.
Fixed the upgrade button not being centred in the Version History and Undo Stack windows.
This release dramatically improves the performance of the Default Library loading, adds UDP/IP as a new signal type with wider network compatibility, and removes the length limit on connection tag labels.
Faster Default Library Loading
The Default Library could sometimes take minutes to regenerate if you were using GearConnect while our team was actively updating items. After each library update, the library needs to regenerate, re-mapping all expansion cards to their proper devices. This process originally only took a few seconds, but as the library has grown significantly, this process has started taking noticeably more time.
Once the generation process was complete, the library would only take a few seconds to load, which is what most users experienced, but for users that were actively using the library while it was regenerating, the experience could be frustrating.
We've drastically improved this with two key changes:
The library generation is now 4.7x times faster thanks to several optimizations, particularly around expansion cards, so it completes in a fraction of the time it used to take. From our testing, we have been able to get the full Default Library generation from ~6:40 minutes, down to ~1:24 minutes. These optimizations not only apply to the Default Library, but User and TeamLibraries as well!
The Default Library now regenerates on its own in the background, using dynamic regeneration for only the sub sections that changed, and doesn't alert the app until the generated library is ready to load. This means in almost all cases, you will only pull in the faster library in about ~9 seconds and never have to wait for the slower one to finish generating.
This allows GearConnect to continue to work in full project Offline Mode, having access to the entire library while offline, and hopefully this will make the library experience much smoother for everyone!
New Port Options
New Signal Types
UDP/IP
Signal Compatibility
UDP/IP joins TCP/IP, Unicast, Multicast, and Broadcast as a general network signal type, allowing connection to any of them.
The audio over IP protocols are now compatible (with a warning) with all five of those general network types too. AES67, AVB, Dante, CobraNet, Milan, Ravenna, and Waves can each be connected to a TCP/IP, UDP/IP, Unicast, Multicast, or Broadcast port, so running a Dante or Milan device into a plain network port on a switch works as expected. Previously only AES67 was set up this way.
The network video protocols (SDVoE, SMPTE 297M, ST 2110, and NDI) have picked up UDP/IP as well, alongside the network types they already supported.
Although these compatibility changes aren’t technically accurate in every real‑world scenario due to varying device network configurations, we've heard your feedback, and allowing the different protocols to connect provides a smoother experience while still displaying our usual signal warnings.
Default Library Updates
Thank you to everyone who has submitted and requested library items! This batch is a smaller one for this update:
APC
APDU9959EU3
SRT6KRMXLI
HP
HP Poly Studio X32
HP USB-C 100W G6 Dock
Poly TC10
NovaStar
VX1000 Pro
Nvidia
NVIDIA RTX A400
Improvements
Connection Tag labels are no longer cut off at 24 characters. Long gear and port names now show in full on the tag, in all three Tag Label modes (Gear Only, Gear and Port, and Port Only), and the tag resizes itself to fit.
Teams can now enter a tax ID when subscribing. The checkout page includes a field for your business tax number, such as a VAT or GST number, so it is recorded against the team and appears on your invoices.
The team name and team picture fields in Team Settings now explain why they are disabled (such as a Member trying to rename the team).
Bug Fixes
Fixed a gap that allowed reports and cable inventory items to be created without a Pro subscription.
Fixed the tooltip on the promo code field never appearing when the field was disabled, such as when there is not an active yearly promotion.
This release adds Power Distribution as its own gear category, four new port connectors including a new Mains connector group, a large batch of Default Library gear, and a set of Library Editor improvements and fixes.
Power Distribution
Power distros, PDUs, and distro racks now have a gear category of their own. As we continue to expand more into power features, this new category will help better organize the additional gear we have been adding to the Default Library.
Power Distributions are IP address eligible at the gear level to support network enabled options, so you can set DHCP, an IP address, and a subnet from the General Settings pane or Reports. With the new Mains category below and the additional power options we’ve been adding to library items, we are moving closer to allowing you to draw fully functional power paths in GearConnect.
New Port Options
New Connectors
Schuko
BS 1363
DC Barrel
LEMO 10-Pin
In addition to the Power Distributions, we are adding more power options to join our existing powerCON, NEMA, and other options. Schuko and BS 1363 are the standard domestic mains outlets used across Europe and the UK, and they arrive in a new Mains group in the connector selector.
