A New Era of Recast Software Application Manager 

This release marks a new era for our third-party application management and patching tool, Application Manager. Application Manager has found a new home within the Recast Management Server! This brings a more integrated and cohesive experience across our products, as our other solutions — Right Click Tools, Endpoint Insights and Privilege Manager — can all be managed from this centralized location. This also makes it easier to add Application Manager for those that already have Recast Management Server up and running in their environment. While this release introduces only the Application Manager for MECM integration into the Recast Management Server, Application Manager for Intune will be getting the same treatment in an upcoming release. If you are a current Application Manager for MECM customer, please reach out to your Customer Success Manager to learn how you can start your transition to this new version. You can also learn more here.  

The Largest Third-Party Patching Catalog on the Market 

In this release, not only have we integrated Application Manager into the Recast Management Server, but we’re also unveiling the market’s largest third-party patching catalog. Now boasting over 2,500 applications, our expanded catalog ensures comprehensive coverage for every business, from small enterprises requiring key applications to large corporations seeking extensive app portfolios. This significant enhancement in our catalog underscores our dedication to leading in application management and vulnerability defense, marking a pivotal step in our ongoing journey. 

Right Click Tools Enhancements in 5.4 Release  

If you aren’t aware, we have a Feature Request page where users share their ideas for potential new features. We review these requests regularly, looking even more carefully at those ideas that are highly upvoted by peers. Version 5.4 introduces several user-requested improvements to Right Click Tools and Recast Management Server. 

Kiosk Manager Gets Some Love 

Version 5.4 enriches Kiosk Manager, part of Right Click Tools Enterprise, with new features inspired by your valuable feedback. Enhancements in the Manage Profiles tool now include a persistent interface for more efficient profile editing — no more closing and reopening between changes. This update also brings an alphabetized profile list, simplifying navigation through extensive profiles. Further improvements include the ability to block inputs from both standard and number pad Delete keys, enhancing security. Also, in addition to introducing a new option on the Shell Replacement page for configuring auto-launch applications (instead of defaulting to the standard Windows desktop), we have also integrated a 64-bit version of Google Chrome. 

Toast Notification Title Field Customization 

The Send Notification tool in Right Click Tools Enterprise enables admins to send toast notifications to their endpoints. You can use these to notify your end-users about everything from planned outages to reminders to reboot their device regularly (they still won’t), the world is really your oyster here. Previously, the title of these notifications was a default value of “RecastToast” which may have been confusing to end-users. This field is now customizable, allowing titles that align more closely with the notification’s content for greater impact. 

Wrapping Up: 5.4 Release 

A couple of final new features to highlight. In the Recast Management Server, you can now choose how many Recast Agents are displayed on the Agents page. Choose from 10, 25, 50, or 100, whichever best suits your needs. The Show Collections – Advanced tool sees new insight added, as it now shows if a maintenance window is enabled. For the full list of new features, enhancements, and bug fixes, please see the release notes page here.  

The post Recast 5.4: Unlock the Largest Third-Party Patching Catalog  appeared first on Recast Software.

Our goal is to elevate your knowledge and skills, helping you to exploit the full potential of Right Click Tools and leverage it to enhance your IT operations. This certification serves as an opportunity for professionals to demonstrate their expertise, proficiency, and commitment in managing and optimizing IT environments using our Right Click Tools toolset. 

Master the Power of Right Click Tools 

The Right Click Tools Certificate program consists of a series of engaging, in-depth courses. We cover everything from an exploration of advanced functionalities to mastery of effective workflows. The certification aims to equip you with a solid understanding of Right Click Tools, enabling you to streamline your processes and optimize your workflow. 

Whether you’re a novice just starting out or an experienced professional looking to augment your skills, these courses offer rich, practical insights that will boost your effectiveness within the ConfigMgr environment. 

Earn Your “Right Click Tools Certified” Title 

Once you have successfully completed the course series, you will have the opportunity to showcase your newfound knowledge by taking a challenging certification exam. Achieving a passing score will earn you the title of “Right Click Tools Certified.” As a certified professional, you’ll be able to showcase your certification on LinkedIn, enhancing your professional profile and demonstrating your technical expertise to potential employers and colleagues. 

