What I’m requesting:
The ability to work on two D5 projects simultaneously without having to close and reopen the application each time. Two possible approaches:
Option A – Multi-instance: Allow launching several D5 processes in parallel, with the application managing VRAM/RAM allocation between instances dynamically, similar to how DaVinci Resolve and other GPU-heavy applications coexist on the same GPU.
Option B (preferred) – Tabbed projects: A single D5 session with multiple projects open as tabs, switchable without full scene reload — similar to Blender’s multiple windows or a browser tab system. Each scene would stay resident in VRAM as long as memory allows, with a clear indicator of current memory usage per project.
Why it matters:
A typical professional archviz workflow involves juggling multiple projects simultaneously — a client revision on one scene while setting up cameras on another, or cross-referencing two project phases side by side. Currently, switching between projects means fully closing and reloading, which on complex scenes can cost 3–5 minutes each time.
With high-end hardware (e.g. RTX 5090 with 32GB VRAM), there is often enough headroom to keep two medium-complexity scenes loaded simultaneously. The bottleneck is not the hardware — it’s a software limitation.
This would directly improve:
- Daily workflow speed for studios managing multiple concurrent projects
- Cross-project consistency (lighting, material settings, camera angles)
- Hardware ROI — users with high VRAM GPUs are currently underutilizing their setup
Suggested implementation guardrails:
- A visible VRAM/RAM usage bar per open project
- A warning when available memory drops below a safe threshold
- Final renders blocked or queued if a second instance is active, to avoid conflicts