Avid 3D Reference Guide

Download

Avid® 3D

Reference Guide

make manage move | media

™

Avid

Copyright and Disclaimer

Product specifications are subject to change without notice and do not represent a commitment on the part of Avid Technology, Inc.

The software described in this document is furnished under a license agreement. You can obtain a copy of that license by visiting Avid's Web site at www.avid.com. The terms of that license are also available in the product in the same directory as the software. The software may not be reverse assembled and may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of the license agreement. It is against the law to copy the software on any medium except as specifically allowed in the license agreement.

Avid products or portions thereof are protected by one or more of the following United States Patents: 4,746,994; 4,970,663; 5,045,940; 5,063,448, 5,245,432, 5,267,351; 5,309,528; 5,325,200; 5,355,450; 5,396,594; 5,440,348; 5,452,378; 5,467,288; 5,513,375; 5,528,310; 5,557,423; 5,577,190; 5,584,006; 5,627,765; 5,634,020; 5,640,601; 5,644,364; 5,654,737; 5,701,404; 5,724,605; 5,726,717; 5,729,673; 5,731,819; 5,745,637; 5,752,029; 5,754,180; 5,754,851; 5,781,188; 5,799,150; 5,812,216; 5,828,678; 5,842,014; 5,852,435; 5,889,532; 5,912,675; 5,930,797; 5,966,134; 5,977,982; 5,995,079; 5,999,190; 6,011,562; 6,014,150; 6,023,703; 6,031,529; 6,091,422; 6,154,221; 6,157,929; 6,160,548; 6,167,404; 6,192,388; 6,208,357; 6,226,005; 6,310,621; 6,317,142; 6,353,437; 6,400,368; 6,466,214; 6,469,702; 6,473,094; 6,539,163; 6,552,731; 6,553,140; 6,570,578; 6,573,898; 6,621,504; 6,664,966; 6,686,918; D352,278; D392,267; D392,268; D392,269; D395,291; D396,853; D398,912. Other patents are pending.

No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, for any purpose without the express written permission of Avid Technology, Inc.

The Avid 3D application uses JScript and Visual Basic Scripting Edition from Microsoft Corporation.

Attn. Government User(s). Restricted Rights Legend

U.S. GOVERNMENT RESTRICTED RIGHTS. This Software and its documentation are “commercial computer software” or “commercial computer software documentation.” In the event that such Software or documentation is acquired by or on behalf of a unit or agency of the U.S. Government, all rights with respect to this Software and documentation are subject to the terms of the License Agreement, pursuant to FAR §12.212(a) and/or DFARS §227.7202-1(a), as applicable.

Trademarks

888 I/O, Adrenaline, AirPlay, AirSPACE, AirSPACE HD, AniMatte, AudioSuite, AudioVision, AutoSync, Avid, Avid DNA, AVIDdrive, AVIDdrive Towers, Avid Mojo, AvidNet, AvidNetwork, AVIDstripe, Avid Unity, Avid Xpress, AVoption, AVX, CamCutter, ChromaCurve, ChromaWheel, DAE, D-Fi, D-fx, Digidesign, Digidesign Audio Engine, Digidesign Intelligent Noise Reduction, DigiDrive, Digital Nonlinear Accelerator, DigiTranslator, DINR, dotXSI, D-Verb, Equinox, ExpertRender, FieldPak, Film Composer, FilmScribe, FluidMotion, HIIP, HyperSPACE, HyperSPACE HDCAM, IllusionFX, Image Independence, Intraframe, iS9, iS18, iS23, iS36, Lo-Fi, Magic Mask, make manage move | media, Marquee, Matador, Maxim, MCXpress, Media Composer, MediaDock, MediaDock Shuttle, Media Fusion, Media Illusion, MediaLog, Media Reader, Media Recorder, MEDIArray, MediaShare, Meridien, MetaSync, NaturalMatch, Nearchive, NetReview, NewsCutter, Nitris, OMF, OMF Interchange, OMM, Open Media Framework, Open Media Management, ProEncode, Pro Tools, QuietDrive, Recti-Fi, RetroLoop, rS9, rS18, Sci-Fi, Softimage, Sound Designer II, SPACE, SPACEShift, Symphony, the Avid|DS logo, the XSI logo, Trilligent, UnityRAID, Vari-Fi, Video Slave Driver, VideoSPACE, Xdeck, and XSI are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.

iNEWS, iNEWS ControlAir, and Media Browse are trademarks of iNews, LLC.

Digimation and Digimation Model Bank are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Digimation, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.

mental ray and mental images are registered trademarks of mental images GmbH & Co. KG in the U.S.A. and some other countries. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

GOT FOOTAGE?

Editors — Filmmakers — Special Effects Artists — Game Developers — Animators — Educators — Broadcasters — Content creators of every genre — Just finished an incredible project and want to share it with the world?

Send us your reels and we may use your footage in our show reel or demo!*

For a copy of our release and Avid’s mailing address, go to www.avid.com/footage.

