Historical

This page provides release notes for legacy versions of Southbeach Modeller.

New in 3.1.0.3

Free update. Recommended for all users. Fixes minor issues and improves application stability.

New in 3.1.0.0

• 30-day free trial for new customers
• A new look and feel, with professional icons
• New Layout and Auto-layout engine
• Support for freeform, tree and graph layouts
• Many layout variations via new Tree and Graph dialogs
• Continuous Auto-layout OR one-click 'Fix up' layout
• 'Pinning' of objects (immovable)
• 'Clamping' of objects (moveable but ignored by Auto-layout)
• Spread/Compact function for each layout, including freeform
• New Circle object, an 'Event' in Southbeach Notation
• Visual model 'preview' using thumbnail images in Explorer tree
• Copy thumbnail 'preview' images (small, med, large) to Clipboard
• Thumbnail image, option for transparent background
• Save As Image, option for transparent background
• A new 'Fisheye' tool, a magnifying glass with mouse wheel zoom
• A more logical way to access the Assist Tools
• Improved wording in Assist Tools for the inserted agents
• Web Research function brought into the application bar
• Each model remembers which Web search last used
• All workshop and whiteboard features now as icons in appl bar
• Comments and balloons now included in Attention tool
• A prototype Full Screen mode for workshops (View menu)
• 'New From' now in File menu as well as explorer
• Select agents based on their tag group membership
• Select agents based on their tag names
• More logical arrangement of some menu items
• Save All available at all times, new appl bar icon
• Simplified text in generated emails (Send To)
• Quick Grids no longer show grid type by default
• Grid can be shown/not shown in model, without losing definition
• Export to CSV file now includes all models in file
• Convert effects to agents now includes the effect label, if any
• Convert objects from one kind to another now uses correct size
• Updated and improved tag library
• Cycle style - thinner or thicker lines for agents and effects
• Cycle color style - color, gray scale, monochrome
• Other subtle graphical changes, enhancing model look/feel
• A new desktop icon for Southbeach Modeller
• A new file icon for .sbm files
• Usability enhancements throughout
• Bug fixes, various

New in 2.1

• Can now generate reports over all models in a model set (Right mouse on banner of MyReports panel)
• Individual models in a model set can now be separated, e.g. by time, by structure. Agents in a separated model inherit a tag, e.g. @past, @inside. These can be used as normal in creativity and report scripts. Right mouse on a model tab for separations. The model name is the tag value.
• CSV export file updated to include grid and model separation tags.
• New in Format menu - Distribute Horizontally, Distribute Vertically
• New numbering and lettering options in report See manual
• New pattern matching and macro keywords See manual
• Dropbox mentioned in Tools - Model sharing options
• Improved tooltips layout
• Bug fixes including:
• Counter effect sub-menu correctly updates creativity output
• Agents inserted 'between' now inherit grid attributes
• When tiling multiple windows, dragged on tags create agents in the correct window
• Group alignment now aligns to side of agent, not selected effect labels
• Drill down folders now have correct icon
• Palette not corrupted after inserting an agent of non-default size from Insert menu

New in 2.0.1.1

• Model Explorer panel now supports multiple file paths. Tools - Options - Paths or right mouse on a top level path in the Model tree.
• Random - a new creativity macro for use in MyCreativity and MyReports patterns. Allows for the generation of randomized creativity from models, e.g random useful/harmful pairs. See manual for examples
• New display of 'Ideality' middle of bottom bar. Right mouse to switch calculation between agents and effects.
• A new Sort View, Sort by Most Changed. Convenient for ascertaining the area of a model which has been changed the most in its history. Explorer panel - Agents tab - right mouse on category for View and Sort options.
• The last view or sort selected is remembered across sessions.
• Newly inserted tabs are now created immediately to the right of the current tab instead of at the end of the row of tabs.
• Go To or Create a new tab from the name of any agent. Right mouse on agent - Go To - Go To Tab (Ctrl+F9)
• Hold down Ctrl while re-sizing grids to help retain the relative positons of agents on the grid.
• Ability to sort multiply tabbed models alphabetically. Right mouse on model tab - Sort Tabs.
• Simple anonymize feature which replaces object text with random Latin text - Tools - Anonymize. Useful for re-distributing example models without compromizing client confidentiality.
• In all text editor panels, e.g. model notes, agent notes, right mouse for new Add Agent sub-menu, e.g. Add as useful, Add as harmful.
• Option to paste a single agent from multi-line text on the clipboard. Right mouse on canvas. (The normal paste creates one agent for each line of text. Sometimes this is not convenient.)
• 'Links' annotations, shown as tiny icons to the bottom right of agents, e.g. to show the agent has a URL, are now on by default for new models. If you don't like this, turn off using the application bar 'paperclip' icon.
• A new MyModels and MyReports folder is created the first time Southbeach is installed.
• Updated tags library for new business methods.
• Can now create agents from tags or tag categories in the Toolbox, as well as in the model. Right mouse on tag or tag category - Create Agents and Create Tagged Agents.
• Can now remove all tags from an agent. Right mouse on agent - Tags - Remove Tags.
• Small usability enhancements.