Connector Compatibility
DC Barrels can be connected directly to Schuko, BS 1363, and NEMA 5-15, treating the external power supply as the cable, so a wall wart powered device connects straight to the outlet feeding it without needing an adapter.
Default Library Updates
Thank you to everyone who has submitted and requested library items! We are almost at 3,000 verified gear items!
Allen & Heath
Qu-6
Qu-6D
API
3122V 2-Channel Mic Preamp
3124MV Mic Pre w/ Mixer
3124V Mic Pre
862 - 50th Anniversary Edition
T12 Tube Mic Preamp
TCS-II Channel Strip
Arista
DCS-7050TX-64-R
ATC
SCM100ASL Pro
SCM105AC Pro
SCM105AiWC Pro
SCM110ASL Pro
SCM12 Pro
SCM12i Pro
SCM150ASL Pro
SCM20ASL Pro
SCM20PSL Pro
SCM25A Pro Mk2
SCM25Ai Pro Mk2
SCM25ATH Pro Mk2
SCM45A Pro
SCM50ASL Pro
Audeze
Mobius 3D Headphones
Blackmagic Design
ATEM 2 M/E Production Studio 4K
Blackmagic Media Player 10G
HyperDeck Shuttle HD
Mini 8x4 12G
Dangerous Music
2-BUS+
CONVERT-AD+
MASTER
S&M
SOURCE
FOR-A
MFR-4000R
MFR-9SDIR
MFR-9SDOR
GearConnect
Patch Panel 16 x BNC
Patch Panel 16 x RJ45
Patch Panel 16 x Speakon
Patch Panel 16 x XLR In
Patch Panel 16 x XLR In/Out
Patch Panel 16 x XLR Out
Genelec
7040A
7050C
8010A
8020D
8030C
8040B
8050B
Henry Engineering
AES Digital DA 2X4
Matchbox HD
MicroMixer
MultiPort
Patchbox II
TwinMatch
U.S.D.A. 2X4
USB Matchbox II
Hollyland
Astra P1
Cosmo C2 Receiver
Cosmo C2 Transmitter
LARK 150 Receiver
LARK 150 Transmitter
LARK M1 Receiver
LARK M2 Camera Receiver
LARK M2S Camera Receiver
LARK MAX 2 Camera Receiver
Lyra
Mars 400S Pro II Receiver
Mars 400S Pro II Transmitter
Mars 4K Receiver
Mars 4K Transmitter
MELO P1 Smart Audio Mixer
Pyro H Receiver
Pyro H Transmitter
Pyro S Receiver
Pyro S Transmitter
Pyro Ultra Receiver
Pyro Ultra Transmitter
Solidcom SE Global Version
Solidcom SE Pro Single-Ear Headset
VenusLiv Air
VenusLiv V2
Wireless Tally Station
JBL
MA710
MA7100HP
MA9100HP
JoeCo
BlackBox BBSG24MP SoundGrid Recorder
Kali Audio
IN-5
IN-8 V2
IN-UNF
LP-6 V2
LP-8 V2
LP-UNF
MM-6
SM-5
SM-8
WS-12 V2
WS-6.2
LEA Professional
3004
3004D
Manley
Core
ELOP+
Force
Jumbo Shrimp
Massive Passive EQ
Stereo Pultec-Style EQ
Variable Mu
Variable Mu Mastering
Netgear
GS108v4
NEXO
NXAMP4X1
NXAMP4X4
PS10R2
PS15R2
PS8
Nvidia
NVIDIA RTX PRO Sync
Penn Elcom
1U Rack Panels 16 x RJ45
1U Rack Panels 16 x Speakon
1U Rack Panels 16 x XLR In/Out
1U Rack Panels 16 x XLR Out
Pixelhue
P20-DS
Riedel
AES-108 G2
AES67-108 G2
AIO-108 G2
AIO-109 G2
ARTIST-1024
ARTIST-128
ARTIST-32
ARTIST-64
AVB-108 G2
Bolero Active Antenna
CAT-108 G2
COAX-108 G2
DANTE-108 G2
GPI-116 G2
MADI-108 G2
Performer C31
Performer C44plus
RSP-1216HL
UIC-128-II
VOIP-108 G2
Samsung
Portable SSD T9 1TB
Studio Technologies
Model 204 Announcer's Console
Model 362A Listen-Only Beltpack
Model 400A-6T/6R
Model 5180 Ethernet Switch Module with Optical Transceiver (1310 nm)
Waves
Axis Proton
Axis Scope
DiGiGrid IOS
DiGiGrid MGR
DiGiGrid S
DSPRO StageGrid 1000
DSPRO StageGrid 4000
eMotion LV1 Classic
eMotion LV1 Control
Extreme SoundGrid Server
Extreme-C SoundGrid Server
FIT Controller for eMotion LV1
MaxxBCL
SoundGrid BR1
Titan SoundGrid Server
Titan-R SoundGrid Server
Yamaha
PY-MIDI-GPI
PY64-D
PY64-MD
PY8-AE
Rio1608-D3
Rio3224-D3
Improvements
Changing a library item's category in the Library Editor now archives the original item for you. Previously a category change saved the item into its new category and left the old copy behind, so the same piece of gear showed up twice in the library.