*Note: Avid cannot guarantee the use of materials submitted.

Avid 3D Reference Guide • 0130-06297-01 • June 2004

Using This Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Symbols and Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

If You Need Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Accessing the Online Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

How to Order Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Avid Educational Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Main Window Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Menu Bar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

File Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Edit Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Layouts Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Help Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Control Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Lower Interface Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Playback Cursor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Ruler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Start Frame Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

End Frame Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Timeline Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Playback Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Animation Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Autokey (auto) Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Contents

Previous/Next Key Button. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Key Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Preview and Output Controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Flipbook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Flipbook Command Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Flipbook Playback Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Open Images Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Export Dialog Box. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Library Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Scene Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Sample Projects Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Object Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Model Library. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Digimation® Model Bank™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Material & Fx Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Still Images Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Video Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Tools and Options Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Transform Tools Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Animation Tools Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Text Tools Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Deformation Tools Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Particle Tools Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Display Options Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Options Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Viewports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Letter Identifier Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Views Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Display Types Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Resize Viewport Icon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Contents

Multi-Purpose Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Geometry and Deform Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Material and Fx Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Texture Clip Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Profile Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Function Curve Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Function Curve Editor Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Function Curve Graph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Function Curve Editor Command Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Property Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Property Page Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Color Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

The Tree View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Viewing Folder Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Setting Favorites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Accessing Files from the Browser Path Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Accessing Computers on a Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Chapter 2 Properties Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Color Editor Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Data Management Property Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Display Property Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Environment Map Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Inspect Source Paths Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Mini Color Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

New Project Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Project Manager Dialog Box. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Contents

3D Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Arc Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Circle Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Cluster Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Cone Property Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Cube Property Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Cylinder Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Disc Property Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Extrusion Property Editor (Curve along Axis) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Extrusion Property Editor (Curve Along Curve). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Geometry Property Editor (Arc). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Geometry Property Editor (Circle) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Geometry Property Editor (Cone) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Geometry Property Editor (Cube) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Geometry Property Editor (Cylinder) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Geometry Property Editor (Disc) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Geometry Property Editor (Grid) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Geometry Property Editor (Sphere). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Geometry Property Editor (Torus) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Grid Property Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Loft Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Revolution Property Editor (Curve Around Axis) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Revolution Property Editor (Curve Around Curve) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Sphere Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Spiral Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Square Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Torus Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Deformations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Bend Op Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Bulge Op Property Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Contents

Curve Deform Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Lattice Property Editor (Deformation). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Lattice Property Editor (Lattice) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Push Op Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

QStretch Op Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Shape Jitter Op Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Shear Op Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

Taper Op Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Twist Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Wave Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Wave Op Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Text and Logos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Curve to Mesh Converter Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Text Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

Lights and Cameras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Ambient Lighting Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Camera Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Depth of Field Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Fisheye Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Flare Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

Glow Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

Light Property Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Rig Controls Property Editor (Light Rig) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

Light Rig Partial Property Editor (Light Rig) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

Key/Fill/Back Light Property Editor (Light Rig) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Light Shader Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Volumic Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Z-Depth Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Materials and Textures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Image Source Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Contents

Material Property Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

Texture Map Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

Texture Support Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147

Time Control Property Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

Toon Shader Property Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

Animation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

Direction Constraint Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

Fcurve Editor Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

Local Transform Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

Path Constraint Property Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

Position Constraint Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

Time Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

Particles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

Fan Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

Gravity Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162

Obstacle Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

Particle Billboard Property Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

Particle Emission Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

Particle Gradient Property Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168

Particle Shape Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

Particle Sprite Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173

Particle Type Property Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173

ParticlesOp Property Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176

Turbulence Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177

Wind Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

Preview and Rendering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

Render Options Dialog Box. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

Format Property Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184

AAF and MXF Options Property Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185

Rendering Property Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187

Contents

Chapter 3 Keyboard Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189

General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189

Selection Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

Transform Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

Camera Navigation and Framing Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191

Display Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191

Render Region . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

Playback Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

Animation Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

Scene Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193

Function Curve Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193

Profile Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195

Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197

Contents

Using This Guide

Congratulations on your purchase of the Avid 3D software. You can use Avid 3D to create, customize, and animate 3D content, visual effects, text and titling for your productions.

The documentation describes the features and hardware of all models. Therefore, your system might not contain certain features and hardware that are covered in the documentation.

This guide is intended for all Avid 3D users, from beginner to advanced. It contains detailed interface, command and parameter information for all aspects of the Avid 3D software.

Using This Guide

Symbols and Conventions

Avid 3D documentation uses the following symbols and conventions:

Symbol or Convention Meaning or Action

> This symbol indicates menu commands (and

Margin tips

Italic font Italic font is used to emphasize certain words and to

Courier Bold font

Bold font Bold indicates a user interaction.

A note provides important related information, reminders, recommendations, and strong suggestions.

A caution means that a specific action you take could cause harm to your computer or cause you to lose data.

A warning describes an action that could cause you physical harm. Follow the guidelines in this document or on the unit itself when handling electrical equipment.

subcommands) in the order you select them. For example, File > Import means to open the File menu and then select the Import command.

This symbol indicates a single-step procedure. Multiple arrows in a list indicate that you perform one of the actions listed.

