Release Godot 4.2 beta 4 and publish release notes (#743)

_data/versions.yml

@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 - name: "4.2"
-  flavor: "beta3"
-  release_date: "24 October 2023"
-  release_notes: "/article/dev-snapshot-godot-4-2-beta-3/"
+  flavor: "beta4"
+  release_date: "31 October 2023"
+  release_notes: "/article/dev-snapshot-godot-4-2-beta-4/"
   releases:
+    - name: "beta3"
+      release_date: "24 October 2023"
+      release_notes: "/article/dev-snapshot-godot-4-2-beta-3/"
     - name: "beta2"
       release_date: "19 October 2023"
       release_notes: "/article/dev-snapshot-godot-4-2-beta-2/"

collections/_article/dev-snapshot-godot-4-2-beta-4.md

@@ -0,0 +1,156 @@
+---
+title: "Dev snapshot: Godot 4.2 beta 4"
+excerpt: "We continue iterating quickly on beta snapshots for Godot 4.2 to ensure that we can solve regressions before the stable release."
+categories: ["pre-release"]
+author: Rémi Verschelde
+image: /storage/blog/covers/dev-snapshot-godot-4-2-beta-4.webp
+image_caption_title: Spooky FPS project
+image_caption_description: A game by Hannes Rahm
+date: 2023-10-31 12:00:00
+---
+
+We're well into the beta phase for Godot 4.2, with the first beta released 3 weeks ago, and new beta snapshots every week since. Have a look at the [4.2 beta 1 release notes](/article/dev-snapshot-godot-4-2-beta-1/) for an overview of the key changes in Godot 4.2.
+
+Since the start of the beta phase, we fixed a number of bugs reported by the community, so we're publishing further beta snapshots to validate those fixes, and iterate closer to the release candidate stage.
+
+This fourth beta snapshot fixes a number of regressions around rendering and the handling of [mesh compression upgrades](https://godotengine.org/article/dev-snapshot-godot-4-2-beta-1/#rendering-particles-and-shaders), compatibility issues with the refactored particles system, and exporting projects to Android.
+
+For C# users, the .NET 8.0 release is set to be launched this November. Make sure to try the current preview release ([`8.0.0-rc.2`](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/download/dotnet/8.0)) with Godot to make sure everything works as expected. Note that you need to set the `DOTNET_ROLL_FORWARD_TO_PRERELEASE` environment variable to `1` to be able to use the release candidate version of .NET 8.0.
+
+[Jump to the **Downloads** section](#downloads), and give it a spin right now, or continue reading to learn more about improvements in this release. You can also [try the **Web editor**](https://editor.godotengine.org/releases/4.2.beta4/) or the **Android editor** for this release. If you are interested in the latter, please request to join [our testing group](https://groups.google.com/g/godot-testers) to get access to pre-release builds.
+
+-----
+
+*The illustration picture for this article is taken from [Hannes Rahm](https://twitter.com/kebabskal)'s spooky FPS project, which was recently ported to Godot 4.2 (plus a backport of the WIP [GH-80214](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/80214) needed to achieve this visual style). See [this](https://twitter.com/kebabskal/status/1705174021992501518) and [this](https://twitter.com/kebabskal/status/1708463209382846858) for some pretty dev scenes. You can follow the development on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/kebabskal) and on [Discord](https://discord.gg/kVxyvy2NGp), where you'll find test builds.*
+
+## What's new
+
+For an overview of what's new overall in Godot 4.2, have a look at the release notes for [4.2 beta 1](/article/dev-snapshot-godot-4-2-beta-1/), which cover a lot of the changes. This blog post only covers the changes between beta 3 and beta 4.
+
+**52 contributors** submitted **110 improvements** for this release. You can review the complete list of changes with our [interactive changelog](https://godotengine.github.io/godot-interactive-changelog/#4.2-beta4), which contains links to relevant commits and PRs for this and every previous release. Below are the most notable changes compared to 4.2-beta3:
+
+- 2D: Prioritize points in polygon editor hover ([GH-82853](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/82853)).