Patch your apps on the go.

Select and manage applications from a web-based portal with Application Manager.t

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Start Your Journey with Recast Academy 

This exciting certification program comes on the heels of our recent launch of Recast Academy, our learning platform for Enterprise customers. The platform’s initial courses focus on Right Click Tools Enterprise, allowing users to comprehend the vital features and functionality of our platform. 

With Recast Academy and the new Right Click Tools Certification, we’re investing in your success. We’re dedicated to empowering IT teams to improve their efficiency within the ConfigMgr / SCCM environment, and these educational resources are an important part of that mission. 

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to elevate your skills, improve your efficiency, and earn recognition for your expertise. Enroll today and become a certified expert in Right Click Tools with Recast Software! 

The post Become a Certified Expert with Our New Right Click Tools Certification  appeared first on Recast Software.

An Agent Gateway is an on-premises component that serves as a bridge between your Recast Management Server (RMS) and your Recast Agents. It allows you to manage your endpoints at scale by providing a secure communications path for agent authentication, authorization, and licensing, directing Recast actions to agents, extending agent connectivity to the internet, and connecting agents with other Recast components. 

One of the notable highlights of the Agent Gateway is its ability to connect internet-enabled devices that are not on your local network. This eliminates the need for a Cloud Management Gateway (CMG), allowing you to execute Recast actions against these devices with ease. And if you’re worried about the number of agents you can connect, there’s great news – you can add as many Agent Gateways as you like, effectively removing any limit to the number of agents that can connect to your Recast Management Server (RMS). 

Why Agent Gateways instead of Fast Channel? 

Why would you opt for Agent Gateways over the traditional method of Fast Channel via CMG? Agent Gateways offer faster executions of Right Click Tools actions against internet-connected devices compared to the Fast Channel. This optimization means quicker response times and enhanced productivity for your IT team. 

A Brief History of Off-Premises Endpoint Connectivity 

Let’s step back to the landscape before Right Click Tools. Traditionally, admins had to set up a CMG to manage devices over the Fast Channel. However, this process was inherently limited by the lack of built-in tools in ConfigMgr, making device management a labor-intensive and inefficient process. 

The introduction of Right Click Tools brought some respite. Admins could utilize most of the Right Click Tools on their off-site devices connected over the Fast Channel. However, the process of running these actions over the Fast Channel remained slower than desired.  

Moreover, before Version 5.0, all Recast Agents connected directly to the Recast Management Server (RMS). This created a potential bottleneck, especially in environments with a large number of endpoints, leading to decreased system efficiency. 

With the release of Recast Version 5.0, you now have the power to connect Recast Agents to an Agent Gateway, which in turn connects back to the RMS. This additional layer enhances performance while also ensuring you can scale up your operations without worrying about limits. You can add multiple Agent Gateways that connect back to the RMS, efficiently eliminating the soft limit of how many agents you can have. 

Right Click Tools Enterprise is loved and trusted by thousands.t

96% of our customers keep coming back and renewing because Right Click Tools is essential to amplifying the power of ConfigMgr.ttt

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Agent Gateways Unlock Speed and Remove Limits 

In summary, the new Agent Gateways feature is a game-changer, offering faster execution, greater flexibility, and the ability to manage an unlimited number of agents. Say goodbye to the former constraints and embrace the next evolution of endpoint management with Recast Software. 

The post Taking Endpoint Management to the Next Level: Introducing Agent Gateways  appeared first on Recast Software.

If you have additional questions, book a call with our team to learn more about the products and their specific capabilities. If you’re already a customer, your Customer Success Manager is happy to assist you. 

Right Click Tools and Recast Management Server Questions 

We had trouble installing a previous beta version of 5.0 in our environment. Have there been updates to the product since then?   

Going forward for a few months post 5.0 release, we plan to release new versions with bug fixes every two weeks. So there has already been one update since you tried it, and there will be more coming soon! 

Would it be beneficial to configure Recast Agent Gateways on each internal distribution point?  

It can be installed on any distribution point but installing it on multiple distribution points wouldn’t give it any additional benefits that any other server with IIS install on it would give.   

Can the AD clean up now work for an untrusted Domain?  

