Animo NT User's Guide - Version 2.0

Glossary of terms

This appendix contains a glossary of terms used within this manual.

Words in italics within a definition are themselves defined elsewhere in the glossary.

Glossary

.eps: File extension of an Encapsulated PostScript file. Files in this format can be placed within other graphics files, previewed on your monitor (double-click on the file in the File Viewer) or printed direct.

2's etc.: Animation mode where each frame is shown twice successively in the sequence. Certain types of animation look better when done this way. Can also be 3's, 4's etc. In Animo 2.0, animation can be generated on 2's, etc. by changing the attributes of the keyframes in the Properties window. You can also preview a sequence on 2's, 3's etc. without affecting the number of frames; that is, you can choose to see only every second, third, etc. frame in the animation when you generate the replay sequence. This is not the same as creating the animation on 2's.

account: Name given to a user's own position in the network, or on an individual workstation. Because your system is designed to be used by any number of individuals, each user needs to establish his or her own identity on the system so that he or she can set up the system to suit personal preference and maintain security.

alignment: Orientation and scale of an image used in Animo 2.0. Images brought into the system from outside using a scanner or by grabbing have no relation to the internal scale used by Animo 2.1. You therefore need to align them to Animo 2.1's internal scale, and when aligning them, you can position them in the frame, sometimes to create special effects.

anti-aliasing: A form of processing of computer-generated images which counteracts the jagged edges which would be present without anti-aliasing. These are caused by the low-resolution of the screen showing the image; TV/CRT images suffer most from the effects of aliasing. Anti-aliasing tricks the eye by softening the lines. Animo 2.0 output images are automatically anti-aliased.

application: Also known as a program, computer software that uses the computer's power to do a job for the user. Programs usually require the user to provide some control or information for the program to work on. Animo 2.0 is a collection of programs.

application error: Message sometimes seen when a program generates an internal error.

aspect ratio: Ratio between the width and height of an image. The aspect ratio for standard TV images is 4x3.

auto-save: Some computer programs save your work automatically at regular intervals; this is called auto-saving; and an auto-saved file is referred to simply as an auto-save. Animo 2.0 does this, and you can set the saving interval to suit your working methods.

background: In conventional animation, usually a non-animating painted element of the scene, showing scenery etc. A background in Animo 2.0 is painted and scanned in at high resolution.

backup: An archive, usually but not necessarily created automatically, of files on a computer. It is vital to backup your work so that you have a safe copy of it in case the original is destroyed.

ball-pen: Animo 2.0 drawing tool that allows you to create curved lines quickly and easily without having to adjust the Bézier controls explicitly. The ball-pen does not allow you as much control over the curvature of a line as the Pen tool, and is therefore suitable for less experienced users or those learning the system.

Bézier: Method of defining curved lines invented by the French mathematician Pierre Bézier. The method is used by most current computer graphics programs, including Animo 2.0.

bitmap: An image not defined by strokes and fills, but as a matrix of colored dots making up the picture. Bitmap images have a finite resolution, and may therefore blur if used in tight close-ups in an animation. They are also larger than images created with strokes and fills, and so may slow down the performance of the computer system. Bitmap images are brought into the system with a scanner or by grabbing from a source such as a disk recorder. The final output of Animo 2.0 is a bitmap; you can choose the resolution of the bitmap Animo 2.1 creates to suit it to the output medium i.e. film, print, video.

boot, reboot: Computer term for start, as in starting a computer. When you switch the mains on, the computer goes through a self-checking procedure and then presents an opening display to the user; this is known as booting up. You will sometimes need to reboot your computer to escape from a system failure, or after new equipment has been installed in the computer or network. Never reboot without trying all the shut-down procedures first.

click, double-click: To press and immediately release the mouse button (the left mouse button if you are using a two-button mouse). Do this twice in quick succession to double-click. Users with a pen and tablet click by tapping the pen on the tablet.