Semantics

• The names of 'separations' has changed. ' Timespan' is now 'Time'. 'Structure' is now 'Parts'. 'On Condition' is now 'Condition'. Backwards compatible with all models.
• Note however that advanced users who may have used the names of separations in their MyCreativity or MyReports scripts (e.g. @timespan) will need to update these to use the new names.

Bug fixes

• Ctrl and Shift now work correctly when dragging out effects with the 'Heart' (preferred effect) option selected.
• model.perspective is now available as a macro in MyReports
• Removing a grid no longer leaves grid attributes in agents.
• Ctrl-C now working in MyReports panels.
• Sending an unsaved model to email or web service now includes its creativity and reports.
• Goals and risk now treated as useful and harmful in Turn On/Off operations. See icons in application bar.
• Deleting a link in the agent properties dialog now correctly removes the link from the agent.
• Changing attributes of a group of agents now correctly changes entire group.

New in 2.0

• Tags and Tag library
• Assist Tools
• Views and Sorts
• Southbeach Notation 0.9
• MyCreativity engine 2.0
• MyReports engine 1.0
• Ability to add multiple creativity panels to models
• Models store generated creative output
• Ability to add multiple report panels to models
• Models store generated report output
• Improved Printing and Print Options
• Export to .csv format for spreadsheet analysis
• Ability to keep notes with agents and now effects
• Share models on Posterous.com
• Improved 'Explain' output and options
• Improved tool tips throughout the application
• Improved usability
• 100s of other improvements and fixes
• A clean new panel style
  

Included in this release also:

• An extensive (and user extensible) tag library
  (Support numerous consulting methods)
• MyCreativity rule sets - examples
• Model and templates - examples

New in 0.9.5.4

• The addition of 'Emphasis' on agents in the last version had an unexpected visual side effect on some screens, preventing 'Insufficient' (dashed line boxes) showing correctly. This is now fixed.

New in 0.9.5.3

• New notation feature: Historical. Puts a neat cross (X) through any object. For example, a risk we no longer face, a goal we no longer need to achieve, a useful function that is no longer needed. Available in the agent properties dialog and also in the right mouse (context) menu on any object.
• From the Explorer panel on any folder, use the right mouse (context) menu to get to a new option - Open in Windows. From any Windows view, you can drag models to the canvas (to merge a model with the current model) or double-click on any model file to open it in the new window.
• All object types can now have 'emphasis'. This thickens the line according to the strength setting (View Preferences). Previously, only effects could have emphasis. For completeness the existing workshop wand has been extended to allow 'emphasis' to be applied to objects as well as effects.
• When pulling out an effect to create a new agent, from an existing agent, the dropped position of the new agent is now closer to the cursor position on the canvas. This means less moving of agents after dropping them.
• It is now possible to switch off the separation type of a Grid so that it does not appear in the axes labels. See Grid Properties.
• URL links in Explain panel are now active links.
• In addition to the recently announced features for dragging URLs from web browsers to the Southbeach canvas/drawing area, there is now a new feature: Dragging a URL on top of an existing agent sets the URL property of the agent.
• Converting an agent to knowledge (hexagon) uses the last used hexagon color.
• Bug fix: The workshop wand for 'potential' now works for effects.
• Usability: improvements to the ordering of menu options in both the agent and effect right mouse (context) menus.
• For MyCreativity users: 'highlight' is now a keyword for patterns and macros.
• Bug fix: multiple ! (NOTs) in MyCreativity rules now works.
• Bug fix: Dragging text from a web browser to create an agent now correctly creates an agent of the default type set for the model. For example, set default to 'harmful', and all dragged text creates harmful objects.
• Bug fix: 'Combine With' minor bug.