+- 2D: Fix normals in TileSet when using CanvasTextures ([GH-83887](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83887)).
+- 2D: Fix `get_used_rect`, `get_used_cells` and `get_used_cells_by_id` in TileMap after a call to `clear()` ([GH-83890](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83890)).
+- 2D: Fix Y-sort origin not working when set in TileMap runtime updates ([GH-84004](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84004)).
+- 2D: Fix 2D bone weight editor not accounting for offset ([GH-84070](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84070)).
+- 3D: Avoid reimporting lightmap textures every getter call ([GH-77788](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/77788)).
+- 3D: Fix PlaneMesh tangents for 'Face X' orientation ([GH-84097](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84097)).
+- 3D: Hide CSGShape's `debug_collision_shape` when it is invisible ([GH-84174](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84174)).
+- Animation: Allow changing imported AnimationLibrary names in AnimationPlayer in the editor ([GH-67965](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/67965)).
+- Animation: Reimport bone attachment fixes ([GH-82471](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/82471)).
+- Animation: Fix animation track paths updated by scene dock ([GH-83934](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83934)).
+- Animation: Fix invalid return from some more `_get/_set` ([GH-84060](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84060)).
+- Animation: Add descriptive warning for animation track hint fails ([GH-84129](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84129)).
+- Animation: Fix AnimationTimeline time not updating when dragged ([GH-84170](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84170)).
+- C#: Report diagnostic for Node exports in a type that doesn't derive from Node ([GH-82918](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/82918)).
+- C#: Free dialogs when exiting the editor ([GH-83809](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83809)).
+- Core: Fix invalid return from some `_get/_set` ([GH-84054](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84054)).
+- Core: Revert "Add a Disable 2D property to Viewport" ([GH-84109](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84109)).
+- Editor: Fix Filter Files shortcut input is not properly handled ([GH-73981](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/73981)).
+- Editor: SceneTreeDock: Avoid changing the currently edited object when attaching a script ([GH-81510](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/81510)).
+- Editor: Search terms are now highlighted when the bar opens with a selection ([GH-82707](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/82707)).
+- Editor: Fix checking the visibility condition of selected file in the Godot editor's dock ([GH-82806](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/82806)).
+- Editor: Remove toggling of unique names in subscenes ([GH-83370](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83370)).
+- Editor: Prevent crash when creating custom file tooltip ([GH-83487](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83487)).
+- Editor: Mesh instance UV2 unwrapping improvements ([GH-83498](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83498)).
+- Editor: Enable new addon after hiding ProjectSettings ([GH-83576](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83576)).
+- Editor: Support duplication of foreign nodes ([GH-83597](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83597)).
+- Editor: Clamp the height of description text for property selectors ([GH-83745](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83745)).
+- Editor: Remove margins from editor scrollbars ([GH-83868](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83868)).
+- Editor: Fix potential crash on failed move ([GH-83937](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83937)).
+- Editor: Use Hashset for dependency list when moving ([GH-83941](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83941)).
+- Editor: Limit custom icons size in various editor widgets ([GH-84011](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84011)).
+- Editor: Add read-only info to resource embedded in other scenes ([GH-84048](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84048)).
+- Editor: Ignore path error for built-in scripts/shaders ([GH-84077](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84077)).
+- Editor: Change dropdown type filter from Texture to Texture2D in certain nodes ([GH-84113](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84113)).
+- Export: Improve headings for the export mode in the Export dialog ([GH-79725](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/79725)).
+- GDExtension: Use `ObjectID` when creating custom callable ([GH-83800](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83800)).
+- GDScript: Don't optimize division and modulo on debug ([GH-83569](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83569)).
+- GUI: Fix GraphNode slot index inconsistency ([GH-83892](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83892)).
+- GUI: Save current tab in `TabBar` and `TabContainer` ([GH-83893](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83893)).