CMYK: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black. Refers to process used by printers to define color on the printed page. CMYK color mixing is available in Animo 2.0.

coordinate: Element in defining the position of a point. Two coordinates are needed to define a point in two dimensions; these are usually x (horizontal) and y (vertical).

color list: A list of color definitions. You can create a color list by mixing the colors and adding them to the list. You can then publish the list to your colleagues so that color consistency is maintained throughout a project.

color wheel: A display of the color spectrum in the form of a circle. You can choose colors by clicking in the color wheel.

Cover Sheet: An on-screen form allowing you to fill in details about the scene, such as its length, who worked on it, camera aspect ratio and so on.

crab: Also known as pan. To move the camera across the scene in any direction.

crash: term for a failure of the software such that the user can no longer control it.

cursor: The on-screen pointer that shows the position at which you can manipulate the image, add text etc. The cursor may take many forms, depending on the tool you have selected, state of the program and so on.

cycle: Sequence of frames, usually defining a movement which returns to its starting point, which is used more than once to create a repeating movement. For example, a character walking down a street can be animated by drawing only one complete cycle of movement, then repeating the cycle as often as needed. Animo 2.0 has facilities to enable the user to create and manage cycles easily.

DAT: Digital Audio Tape. A format used to store audio material or computer data.

data: Information.

delete: Remove. Deleted items are usually irretrievably lost.

disk: Magnetic storage medium for computer data. A disk is a fast and fairly safe means of string information. There are fixed disks in most computers, and floppy disks for removable storage of small amounts of data.

disk recorder: A disk-basked storage device designed for fast access to, and storage of sequences of images, either generated by computer, or from other video sources.

DPI: Dots Per Inch. The standard measure of resolution for computerised printers; sometimes also applied to screens, although in this case it should more accurately be referred to as pixels per inch. In either case, the dot is the smallest discrete element making up the image.

drag: Mouse (or pen) operation that usually results in an object on the screen being moved. Dragging with a mouse is done by holding down the left mouse button when the cursor is over the object to be moved, and moving the mouse in any direction.

Drawing window: One of the main windows in Director; shows the objects in the scene.

e-mail: Electronic mail. System of electronic communication that allows a user to send messages (and sometimes pictures, sound etc.) anywhere else in the world connected to the e-mail network direct from his or her own workstation. E-mail can be used to communicate with CAS!

Ethernet: A system of data communication between computer devices. Your network (if you have one) uses Ethernet to transfer data between the workstations on the network. The term Ethernet can refer to the physical components (cable, connectors etc.) as well as to the software that operates the transfer.

Exposure Sheet: In traditional animation, a type of chart on which instructions and notation defining the animation are written. Similar in function to a musical score in defining a piece of music. In Animo 2.0, the Exposure Sheet has its own window (called the XSheet window).

field chart: Grid used in conventional animation for aligning images, prior to photographing them. Animo 2.0 has its own internal field chart, to which any image brought into the system by scanning or grabbing should be aligned.

fill: An area of shading applied within a path. Fills can be used to be shown in the image, or to mask certain areas of the image without being seen, as in a matte.

filmclip: Sequence of images imported into Animo 2.0 to form part of the final output image, or for special effects.

film recorder: Digitally-controlled camera for recording the output of Animo 2.0 and registering it on film either at 35mm or other sizes such as 5x4.

filter: Processing applied to the generated image in order to create effects such as blurring, rippling etc.

focus pull: Camera effect to create the illusion of depth in two-dimensional animation by blurring some parts of the scene. In Animo 2.0, this is done using the Blur node.

folder: Collection of files on the computer disk.

frame: A single image in a sequence of images. There are 24 frames in a second of a film sequence, 25 in a PAL TV sequence, 30 in an NTSC TV sequence.

grab: To acquire an image or images from an external source, usually a video source. Animo 2.0 has grabbing facilities to enable the user to acquire video sequences.

hardware: Any physical component of the computer system. Contrast with software.

hold: Frames in the animation during which the character maintains its position without moving. A hold can be created between any two keyframes.