Bug Fixes
Fixed draft Expansion Cards that were still in progress by our team appearing in the Expansion Card selector, where they could be picked and assigned to a gear item before we finished publishing them. Cards already assigned to a gear item stay visible and removable, matching how archived cards behave.
Fixed a project failing to open when it loaded straight from the local database, such as creating a project, returning to the projects page, and then opening it again after a full page refresh without letting it first saving to the server.
Fixed trial ending reminder emails being sent to members who already had a payment method on file, including cards added through the billing portal, and improved the wording of the email to make it clearer.
Finding the right gear is now significantly more flexible. Search in the Library Browser and My Gear no longer expects a perfect, exact match. If you mistype a model name, search still surfaces what you are looking for, so a small slip on the keyboard no longer means starting over.You can also combine everything you know about a piece of gear in one search. Type the manufacturer and the model together and the results narrow straight to the match. Searching disguise gx3, for example, takes you right to the Disguise GX 3. The terms can go in any order, so gx3 disguise works just as well, and you are free to mix and match the manufacturer, brand, and model however they come to mind. Spacing is flexible too, so gx3 and gx 3 both find the same gear.
Search also understands numbers and singular and plural forms. Whether you enter a model number exactly as it appears on the device or a slightly different variation, and whether you search a term in its singular or plural form, the gear you expect shows up. The result is less time hunting through the library and more time building your drawing.
New Port Options
New Connectors
IEC C13
IEC C14
IEC C19
IEC C20
har-link
Aviation 4-Pin
New Signal Types
Light Sensor
When you add one of the IECs to a gear item in the Library Editor, the port direction is set for you automatically, so a device's mains inlet and a distro's supply outlet come out correct without any extra steps. Matching IEC pairs (C13 with C14, and C19 with C20) are recognized as directly compatible, so those power connections work as expected when you draw them.
Signal Compatibility
USB-C Thunderbolt can now connect to HDMI ports, and vice versa.
Default Library Updates
Thank you to everyone who has submitted and requested library items! We have now passed over 2,700 verified gear items, thanks to you!
We've been hearing great things from you regarding the new Background Sync, so we are excited to announce that Background Sync is now available in the main app!
As a recap, Local Mode now syncs your work in the background while you keep drawing, without interrupting you with a fullscreen loading screen. Just like how apps such as Google Docs work offline and then sync to the cloud in the background, GearConnect follows a similar approach.
Background Sync is multi-threaded, meaning the app itself never slows down while the app is syncing, and because it's a snapshot based approach, you can now import projects and restore version histories in seconds instead of minutes. This makes it practical to jump around different version histories until you find the change you are looking for, and Background Sync keeps up in the background.
For full details on how Background Sync works, refer to our previous changelog or read up about it in our updated documentation.
New Port Options
New Connectors
Shure MXC 10-Pin
Binding Post
Bare Wire
New Signal Types
CobraNet
Signal Compatibility
AES67 is now compatible with the other networking signals (TCP/IP, Unicast, Multicast, and Broadcast), MADI and Thunderbolt are now compatible with USB, and Thunderbolt is now compatible with DisplayPort.