+- GUI: Fix BaseButton `shortcut_feedback`'s timer will raise error when the button is removed from the scene tree ([GH-83925](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83925)).
+- GUI: Translate TextEdit placeholder ([GH-83946](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83946)).
+- GUI: Menu Bar: Update min. size when items are added/removed/changed ([GH-83961](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83961)).
+- GUI: Fix disabled tabs being selected when removing the current one ([GH-83963](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83963)).
+- GUI: Fix `TabContainer` drag to rearrange issue ([GH-83966](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83966)).
+- GUI: Fix TreeItem truncating node names too much when using a custom icon ([GH-84001](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84001)).
+- GUI: Add foreign validation warning for rename actions ([GH-84022](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84022)).
+- GUI: Include empty type variations in `Theme::get_type_list` ([GH-84127](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84127)).
+- GUI: Text Mesh: Fix incorrectly cached glyph offsets ([GH-84180](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84180)).
+- Import: Fix infinite loop when importing 3D object named "-colonly" ([GH-83764](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83764)).
+- Import: Fix crash when reimporting with Skeleton3D selected ([GH-83964](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83964)).
+- Import: Add method check for `_notify_skeleton_bones_renamed` ([GH-83986](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83986)).
+- Input: Add save shortcut for text shader editor to prevent it propagating to scene ([GH-84064](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84064)).
+- Navigation: Fix potential crashes with TileMap navmesh baking ([GH-83891](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83891)).
+- Navigation: Fix NavigationObstacle3DEditor parenting error ([GH-84055](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84055)).
+- Particles: Fix `noise_direction` variable used before initialized in particle shader when using turbulence with collisions ([GH-83881](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83881)).
+- Particles: Fix invalid parameter ranges ([GH-84006](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84006)).
+- Particles: Fix friction being in the correct if/else branch ([GH-84028](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84028)).
+- Particles: Fix damp as friction not updating shader code ([GH-84029](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84029)).
+- Particles: Fix wrong rotation matrix for orbit z velocity ([GH-84056](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84056)).
+- Particles: Fix turbulence post rework ([GH-84103](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84103)).
+- Particles: OpenGL: Fix uninitialized memory usage for GPUParticles `interp_to_end` ([GH-84189](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84189)).
+- Physics: Allow TileMap physics/navigation to still work when hidden ([GH-83560](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83560)).
+- Physics: Ensure SoftBody3D does not use compressed mesh format ([GH-84165](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84165)).
+- Porting: Fix macOS and Windows build with statically linked ANGLE/EGL ([GH-83988](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83988)).
+- Porting: Android: Update the `launchMode` for the `GodotApp` activity ([GH-83954](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83954)).
+- Porting: Android: Fix retrieving command line flags in Android ([GH-84102](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84102)).
+- Porting: Linux: Improve `screen_get_refresh_rate` performance ([GH-83902](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83902)).
+- Porting: Linux: Add support for EGL 1.4 ([GH-83930](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83930)).
+- Porting: Linux: Fix size_t template issue on OpenBSD by using int consistently ([GH-84017](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84017)).
+- Porting: Linux: Fix freeze when requesting clipboard image from our own window ([GH-83970](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83970)).
+- Porting: Linux: Disable `RTLD_DEEPBIND` mode for `dlopen()` in sanitizer builds ([GH-84210](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84210)).
+- Rendering: Reset SDFGI when changing editor scene tabs ([GH-81167](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/81167)).
+- Rendering: Fix VoxelGI MultiMesh and CSG mesh baking ([GH-81616](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/81616)).
+- Rendering: Clamp ReflectionProbe Max Distance to 262,144 to fix rendering issues ([GH-82415](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/82415)).
+- Rendering: GLES3: Avoid freeing proxy textures clearing owner's data ([GH-82430](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/82430)).
+- Rendering: Directional 2 Split Shadow stabilization fix ([GH-82974](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/82974)).