In the margin, you will find tips that help you perform tasks more easily and efficiently.

indicate variables.

Courier Bold font identifies text that you type.

Ctrl+key or mouse action Press and hold the first key while you press the last

key or perform the mouse action. For example, Shift+Alt+C or Ctrl+drag.

If You Need Help

If you are having trouble using Avid 3D:

1. Retry the action, carefully following the instructions given for that task in this guide. It is especially important to check each step of your workflow.

2. Check for the latest information that might have become available after the documentation was published in one of two locations:

- If release notes are available, they ship with your application.

- If ReadMe files are available, they are supplied in your Avid

If You Need Help

application folder. ReadMe files are also available from Help.

Release notes and ReadMe files are also available from the Knowledgebase.

3. Check the documentation that came with your Avid application or your hardware for maintenance or hardware-related issues.

4. Visit Avid Online Support at www.avid.com/support. Online support is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Search the Knowledgebase to find answers, to view error messages, to access troubleshooting tips, to download updates, and to read/join online message-board discussions.

5. For Technical Support, please call 800-800-AVID (800-800-2843). For Broadcast On-Air Sites and Call Letter Stations, call

800-NEWSDNG (800-639-7364).

Accessing the Online Library

The Avid 3D Online Library contains all the product documentation in PDF format as well as a selection of movies for getting started. Avid recommends the movies as your first resource for learning how to use your application.

You will need Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® installed to view the documentation online. You can download the latest version of the Reader from the Adobe Web site.

To access the documentation from the Online Library:

1. Insert the Online Library into the drive.

2. Double-click the Mainmenu file.

Using This Guide

How to Order Documentation

To order additional copies of this documentation from within the United States, call Avid Sales at 800-949-AVID (800-949-2843). If you are placing an order from outside the United States, contact your local Avid representative.

Avid Educational Services

For information on courses/schedules, training centers, certifications, courseware, and books, please visit www.avid.com/training or call Avid Sales at 800-949-AVID (800-949-2843).

Chapter 1

Commands and Interface Reference

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Main Window Overview

The Avid 3D interface is made up of control panels and four viewports, many of which can be resized.

Title bar

Displays the name of the open project and scene.

Menu bar Provides

access to primary

project and editing

commands.

Control bar

Displays buttons for

one-click access to

camera,

transformation, and

editing controls.

Viewports

Let you view the contents of your scene in different ways. You can resize, hide, and mute viewports in any combination.

Library panel

Contains objects, materials, textures, images, and video clips you can use to create your scene. This panel is also home to the scene explorer.

Lower interface controls

Tools and Options panel

Provides tools for modifying and animating elements in your scene, as well as setting user preferences and display and output options.

Menu Bar

File Menu

Menu Bar

The menu bar is the horizontal bar at the top of the main window that displays menus containing commands that are general to Avid 3D. These include general operations such as managing files, editing, and getting help.

Location: At the top of the main window.

Create and open projects; create, open, close, and save project scenes; import and export models and scenes, and exit.

Location: Menu bar

Option Description

New Scene Creates a new scene. Acts as a “delete all” command: The

current scene is removed from the workspace and a new empty scene is created. By default, the empty scene is named “Untitled.” When you select this command, you are prompted to save and close the current scene.

Open Opens a browser that lets you locate and load an existing scene.

When you select this command, you are prompted to save and close the current scene.

Save Saves your scene and all rendering properties and options as a

scene file using the current scene file name. If you have not previously saved your scene (“Untitled”), a

browser is displayed in which you can specify a scene name. A scene is saved with an .scn extension to the Scenes folder of the current project folder.

Save As Opens a browser that lets you save your scene to a different

name. A scene is saved with an .scn extension to the Scenes folder of the current project folder.

New Project Creates a new project. This command opens the New Project

dialog box where you can set a name and location for your project

folder. Scenes are always associated with a particular project.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Option Description

Project Manager Opens the Project Manager dialog box, which displays a list of

available projects and scenes. You can select an existing project from the list, delete projects, and add projects to the list that may exist elsewhere in your system or network.

If you choose a project to work on, you can either choose a scene you want to load or create a new scene. You are prompted to save and close the current project and scene before the next project and scene are loaded.

Source Paths Opens the Inspect Source Paths property editor, where you can

verify your scene's links to external files and, if necessary, modify them.

Import Model Opens a browser that lets you import an exported

SOFTIMAGE|XSI or Avid 3D model. Exported models are identified by their .emdl extensions.

Import dotXSI File Imports elements from a dotXSI (.xsi) file.

Import EPS File Imports curves from an encapsulated PostScript file (.eps).

Export Model Opens a browser for exporting a selected model. Exported

models are saved to the Models folder under the project with the .emdl extension.

Recent Scenes Lists scenes you have worked on recently. Select a scene to

open it.

Recent Models Lists models you have imported recently. Select a model to

import it into the current scene as a non-referenced model.

Exit Closes the Avid 3D program. You are prompted to save changes

to your current scene before exiting.

