MacWorld 1997 September/Macworld (1997-09).dmg/Serious Software/Presenter 3D/ModelPro Docs/ModelPro Reference Digest/ModelPro Reference Digest.rsrc/TEXT_131.txt

Text File | 1996-11-10 | 25KB | 631 lines

Menus

Click-hold to expose a menu listing; drag down the menu listing to highlight/select list items; release mouse-key to activate highlighted list item.

List item with right-pointing arrow indicates a submenu; submenus operate as described above.


File menu

New  [Ô£ø-n]
        Opens new, blank database file.

Open…  [-o]
   Access standard Open dialog box; locate a Presenter 3D file (v3.6.x or
   Presenter Professional v3.x), then click on Open button to Open the
            database file.

Close
        Closes the active database file.

Save  [Ô£ø-s]
   Access standard Save dialog box (or overwrites named file); enter name in
   the Save as: data field; choose a location, then click on Save button to Save
   the database file.

Save As…
   Access standard Save dialog box; enter name in the Save as: data field;
   choose a location, then click on Save button to Save the database file.

Open Library…
   Access standard Open dialog box; locate a Presenter 3D file (v3.6.x or
   Presenter Professional v3.x), then click on Open to put the file items in the
   Libraries palette.

Import…
   Transfers to v3.x I/O (Open dialog box).

   General
   Quits ModelPro and launches v3.x IO module. Select the desired import
   option from the File Type menu; set the Config and Prefs as necessary; locate
   the appropriate file; click Open button to import the file to ModelPro (makes file
            translation; quits v3.x IO module and launches ModelPro; opens ModelPro file
            from which Import was selected; inserts imported file into database.)

   Prefs  (button)
      Click button to access dialog box.

         On Input  (two radio buttons)
            Expand inserts into separate groups
            Convert inserts into Library references

         On Output -- has no effect on import

   File Type  (pull-down menu)

      v1.5 Model File (Presenter Professional v1.5.x models)
         Config (button) -- Access dialog box; has no effect on import

      Cyberware

      Dimensions Design
         Config (button) -- Access dialog box
            On Input
               Skip hidden groups  (check box)
            On Output -- has no effect on import

      DXF

      ElectricImage FACT

      EPSF (Encapsulated PostScript Format file)
         Config  (button) -- Access dialog box
            On Output -- has no effect on import

      IGES
         Config  (button) -- Access dialog box
            On Input  (check box)
               Convert Lines/Arcs to Wire-Frame Surfaces

      PICT or PICT3D

      Postscript Font  (Type 1 Postscript printer font)
         Config  (button) -- Access dialog box  (2 radio buttons; one data field)

               Read Entire Character Set; Read String (two radio buttons)
                  Click on Read Entire Character Set to configure the import to
                  translate the entire character set of the selected PostScript font.

                  Click on Read String to enable the data field; type characters in the
                  data field to be translated from the selected Postscript font.

                  OK  (button)
                  Click button to return to Open dialog; then locate/select the
                  desired font for translation.

      Super3D Text

      VersaCAD
         Config  (button) -- Access dialog box  (two radio buttons)
            Read Solids as Surfaces (Render)
            Read Solids as Lines (wire-frames)

   Quickdraw 3DMF
     Access standard Open dialog; locate/select the desired 3DMF file.


Here are a few solutions to problems encountered by our users:

General
Must import to an open file.

error -108 or 108 during the transfer from program to program is due to lack of system memory.
Check memory on V3IO application.  Make sure it is at least 2 times your model size (3 times is better). ModelPro and v3.x IO memory allocation should not be set so high that there is not extra 200K or so left for the system.

error -51 is a path error (for disk location).
The file to be imported needs to be in the same location as v3.x IO application.

error -36 is an I/O error.
Usually this is bad media.



Export…
   Transfers to v3.x I/O (Save dialog box).

   General
   Quits ModelPro and launches v3.x IO module. Select the desired export
   option from the File Type menu; set the Config and Prefs as necessary;
   click Save    button to export the file; opens ModelPro file from which Export
   was selected.