Connector Compatibility
USB-C can now be connected to DisplayPort and Mini DisplayPort using an adapter. Mini XLR 3-Pin can also now be connected to 2.5mm, 3.5mm, and XLR Combo using an adapter.
Default Library Updates
Thank you to everyone who has submitted and requested library items! This update adds a set of generic stage plot gear, so you can sketch out stage and band setups quickly. They are all under the GearConnect manufacturer, which has also been re-organized to make it easier to find generic gear items moving forward.
New gear items include:
GearConnect
Acoustic Guitar
Acoustic Piano
Active Stage Wedge
Backing Vocal
Bass Amp
Bass Guitar
Condenser Mic
Desktop PC/Server
DI-Box
Drum Kit
Dynamic Mic
Electric Guitar Amp
Electric Guitar Modeler
Electric Piano
Horn
Laptop
Lead Vocal
Musical Instrument
Passive Stage Wedge
Power Socket 110V
Power Socket 230V
Sample Pad
Sequencer (Backing Tracks)
Stand-up Bass
Synthesizer
Thunderbolt Enclosure
TV
Wireless Microphone
Improvements
Promo codes can now be redeemed during active yearly promotions, with the discount shown on the Pro and Teams plans.
Bug Fixes
Fixed a black screen that could appear for read-only guests opening a shared team drawing from a direct link.
Fixed some lighting fixtures and amplifiers failing to save in the Library Editor depending on their DMX profile or power mode settings.
Fixed the drawing locking up when a pan was started by middle-clicking over a port, which previously required reloading the app to unlock.
Fixed the view jumping unexpectedly instead of a smooth transition after adding a new gear item.
Fixed the right-click menu for gear and connections being clipped or tucked behind the drawing toolbar.
Fixed the browser's own right-click menu sometimes appearing on top of the app's right click menu in the drawing.
Fixed panning not working for read-only users and read-only projects.
Fixed an autosave not being triggered in some situations.
Fixed the Library Editor not saving updates when you saved very quickly.
Fixed the validating-project notification disappearing while validation was still in progress.
Fixed a rare case where a duplicate VLAN or layer could be created after a sync.
Fixed being able to apply a promo code before entering anything in the code box, which showed an error message.
We've heard your feedback and we are excited to share a significant update that should go largely unnoticed moving forward: Local Mode now syncs in the background while you keep drawing (similar to how apps like Google Docs work).
Instead of pausing your workflow to run a sync like previous modes, your projects stay up to date automatically, with much more resilient error handling and automatic recovery if something goes wrong.
This means that every gear, port, connection, VLAN, layer, and every other part of your project is seamlessly saved back to the database that powers every project with you no longer needing to think about it.
The new Background Sync mode replaces the previous Sync Periodically and Sync Manually modes as we have overhauled how the syncing algorithm works in GearConnect. It is now multi-threaded, with project validation happening when you save the project on the main thread before your project is snapshotted and handed off to the sync engine.
The Background Sync will now dynamically talk to the main thread to coordinate project snapshots, syncing cadence, server updates, and error handling which means the app will no longer lock editing with the full page loading screen, allowing you to keep working without any app slowness while the sync runs.
This means any edits you make while a sync is in progress will now simply be queued up for the next sync. Syncs run shortly after you stop editing the project and you can monitor progress in the Main Menu Bar, complete with a more helpful progress percent to let you know how close the syncing is to completion.
Background Syncs run at a slower, more relaxed pace however you can still manually trigger a sync just like before in a variety of ways such as clicking on the last synced time, which will trigger a fast sync.
You can try this new Background Sync mode in the Beta app today; it will be activated automatically for you if you previously had Local Mode enabled.
Offline Mode Handoff
Background Syncing works in tandem with Offline Mode - because GearConnect installs as an app automatically, you can install and run the app completely offline. When you are in poor internet connections like on site, Offline Mode automatically kicks in and syncing continues to store your project changes in a local database.
Once you come back online, Background Sync will take your most recent changes and start syncing them back up to the server, making the handoff seamless for you.