Edit Menu

Menu Bar

Perform common editing and organizational tasks on selected elements within your scene.

Location: Menu bar

Option Description

Repeat Repeats the last repeatable command.

The name of the menu item indicates which command will be repeated. Certain categories of commands cannot be repeated:

• Selection commands. This allows you to apply a command to selected elements, then select other elements and repeat the command.

• Interactive manipulation, for example, using the transform tools (V, C, X) or the Move Point tool (M). However, transformation values entered numerically in the Local Transform property editor or onscreen parameters can be repeated.

• Viewing commands, such as toggling the display type in a viewport.

• Playback and timeline commands, such as changing frames.

• Camera navigation and viewing commands, such as orbiting, zooming, and framing.

When the last command can't be repeated, Edit > Repeat will repeat the previous command instead.

Note that you can also repeat the last command from a specific

menu button by middle-clicking on the menu button.

Undo Cancels the last action that was performed. You can perform multiple undo's.

Redo Reapplies the action you previously canceled with the Undo command.

Cut Removes the current selection and copies it to the Clipboard.

Copy Duplicates the current selection and copies it to the Clipboard.

Paste Inserts a copy of the Clipboard contents, replacing the current selection

(if any) with the contents of the Clipboard.

Select All Selects all elements in the current scene.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Layouts Menu

Switches between a single and dual-screen layout.

Location: Menu bar

Option Description

Avid 3D Main - Single Displays Avid 3D on a single screen.

Avid 3D Main - Autohide Hides the library and tools and options panels when they

Avid 3D Main - Dual Displays Avid 3D on two side-by-side screens.

Help Menu

Access to Online Help, which contains information on commands, properties, and the interface; access to the Softimage and Avid web sites, where you can perform web searches and send technical questions to Avid Customer Support by e-mail.

are not in use. Move the mouse pointer to the right edge of the screen to display a panel.

Location: Menu bar

Option Description

Avid® 3D Help Opens the Online Help window's Contents tab, which

displays help topics listed by category. This window also has an Index tab for alphabetical topic searches, and a Search tab for full-text searches.

Softimage Home Page Opens your web browser to the Softimage home page.

Avid Home Page Opens your web browser to the Avid home page.

About Avid 3D Provides product information, including version number.

Control Bar

The control bar gives you quick access to many commands that are in the form of buttons. Many of these buttons have associated menu commands or shortcut keys.

The control bar includes buttons for navigating in the viewports, transforming scene elements, selecting scene elements and their various components, duplicating and deleting scene elements, undoing and redoing edits, and opening the multi-purpose editor for editing properties.

Location: Above the viewports at the top of the main window.

Button Tool Description

Frame Selection Zooms instantly into or out from selected

elements in your scene.

Frame All Zooms instantly into or out from all elements in

your scene.

Reset Camera Resets the view to its original viewpoint and pan

& zoom state.

Orbit Camera Pivots a camera, spotlight, or user view around its

point of interest.

Dolly Camera Dollies toward or away from the center of a

viewport.

Pan Camera Moves the camera horizontally or vertically

without changing its depth.

Zoom Camera Zooms into or out of the scene.

Scale Changes the size of selected elements.

Rotate Rotates (changes the orientation) of selected

elements.

Translate Moves (positions) selected elements.

Select Selects objects.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Button Tool Description

Select Point Selects points on selected objects.

Select Polygon Selects polygons on selected objects.

Create and Manage Polygon Clusters

Duplicate Creates copies of selected objects.

Delete Removes selected elements from the scene.

Undo Cancels the last action that was performed. You

Redo Reapplies the action you previously canceled

Multi-Purpose Editor Opens or closes the display of the

Creates, selects, and deletes clusters of polygons on selected objects.

can perform multiple undo's.

with the Undo command.

multi-purpose

editor

Lower Interface Controls

This area of the interface gives you access to the timeline and playback controls; basic keyframe animation controls; and preview and rendering controls, as well as a status line for information.

Lower Interface Controls

Timeline

Rendering and Preview Controls

Let you set up and create rendered output of your scene.

The timeline comprises a ruler, a playback cursor (vertical red bar), a range control, and start and end frame boxes. The timeline represents the length of an animation scene and is used to display the current playback position, set the current position for keyframing properties, and manually move forward or backward to a different part of the animation.

Timeline

Displays the current position of your animation in time and lets you move manually between

Mouse/status line

Displays the current functions of your three mouse buttons as well as status and error messages when applicable.

Playback controls

Let you play back animated scenes.

Animation controls

Let you set, remove, edit and navigate between keyframes.

Start frame

Playback cursor

Ruler

Timeline range

End frame

Time is displayed in frames, seconds, or milliseconds, depending on the option you set in the Time Format Options (see “Options Panel” on page 55).

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

By default, the first and last frame of the scene is displayed in the start and end frame boxes at either end of the timeline. You can view a specific section of time by changing the frame number in either of these boxes. The current frame/time, as indicated by the position of the playback cursor, is displayed in the current framed/time box in the playback controls.