   Prefs  (button)
      Click button to access dialog box.
         On Input -- has no effect on export
         On Output  (18 radio buttons; two check boxes)
            Spline Breakup  (9 radio buttons)
               Click on a button to determine the complexity/smoothness of  the
               exported spline    shapes (low numbers are “coarse”; high numbers
               are “smooth”)
            Spline Surface Breakup  (9 radio buttons)
               Click on a button to determine the complexity/smoothness of the
               exported spline surfaces.(low numbers are “coarse”; high numbers
               are “smooth”)
            Write Invisible Groups  (check box)
            Create Groups for Unsupported Elements (check box)

   File Type  (pull-down menu)

      v1.5 Model File (Presenter Professional v1.5.x models)
         Config (button) -- Access dialog box; has no effect on export

      Dimensions Design
         On Output
            Skip Hidden Groups  (check box)
            Output File Format  (two radio buttons)
               Click on the radio button for the desired file type for export:
               Dimensions 1.18 or Design 2.0
      DXF

      ElectricImage FACT
         There are two ways to export a Presenter Professional file as FACT:
              1. from ModelPro--uses EIAS µ file -- Export > File menu.
              2. from Presenter--uses EIAS Pµ file -- Export > File menu.
              These files belong in the Presenter Plug-ins folder.


      Following are a few hints from users who regularly export
      to FACT:

      You can export your model in pieces by turning folders on or off,
      only the objects you see get exported.  If the models appear
      faceted in EIAS, try importing the FACT file in EI instead of just
      opening the FACT file (make sure the smooth polygons box is
      checked). Also, if your model dosen't show up, go into it's object
      attributes and make sure there are no "?" or "inf" in any of the
      parameters, if there are just set them to 0.

      When you import a FACT file into EIAS, turn on "fix cone point
      shading".  This helps with the smoothness of the models. The only
      problems you will run into is with some booleans and any joined
      splines that have been extruded. (ie. the letter "O").

      If you have cloned a model in ModelPro, that will screw up the
      models’ coordinates when it is taken into EIAS.  But you can fix
      those just by typing in 0,0,0 into the coordinates dialog in EI.


      EPSF (Encapsulated PostScript Format file)
         On Output
            2D File View  (six radio buttons)
               Click on a radio button to determine which 2D view will be exported
               (Top XZ, Right YZ, Front XY, Top Skew, Front Skew, Right Skew).

      VersaCAD
         Config  (button) -- no effect on export.

      VIDI Public

      Wavefront

   Quickdraw 3DMF
         Access standard Save dialog.

Page Setup…
     Access standard Page Setup dialog box; make entries and/or selections,
      then click on OK to save the settings and exit the dialog box.

Print…  [-p]
   Access ModelPro Print dialog box.
      Window Orientation For Print  (two radio buttons; two check boxes)
      All Object Windows Tiled (layout shown to right)
         Use Window Scale and Center (layout shown at right)
          Windows to Print  (six check boxes)
         Click on Top, Front, Right, Angled to include in print out (screen resolution
         PICT).  (layout shown at top-right)
      Click on Group List and/or With Library Usage to print out the Groups
      palette list and/or Library palette list.
      To File  (button)
         Prints the selected windows to a file rather than to your printer.

Render/Animation
   Quits ModelPro and launches Presenter.

Quit  [Ô£ø-q]
   Quits ModelPro to Finder.



Edit menu

Undo <operation>  [Ô£ø-z]
       returns model status to pre <operation> (20 levels).

Cut  [Ô£ø-x]
   removes selected item from database (to ModelPro clipboard).
   The ModelPro clipboard is separate from the System clipboard; it handles
   the special    dataset created by ModelPro; this data cannot be pasted into
   other applications.

Copy  [Ô£ø-c]
   copies selected item to ModelPro clipboard.

Paste  [Ô£ø-v]
   pastes contents of ModelPro clipboard into database.

Clear  [Ô£ø-b]
   removes selected item from database (cannot Undo or Paste).

Select All  [Ô£ø-a]
   selects all items in database.

Redo <operation>  [Ô£ø-r]
   Applies the previous <operation> (determined by Undo).

Clone  [Ô£ø-w]
   creates exact duplicate of selected item and its position.

Duplicate…  [-=]
   Access ModelPro Duplicate dialog box.