And now, if you lose internet half way through a sync, the all new syncing resilience improvements seamlessly recover for when you are back online.
Improved Syncing Resilience
Interrupting a sync is no longer an issue, never leaving your project in a mid-synced state as syncing is now far more resilient thanks to snapshot based syncing. If something goes wrong partway through a sync, the app has more recovery paths to seamlessly recover using various methods before alerting you. If it can't recover, it simply abandons the snapshot and takes a new one on the next sync, picking up where it left off.
It will only update your project with the sync results if the snapshot was fully 100% syncable, ensuring project integrity. We have also extended this improved resilience across more parts of the project, including VLANs, cable inventories, and layers, not just the core gear, ports, and connections.
In the event that several snapshots fail to sync repeatedly, you will be presented with an option to perform a full project validation as before, complete with the new smarter repair options we added in recent releases.
Instant Version History Reverts and Project Imports
But it's not just editing that gets a major performance boost. Importing projects and reverting Version Histories now take seconds instead of minutes as the snapshot based syncing simply will queue up your latest changes. This means the admittedly long and drawn out process of reverting Version Histories is now compressed to a matter of seconds as you no longer need to wait for a full re-sync and project validation.
This makes quickly swapping between different versions much more feasible now, for those times you can't remember the exact older version you were looking for and need to hop around a few different versions until you find it. Just revert as many as you need, and let background sync clean up gracefully when you are done.
Local Mode Changes
We've also made some changes to how Local Mode works in general. Previously, deleting a project in one browser would still leave your local copy on other browsers and devices. The intention was to allow you an extra backup method in the event of accidental mistakes, but this ended up just causing confusion for most people.
Instead, it now removes deleted projects from your other browser sessions instead of leaving previous copies behind, matching how shared team projects already behaved. This does mean delete is now more permanent though!
Another important change to be mindful of - your local projects are now treated as the source of truth. If you are syncing the same project across multiple browsers or devices at the same time, the most recently synced one will now always take precedence, regardless of if the server's version is newer.
This keeps syncing clear, consistent, and predictable, and you can always recover previous versions from Version History in the event of a mistake.
Improvements
Some self-healing steps, such as correcting layer ordering and port colours, now run as part of the normal project load rather than requiring a full project validation.
Thanks to the improved error handling with Background Sync, the old import-with-errors workflow and checkbox is no longer needed and has been removed.
Local Mode is now no longer bypassed during project syncs, preventing rare cases where you may be told Local Mode needs to be enabled when using Local Mode specific features such as undo shortly after a sync completes. Local Mode is still required to be bypassed during full project validations.
During syncs, project data is now synced in chunks for faster syncing instead of one-at-a-time for all project data, not just ports and connections.
Manual syncs will now always run if requested, even if there are no changes to the project.
Several notifications that should never have been dis-missable can no longer be dismissed by mistake.
Bug Fixes
Fixed panning not working for read-only users and read-only projects.
Fixed an auto save not being triggered in some situations after changing non-drawing items like layers or cable inventories.
Fixed the Library Editor not saving updates when you saved very quickly after making a change.
Fixed the validating-project notification disappearing while validation was still in progress.
Fixed a rare case where a duplicate VLAN or layer could be created after a sync.
Thanks to everyone for your feedback, we've heard great things about Connection Tags from the Beta, and we're excited to now release them fully in the Main app!
As a recap, when two pieces of gear are far apart, the connection between them can now be shown as two short stubs, one at each end, with a label that tells you what each stub links to. The result is a drawing that stays readable no matter how big your system gets.
You stay in control of how tags behave. Connections can switch to tags automatically based on distance, always show as tags, or always show the full line, so you can tune the look of each drawing to suit the way you work. You also choose what the tag labels display, whether that is the gear name on its own, the gear and port together, or just the port.
Tags double as a fast way to move around a big drawing too. Click a tag label to jump straight to the other end of the connection, and hover a stub to highlight the matching stub at the far end. Tagged connections also eliminate the need for Smart Connection Routing, drastically speeding up performance on larger drawings as the app no longer needs to calculate the best path for each connection.