HSV: Hue, Saturation, Brightness. A method of defining color. Colors in Animo 2.0 can be mixed this way.

icon: Small picture, usually on a button, which causes a program to start when double-clicked.

inbetween: Interpolated frame between two key drawings or keyframes. In conventional animation, inbetweens are hand-drawn in roughly the same way as key drawings. In Animo 2.0, inbetweens are produced automatically by the software.

interface: The point where you stop and the computer begins! More accurately, the collection of objects and displays on the screen which present information to you and allow you to make changes to what's happening in the computer. NT's interface is based on windows and a pointer, The windows contain displays of information, and the pointer allows you to 'press buttons' in the windows.

interpolation: Process of producing a variation of values between two or more points. Can refer to interpolation of movement and position, as in automated inbetweening.

key: Pose drawing done by an animator. Conventional animation is produced by making a number of inbetween drawings after each key and leading up to the next key. In Animo 2.0, keys are used as reference when conforming the character to the pose at a keyframe.

keyboard modifier: One or more keyboard keys which, when held down, modify the way in which the current operation is performed.

keyboard shortcut: One or more keyboard keys which, when held down, cause an operation to be performed.

keyframe: A frame in the animation scene where it is possible to make changes to the scene. In Animo 2.0, frames which are not keyframes are inbetweens. You can create a keyframe at any frame. See also: key.

knot: A point in the drawing at which you can influence the shape of the path you are drawing. You can create knots at any point when defining a path and you can alter the shape of the path segments on either side of the knot by adjusting the length and angle of the knot's tangents. See also: path.

layout: Drawing of the main features of the scene used as reference when planning the animation and executing the initial stages of it.

lightbox view: Drawing window view which superimposes the frames selected in the frame range.

line test: Basic preview of the animation. In conventional animation, a filmed preview of the initial animation rendered in simple line-drawn form without any shading. In Animo 2.0, a mode of rendering the Replay preview used for visual clarity and to save time when a fully-rendered image is not required.

log in/out: Process of identifying yourself to the computer. All users of the computer have to have an identity. Before you can use it, you have to log in, using your name and a password. When you have finished, log out so that the computer knows that the next user may not be you.

matte: Also known as frisket or mask. Fill (or combination of strokes and fills) used to prevent color being applied to the image. Mattes are used for many different effects from simple to complex.

memory: Also known as RAM. Part of the computer system devoted to short-term storage of data. Programs need memory in order to operate.

modem: Device used by the computer to translate computer signals into a form which can be transmitted over telephone lines, and vice-versa. When you send an e-mail message, it is first translated into this form before being sent on the phone lines.

monitor: Computer screen.

mouse: Mechanical pointing device with one or more buttons.

network: Connected group of workstations exchanging data and sharing resources. See also: Ethernet.

NT: Computer operating environment with window interface. NT interprets the user's actions and sends instructions to the operating system. Most of what you see on your computer screen that is not Animo is some part of NT.

NTSC: Television standard used in USA and some other countries.

operating system: Part of the computer system software devoted to managing the operations of the computer. The operating system does not normally require much direct control from the user, although this can change if things go wrong!

origin: Point about which an object can be rotated or scaled. The origin can be moved to any position.

output: Finished product of the Animo 2.0 system. Image sequences from the animation scenes are output to a suitable recording device.

paint: Term denoting any element that produces a visible mark in the output image. Fills and bitmaps are both kinds of paint.

PAL: Television standard used in the UK and other countries.

pan: See: crab

Pantone: A universal system for defining colors in a form that printers can accurately reproduce.

password: A word or collection of characters that should be known only to its owner and used when logging in to the workstation.

pegbar: Metal bar with three pegs protruding on which specially-punched paper is placed when drawing and photographing in order to ensure exact registration of the drawings. In an Animo 2.0 system, a pegbar is attached to the scanner in order to register the images as they are scanned.

pen: Drawing tool that allows full control over the creation of paths. See also: ball-pen, pencil.

pencil: Drawing tool that allows you to trace freehand over a shape. See also: pen and ball-pen.

peripheral: Piece of equipment attached to the workstation and used by it. Printers, scanners and film recorders are all types of peripherals.

permission: Every file on your workstation can be accessed only by those who have the required permission. Every file has a set of permissions which define who can open the file and make changes to it. Files you create are automatically given the permissions that allow you to open and make changes to them; files created by the system or by other users may not have such permissions. You can change the permissions on files that you created.

pixel: Smallest element of an image displayed on a monitor or TV screen.

port: Connection point on the computer chassis. Most computers have more than one port, into which items such as the keyboard, mouse or peripheral equipment can be plugged.