When you click the Loop button in the playback controls, yellow markers appear in the timeline, showing the frame range of the loop.

Location: Below the viewports at the bottom of the main window.

Playback Cursor

A red vertical bar on the timeline indicating the playback position, it displays the various frames in a scene.

You can drag the playback cursor manually, or you can play back animation using the playback commands. When you play back an animated scene, the cursor moves along the timeline.

• Dragging the playback cursor changes the frame. The current frame box displays the current frame at which the cursor is located.

Ruler

• Middle-click+dragging the playback cursor moves to the selected frame but does not update the viewports until you release the button. This means you can quickly drag to the required frame while avoiding lengthy refresh time.

• Right-click+dragging the playback cursor also moves to the selected frames without updating the scene. The cursor and frame number in the current frame box turn green. To refresh the scene, click the cursor. This is useful for copying keys from one frame to another.

Location: Timeline

Displays the time scale for your animated scene and is used as a guide when setting keyframes or defining rendering tasks.

The time scale can display in frames, seconds, and milliseconds, depending on the option you set in the Time Format Options (see “Options Panel” on page 55).

Location: Timeline

Start Frame Box

End Frame Box

Lower Interface Controls

Indicates the beginning of the current animated scene.

You can set the start frame value to begin at any point in your scene's timeline. This value is used by the playback commands and controls (such as Play and Go to First Frame).

This value is expressed in frames, seconds, or milliseconds, depending on the settings you set in the Time Format Options (see “Options Panel” on page 55).

Location: Left end of timeline

Indicates the end of the current animated scene.

You can set the end frame value to end at any point in your scene's timeline. However, the value in the end frame box must be greater than the value in the start frame box for the animation to play. This value is used by the playback commands and controls (such as play and go to last frame).

Timeline Range

This value is expressed in frames, seconds, or milliseconds, depending on the settings you set in the Time Format Options (see “Options Panel” on page 55).

Location: Right end of timeline

Allows you to see and adjust the range relative to the overall animation.

Click this icon (or Alt+click on the timeline) at the right end of the timeline to display the range control. Then do any of the following:

• Drag on the left, right, or middle handles to adjust the playback's in/out time.

• Click+drag in the range’s middle to slide the time range.

• Click this icon again (or Alt+click on the timeline) to return to the timeline display.

Location: Right end of timeline

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Playback Controls

Controls how the animation and audio in the scene is played back. You can play the scene forward, stop playback, go to the first frame and last frame, go to the previous or next frame, and set real-time playback.

Location: Below the timeline at the bottom of the main window.

Button Tool Description

Previous Frame Moves you back in the scene by one frame.

Next Frame Moves you forward in the scene by one frame.

Go to First Frame Returns the playback cursor to the first frame of the

scene. The first frame of your scene is set according to the value in the Start frame box at the beginning of the timeline.

Play Backward Toggles between playing the scene animation in

reverse and stopping it.

• Left-clicking the Play Backward button plays the animation backward from the last frame on the timeline.

• Middle-clicking the Play Backward button plays the animation backward from the current frame.

Play Forward Toggles between playing the scene animation

forward and stopping it.

• Left-clicking the Play button plays the animation forward from the first frame on the timeline.

• Middle-clicking the Play button plays the animation forward from the current frame.

Go to Last Frame Returns the playback cursor to the last frame of the

scene. The last frame of your scene is set according to the value in the End frame box at the end of the timeline.

Button Tool Description

Loop Animation Continuously repeats the scene animation in one

continuous loop. The frame numbers in the start frame and end frame boxes set the range for the loop.

When you click the Loop button, yellow markers appear on the timeline showing the frame range of the loop. To change the range, drag the yellow markers to different frames.

Audio Toggles between playing and muting any audio files.

Audio is active by default (button is gray). When the audio is muted, the button is highlighted.

Current Frame Box Displays the current frame number or time position

in the sequence. As you move the playback cursor, the time/frame box displays the frame or time position at which the cursor is located. You can also enter a specific frame number in this box to go to that frame.

All/RT Toggles between playing back the animated scene

frame by frame (All) or in real time (RT).

Lower Interface Controls

Animation Controls

You can use the various command buttons to animate properties and objects such as lights and cameras. You can set and delete keys, and quickly move through keys.

Autokey button

Location: Below the timeline at the lower-right of the main window.

Key button

Previous and next key buttons

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Autokey (auto) Button

Toggles autokey mode on and off. In autokey mode, keys are generated automatically for individual parameters as you change settings.

When autokey mode is on, the button is highlighted in red.

Location: Animation controls

Previous/Next Key Button

Moves to the previous or next keyframe for a selected object's parameters, marked or not.

• If the selected object has marked parameters, the buttons move between the keys for those parameters.

• If nothing is marked, the buttons move between keys for all parameters of the selected object.

Location: Animation controls

Key Button

Sets or removes keys on the marked parameters at the current frame:

• If there is no key at the current frame, clicking the Key button sets a key.

