VASSAL 3.5 Release Notes

This article will give you a quick tour of the new features in VASSAL 3.5, as well as listing some significant player-facing bug fixes.

= New Features =

Flare Command
A "Flare" command has been added, allowing you to draw an opponent's attention to a particular location on the map. By default this is by Alt + LeftClick but it can be reconfigured by the module designer. A pulsing circle will appear at the target location on the maps of all other players.

This feature works both in online play and PBEM games being replayed from the log.



Performance Improvements for Global Key Commands


MouseoverStackViewer HTML Support and Additional Options



 * 13432: MouseOverStackViewer can show > 1 piece of a deck



Chess Clocks




Editor can Search in Traits and Components


Ability to Deselect a Piece with a Key Command
(also remove it from its stack)



Simpler Way to Display PDF Files from Help menu


Method for Removing Unused Images From Modules


Interface Improvements

 * 13352: Title Bar of module should always show most recent Save/Load/Log
 * 13437: Improve visibility of Logging status - Help people to remember to start logs
 * 13354: Add a chatter message when starting to write a logfile
 * 13333: Better handling of logfile/savefile comments
 * 13323: Player switching sides now reported in Chat Log
 * 13353: Use native file chooser on Linux
 * 1907: Suggest default filename extensions



Additional Preferences Added

 * Drag-at-edge-of-map width
 * Help button added to Preferences dialog
 * Threshold for centering on opponents move is now configurable
 * Preference to turn off sounds
 * Moved Compatibility-related preferences on the General tab to a new Compatibility tab
 * 13326: Saving a module will default to .vmod, an extension to .vext
 * 4779: Comparison operator >= incorrectly documented as =>



Technical Improvements

 * 13494: Expose version numbers and module strings to module as properties
 * 13314: Expose Module Version number as a Global Property
 * 13363: buildFile renamed to buildFile.xml
 * 13219: Added KeyNamer for overriding key names



Miscellaneous Bug Fixes in 3.5

 * 13593: Global preferences weren't being written except when prefs dialog was closed
 * 13509: Save As in Editor, if it fails, complained about old filename instead of new filename
 * 13495: Wizard should now set the initial value for next save/load dialog
 * 13336: Fixed incorrect date format in SecretNotesController
 * 12946: Prevent top level required components from being deleted in Editor