      Total #  (data field)
             Make an entry (whole number > 1) to determine how many copies of the
         item will be made (including the original item).
      Move  ∆X, ∆Y, ∆Z  (three data fields)
         Make entries (Units) to determine how far along the three primary axes the
         copies will be spread.
      Resize Ratio  X, Y, Z  (three data fields)
         Make entries (Units) to determine how the copies will be enlarged/reduced
         in the three primary dimensions. (1.0 = same size; 0.5 = 50% of original
         size; 1.5 = 150% of original size)
      Rotate°  TopXZ, FrontXY, RightYZ  (3 data fields)
         Make entries (degrees) to determine how the copies will be rotated in the
             three primary planes.
      Rotate Copies
         Must be “on” for Rotate° to take effect.
      Center of Rotation  X, Y, Z  (pull-down menu; three data fields)
         Select a center for Rotate° from the pull-down menu (coordinates will
         show in the data fields), or make entries (Units) to precisely set the center.
      Resize Affects Rotation (check box)
      Method  (two radio buttons)
         Click on Polar to spread the copies about the Center of Rotation.
         Click on Linear to spread the copies along a straight line.
      Distribute  (two radio buttons)
         Click on Incremental to apply Move, Resize Ratio, and Rotate° to
         each copy in relation to the previous copy (i.e. set Linear Method, Move
            (∆x) to 3 inches, Total# to 4; the last copy will be 9 inches from the initial
         copy in the x-direction.)
         Click on Distribute to apply Move, Resize Ratio, and Rotate° to the whole
         set of copies (i.e. set Linear Method, Move (∆x) to 3 inches, Total# to 4;
         the last copy will be 3 inches from the initial copy in the x-direction.)

Preferences…
   Access ModelPro Preferences dialog boxes.
      Save Preferences (button) -- saves special settings for the next
      modeling session.

         General Preferences
            Beep After Long Functions
               Sound indicates function is complete.
            Auto Update Library Items
               Changes made to Library Items will be passed along to all
               instances of the item.
            Delete Spline After 3D Operation
               Removes 2D spline after 3D operation has been performed,
               creating 3D spline mesh.
            3D Operations Create Folders
               When 3D Operations are performed, a folder (group) is
               automatically created to hold the result of the operation
            Relax Snapping Distance (7 pixels)
               Cursor snaps when clicked within 7 pixels of target
               (relaxed from 3 pixels).
            Hide Palettes Instead of Closing
               Converts Close box to Windowshade box on floating palettes.

         Screen Preferences
            Vertex Options  (three radio buttons)
               Click to display vertices at the desired size (1 or 3 or 5 pixels)
            Origin Lines; Depth Lines; Axis Indicators  (three check boxes)
               Click to toggle display “on/off”

         Drawing Preferences
            Scale Options  (two pull-down menus)
               Decimal Places
                  Make a selection from the menu to determine the accuracy
                  level at which you will be modeling.
               Units
                  Make a selection from the menu to make your modeling
                  space adequate/correspond to your model’s real-world size.
            Cursor Types  (five radio buttons)
                  Click on a radio button to determine what the cursors will
                  look like as you model your scene. (samples shown to right)

         Grid Preferences
            Visible Grid  X, Y, Z  (three data fields)
                  Make entries (Units) to determine the size of the visible grid.
            Link Y, Z  (two check boxes)
               Duplicates entry made in X data field into Y and/or Z data field(s).
            Snapping Grid  X, Y, Z  (three data fields)
               Make entries (Units) to determine the size of the snapping grid.
            Link Y, Z  (two check boxes)
               Duplicates entry made in X data field into Y and/or Z data field(s).

         Colors Preferences  (eight color chits)
            Click on a chit to access standard color picker, then change to the
            color desired.

            Background (all View windows)
            Depth Lock (crossed-lines)
            Camera Window Grid (3D View window grid display)
            Drawing Window Grid (Orthogonal View windows grid display)
            Origin (crossed-lines); Guides (lines)
            Markers (numbered crosshairs)
            Default Drawing Color

         Shading Preferences
            Faster Spline Drawing
               Speeds redraw in 3D View window (takes more RAM).
            Enhanced Copy Bits
               Speeds redraw in Orthogonal View windows (takes more RAM).
            Facet Shading for Shaded View
               Speeds redraw in 3D View window.
            Relax clipping in QuickRender
               Allows very close view of items in 3D View window.
            QD3D
               Save 3DMF instead of PICT
                  Makes “camera” button on 3D view window into export button.
               3DMF file as TEXT
                  Makes 3DMF export text file rather than straight 3DMF.
               Spline Contours as Lines
                  Makes exported spline contours segmented straight-lines.