Connection Tags are a Pro feature, and we are running a special promotion until the end of the month to get your first month of Pro free to try them out!
First shown off at EXPO-SCENE this year, Connection Tags are a new way to cut down on visual clutter in large drawings. Instead of drawing the full line between two distant pieces of gear, a tagged connection appears as two short stubs, one at each end, with a navigation label that tells you what the connection links to. And Connection Tags come packed with helpful features beyond just the tidier look too!
Check out our video on the new feature, or read on below!Connections come in three new modes. Auto Tag switches between a full line and tag stubs based on how far apart the connected gear is, so connections only tag themselves once the gear is far enough away to benefit from it, and this happens automatically for you as you move gear around the drawing!
Show As Tag always shows the connection as tag stubs no matter the distance, and Show Full Connection always shows the full line. You can set the preference by right-clicking a connection, from the Selection Toolbar when one or more connections are selected, or from the Edit menu under Connections.You can also control what text a tag displays. The Tag Label option gives you three choices. Gear Only is the default and shows just the name of the gear on the other end. Gear and Port shows both the gear name and the connected port label together, for example FOH · RJ45 1. Port Only shows just the connected port label, for example RJ45 1. This makes it easy to tell at a glance not only which device a connection runs to, but which specific port it lands on. Just like the tag mode, you can set the label by right-clicking a connection or from the Edit menu under Connections, with single and multi-select supported so you can update many connections at once.Connection Tags are also a quick way to get around a big drawing. Clicking a tag label jumps the view straight to the other end of the connection, and hovering a stub highlights the matching stub at the far end so you can always find where a connection goes.
As an added bonus, to improve performance, when a connection is tagged, the line no longer calculates its Smart Connection Routing, drastically speeding up path finding when moving gear around the drawing.
You can fine tune tag behaviour in Project Settings, including the Default Tag Mode and Default Tag Label for new connections, whether tag labels are always pinned or only appear on hover, the distance threshold that triggers Auto mode, and the length of the tag lines.
Connection Tags are a Pro feature, and when a new project is created, Pro users will have connections set to Auto Tag by default, while Starter users will have connections set to Show Full Connection by default.
If you aren't already a Pro member, you can try Connection Tags out with a free month of Pro, activated automatically when you sign up! Try Tags today at beta-app.gearconnect.ca.
Default Library Updates
Thank you to everyone who has requested and submitted library items!
Blackmagic Design
Blackmagic Cloud Store
Blackmagic Cloud Pod
Blackmagic Cloud Store Ultra 48TB
Blackmagic Cloud Store Ultra 24TB
Blackmagic Cloud Store Max 48TB
Blackmagic Cloud Store Max 24TB
Blackmagic Cloud Store Mini 16TB
Blackmagic Cloud Store Mini 8TB
Blackmagic SDI Expander 8x12G
Blackmagic Studio Fiber Converter
Blackmagic Camera Fiber Converter
HyperDeck ISO Recorder 100G
Teranex Mini IP Video 12G
Teranex Mini Quad SDI to 12G-SDI
Teranex Mini 12G-SDI to Quad SDI
Teranex Mini SDI Distribution 12G
Teranex Mini HDMI to Optical 12G
Teranex Mini Optical to HDMI 12G
Teranex Mini Audio to SDI 12G
Teranex Mini SDI to Audio 12G
Teranex Mini Analog to SDI 12G
Teranex Mini SDI to Analog 12G
Teranex Mini HDMI to SDI 12G
Teranex Mini SDI to HDMI 12G
Crown
CT 8150
CT 875
CT 4150
CT 475
CTD-8125
CTD-4125
CTD-2125
DirectOut
ANDIAMO
Hive Media Control
Pluto 2TB
Pluto 1TB
Osmia 2TB
Osmia 1TB
Minima 1TB
Minima 500GB
iConnectivity
mioXL
mioXM
KLANG
KLANG:konductor
KLANG:vokal
Luminex
GigaCore 30i
QSC
LS218
LS118
LA112
LA108
Rupert Neve Designs
RMP-D8
Improvements
The Hover Card no longer twitches between the left and right side of the drawing when your cursor sits near the center. Once it settles on a side, the card now stays there until your cursor moves well past the middle of the drawing.