Yes. It needs some extra configuration using a Recast Proxy and/or Recast Agent, but yes.   

Does this new version now require the deployment of an agent to all of my endpoints?  

It is required for Endpoint Insights and Privilege Manager. It is not required for Shift Left or Application Manager. While the Recast Agent is not a requirement for running Right Click Tools, it does provide many benefits including the ability to send actions over the CMG or Recast Agent Gateway, as well as managing devices that are in untrusted domains or workgroups.  

You showed an AD cleanup tool. I’m wondering if you have a tool that integrates with AAD and compares objects between on-prem AD and AAD? Thinking of the future, are there any plans for “Right-click” type options for Intune managed clients that are AzureAD only without ConfigMgr client?  Example: a “Recast Browser extension” or similar.  

Our current roadmap for 2023 includes improving actions on Co-Managed devices, as well as beginning work on an Intune enabled solution. If you have specific features you think would benefit your organization, please feel free to submit them at https://ideas.recastsoftware.com/   

What happens if you have a computer that has a bad MECM client?  Will it still work outside of MECM? 

Most of our tools will still work. However, tools that are ConfigMgr related might not work with a broken client.   

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Privilege Manager Questions 

Is the “Reason” for elevation logged with what was elevated and by who, etc? 

Yes. The logs report the reason and the user account that ran it.  

How do we keep the users from only using it when we want them to use it? 

You can require them to message or call the helpdesk to get a code, or if you have something else in mind and want more granular options, you can create a feature request at https://ideas.recastsoftware.com 

Would the Recast PAM override the Group Policies for the prompt that allows you to paste into the UAC prompt or disable the UAC prompt from showing up on the Secure Desktop?  

It would not override Group Policy for either of those scenarios.  

Is Privilege Manager licensed separately from Right Click Tools or is it an add-on SKU?  For example, if we were to want to use it on single user systems, but not lab/multi-user systems, can our license numbers differ between the two products?  

Privilege Manager is a separately licensed product and can have a different number of licensed devices.   

What does the Scopes area do in version 5.0?  It seems like the Service Connection area has replaced that function and nothing actually goes there.  

Most of the information that was part of scopes in version 4.x has been moved to the Service Connections tab. However, the scope section still functions similarly when permissions or a route is scoped to a certain device. In that case a new scope will be created and can be viewed on that tab.  

So giving a user the activation code is the same as giving them a LAPS password i.e. they can just install anything and make system changes? Or is there a way to limit what a user can do as far as installation or changes to a system with the admin codes?  

Activation codes allow users to activate a temporary local user account on their computers for a specified duration. Giving the user the LAPS password does not have a limited duration unless you are managing it with a third-party tool to reset the LAPS Password. Privilege Manager codes are created by service desk personnel and the activation code itself will be entered to the Privilege Manager Client by the user requesting the temporary local user account. Currently there is no way to limit what process or application Privilege Manager can be used on.  

Can the local account and password be disabled and only leave the Domain account?  

Without some additional Windows trickery, the built-in Administrator account can’t be deleted. However, we recommend that you disable the account and have Privilege Manager create a randomized password. 

Is it possible to allow for automatic elevation for specific processes or users?  

This feature is being investigated for future addition to Privilege Manager. If you would like to add a feature request, those can be made at https://ideas.recastsoftware.com  

Are you ready for Zero Trust? Privilege Manager is.

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Application Manager Questions 

Can you add your own custom updates for 3^rd-party updates that are not on the list? Local applications for example?

Yes, Application Manager does allow for the addition of your own custom software. You add it through the web interface. It is a requirement that the installer you upload is able to run silently. Once you have added the application, you can use the Deployment Processes that you have already created to deploy your custom application. 

How big is your catalog for 3rd party patching and is the catalog list publicly available to view without owning the product?  

The list of applications is located here: https://docs.recastsoftware.com/help/application-manager-supported-applications. We are committed to adding 20-25 applications a month going forward, so if you don’t see an application that you need on the list please check back often to see if we’ve added it. 

How does Application Manager work with Task Sequences?  