• If there is a key at the current frame, clicking or middle-clicking the Key button removes that key.

The color of the button shows the status of the marked parameters at the current frame:

• None: There is no fcurve animation on the marked parameters.

• Red: There is a key on the current values at the current frame.

• Green: There is no key at the current frame, but the current values are as determined by the function curve.

• Yellow: The current values are different from those determined by the function curve.

Location: Animation controls

Preview and Output Controls

Provides different options for previewing and rendering your work. You can create a render region to preview part of your scene while you work, or render all of your scene at different levels of quality. The higher the quality settings, the longer it takes to render.

Location: Lower interface controls

Button Tool Description

Render Low-Quality Opens the Render Options dialog box with the

Render High-Quality Opens the Render Options dialog box with the

Lower Interface Controls

Render Type and Quality parameters set for a lowquality image. These settings are best for previewing your work, and images render quickly.

Render Type and Quality parameters set for a highquality image. These settings are best for a final or near-final render.

Preview Render Renders only the current frame, using the Render

High-Quality settings.

Render Region Activates render region mode and lets you draw a

region in any of the displayed viewports. You create the render region by dragging the mouse pointer across the viewport. As soon as you release the mouse button, the region is drawn and whatever is displayed in that region is rendered.

Open Flipbook Launches the standalone flipbook, which lets you

view and convert still images and video clips.

Inspect Render Options

Opens the Render Options dialog box.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Flipbook

The standalone flipbook displays a series of cached images for checking animation sequences or still images. You can load video files (AVI, QuickTime, or AAF/MXF), a series of images that have been saved as .pic files, or single images (GIF, JPEG, TIFF, etc.). This view provides a set of playback controls.

To display the flipbook:

1. Click the Open Flipbook button in the preview and output controls.

2. In the Open Images dialog box that appears, specify the path and File name of the images you want to load—click the browser button (...) to open the browser.

3. Set the options in the dialog box, then click OK to load the image sequence and open the flipbook window.

The flipbook window is resized if the loaded image is larger than the current size.

Flipbook Command Bar

These commands let you load, export, and set up how the flipbook is played back.

Option Description

File

Open Images Opens the Open Images dialog box, where you can specify

which image or video file you want to load as well as set up how you want to play it back. You can also press Ctrl+O to open this dialog box.

Export Opens the Export dialog box, where you can select how to

export the currently cached sequence in a number of formats, such as AVI, SOFTIMAGE, QuickTime, etc. You can also press Ctrl+E to open this dialog box.

Clear Flipbook Clears the flipbook window of the current cached images.

Exit Closes the flipbook window. You can also press Alt+F4.

Lower Interface Controls

Option Description

View

Channel Displays a menu of channels you can view separately: red,

green, blue, or alpha. All Channels are selected by default. You can also press the R, G, B, A, or C (all channels) keys to display the respective channels.

Zoom Displays a menu of zoom factors you can set to view the

current images: 50, 100 (default), 200, or 400% of the image size.

Correct Aspect Ratio Stretches the image so that non-square pixels appear

correctly on the computer monitor, which has square pixels. For example, NTSC images have a pixel ratio of

0.9, meaning the pixels are not square.

Play Real-Time Plays the image sequence in real time. For example, if you

have a 5-second loop, it takes exactly 500 seconds to loop the sequence 100 times. You can also press the T key to activate real time.

Ping-Pong Plays the image sequence in ping-pong style. This reverses

the direction of a looped playback at the first and last frames of the sequence.

Background Color Opens the color editor in which you can set the

background color of the flipbook.

Disable Redraw Vertical Sync

Disables synchronizing the redraw to the vertical retrace of the display monitor (if the graphics hardware supports this) so that you can achieve higher frame rates at the expense of visual quality.

Image Format Lets you change the image format for the images loaded in

the flipbook: Automatic, RGB, or RGBA. RGBA may give better performance on newer hardware systems.

Tools

Rate Opens a dialog box in which you can select a playback

rate: NTSC, PAL, film, etc. You can also press Ctrl+R to open this dialog box.

Go to Frame Opens a dialog box in which you can enter the frame you want

to display. You can also press Ctrl+G to open this dialog box.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Option Description

Increase Rate Increases the playback rate by one frame per second. You

Decrease Rate Decreases the playback rate by one frame per second.

Help

can adjust the playback rate by 1 fps (frame per second) increments within the range of 24 and 30 fps.

Command Line Options

About Shows the copyright information for the flipbook.

Flipbook Playback Controls

Button Option Description

Displays the command line options you can specify when running the flipbook as a standalone program. The basic syntax for running a flipbook is:

flip <sequence_name>.<ext> <start> <end> [step] [rate] [options]

Previous Frame Moves you back in the animation sequence by

one frame.

Next Frame Moves you forward in the animation sequence by

one frame.

Go to Start Goes to the first frame of the animation sequence.

Play Backward/Stop Plays the animation sequence in reverse from the

current frame. Click again to stop or press the down-arrow key.