New in 0.9.5.2

• Links and text dragged from Web pages and documents create the default agent type
• Fixed bug that causes crash after double-clicking on Windows toolbar icon
• In MyCreativity upgrade - now supports ! operator (not) in macros
• In MyCreativity upgrade - patterns now supports multiple ! (not)
• In MyCreativity upgrade - macros returning empty set no longer returns the wrong result

New in 0.9.5.0 - Major release

• Significant new features. All users are advised to download and install. There is a new object type and shape, and significantly enhanced integration with Web browers and desktop/folders.
• Semantics: Notation now includes hexagons representing 'knowledge'. Synonyms for knowledge include facts, information, context, etc. Opens up new applications. Also, some innovation practitioners use hexagons for other purposes. They can now use Southbeach Modeller.
• Hexagons come in different colors. They tesselate well at any size/shape/aspect ratio (within the limits of geometry) and are semi-transparent so that when placed near other objects there is clarity, for example, clustered knowledge around a harmful agent.
• For users who have upgraded to 'MyCreativity', the new knowledge type is included in the rules language just as for any other agent. e.g. produces(*, knowledge)
• Southbeach now has much improved integration with Web browsers. Browser bar URLs, links in Web pages, and paragraph of text can be dragged and dropped from IE, Firefox, Chrome and SB internal browser, onto the canvas to create agents. The URL property of the agent is set automatically. This allow the agent to later 'launch' the URL. Southbeach agents can therefore act as bookmarks to related Web content.
• Holding down the ALT key while dragging a paragraph from a Web page to the canvas puts the text in the agent notes rather than using the agent name. This is useful for capturing longer paragraphs and summarising them using the agent name. As a result of these features, Southbeach is now a perfect tool for using the Web as a research source to build up models.
• Double-clicking on a Southbeach model file (.sbm) in a Windows folder or on the desktop, no longer launches a second copy of the application. The model opens in a new model if Modeller is already open, or launches the application. This makes it easier for users to open models from anywhere, not just the Modeller Explorer panel.
• Model files can be dragged from any folder window or desktop, directly onto the canvas where it is merged with the open model.
• On the agent dialog, the agent type field is now an ediatable field as well as providing the standard options. This allows users to specify any text as the agent type. This is also supported in MyCreavility rules using the @ operator. For example, you could give a type 'CMMLevel4' to an agent, and refer to this in a MyCreativity rule as @CMMLevel4.
• New shortcut key: F8 on a selected agent, or effect, invokes a Web search using Google.
• New shortcut key: Ctrl+F8 on a selected agent, involves the URL of the agent (if any) which is displayed in the Web browser.
• Search options (right mouse on agents and effects) now includes ShapingTomorrow (www.shapingtomorrow.com), Microsoft Bing and Yahoo.
• Southbeach file open has been modified to allow for .sbm files that do not specify all attributes. This won't effect normal users in any way, but it assists with integration with other Web services that wish to export .sbm files from Web content. This was developed to support a partnership with ShapingTomorrow.Com.
• If you have created your own 'hints and tips' by adding them to the userhintsandtips.txt file where will be maintained across release upgrades
• The convert menus (right mouse on agents and comments) now covers all object types.
• The presentation mode controls on the application bar now includes ability to hide/show comments in the model.
• Ditto for drawing objects, show/hide is now provided.
• In View Preferences (right mouse on canvas) each type of agent (agent, issue, choice, action, knowledge) now has it own default size for new agents of that type.
• If you adjust the size of an agent by dragging its handles, and then use the right mouse menu to Set Default Size for New Agents, the default is set only for the type of agent you were modifying. This means that SB templates can have different default sizes for different object types.
• It is now possible to insert line feeds into an agent text name. If you do this, creating multiline text in the agent as displayed, you will only see the first line of the name in the single line box on the agent properties dialog. However, if you use down arrow and up arrow, you can get to the other lines while editing.
• A new application bar icon let's you set four different styles for the drawing canvas - blank, crosses, grid and dots
• You no longer have to use Paste Special to paste graphical Southbeach models from the clipboard into another application. Paste is sufficient.
• Build a Sequence now includes drawing objects as well as agents.
• Build a Sequence dialog now has a CLEAR button.
• Bug fix: AUTO button on Build a Sequence (presentation mode) now works reliably.
• Bug fix: linked agents with no name were reporting two effects in Explain tab. This no longer happens.
• Bug fix: If you browse into a model to see individual agents (right mouse Browse on the model in the Explorer panel), you can now see comments and balloon comments and can drag them to the canvas.
• Bug fix: Previously Clone Tab sometimes omitted drawing layer.
• Small usability improvement in right mouse menu on agents.
• Small usability improvement in right mouse menu on tabs.

