I’ve released v1.4.0 of Valley Oak Design Manager.
This version is mainly about tying together the files that make up a CNC job without forcing you to reorganize your existing folders.
The big additions are:
- Related Files / Workflow — associate SVG/DXF designs with SheetCam JOB files and TAP/NC machine programs, review suggested matches, correct relationships, and retain useful Workflow history.
- Safe TAP/NC previews — inspect supported plasma toolpaths directly inside Design Manager without executing machine code.
- Shared Workspace improvements — share tags, notes, favorites, collections, status, and Workflow information between shop PCs.
- Multiple Shared library roots — Shared Workspace can now use more than one authoritative CNC library folder.
- Faster Shared startup — cached library/discovery information is shown quickly while reconciliation continues in the background.
- LightBurn support — supported SVG and DXF files can be opened directly in a locally installed copy of LightBurn.
- Folder exclusions and Controlled Tags — better control over what appears in the library and more consistent tagging.
- Backup/recovery improvements — additional protection around Shared Workspace migration, backups, offline/read-only operation, and relationship history.
One of the design goals is still the same: Design Manager works with your existing CNC file structure instead of trying to become a CRM or production-management system.
Existing Local Workspaces remain Local after an in-place upgrade. Nothing is automatically moved into Shared Workspace, and the application does not reorganize your CNC files behind your back.
Download and documentation:
Valley Oak Design Manager | CNC Software by Valley Oak Customs
I’ve also updated the Quick Start Guide and User Manual for v1.4.
I’ve been testing this across two shop PCs with Shared Workspace, SheetCam JOB/TAP files, and a fairly large real-world design library. If anyone here tries it with their Langmuir workflow, I’d be interested in hearing what works well and what you’d still like to see.