Play Forward/Stop Plays the animation sequence forward from the

current frame. Click again to stop. You can also press the up-arrow key to play and the down-arrow key to stop.

Go to End Goes to the last frame of the animation sequence.

Loop Animation Continuously repeats the animation sequence in

one continuous loop.

Open Images Dialog Box

To display: Choose File > Open Images in the flipbook window.

Option Description

File name File name of the images to load. Click the (...) button to

Type

Lower Interface Controls

open the browser and search for the images

Images/Movies Loads a single image or the complete image sequence of the

file that you are loading.

Sequence Loads a specific range of frames in the image file you are

loading. Include the Step (frames to be skipped, for example 2 skips every other frame) and the playback Rate (NTSC, PAL, etc.).

Number Padding Adds numbers to the frame numbers so you can match up

image sequences. The default syntax is [fn].#[ext], where

fn is the base file name, ext is the file format extension, and # is the frame number.

Zoom Factors

Shrink on load Divides the image resolution by a value that you specify.

For example, if you enter 2, the images are loaded at half the original resolution. The values must be integers.

Magnify on display Multiplies the image resolution by a value that you specify.

For example, if you enter 2, the images are loaded at twice the original resolution. The values must be integers.

Keep images in memory Caches the images in memory so that they can be played

back in real time.

Preload before playing Loads the entire image sequence into memory instead of

loading frames on demand.

Play Real Time Plays the image sequence in real time. For example, if you

have a 5-second loop, it takes exactly 500 seconds to loop the sequence 100 times. When you select this option, RT is activated on the playback controls below the timeline and you can see the frame rate displayed.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Export Dialog Box

To display : Choose File > Export in the flipbook window.

Option Description

File name File name of the images to load. Click the (...) button to

File Type Exports the file in a number of formats, including AVI,

Codec The codec (compressor/decompressor) to use when

Source Range Range of frames to export.

Movie Settings

Audio File Exports an accompanying audio file with the images.

open the browser and search for the images

QuickTime, etc.

creating movie files.

Click the (...) button to open the browser and search for the audio file.

Image Settings

Number padding Adds numbers to the frame numbers to allow you to

match up image sequences. The default syntax is [fn].#[ext], where fn is the base file name, ext is the file format extension, and # is the frame number.

Destination Frame Offset Adds the number of frames you specify to the

destination images. For example, you can offset the image sequence before using another tool.

Library Panel

The library panel is where you find objects, textures, image and video clips, camera effects, and more—most of the raw material you will be using to create scenes in Avid 3D.

The library panel is found on the right side of the Avid 3D interface. It is divided into tabs that contain libraries of objects, rigs, clips, particles, and other elements that can be used as building blocks for Avid 3D scenes.

Library Panel

Object library Model library

Sample Projects library

Scene explorer

Digimation

Model Bank

Material and Fx library

Still Images library

Video library

Getting content into your scene is simply a matter of dragging an item from a library into a viewport or onto a node in the multi-purpose editor. However, the type of content you want to use and how you want to apply it determines how you should drag and drop. The following is a general guide to Avid 3D’s drag and drop rules:

• To add objects, scenes, rigs, and environment effects, drag an item onto an empty spot in a viewport.

• To add materials and textures to objects, drag an item onto the object.

• To add light or camera effects, do one of the following:

t Drag an item onto a specific light or camera. t Drag an item into a viewport. The effect is added to all applicable

lights, or to the active camera.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

• Some rigs use placeholder objects intended for objects you can add later. Drag an item onto the placeholder to replace it.

Scene Explorer

When dragging and dropping items from the library, a status bar appears in the active viewport and provides information appropriate to the location of your mouse pointer.

You can also drag and drop files from a Windows explorer or Web browser into Avid 3D.

The scene explorer displays the contents of your scene as a list of nodes. You normally use the explorer as an adjunct while working in Avid 3D to find or select elements. For example, the scene explorer is a useful tool to help you select hidden elements in a scene. You can also rename elements using the scene explorer.

To open the scene explorer, click the Scene Explorer tab in the library panel.

1. Click the Scene

Explorer tab in the library

panel to open the scene

explorer.

2. Click an item to display

those types of elements in

the tree panel below.

3. Click an item to select

Rename the selected item

Sample Projects Library

Contains a collection of ready-made scenes containing different elements. You can drag and drop these into an empty area of any viewport. These scenes are a good basis from which you can create your own scene by modifying its elements.

it. Selected items are

highlighted.

by pressing F2 and

entering a new name.

Object Library

Library Panel

If you load a sample scene onto an existing scene, you are prompted to save or cancel your existing scene. You cannot merge the scenes together.

Contains collections of different types of objects that you can drag and drop into an empty area of any viewport. These objects are the building blocks from which you can create a scene. After you have brought these objects into the scene, you can manipulate and modify them as you like.

Many of these objects have areas to which you can map a 2D texture. The areas are indicated by the default rainbow-colored texture.

Button Option Description

Objects Displays a collection of 3D primitive objects that

you can drag and drop into a viewport.