New in 0.9.4.2

• Bug in MyCreativity fixed - all MyCreativity users recommended to upgrade

New in 0.9.4.1

• Can now select element type - i.e. agent, issue, choice or action - as part of dragging out an effect or when creating a new element (i.e. no need to 'Convert to' afterwards)
• Can set agent defaults accordingly, e.g. in a template set the default element as 'harmful issue'
• No longer need to 'Paste Special' into other document formats. The default 'Paste' will copy a selected or whole model directly into Word, PowerPoint, etc.
• New short cut key: Ctrl+Shift+N to insert a neutral agent
• New short cut key: Ctrl+Shift+D to insert a default agent (as set in Agent Defaults)
• Edit menu now has option to 'Select Grid' - this is useful for grabbing grid handles
• Grid resizing has been improved for horizontal swimlane or vertical swimlane models
• Pasting objects on the grid canvas now inherit the grid position correctly without needing to be touched or moved
• In the agent properties dialog, the agent type can now be edited as free text as well as providing the normal built in list of agent types.
• In MyCreativity, @<agent type> is now supported both for matching rules and in macros (see MyCreativity manual if you have licenced the MyCreativity upgrade)
• There is now a 'previous' button for Hints and Tips
• Selection boundry for 'Issue' agents now the same style as other agent types
• No longer adds redundant .png to filename for PNG image exports
• Contents of Explain tab in Notes area now kept better in step with changes in model
• Bug to do with selected effect end points being copied unnecessarily, fixed

New in 0.9.4.0

• Presentation Mode (Build a Sequence)
• Play controls - Start, Next, Previous, End
• Turn On/Off Actions extended to other semantics
• e.g. Turn On/Off goals, risks, harmfuls
• Now saves Highlighter (path) with model
• New Hints and Tips help window
• Now supports TIF format for images
• Option to scale up exported images
• New short cut keys for whiteboard tools
• Insert Between now works for effects to/from effects
• Improved Live Capture dialogs
• Capture by Issues/Choices/Actions
• Capture by Useful/Harmful/Neutral
• Capture by Goals/Risks
• Capture by Sufficient/Insufficient
• Send to Back extended
• Grid resizing improved
• Improved positioning for Insert Between

New in 0.9.3.0

• Multiple models in a single file are now easier to manage
• A new 'tabbed' interface for multi-model files makes selecting a model far easier - similar to Excel 'sheets'
• Right mouse on any tab to Copy/Paste/Clone model - within the same file or to another file
• Re-arrange tabs into the most logical order for model presentation
• All tabs Save with the file in one operation (previously sub-models saved independently)
• Explorer now opens files to show tabbed models - new Browse function
• Browse a model in explorer down to individual model elements
• Explorer icons for model elements reflect agent attributes, e.g. solid green for goal, yellow outline for focus, etc.
• Drag any model in explorer to canvas
• Drag any model element in explorer to canvas
• Right mouse menus on explorer items - various
• Semantics: new agent type 'state'
• Semantics: new agent type 'activity'
• Improved icon for show/hide 'actions' in model
• Explorer less 'jumpy' (bug fixes)
• Fixed bug: effect 'emphasis' now shown properly when model first opened
• Fixed bug: panels you turn off (View menu) are now remembered correctly if Modeller closed and re-opened
• Fixed bug in MyCreativity upgrade - {effect} macro now correctly outputs user supplied label for User_Defined effects.

New in 0.9.2.1

• Minor bug fixes following release of MyCreativity.
• New agent type 'product'

New in 0.9.2.0

Major release. Highlights include:

• Southbeach|MyCreativity ('active models' see below)
• New semantics (see below)
• Link agents to related documents, e.g. Word
• New reports and improved report formats
• Improved output from 'Explain' tab
• Library of example .sbm model files included
• Notation guide .sbm models included
• Additional 'Quick grids' added
• Multi Edit, a new workshop aid
• Show/hide all 'Actions' in model
• 'Combine with' function on agents
• Improved usability + bugs fixed
• Improved help, new resources (see below)
• Beach sounds

MyCreativity

MyCreativity is the rules engine at the heart of Southbeach Modeller. By adding simple rules and phrases, models become 'active'. As you click on, navigate or edit a model, the output generated guides problem solving, innovation and many other creative tasks.

Anyone can use MyCreativity - from student to scientist. Write rules that capture the way you work. Emulate hundreds of business and engineering methods.

Your creativity library will grow to become an essential force in your work. Colleagues will be intrigued when your models suggest their own improvements and ideas. Clients will be impressed by the depth of your work.

Whether an experienced or first time user, MyCreativity takes problem solving to a new level:

• Guide a client engagement
• Amplify your own creativity
• Supercharge a workshop
• Generate insights for a report

Semantics

• Two new effects 'implements' and 'specifies' allow for modeling of relationships such as 'design specifies system' and 'agency implements policy'.
• New agent type 'Project' - to accompany 'Process', 'Capability', etc.