Application Manager can be configured to update the Applications in your Task Sequences. More information can be found here: https://docs.recastsoftware.com/help/application-manager-mecm-task-sequence-automatic-update-configuration  

If you purchase Application Manager, will the license be good for both ConfigMgr and Intune or do you have to pay for them separately?  

Currently the license is usable for both ConfigMgr and Intune. You would not need to pay twice to cover both ConfigMgr and Intune. 

Some 3rd party apps cannot be installed if they are already running. Do you have something to notify the end user of this type of situation?  

In the ConfigMgr version you can specify the application that needs to be closed in order for the installation to succeed. In the Intune version you can configure a snooze period so the user can sleep the installation until they can find the time to install. In this situation, you can limit the amount of time and number of times a user can sleep the notification. 

Does Application Manager work with Android or iOS at all?

It does not, but this could be a good feature request (and MacOS as well) https://ideas.recastsoftware.com  

How does Application Manager get its 3^rd-party app meta data or sources?  

Application Manager 3^rd party applications are downloaded and prepared by Recast to be delivered to your environment. You can configure which parts of the metadata you would like to use to name your application in your ConfigMgr or Intune environments. 

Is there a trial of Application Manager?  

Yes! Please reach out to us and we can help you test out Application Manager in the environment of your choice. 

Are you sure your third-party patches are 100% up to date?

With Application Manager you can be. Save you and your team precious time by automating entire application deployment processes.

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Reach out to Learn More

Again, if you have any follow up questions, book a call with our team and we can answer your specific questions about Application Manager, Right Click Tools Enterprise, or our other products. You can also read more about the 5.0 version release on our documentation page.

If you’re already a customer, your Customer Success Manager is happy to assist you.

Watch the Webinar Recording

Five products, one mission.

Everyone's endpoint management journey is unique, so we've streamlined hundreds of processes and created five unique products to make the lives of global IT professionals easier.

Company Overview

The post Your Remaining Questions: Version 5.0 Webinar appeared first on Recast Software.

What Changed for our Users with the Version 5.0 Release?

For one, Recast Management Server has a new design. This is primarily intended to improve usability for end users by introducing a more intuitive, modern look. Report drilldowns within Right Click Tools web dashboards and dashboard trends are now tabbed, making it easier to select and view the connected information within pie chart segments. The reporting features will also produce data more efficiently and quickly. 

With the 5.0 release, you can now also view, edit, and delete your Recast Management Server connections to AD domains, ConfigMgr, and MBAM in one place, the Service Connections page. Previously, we used a combination of service connections and scopes, requiring the use of scopes to manage the connections. With version 5.0, scopes are configured behind the scenes so the user doesn’t need to manage them. 

Privilege Manager Integrated in Version 5.0 Release

Privilege Manager, our privileged access management product, is now integrated into Recast Management Server (RMS). You can view and manage Privilege Manager Licenses, Recast Agents, Agent Gateways, Service Connections, and Settings in the RMS web interface. Many of our users work with Right Click Tools and additional Recast Software products like Privilege Manager. Managing multiple products under one user interface makes working within your environment easier. 

Finally, version 5.0 resolves Microsoft Configuration Manager v2207 compatibility issues. Those Right Click Tools users working with ConfigMgr v2207 should download the 5.0 release soon.  

Ready for the Future

Going forward, our product improvement and maintenance will be developed on the new 5.0 infrastructure. Recast will continue to support software versions released within the previous two years (currently version 4.8 and above), but access to new features and bug fixes will require an update to a 5.x release. 

To see a preview, check out the video below highlighting some of the version 5.0 changes. You can also read more and download version 5.0 here. 

Right Click Tools Enterprise is loved and trusted by thousands.

96% of our customers keep coming back and renewing because Right Click Tools is essential to a strong ConfigMgr presense.

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The post Recast Software Releases Version 5.0 appeared first on Recast Software.

We’ve launched Recast Academy with three initial courses: Recast Dashboards, Recast Management Server, and Remote Software Center. These three courses form a bedrock of understanding centered around functionality deeply valued by our Enterprise customers. Recast Software’s sysadmin team will continue adding to the academy over time. Current courses take users between 15-60 minutes to complete, while also allowing them to go at their own pace. When users reenter the Academy, they can pick up where they left off.  

