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Diamond Version 3 - Update Page

Once you have obtained one or multiple Diamond licences, you should visit this page from time to time, especially if you have deactivated the "Check for available updates" option. (Cf. command "Options" in the "Tools" menu, "Desktop" page of "Options" dialog.) If any bugfixes or (minor) improvements are available, you can download the concerning files from here.

Patch 3.2k4

There is a patch available for the main executable "Diamond.exe" of the latest (official) version 3.2k (see below) of Diamond. This overcomes crashes of the program that appear on some (but not all) Windows 10 PCs when you click into a row of a table (cf. "View"/"Table" sub-menu, e.g. "Table of created atoms"), or a row in the distances/angles table or reflection parameters table or into an atom site table (which appears in several dialogs, e.g. "Add Atoms" dialog) as well as corrects a few minor bugs.

Download Diamond patch 3.2k4 (May 28, 2018 - 1,879,889 bytes).

1) Do not uninstall your current Diamond program (because the download file contains only a replacement for the main executable "Diamond.exe")!
2) Go to your Diamond program directory, usually located in "C:\Program Files\Diamond 3\", and make a backup copy of your current "Diamond.exe".
3) Extract the newer "Diamond.exe" from the downloaded Diamond_32k4.zip and copy it into your Diamond program directory.
4) Ensure that "Help/About Diamond" shows version 3.2k4 and May 28, 2018.

Version 3.2k

The latest available version of Diamond is 3.2k, released on November 5, 2014. (A version "3.2j" was skipped.) Customers who already obtained version 3.0, 3.0a, 3.0b, 3.0c, 3.0d, 3.0e, 3.1, 3.1a, 3.1b, 3.1c, 3.1d, 3.1e, 3.1f, 3.2, 3.2a, 3.2b,  3.2c, 3.2d, 3.2e, 3.2f, 3.2g, 3.2h, or 3.2i should download the software patch mentioned below. To check, if you are running the latest version, open the "Help/About Diamond..." dialog. If your version is still one of the versions 3.0 through 3.2i, you should follow these steps:

  1. If Diamond is running, please close it.
  2. Download the update file by clicking the link below.
  3. Open the file (self-extracting executable). Confirm the message box "Please extract...to your Diamond program directory..." with "OK", and the "WinZip Self-Extractor" dialog will follow.
  4. This dialog suggests the directory "C:\Program Files\Diamond 3" as default target. Change the directory, if necessary, e.g. on German Windows systems, the Diamond program directory usually is "C:\Programme\Diamond 3".
  5. Click on the "Unzip" button to extract the file(s) archived in "Diamond-Update-32k.exe".
  6. Restart Diamond. This version should now list "version 3.2i" in the "Help/About Diamond..." dialog.

Download Diamond-Update-32k.exe     (November 5, 2014 - 12,848,824 bytes)

Users of the demonstration version can use the update as described above.

For a list of (repaired) bugs, open the "Start" page in Diamond ("Help/Start Page") and click on the link "Known Bugs" in the navigation list on the left side.


Previous version

If you encounter (new) trouble with the latest downloaded and installed version, you may access the previous version 3.2i ("3.2j" was skipped) from here:

Download Diamond-Update-32i.exe     (June 12, 2012 - 12,840,960 bytes)


Enhancements in version 3.2k

Version 3.2k was released on November 5, 2014 and contains some bug fixes in the CIF import filter as well as some minor fixes and improvements. (Version "3.2j" was skipped.) See "Known Bugs" page.

Enhancements in version 3.2i

Version 3.2i was released on June 12, 2012 and contains a bug fix in the CIF import filter. See  "Known Bugs" page.

Enhancements in version 3.2h

Version 3.2h was released on March 6, 2012 and contains some bug fixes. See "Known Bugs" page.

Enhancements in version 3.2g

Version 3.2g was released on February 8, 2011 and contains some bug fixes. See "Known Bugs" page.

Enhancements in version 3.2f

Version 3.2f was released on September 14, 2010.

  • Enhanced support for documents coming from Pearson's Crystal Data (PCD), e.g. data origin and copyright notes are now listed in the data sheet and brief.
  • "Crystallography Open Database" (COD) is now also supported in data sheet and brief when importing (CIF) data from that database.
  • Several bugs could be fixed. See "Known Bugs" page.

Enhancements in version 3.2e

Version 3.2e was released on May 4, 2010 and contains some bug fixes. See "Known Bugs" page.

Enhancements in version 3.2d

Version 3.2d was released on February 18, 2010 and contains some bug fixes. See "Known Bugs" page.

Enhancements in version 3.2c

Version 3.2c was released on July 30, 2009 and contains two bug fixes. See "Known Bugs" page.

Enhancements in version 3.2b

Version 3.2b was released on July 9, 2009 and contains some bug fixes. See "Known Bugs" page.

Enhancements in version 3.2a

Version 3.2a was released on June 24, 2009.