Zoom to Fit now accounts for the drawing toolbar when framing tall gear, so they are no longer tucked behind it.
Jumping to a gear item that is too large to fit within your current camera size now zooms the drawing out to fit the gear cleanly.
Local Mode now re-activates faster after a sync, dropping the delay from 5 seconds down to 1.5 seconds.
The drawing integrity check can now repair mismatched connections. When a connection's endpoints have drifted out of sync, choosing Repair reconnects it to the correct ports instead of removing it from the drawing.
Bug Fixes
Fixed not being able to use CTRL + Click to pan around the drawing.
Fixed clicking into the drawing not clearing active text boxes such as the grid size and search fields.
Fixed the Connection Hover Card showing a connection's own port as the connected port in some situations.
Fixed connections not being hoverable or selectable immediately after a bulk duplicate.
Fixed being able to middle mouse pan around in the Library Editor preview.
New Automation category and additional port options
This release adds Automation as its own gear category, eight new port connectors and the Allen & Heath ME signal type, and a fresh batch of Default Library gear.
New Port Options
New Connectors
LEMO 3-Pin
Phoenix 6-Pin
powerCON 32 A
Weiland 6-Pin
VHDCI
F Type
N Type
PS/2
New Signal Types
Allen & Heath ME
Default Library Updates
Thank you to everyone who has submitted and requested library items; we have almost 100 new library items since our last update thanks to you!
Disguise
GX 3+
Martin Audio
CDD5B
CDD5BTX-MAR
CDD5BTX-WR
CDD5RAL
CDD5RALTX
CDD5W
CDD5WTX-MAR
CDD5WTX-WR
CDD6B
CDD6BTX-MAR
CDD6BTX-WR
CDD6RAL
CDD6RALTX
CDD6W
CDD6WTX-MAR
CDD6WTX-WR
CDD8B
CDD8B-WR
CDD8BTX
CDD8BTX-WR
CDD8RAL
CDD8W
CDD8W-WR
CDD8WTX
CDD8WTX-WR
CDD10B
CDD10B-WR
CDD10BTX
CDD10BTX-WR
CDD10RAL
CDD10W
CDD10W-WR
CDD10WTX
CDD10WTX-WR
CDD12B
CDD12B-WR
CDD12RAL
CDD12W
CDD12W-WR
CDD15B
CDD15B-WR
CDD15RAL
CDD15W
CDD15W-WR
CDD-LIVE 8
CDD-LIVE 12
CDD-LIVE 15
iK41
iK42
iK81
SXP118
SXP218
VIA2004
VIA2502
VIA5002
VIA5004
NewTek
NC1 IO IP
Other World Computing
OWC 11-Port Thunderbolt 5 Dock
OWC 11-Port Thunderbolt Dock
OWC 14-Port Thunderbolt Dock
OWC Gemini
OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dual 10GbE Network Dock
OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
OWC Thunderbolt Go Dock
OWC Thunderbolt Hub
OWC Thunderbolt mini Dock
OWC Thunderbolt Pro Dock
Palmer
PB-20 Pressbox
Panasonic
PT-RQ13K
PT-RS11K
PT-RS20K
PT-RZ12K
PT-RZ21K
QSC
CB10
KC12
KW122
KW152
KW153
Sennheiser
EM 6000
EW-D SKM-S
EW-DX SKM
EW-DX SKM-S
SKM 100 G4
SKM 500 G4
SKM 825-XSW
SKM 835-XSW
SKM 865-XSW
SKM 2000
SKP 2000XP
SL Handheld 865 DW
SL Handheld DW
Spectera DAD
Vizrt
TriCaster 1 Pro
TriCaster Mini X
TriCaster TC1
TriCaster TC410 Plus
Improvements
Added a new Automation gear category for motion-control and rigging gear such as chain hoists, hoist controllers, winches, and variable-speed drives.
The connector selector now groups BNC, HD-BNC, Mini BNC, Micro BNC, F Type, and N Type together under a single Coax group, replacing the BNC group.
Bug Fixes
Fixed not being able to upgrade to a yearly plan while on a trial without a payment method on file; the billing portal now opens normally instead.