Windows menu

Re-display  [Ô£ø-d]
   Redraws images in the View windows and the 3D View window.

Top  [Ô£ø-1]
   Makes the Top View window the active window.

Front  [Ô£ø-2]
   Makes the Front View window the active window.

Right  [Ô£ø-3]
   Makes the Right View window the active window.

3D Window  [Ô£ø-4]
   Makes the 3D Preview window the active window.

Palettes
   Displays Palettes pull-down menu.
      Statistics
         Displays Statistics palette (check mark).
      Tools
         Displays Tools palette (check mark).
      Snapping
         Displays Snapping palette (check mark).
      Groups
         Displays Groups palette (check mark).
      Tool Info
         Displays Tool Info palette (check mark).
      Status Line
         Displays Status Line palette (check mark).
      Libraries
         Displays Libraries palette (check mark).

Display Image  [Ô£ø-e]
   Access Standard Open dialog box.

      Locate/Select a PICT file; view PICT.

      Choose Copy PICT into Database from title bar pull-down to paste the
      PICT into the Front View window to use as template. Use the Selector tool
      to move the PICT about in the View window(s).

Clean Up windows
         Arranges windows/palettes into default configuration.
         Fits default configuration to monitor size.



Options menu

Show Rulers
   Toggles Rulers display on/off (check mark).
   (Rulers display along top/left edges of View windows).

Show Guides
   Toggles Guide lines display on/off in the View windows (check mark).

Show Grid
   Toggles Grid lines display on/off in the View windows (check mark).

Show Depth Line
   Toggles Depth Line(s) on/off in the View windows (check mark).

Show Markers
   Toggles Markers display on/off in the View windows (check mark).

Snap to Guides
   Forces cursor to snap to Guide lines; within 3 pixels (check mark).

Lock Guides
   Holds Guide lines in position in the View windows (check mark).

Clear All Guides
   Removes all Guides from the View windows (check mark).
   (Includes "Locked" Guides.)

Clear All Markers
   Removes all Markers from the View windows (check mark).


Group menu

Group  [Ô£ø-g]
   Gather selected items into new folder (Groups palette).

   Access "Add Folder" dialog box.
      Enter a name in the Name for new folder data field; click on Add button to
      perform the operation.

Ungroup  [Ô£ø-u]
   Extract items from selected folder (Groups palette; deletes selected folder).

Create Folder  [Ô£ø-f]
   Access "Add Folder" dialog box.
      Enter a name in the Name for new folder data field; click on Add button to
      perform the operation.

Information  [Ô£ø-i]
   Access Information dialog box for selected item.

      Name  (pull-down menu; data field)
         Make a selection to display Information for another item in the database.
         Make an entry (characters) to change the item name.
      Info
         Type
            Data type (i.e. Torus or Multi-line or Spline Mesh).
         Size
            Amount of space the item takes in memory (bytes).
         Path
            Indicates what folders (if any) the item is contained in.
      Options  (three check boxes)
         Filled/Capped
            For closed paths, indicates whether or not the shape is surfaced.
            For 3D volumes with two ends (i.e. cylinder), indicates whether or
            not one of the ends is surfaced.
         Capped
            For 3D volumes with two ends (i.e. cylinder), indicates whether or
            not the end opposite the Filled/Capped end is surfaced.
         Assembly
            Applys to 3D volumes created with the Boolean tool;
            uncheck Assembly to provide access to the original volumes
            used to create the Boolean volume (Groups palette).
            Must be unchecked to use MacRenderMan’s CSG (Constructive
            Solid Geometry) feature.
      Rotation Point X, Y, Z  (three data fields; one pull-down menu)
         Make entries (Units) to precisely position the rotation point of the item.
         Select the desired item from the pull-down menu (right-pointing arrow)
         to set the rotation point of the item.
      Size  X, Y, Z  (info display only)
         Shows the absolute value dimensions of the item bounding box.

Morph Object
   Converts selected object from Spline Mesh data type to Morphable Spline
   Mesh data type (only available in v3.2 or later).

   Perform vertex/surface manipulations on target items for use in Presenter with
   the Morph Animator plug-in.

   Click on Morphable Spline Mesh to access Morphing Objects Parameters
   dialog box.