New or improved features

• In addition to linked URLs and related models, each agent can now have a linked document attribute. The launch menu (right mouse on agent) provides a sub-menu to launch the URL, related model or linked document. (via Agent Properties)
• The reports menu now provides six different reports: list of agents, list of effects, perspectives, agents with notes, agent full details, and full report. Report content is improved. (Reports menu)
• Report font styles and sizes for headings and paragraphs can be set in Tools - Options - Reports
• The explain tab in Properties panel now provides more information more clearly presented. Select the explain tab, then click on any agent or effect. (via Properties panel - Explain tab)
• Explain is now provided for effects, as well as agents (via Properties panel - Explain tab)
• Following install, a _examples sub-model is created in the Southbeach folder, containing many example models. They can be freely adapted and re-published, e.g. for a tutorial, on condition that Southbeach is referenced at www.southbeachinc.com
• In addition, a _notation sub-folder is created. A set of guides to Southbeach Notation are provided as models.
• New quick grids have been added to support common scenario planning templates, e.g. Past-Present-Future Probability (via Insert menu)
• Multi Edit, a new workshop and productivity aid, permits editing all agent names/text in one panel, and then replacing it onto the model, in one operation. Use for 'cleaning up' texts quickly and easily, without visiting each agent. (via Workshop menu)
• New icon in application bar, allows hiding/showing 'Actions' in a model (e.g. proposed solutions/interventions). Consultants will love this. (icon is a blue box)
• A new 'combine with' function permits one agent to be collapsed with another in the model, preserving its effects, i.e. moving them to the combined agent. Allows for quick consolidation of agents. Agent names and notes are combined. (via right mouse menu on agents)
• In-built help has been extended (Help menu)
• Help menu now includes licensing options to unlock upgrades, e.g. MyCreativity. Functions provided to check upgrade status, view and send site code, etc.
• Directly associate a URL displayed in browser with an agent. (Right mouse on agent)
• All editable tab panels (e.g. model notes, agent nodes, creativity) have a Zoom feature to increase or decrese font size for visibility on different screen sizes or in workshops (right mouse on panel)
• Ctrl-L added as short cut for Draw - Text - placing new text at cursor location on canvas
• A new icon in the application toolbar permits turning on/off annotations to indicating notes, associated URLs, models and documents, separately from printing annotations
• Modeller now remembers position of left and right panels over multiple sessions
• Folder created _livesync for use with Microsoft Foldershare (collaboration)
• New symbols +, ++ etc. (right mouse on agents)
• PNG now the default for Save As Image (File menu) (still allows JPG and others)
• Choice of JPG or PNG for sending model as image (File - Send To)
• Google News and YouTube added to list of searches.

Performance

A long standing bug which degraded modeling performance after a series of cut and paste operations has been resolved. The scaleability of Southbeach Modeller has been increased. As a result, model complexity upper limits have been increased.

Installation

• Now installs a library of example models, notation guides and beach sounds, as sub-folders of MyDocuments/Southbeach. They can be freely adapted and re-published, e.g. for a tutorial, on condition that Southbeach is referenced at www.southbeachinc.com
• 64-bit machines now supported

Bug fixes

• New models are now numbered in sequence, if a name is not given
• Convert To (choice, issue, action) now preserves size of agent
• Create agent from URL now uses web page title as agent title
• Search via effects (right mouse) now excludes quote signs giving improved results, e.g. from Google. Also converts agent and effect names to URL format
• Models with labels turned on no longer set the 'save' flag unecessarily on opening
• Re-shaping of a Bezier curve is remembered, if effect type changed
• Can now cancel out of changes to Tools - Options
• No longer allows reversed effects for symmetrical effects in dialogs
• All agent and effects defaults are now saved with the model (right mouse canvas or File menu)
• Occasional exception when saving RTF reports now resolved
• 'Explain' output now kept up to date when editing model (Properties panel)
• A legacy bug which truncated internal last letter of grid axis labels, forces re-save of model in new version.
• Can now save a model file on XP with dot (.) in file name
• Align operations now work with drawing objects as well as agents (Format menu)
• Empty Draw - Text objects removed automatically
• Spelling errors in Hover help fixed
• Double-click as well as RETURN to complete drawing of poly and flexigons
• Attention and Highlighter were interfering with each other. Fixed.
• Can now save effect labels as empty string when using User Defined effect
• Symbols on agents no longer lost when agent is Converted to another class
• URL link to WordNet corrected.