Over time, we will compile courses into specific Learning Paths that end with an exam and product certification. Right Click Tools certification will arrive this spring. 

Recast Software launched a beta version of the Academy to a small group of customers in late 2022. Initial feedback has been overwhelmingly positive with 100% of beta participants stating they were satisfied with the course experience. 90% of participants would recommend the Recast Academy to their peers. 

Deepen your Knowledge with Recast Academy

Want to maximize what Right Click Tools provides for your environment? Start you training journey here to ensure you’re utilizing Right Click Tools Enterprise fully.

Are you managing your environment with the Community Edition of Right Click Tools? Right Click Tools Enterprise powerfully leverages new capabilities while also enhancing security within your environment. Learn more about Right Click Tools Enterprise here. 

Did you know Right Click Tools Community comprises about 10% of the entire suite of tools?

With Right Click Tools Enterprise you can gain access to the other 90% and level up your IT environment.

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The post Recast Software Launches the Recast Academy appeared first on Recast Software.

Below you will find highlights from the Recast Version 4.9 release. Find the complete 4.9 release notes here. 

Recast Version 4.9 Release Highlights 

Right Click Tools 

Dashboard Performance Improvements 

Recast utilizes actionable dashboards throughout the product suite, enabling Right Click Tool actions from within dashboards. With this update, four of our dashboards now offer improved performance and speed — Content Distribution Monitor, BitLocker Compliance, Hardware and Firmware Audit, and LAPS dashboards. 

Bug Fixes 

Within our suite of dashboards, the Software Update Deployment Status dashboard received the following updates: 

• Fixes an issue where the Missing Updates by Category pie chart displays extra missing updates.  
• Fixes an issue where the Device Compliance Status pie chart mistakenly includes installed updates on the results grid. 

• Fixes an issue where some devices incorrectly show their compliance as ‘Unknown’. 

To resolve this issue, you must enable two new actions: 

• ConfigMgrServer > GetRequiredSoftwareUpdates – Retrieves all required software updates that are missing 
• ConfigMgrServer > GetInstalledSoftwareUpdates – Retrieves all required software updates that are installed 

Kiosk Manager, a Right Click Tools feature that makes switching to kiosk mode reliable, remotely actionable, and deployable across device groups, also received an update that enables kiosk profiles to auto-launch Microsoft Edge successfully.  

Did you know Right Click Tools Community comprises about 10% of the entire suite of tools?

With Right Click Tools Enterprise you can gain access to the other 90% and level up your IT environment.

LEARN MORE

Download Recast Version 4.9 Release

Community users can download the Recast Version 4.9 of Right Click Tools from our website. 

Enterprise customers can get the latest version via our Portal.  

Endpoint Insights

Software Dashboard Improvements 

We’ve added additional viewing and filtering options within the Software Dashboard reports. On the List of Computers by Software report and Computer Software Details report, you can now view and filter by user-installed software, computer-installed software, or both. We also increased the speed and stability of these two reports. 

Bug Fixes 

The Software Update Health Dashboard report now runs seamlessly from the console, rectifying a glitch in specific instances. Additionally, the Computer Warranty Information, Computer Replacement Costs, and List of Computers by Replacement Category reports now functions well with SQL Server Reporting Services from 2014 and earlier. 

Revolutionize your reporting.

Access information not natively available in ConfigMgr and other ITSMs with Endpoint Insights.

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Shift Left for ServiceNow 

ShiftLeft is a ServiceNow plugin that empowers Help Desk technicians to action more service requests quickly and efficiently, while limiting the scope of access for the techs. With the 4.9 release, Shift Left now supports the San Diego release of ServiceNow. 

Conclusion

Product release downloads and information are stored on our website here. If you have yet to experience the added benefits of our Enterprise tools, schedule a demo to tour Enterprise Right Click Tools. Nearly all our Enterprise customers renew annually, a testament to the power of the added features and tools in the Enterprise edition.  

Five products, one mission.

Everyone's endpoint management journey is unique, so we've streamlined hundreds of processes and created five unique products to make the lives of global IT professionals easier.

Company Overview

The post Recast Version 4.9 Release Strengthens User Experience   appeared first on Recast Software.