PostScript: Industry-standard method for describing images in such a way that allows them to be printed at the best resolution offered by the output device.

Preferences: Set of controls allowing you to make changes to the way programs work.

printer: Computerised printing device attached to your network. Black and white and color printers can be attached to your network.

processor unit: Part of the computer containing the 'brains' and memory of the system. Usually has a number of disk drives allowing the reading of floppy disks and CDs.

Properties: Interface panel that displays, and allows you to make changes to, information on the selected object.

publish: Make available to others on the network an item that they will need to share: for example, a color list.

RAM: See: memory.

render: Generate a painted image, either to the screen, to disk or to the output device. See also: output.

Replay: Animo 2.0 application that allows you to see a preview of the animation scene.

resolution: Number of dots (or pixels) per inch making up an image when displayed on a monitor or reproduced on a device such as a film recorder or printer. Animo 2.0 produces images which are resolution-independent; that is, they have no finite resolution in themselves and can be reproduced at any required resolution, according to the capacity of the output device.

RGB: Red, Green, Blue: method of defining color by specifying amounts of these three color components. You can mix colors in RGB with Animo 2.0.

rough: General name for a drawing used as reference but which does form part of the final image. A layout is a rough.

scanner: Device that converts a photograph or other two-dimensional artwork into a bitmap image suitable for use on a computer system.

.scene file: Animo 2.0 file (produced by Director) containing all the information required to describe and reproduce a scene of animation.

SCSI: Small Computer Systems Interface: a type of connection standard between computer devices.

security: Concept of limited access to computer files. Files on your system can be accessed only by those who have permission. Security is a useful tool in maintaining your system. See also: log in, password.

segment: Part of a path between two knots.

selection: Process of selecting, or object selected. A selected object can be changed by any valid operation on it; unselected objects cannot be changed.

software: Set of coded instructions designed to use the processing power of a computer to achieve a result, usually involving calculation and other processing of data. A computer program is software. See also: hardware.

subscribe: Use a resource (such as a color list) made available to other users by its creator by publishing.

swap space: Partition in the disk storage dedicated to use by the computer processor in addition to the available memory when there is not enough memory for current needs.

system administrator: User with a good technical understanding who oversees the operation of the network.

tablet/pen: Device used in conjunction with, or instead of, a mouse, to move a cursor around the computer screen.

tangent: A line attached to a knot that defines the direction of the path as it enters or leaves the knot. The shape of the path segment is defined by the tangents at the knots at either end of the segment.

text field: Area in an interface panel where text can be displayed and/or typed in.

: On the NT system, editable text is shown over a white background, while non-editable text is shown over a gray background.

.TIFF: Tagged Image File Format: an industry-standard Bitmap image format used by Animo 2.0.

timing: Also known as fairing or cushioning: Animation control affecting the speed of movement into, or out of, a keyframe.

toolkit/sub-toolkit: Collection of commands and other facilities for creating and animating. When running Animo 2.0, the toolkit is displayed by pressing the right mouse button, or the button on the side of the pen. A sub-toolkit is available where a tool in the toolkit has a diagonal division at its lower right corner.

truck: Also known as zoom: Camera move appearing to bring the scene closer or to make it more distant.

view options: Collection of controls affecting the display of objects in Animo 2.0 windows.

virtual memory: See swap space.

well: Storage point for colors in the screen palette or other interface items.

window: Bordered area of the screen in which you can draw, type, etc. The screen can display several windows at once, each displaying different information and allowing you to perform different operations.

working palette: Area of the color panel allowing the storage of colors you want to keep for repeated use.

zoom: See: truck.

Animo NT User's Guide - Version 2.0

Glossary of terms

Glossary