Fun

• Two beach sound files included at install - play at workshops (see Explorer _sounds folder)

New resources

• Library of example models installed in Southbeach folder
• Notation guides installed in Southbeach folder
• New blog southbeach-creativity.blogspot.com
• Community established on LinkedIn (Help - Community)
• MyCreativity microsite www.southbeachinc.com/mycreativity
• twitter.com/southbeachinc for announcements

New in 0.9.1.4 beta

Bug fixes during Beta phase

New in 0.9.1.3 beta

Corrects important bugs reported during the first period of the 0.9 beta release:

• Draw-Text tool now allows for editing of text objects.
• Corners of red boxes (harmful) are now 'rounded' style as they should be. Models you have drawn previously will be updated automatically.
• Sub-model file handling improved. (To add a sub-model to a file, use right mouse menu in explorer on a model file - Create New Model in File). Allows managing a group of related models in a single file, and sharing with colleagues in a single file.
• Deleting sub-models is now reflected in explorer.
• Modifying agent notes sets the Save flag, so you are now warned to Save file.
• 'Detracts from' effect now infers correct usefulness (and color).
• Renaming files in explorer is now disabled if file is open.
• Models with effect names 'on' was setting save file when opened. This is now corrected.
• Pasting a model or set of agents containing a grid to another program (e.g. Word Paste-Special, PowerPoint) now includes the grid background.
• Saving and restoring models with Balloon comments - occasional bug now corrected.

New in 0.9.1.1 beta

Highlights of the new release include multi-model files so that you can share projects with colleagues, workshop productivity aids including 'Live Capture', new visually distinctive 'choices', 'issues' and 'actions', new drawing tools, white-board model path 'highlighter', attention and pen, and a range of Quick Grids.

Modeling and semantics:

This version extends previous 0.8 semantics considerably.

• There is a new 'choice' agent (diamond) for modeling decisions, mutually exclusive effects and other situations in which the path through a model can change in response to different influences.
• There is a new 'issue' agent (rounded box - lozenge) which models questions, issues or other uncertain focal points in situations where progress depends on resolution of the issue.
• A new 'action' agent (blue shadowed) permits the modeling of interventions on the model, for example, a consultant proposing changes, solutions or recommendations to a client as a way to improve the situation represented. The new visual style differentiates actions from all other elements of a show, clearly showing the proposals or interventions. A Convert menu (right mouse on any agent) supports quick changes between 'actions' and 'actions', so that proposals can be accepted or integrated as part of the model.
• The attributes of agents have been extended. It is now possible to model 'insufficient' and 'surplus' resources, as well as 'dysfunctional' functions.
• The attributes of effects have been extended. Effect can now be 'dysfunctional' and 'potential' (previosly only allowed for agents), as well as 'questionable'. Effects can now also be 'inevitable' (certain), as well as 'necessary' (required).
• The 'strength' of effects now applies at the model level for visual consistency. This is now called 'emphasis'.
• The range of effects that can be modelled has been extended. New effect types include: 'prevents', 'related', 'becomes', 'replaces', 'user-defined', 'contributes to', 'detracts from' and 'uses'. The meaning of these and other effects in defined in the hover help synonyms as before.
• All effects can now be 'NOT' For example, 'a' does NOT produce 'b'.
• There are two new types for agents: 'service' and 'capability'. These new types complement 'process' and 'function'. They are common terms in use by many enterprise architects.
• To simplify language which some users found confusing the names of two 0.8 effect attributes have been changed; 'required' is now 'necessary' and 'overloaded' is now 'excessive'. However, the formal meaning of these attributes has not changed.

In order to help novice users, Southbeach Modeller can be operated in either 'Core Mode' or 'Advanced Mode'. You can change mode (Tools menu) at any time while modeling. In Core Mode, many options, effects and attributes are unavailable or disabled. This assists novice users, and is also useful when a more experienced user is working with a less experienced team or in a workshop session where the full feature set could be a distraction.

New functionality:

A raft of new features and productivity aids are included in this release:

• All dialogs have been streamlined so that they fit better on smaller laptop screens, and are less intrusive while modeling.
• All attributes of both agents and effects now have default values which can be set/adjusted per model. (Right mouse on canvas) These default values are what are presented in dialogs during modeling. This allows for building 'template' models. For example, a template for dialog mapping might use 'contributes to' rather than 'stores' more often during modeling.
• The dialog for drawing an effect had six slots for the six effects in 0.8, plus a pull down for special effects like 'Is A' This has been simplified in 0.9. In defaults, and at any time during modeling, you can click right mouse on any of the radio buttons and set it to any one of the extended effects. (unless you are in Core Mode when effects are limited to the original six effects in 0.8.
• An improved and file/model explorer enables the renaming of models, deletion of models and creation of sub-folders.
• Multi-models are a powerful new feature in this release. (Right mouse on any open model in Explorer to 'Create New Model in File') You can now store multiple Southbeach models in a single Southbeach file. This lets you build up a related set of models in a single file, and share them with a colleague in the single 'Share'. Each model is independent of the others in a file just as if they were separate files.
• Insert Between. It is now possible to insert an agent between two other linked agents - elaborating the effect between them in a single step. (Right mouse - Insert Between). The new agent is linked to the others in one step. This speeds up modeling in situations where you are questioning what 'lies on the line'.
• A new 'Draw' menu is included. This lets you enrich models with lines, circles, boxes, polygons, flexigons, text labels and block arrows. Solid, dashed and filled styles are supported. All drawn objects lie in a layer under the model which greatly assists drawing and positioning.
• A new 'Workshop' menu provides two new features:
• 1. 'Wands' permit fast changes to any agent, e.g. useful to harmful or sufficient to insufficient. Wands are useful when reviewing or discussing a model with a team.
• 2. A new 'Live Capture' tool supports fast capture of text during an interview or workshop. The text collected can be instantly converted to agents on the canvas. The agents can then be arranged on the canvas as required and connected via effects.
• To complement 'Live Capture', another 'productivity' feature has been added. If you have multi-line text copied onto your clipboard, e.g. from another application, and then you select Paste from the right mouse menu on the canvas, each line of text is converted to a netural agent and added to the model. This is a very fast way to transfer content from another document, to build a model.
• A new 'Whiteboard' menu provides three new features:
• 1. A 'Highligher' allows the user to visually distinguish specific agents and effect paths during a team presentation or lecture. Especially useful if a model is being displayed on a shared display/projection. Any set of agents and/or paths through a model can be clearly differentiated for discussion. The higlights do not change the model and can be cleared at any time.
• 2. A 'Pen' highlighter - for sketching around areas of the model during discussing with colleagues or during a presentation.
• 3. A tool called 'Attention' permits the mouse cursor to highlight the underlying agent - useful when quickly explaining a model to a team.
• It is now possible to search Google and other Web sites directly from an effect, not just from an agent. The text of the connected agents, together with the effect label if any, is used to construct the search string. (Right mouse on the effect)
• To help users see the power of Grids, a Quick Grid menu is included in the Insert menu. It permits the creation of many common types of grid (based on typical consulting/TRIZ practices) in a single click and quickly added to any model.
• Any agent can now be adorned with a text symbol, such as X, !, ?. A pallette of common symbols is provided. Note: symbols are purely visual and has no formalized semantic meaning. (Right mouse on agent - Symbol)
• Comments now have their own right mouse menu providing cut, copy, bring to front and operations to convert them to agents. Thus, comments can be added to the model and later converted to useful or harmful agents.
• An 'Identifier' (Insert menu) can now be added to models, for example, to give the author name, company attribution and copyright. The Tools-Options menu now provides an additional user field: User Preference - Copyright.
• It is possible to set a Model Property (File menu or right mouse on canvas) so that the model name and perspective (if any) is displayed in the background of the canvas.
• A 'Tell a Friend' feature has been added to the Help menu.

Usability:

• A recent file list (File menu) is now provided for faster access to models with which you have been working with most recently.
• Dialog boxes, despite supporting more semantics and options, are also more streamlined. There is more consistency of layout among them.
• The fast entry and modification of models for which Southbeach 0.8 was known has been streamlined further. All right mouse menus have been rationalised. All new semantic features are as easy to use as before (in both dialogs and right mouse on any element via the context menu). For example, agents (box), choices (diamond), issues (lozenge) and actions (blue) can be converted from one type to the other in one click. (Convert To menu in right mouse)
• It is now easier to draw effects going to an effect or effects coming from an effect. The mid-port on effects is now easier to find with the mouse. It is now easier to 'drag out' effects or agents from or to an effect.
• F2 on any agent or effect now takes you into text edit mode. This greatly increases the ease of adding a 'label' to an effect.
• Comments, agents and conjunctions now all support 'Bring to front' (Right mouse menu)
• Defaults and preferences can now be set separately for the model, the view, for agents and for effects. This is easier to understand.
• Shift-[ and Shift-] now grow and shrink boxes.

Installation:

• The program is now distributed using a fully featured installer and un-installer. This is based on the leading installer package Qsetup from Pantaray. You are given full control of installation options during install. Full uninstall is supported (preserving your models).
• Southbeach model files (.sbm) are now automatically associated with their Windows file type and so will launch the Modeller if opened from the Windows desktop or file folder view.