  • The usage of non-ANSI character sets, especially on Windows systems outside (West) Europe and America, has been improved.
  • Cell angles are now given with 4 rather than 2 or 3 digits only after the decimal point in the data sheet and data brief as well as in the "Structure/Cell Parameters..." dialog.
  • Several bugs could be fixed. See "Known Bugs" page.

Enhancements in version 3.2

Version 3.2 was released on April 29, 2009 and contains several bug fixes as well as improvements.

  • The automatic online update function has been improved in a way that Diamond now checks for available updates in the background and only prompts to install an update, if such an update is really available. This is especially important under Windows Vista with its additional prompts for user rights.
  • The automatic online update function is now disabled when the user has no write access to the Windows program directory.
  • When Diamond encounters temporary files that have been written by the "Auto Save" function and that were left by a Diamond or Windows system crash, you will be prompted to restore a document from this file, each, e.g. "Data-12345-Restored.diamdoc". If the restauration of the document fails, i.e. Diamond crashes again, you should reply the prompt with "No" the next time you start Diamond.
  • Since the switching between users on a Windows system may cause the toolbars to re-arrange so that they appear all one below the other, a command has been added to re-arrange the toolbars in their default positions, i.e. as after first installation of Diamond: "View/Toolbars/Set Defaults...".
  • "Start" page: The external links under "Diamond on the web" are now opened in a separate window of the internet browser that is installed on the system rather than inside the Diamond "Start" window.
  • When the atomic parameter list contains symmetry-equivalent positions, these will now be marked internally and not considered by Diamond's building functions, except for "Build/Add All Atoms" and "Build/Add Atoms...". Symmetry-equivalent positions often appear when you import a CIF file from the Cambridge Crystallographic data centre. You can create the molecule(s) as given in the atomic parameter list quite easily with the "Build/Add All Atoms" function.
  • When you intend to save a Diamond document or a single structure under a new name, the new name has a "-n" affix rather than simply the "n". This is easier to distinguish when you have a file name as "12345.cif", which now becomes "12345-1.xxx" rather than "123451.xxx".
  • When you use automatic picture creation for a monoclinic or hexagonal structure, the angle that is not 90 degrees, now appears in the xy plane.
  • An automatic shift of the relative z-position (z-axis points toward the viewer) of an atom or bond label now prevents the label from being swallowed by the Z-buffer of the OpenGL rendering mode. (The default value for z is 0.5 Angstroms, but that was often not enough.) This option (activated by default) can be switched off (if you want such swallowing effects yet) in the "Edit/Add Atom Labels" and "Edit/Add Bond Labels" dialog.
  • When you use POV-Ray to render your picture (cf. "Tools/POV-Ray" sub-menu), you will see warnings in the "Global Settings" dialog when you use parallel projection. The reason is that a textured background, e.g. a sky with clouds, or a bottom, e.g. an ocean, will not be displayed as in the preview and as a user may expect, because the parallel viewing camera overlooks the bottom but focuses on an arbitrary small viewpoint in the distance.
  • Several bugs could be fixed. See "Known Bugs" page.

Enhancements in version 3.1f

Version 3.1f was released on February 26, 2008 and contains some bug fixes and minor improvements.

  • The license check now tolerates line breaks that may have been added during sending of the "yourlicense.lic" file through e-mail.
  • In the dialog "Tools/Options...", "Desktop" page, you can now change the maximum number of files in the "most recently used file list", i.e. the files that you opened or saved during your latest Diamond sessions. The default number is 8, the upper limit is 16. This affects the File menu as well as the table on the Start page.
  • Several bugs could be fixed. See "Known Bugs" page.

Enhancements in version 3.1e

Version 3.1e was released on May 18, 2007 and contains some bug fixes and minor changes in context with the release of the Pearson's Crystal Data demo version, which can launch Diamond to post-process a crystal structure picture.

  • In data sheet and data brief, super- and subscripts as well as Greek characters are now considered.
  • In data sheet and data brief, the publication year is now mentioned under "Citation".
  • In the dialog "Model and Radii" a "Reset" button is now available to assign the model that is currently selected in the combobox to all (if no atom is selected) or to the selected atoms (and associated bonds). It also assigns the radii of the atom groups to the created atoms.
  • If the mouse cursor hoovers over an invisible atom or bond, the info tip now mentions "invisible" in the info tip text.
  • Several bugs could be fixed. See "Known Bugs" page.

Enhancements in version 3.1d

Version 3.1d was released on July 5, 2006.

  • A severe bug and a minor bug in printing could be resolved.

Enhancements in version 3.1c

Version 3.1c was released on June 12, 2006.

  • The main enhancement is an automatic online updating facility similar to Endeavour and Match!
  • Several bugs could be fixed.

Enhancements in version 3.1b

Version 3.1b was released on April 10, 2006.