New Features Added:

• Remote Software Center – Add right click menus to nested devices
• Add support for streamed actions in Recast Management Server

‍

‍Bugs Fixed:

• Open Content Source Path – Null reference exception on application deployment type content source
• File not found exception when clicking the link on the update window
• Set LAPS Password Expiration – Key not found exception
• Kiosk Manager – Auto logon no longer works
• AD LAPS Password – Font for password field makes it difficult to distinguish between a capital i and lowercase L
• Recast Desktop Installer – ConfigMgr console prereq check should work for 2012 R2
• Remote Software Center – Installing applications does notwork when connected to Recast Management Server

If you have ideas for making Right Click Tools even better, we would love to hear them. Please share your new ideas with the community or vote for your favorites on our Feature Request page.

The post What’s New in Right Click Tools: February Release Roundup appeared first on Recast Software.

In a recent customer survey, we found that the use cases for locking down devices are wide and vary by industry, from healthcare to education to manufacturing. Right Click Tools’ Kiosk Manager (previously Lab Manager) allows customers to support common kiosk-style requirements, including Shell Replacement, Automatic Login, Restart on Idle, and more.

Locking Down Devices in School Computer Labs

Based on survey results, the top use case for locking down devices is student computer labs, due in large part to state testing requirements. You can read more about how one customer saves hundreds of hours by auto logging in hundreds of computers for state testing here.

Locking Down Devices in Libraries and Digital Ad Firms

Tied for the second highest use cases are Library Kiosks and Digital Advertising, submitted from a variety of industries. See a step-by-step guide on how to create digital signage players using Kiosk Manager here.

Many more use cases were submitted. Here’s the full list:

• Factory floor machines
• Patient rooms
• Walk up registration station for parents at school
• Application consoles
• Employee kiosks
• Surveys on parent-teacher night
• Benefits kiosks for hourly employees
• Office Raptor kiosk
• Time clocks
• Internet-only kiosks
• Collaboration PCs using Intel Unite software
• Member Kiosks

Do you have other use cases for Kiosk Manager? Let us know @RecastSoftware.

Interested in seeing how much Kiosk Manager costs for your environment? Submit a price request to find out.

If you’re already an Enterprise Customer and want to get started with Kiosk Manager, submit a ticket or book a call with our friendly support team here.

Other Kiosk Manager Posts:

• How to Use Kiosk Manager in Right Click Tools
• Customer Q&A: Lock Down Computer Labs for State Testing
• How to Create Digital Signage Players in ConfigMgr (using Right Click Tools)
• Recast Kiosk Deployment via Task Sequence

Right Click Tools Enterprise is loved and trusted by thousands.

96% of our customers keep coming back and renewing because Right Click Tools is essential to amplifying the power of ConfigMgr.

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The post Top Use Cases for Locking Down Devices in ConfigMgr (Using Kiosk Manager) appeared first on Recast Software.

‍New Features Added:

• Add support for displaying firmware related charts in the Hardware and Firmware Audit dashboard
• Allow users to customize the charting options in the Hardware and Firmware Audit dashboard
• Add operating system information to the Hardware and Firmware Audit dashboard
• Add a notification for users who are not pulling required inventory classes in the Hardware and Firmware dashboard
• Improve error messages when Recast Management Server settings are misconfigured and when Recast Management Server is unreachable
• Add compliance state information to Remote Software Center Compliance tab
• Add install / uninstall status for each device in the Remote Software Center Applications tab
• Add error code field for each device in the Applications,Updates, and Task Sequences tabs of Remote Software Center

‍‍

Bugs Fixed:

• RCT Runner Device crashes when run from a software update deployment
• RCT Runner does not display custom input parameters when run from a software update
• Fix version field in Help -> About
• Update wiki links to point at new site
• Task Sequences are sometimes missing from Remote Software Center results
• Programs are sometimes missing from Remote Software Center results
• Fix licensing issue on devices that are FIPS compliant

If you have ideas for making Right Click Tools even better, we would love to hear them. Please share your new ideas with the community or vote for your favorites on our Feature Request page.

The post What’s New in Right Click Tools: January Release Roundup appeared first on Recast Software.