Bug fixes:

• 'Save as Image' now takes saved filename (if there is one), not the model name. This maintains consistency between model filename and image filename
• Save as Image' of a model containing a grid used to include unnecessary white space in the generated image. This is no longer the case.
• Effect type 'Is A' now supports line style and label as do all other effects.
• Agents can now have an effect on neutral effects. This was a bug in 0.8
• Shift and Ctrl now work as per Windows conventions when selecting and de-selecting objects. For example, to build a set of objects to move.

New in 0.8.0.4

• New help tab for built-in help with multiple sections
• Help available for all Short cut keys
• Help menu provides quick access to built in or online help
• Help menu provides quick access to Southbeach news
• Improved advice and related terms in all dialogs (hover help)
• Improved tooltips when hovering over agents
• Improved internal Web browser
• Now allows choice of web browser: internal multiple windows, sidebar tab or external browser
• Search Web resources based on name of agent, e.g. Google, Answers.com, etc. (right mouse menu option)
• URLs in model or agent description panels are now active links
• Paste any text from clipboard to create a new agent - e.g. from browser pages, other applications
• Keyboard arrow keys now move agents or comments in increments, individually or as a group
• Shift key allows creation of a counter effect (hold down while dragging out effects)
• Ctrl key allows creation of a reverse effect (hold down while dragging out effects)
• Improved dialog for designing your grids, swimlanes, window pane diagrams
• Now supports a new grid type called 'labelled boxes' (see explanation in Model Grid dialog box)
• Grid can now be added simply by dragging a handy icon from the toolbox
• Default size for new agents can now be set based on the size of any other selected agent (right mouse menu option)
• Any agent can adopt the current default size (right mouse menu option)
• Now allows for multiple effects between a pair of agents - you may visually separate these using Bezier line style
• Adopting more Windows conventions, e.g. F2 now enters edit mode on any selected agent or comment
• Explorer supports deletion of files and folders using the Delete key
• New toolbar icon: Refresh file explorer (updates the list of model files)
• Resizing of comments and callouts/balloon comments is now supported
• Built in help now in HTML and expanded and improved
• Esc key for exiting dialogs

Bug fixes and other enhancements:

• Softer colors for goals/risks
• Minor look and feel changes
• Agent notes/description tab now sizes correctly with content
• Improvement to agent alignment functions
• Improved usability when selecting a group of objects
• Comments and balloon comments have improved resizing handles
• Saving models and images now has improved folder location and file extension handling
• Copy and paste in both model notes and agent notes is improved
• Bezier and angled line type bug removed
• Changing a line to Bezier no longer loses effects from that effect
• Comments and callouts now remember their size and font in saved files
• Explorer updates when a new file is added/saved

Known bugs list:

• In some situations the Modeller will prompt you to save a model when no changes appear to have been made.
• You should be able to upgrade automatically and your personal settings will be maintained. If however you get the message 'cannot install as another version of Southbeach is present' please uninstall the previous version and then install the new version. In this case, your personal settings in Tools - Options - User Information will, unfortunately, have to be re-entered and your program layout settings will be reset to default values.

New in 0.8.0.3

• Internal browser now displays full URL and gives loading feedback
• Changing effect properties of bezier or square lines no longer loses 'effects on effects'
• Changes to bezier or square anchor points now saved correctly

New in 0.8.0.2

• Online browser panel now preloads a default page
• Bug associated with loading grids corrected
• Unnamed agents now appear as <blank> in reports
• Merging a model into an existing model no longer takes over model name

New in 0.8.0.1

• New share function (File - Send To). Send model, graphic or report to colleague via email.
• Block color for 'risk' and 'goal' reduced in intensity.
• Agents are now initially of unspecified type.
• Right mouse menu on agent allows quick setting of agent type.
• Right mouse menu on effect allows quick setting of effect type.
• Right mouse menu on effect allows quick setting of line style (straight, beizer, angled).
• New right hand properties panel available - a web browser.
• Tool Tips on agents and effects reminds new users of semantics.
• Show types function extended. Now also decorates agents with + (useful) - (harmful) and o (neutral).
• Show types function extended. Now ecorates agents with symbols to show a linked model or a web reference.
• Additional resource links added to Tools menu.
• Improved copy/paste in Reports and all panels.
• Improved editing of reports, including paste in models as images.
• Copy all or group of agents directly into report (Paste).
• Improved RTF (rich text) output.
• Notation for 'delay' effect improved (slightly shorter dotted line).
• Repositioning of anchor points on bezier curves now working.