  • The restriction to use atom radii not bigger than 5 Angstroems has been replaced by 1000 Angstroems. So you can e.g. create big (dummy) atoms that serve as transparent bulbs wrapping other real atoms inside.
  • The commands "Cut" and "Paste" have been removed from the context menu of the table pane (e.g. table of created atoms). "Copy" has been replaced by "Copy Table".
  • Several bugs could be fixed.

Enhancements in version 3.1a

Version 3.1a was released on December 16, 2005.

  • An "i" symbol informs the user that plane and/or line objects are not displayed in flat mode (but are displayed in rendering mode).
  • Several bugs could be fixed.

Enhancements in version 3.1

Version 3.1 was released on September 21, 2005.

  • The function "Structure/Insert From File" has been enhanced: Now multiple files (not just one) can be inserted into the active document.
  • The document overview (cf. "View/Structure Table") has been enhanced:
    • The small pictures in the "Pictures" pane are now sorted for the structures in the above table.
    • The functions "Picture/Start Picture" and "Picture Creation Assistant" (cf. "Picture/Guidance/Picture Creation Assistant...") as well as an Auto-Build scheme (cf. "Build/Auto-Build/Define Scheme...") can now be applied to multiple pictures that are selected in the "Pictures" pane. This makes it easy to apply similar building procedures to a series of pictures created for multiple (similar) structures.
    • A video sequence can be created from the selected pictures. Cf. "Tools/Video Sequence/Create...". This enables you to make an AVI from different pictures (structures), beyond what the video recorder offers (cf. "Tools/Video Sequence/Start").
  • Plane objects:
    • "Objects/Planes/Create Lattice Plane...": You can now create a series of parallel lattice planes in one step by defining multiple values and/or ranges for "n".
    • The position and orientation of a lattice plane (but not of a plane through atoms) can now be changed after definition. Cf. "Objects/Planes/Edit Plane...".
    • One or more planes can be shifted (along their normal vectors) with the mouse. The d value of the plane (distance from origin) is increased (decreased) when you move the mouse upward (downward).
  • The properties "Distances between selected objects", "Histogram", "Faces of selected polyhedron", "Edges of selected polyhedron", and "Ligand atoms of selected polyhedron"  can now be selected in the properties pane. (Cf. "View/Properties".)
  • The option "Fill effects..." in the color selection box is now available and offers some hatching styles (for flat mode only).
  • Additional columns in some tables:
    • The list of created atoms now can display the number of bonds starting from the atom each.
    • The list of created bonds now can display the type of bond, e.g. "H bond".
    • The lists of table and line objects now can display a column "Vis." indicating, if the object is visible in the structure picture or not.
    • The list of (measured or reported) distances now can display a column indicating, if the distance represents a bond or not.
  • The new command "Add To Distances Table" in the table of created bonds adds entries to the table of distances from the selected bonds. This is to export selected bonds as "_geom_dist_XXX" records into CIF format.
  • Symmetry records ("_symmetry_equiv_pos_as_xyz") are now written when exporting a structure into CIF format, to make it easier for other programs to assign the "_geom_XXX_site_symmetryYYY" statements to symmetry operations.
  • Several bugs could be fixed.

Enhancements in version 3.0e

Version 3.0e was released on July 20, 2005 and contains only bug fixes.

Enhancements in version 3.0d

Version 3.0d was released on May 4, 2005.

  • New command "More Pictures..." in the sub-menu "View/Structure Pictures", if more than eight pictures are available for the current structure data set. It runs a dialog with a list of structure picture titles available for that structure data set.
  • New command "Run Scheme..." in the sub-menu "Build/Auto-Build", that runs a new dialog where the user can choose and run an auto-build scheme. The command is only available, if at least one auto-build scheme has previously been defined.
  • Several bugs could be fixed.

Enhancements in version 3.0c

Version 3.0c was released on March 30, 2005.

  • Function "Edit/Copy To New Picture" added. This creates a new structure picture object as a copy of the current structure picture but with the selected atoms, bonds, etc. only.
  • Dialog "Auto-Build Settings":
    • Checkbox "Destroy all atoms, bonds etc." and "Create broken-off bonds" added. 
    • Option "Destroy all atoms, bonds etc." now active by default in a new auto-build scheme.
  • Option "Common Windows Color dialog for 'More colors...'" added. When activated, the MS Windows common dialog to choose a color is being displayed rather than a specially implemented version. 
  • Several bugs could be fixed.

Enhancements in version 3.0b

Version 3.0b was released on February 4, 2005 and contains several bug fixes, some of them also could be mentioned as "enhancements".

Enhancements in version 3.0a

Version 3.0a was released on November 15, 2004.

  • Layout dialog: Since for a bitmap layout the page size in cm or inches rather than in pixels is defined, width and height are now automatically re-calculated. That means when changing the resolution (dpi), the size (in cm or inches) remains. The lines "Resolution..." and "Width..., Height..." have swapped vertically.
  • Several bugs could be fixed.