+- Rendering: Pass viewport size to shadow pass instead of using Vector2i(1,1) ([GH-83491](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83491)).
+- Rendering: Ensure `r_aabb` is always used when creating surfaces through the RenderingServer ([GH-83840](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83840)).
+- Rendering: Add padding to normal attribute in Compatibility renderer to match the RD renderers ([GH-83906](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83906)).
+- Rendering: Fix reading shadow filter quality from project settings in compatibility ([GH-83998](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83998)).
+- Rendering: Fix crash when upgrading meshes from 3.x format ([GH-84047](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84047)).
+- Rendering: Fix multiple issues with UV compression ([GH-84159](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84159)).
+- Rendering: Parse OpenGL and Vulkan strings as UTF-8 ([GH-84197](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84197)).
+- Rendering: Fix bug with alpha to coverage by enabling depth discard when using alpha to coverage ([GH-84211](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84211)).
+- Shaders: Add preprocessor pass on visual shader when showing generated code ([GH-82570](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/82570)).
+- Shaders: Fix visual shader crash when arranging ([GH-83678](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83678)).
+- Shaders: Fix inability to uncomment code in text shader editor ([GH-83822](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83822)).
+- Shaders: Fix assign with swizzle in shader not doing varying validation check ([GH-83830](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83830)).
+- Thirdparty: openxr: Sync with upstream 1.0.31, don't build obsolete dispatch table ([GH-83984](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83984)).
+- Thirdparty: HarfBuzz: Update to version 8.2.2 ([GH-84080](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/84080)).
+- XR: Skip 2D rendering if stereo enabled and fix couple of MSAA issues ([GH-83649](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/83649)).
+
+This release is built from commit [`93cdacbb0`](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/commit/93cdacbb0a30f12b2f3f5e8e06b90149deeb554b).
+
+## Downloads
+
+{% include articles/download_card.html version="4.2" release="beta4" article=page %}
+
+**Standard build** includes support for GDScript and GDExtension.
+
+**.NET build** (marked as `mono`) includes support for C#, as well as GDScript and GDExtension.
+- .NET build requires [.NET SDK 6.0](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/download/dotnet/6.0) or [7.0](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/download/dotnet/7.0) installed in a standard location.
+  - [.NET 8.0](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/download/dotnet/8.0) should also be supported, but keep in mind this version of the .NET SDK is still in preview. Give it a try and let us know if you find any bugs.
+- To export to Android, .NET 7.0 or later is required. To export to iOS, .NET 8.0 is required. Make sure to set the target framework in the `.csproj` file.
+
+{% include articles/prerelease_notice.html %}
+
+## Known issues
+
+There are currently no known issues introduced by this release.
+
+With every release we accept that there are going to be various issues, which have already been reported but haven't been fixed yet. See the GitHub issue tracker for a complete list of [known bugs](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/issues?q=is%3Aissue+is%3Aopen+label%3Abug+).
+
+## Bug reports
+
+As a tester, we encourage you to [open bug reports](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/issues) if you experience issues with this release. Please check the [existing issues on GitHub](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/issues) first, using the search function with relevant keywords, to ensure that the bug you experience is not already known.
+
+In particular, any change that would cause a regression in your projects is very important to report (e.g. if something that worked fine in previous 4.x releases, but no longer works in 4.2 beta 4).
+
+## Support
+
+Godot is a non-profit, open source game engine developed by hundreds of contributors on their free time, as well as a handful of part or full-time developers hired thanks to [generous donations from the Godot community](https://fund.godotengine.org/). A big thank you to everyone who has contributed [their time](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/blob/master/AUTHORS.md) or [their financial support](https://github.com/godotengine/godot/blob/master/DONORS.md) to the project!
+
+If you'd like to support the project financially and help us secure our future hires, you can do so using the [Godot Development Fund](https://fund.godotengine.org/) platform managed by [Godot Foundation](https://godot.foundation/). There are also several [alternative ways to donate](/donate) which you may find more suitable.