      Morphing Objects Parameters (dialog box)
         Morphables
            displays info on the number of targets created, in addition
            to the Master.
         Add  (button)
            Click to make a target duplicate of the Master item.
         Copy  (button)]
            Click to make a target duplicate of the selected target item.
         Kill  (button)
            Click to delete the selected target item from the list.
         –> Real  (button)
            Click to convert the selected target item into a Spline Mesh data type.
         Item List
            Lists the Master item and all of the targets created. Click in the circle
            next to an item to select/display that item (in preparation to perform
            vertex/surface manipulation on the item.) Solid black circle indicates
               the item is selected/displayed.

            Click on the name to edit/change the name; move the cursor to desired
            place in the name then add and/or delete characters to the name.

Add Normals
   On polygon meshes only, adds normals to ensure smooth surface rendering.



Operations menu

Transform…  [-t]
   Access Transform dialog box.

      Translate X, Y, Z  (three data fields)
         Make entries (Units) to pricisely set the distance the selected item will
         move in the three principal directions.
      Rotate TopXZ, FrontXY, RightYZ  (three data fields)
         Make entries (degrees) to precisely set the amount of rotation the item will
         make around the Center of Transform in each of the principal planes.
      Resize  (two radio buttons; one check box; three data fields)
         Click on Ratio to set the data fields to display the resize as a
         ratio (i.e. 0.5 = 50%).
         Click on Actual to set the data fields to display the actual dimensions of
         the item’s bounding box.
         Click on Same (only for use with Ratio) to set the Y and Z data fields to
         duplicate the value entered in the X data field.
            Make entries (Units (Actual) or positive number (Ratio)) to precisely
            enlarge/reduce the selected item.
      Center of Transform  (one pull-down menu; three data fields)
         Make a selection from the pull-down menu to position the point about
         which the item transformation will be centered.
            Make entries (Units) to precisely position the point about which the item
               transformation will be centered.

Join Elements  [Ô£ø-j]
   Gathers selected, closed, isoplanar 2D contours into new folder
   (Groups palette).

   Creates a closed, 2D contour with a "hole(s)."
   (The smaller contour(s) must be completely enclosed by the larger contour,
   and must be isoplanar (on the same plane.)

   Connects selected, open 2D contours. (Must have coincident endpoints.)

Align…
   Access Align dialog box

      Notice how the generalized illustration (bottom of the dialog) changes as
      different settings are employed; this will help you to decide how to align
      items as you desire.

      X, Y, Z  (three check boxes)
         Click to cause selected items to align with one another along the three
         primary directions/dimensions.
      Align; Distribute  (two radio buttons)
         Click on Align to cause selected items to align edges or centers as
         choosen below.
         Click on Distribute to cause selected items to be spread evenly over the
         total width/height/depth (as choosen below) of of the selected items.
      Left; Centers; Right; Width/Height/Depth    (four radio buttons)
         Choose one to determine whether the selected items will align, in the
         plane determined above, along their Left edges, along their Centers, along
         their Right edges, or spread evenly over the total Width/Height/Depth

Move To…  [-m]
   Access Move To dialog box

      Use the Information Only displays to determine the precise locations for the
      Move-To operation.

      Section  (pull-down menu)
         Choose Front, Middle, Back to determine which Section of the item’s
         bounding box is highlighhted in the generalized bounding box illustration
            (bottom-left of the dialog box); or click on the illustration to highlight the
         desired Section.
      Bounding Box Illustration  (bottom-left of the dialog box)
         Displays a generalized bounding box for the selected item. The bounding
         box is split into three Sections (Front, Middle, Back); click on the
         illustration to highlight the desired Section. Each Section employs eight
         edge points, and one center point; the highlighted point is solid-white.
      Current Location  X, Y, Z  (information only)
         Displays the coordinate information for the highlighted point in the
         bounding box illustration.
      Last Offset  X, Y, Z  (information only)
         Displays the coordinate information for the previous Move-To operation.
      New Offset  X, Y, Z  (information only)
         Displays the coordinate information corresponding to the values
         determined by the From/To pull-down selections.
      From/To  (pull-down menus)
         Make selections from the menus to determine the Move-To
         Offset parameters.
      Move To  X, Y, Z  (three data fields)
         Make entries (Units) depending upon how the From/To pull-down
         selections are made, to determine the Move To Offset parameters.
         Click on the boxed arrows to duplicate the coordinate information
         displayed in Current Location.
      Again  (button)
         Click to repeat the Move-To operation using the Last Offset parameters.