We are excited to announce the availability of PowerMockup version 4.0. In this post, I will introduce you to the major changes as compared to version 3.2, the last release of the 3.x cycle.
When upgrading to version 4.0, some of the first things you will notice are the redesigned wireframe shapes and icons that are included by default with PowerMockup. These shapes are much cleaner and clearer than before.
Also worth noting is the increased amount of included icons, which have more than doubled in this version. The icons, which are grouped into 19 categories, have been designed by our friends at VisualPharm.
In another change from previous versions, all included categories are fully editable–you can rename shapes, delete the ones you don’t like, or move them around (more on copying and moving items later).
The most common request we received from PowerMockup users was for additional shape collections. We heard you and built a download feature right into PowerMockup. Simply click on the large “Download More Shapes” button, browse through the available shapes, and download what you like.
We plan to continually expand the list and provide wireframe and mockup shapes for all major platforms.
Another addition to version 4.0 is the ability to nest shape categories in a hierarchy. For instance, you can create a root category “Windows Shapes,” then add a subcategory “Icons” and, below that, a category “File Type Icons.”
A category hierarchy can be up to 15 levels deep.
For each category, you can now configure the size of the icons as they appear in the shapes panel. Four different icon sizes are available: 16 x 16, 32 x 32, 64 x 64, and 96 x 96 pixels.
Also new in version 4.0 is the “sort key” setting. This setting can be used to control the order in which categories are displayed in the shape library. By default, categories are ordered by their titles, but if a source key is configured, this key takes higher priority in the sorting logic.
If you wish to reorganize the items in your shape library, you can use PowerMockup’s copy and paste functionality. Just select a shape or a category, choose “Copy” or “Cut” from the context menu, and paste the shape or category in your desired place.
Some of PowerMockup’s shapes offer additional customization options, which we call “Smart Options.” They allow you to easily add a section to an accordion shape, select an icon for a message box, change the checked state of a checkbox, and so forth. While in PowerMockup 3 these Smart Options were displayed on a separate Ribbon tab, they now appear in a floating window right next to the selected shape. As a result, options are much more accessible and comfortable to use.
PowerMockup 4.0 makes it easy to create central shape libraries that can be accessed by multiple users. These shape libraries are stored on the PowerMockup servers and synchronized across all users. You can explicitly configure who is allowed to access the shape library and what access rights (administrator, read/write, read-only) each user has.
Please note that a shared shape library requires a separate subscription in addition to a standard PowerMockup license. Pricing for a shared shape library starts at US$9.99 per five users per month.
If you have purchased a PowerMockup 3 license after October 1, 2014, you are entitled to a free upgrade. In this case, your license code remains valid. You can download the installer from here.
If you purchased your license before October 1, you can upgrade at a 50% discount. Please check the Upgrade page for all the details.