Objects with Profiles Displays a collection of 3D objects that have a

profile; you can drag and drop them into a viewport. Profile objects are based on one or more profile

curves that have been revolved or extruded. You can edit the objects’ shapes by modifying their profile curves in the profile editor.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Button Option Description

Lights Displays a collection of light objects and rigs that

Cameras Displays a collection of camera objects and rigs

Object Rigs Displays a collection of object rigs that you can

Animated Objects Displays a collection of animated objects that you

Environments Displays a collection of “world spheres” with

you can drag and drop into a viewport.

that you can drag and drop into a viewport.

drag and drop into a viewport. Object rigs are objects that have been created with control handles for specialized functions. For example, the book rig allows you to set the number of pages in the book, how far its front and back covers open, and how the pages turn.

can drag and drop into a viewport.

interior textures that you can drag and drop into a viewport. The spheres are large enough to surround most scenes, and the textures provide the illusion of a surrounding environment.

Particles Displays a collection of particle systems that you

can drag and drop into a viewport. These systems include the particle cloud, particle type, particle emitter object, and, in some cases, forces.

Text Displays a collection of 3D text objects that you

can drag and drop into a viewport.

Curves Displays a collection of curves that you can drag

and drop into a viewport. These are often used for putting objects on a motion path to animate them.

Model Library

Library Panel

Contains various ready-made 3D object models that you can drag and drop directly into an empty area in any viewport. Many of these objects already have surfaces and textures applied to them, which you can see using the Textured or Textured Decal display types in the viewport.

As well, many of them also have areas to which you can map a 2D texture, such as the PC Laptop or TV Flatscreen models. The areas are indicated by the default rainbow-colored grid texture.

Digimation® Model Bank™

Contains various 3D object models from Digimation that you can drag and drop directly into an empty area in any viewport. By clicking Buy More! in this bank, you can easily contact Digimation to purchase more model banks.

The Digimation Model Bank is available only if you selected to install it when you installed Avid 3D.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Material & Fx Library

Contains preset surface materials and other effects that you can drag and drop onto an appropriate object (objects, particles, lights, or cameras) or into a scene (environment maps). Most presets only work with specific targets. For example, you can drag and drop materials only onto a 3D object in a viewport, or drag and drop particle types only onto particles in a viewport.

If a material has reflectivity or transparency, you will need to draw a render region around the object on which it’s applied to see the results.

Button Option Description

Objects Displays a collection of surface materials that you

can drag and drop onto a 3D object to define what the object looks like.

Text surface materials can be dropped only onto text objects.

Particle types can be dropped only onto particles. These change the look of the particles without changing the particle emission.

Lights Displays a collection of light effects that define

how a light object casts light. Dragging a light effect into a viewport applies the effect to all available lights; dragging a light effect onto a light object applies it only to that light.

Scene Displays a collection of environment materials,

camera effects, and toon (cartoon-style) camera effects that you can drag and drop into an empty area in the viewport to change what the scene looks like. You can also drag the camera and toon effects onto the active camera.

Still Images Library

Contains 2D images and textures that you can drag and drop onto a 3D object. 2D images and textures are mapped onto 3D objects, like wrapping paper. If the 3D object has a cluster on it, you can choose to map the image only to that cluster instead of the whole object.

Button Option Description

Library Panel

Flat Pictures Displays a collection of 2D images that you

can drag and drop onto a 3D object or a defined cluster on it.

Sprites let you change the look of the particles (drag and drop them onto particles in a viewport)—for example, you could replace fireworks sparks with bubbles or stars.

Surfaces Displays a collection of 2D surface images

that you can drag and drop onto a 3D object or a defined cluster on it. Many of these images are meant to be repeated and tiled. As well, there are many black-and-white images that are useful for bump mapping.

Video Library

Reflections Displays a collection of 2D surface images

that you can drag and drop onto a 3D object or a defined cluster on it. These images are designed to be used as reflection maps.

Contains video and audio clips that you can drag and drop onto a 3D object (video) or into the scene (audio). You can also apply the video clips as a texture on a 3D object, such as on a TV or computer screen.

Option Description

Samples Displays a collection of video and audio samples that you can

drag and drop into the background of any viewport.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Option Description

Incoming Displays all video and audio clips exported to the

\Data\AVID3DMEDIA\XPressPro folder within Avid 3D’s install directory. You can drag and drop these into the background of any viewport.

Outgoing Displays all still images and video clips that you have

rendered out to the \Data\AVID3DMEDIA\Render_Pictures folder within Avid 3D’s install directory. You can drag and drop these into the background of any viewport.

Tools and Options Panel

The tools and options panel is where you can access many tools used for different tasks in a scene, such as transforming elements, animating, or deforming objects. As well, you can access a number of options to set up your scene, such as for the display in the viewports or output options to determine how to render your scene.

Animation

Transform tools

tools

Text tools

Deformation

tools

Particle

tools

Location: Lower-right area of the main window.

Options

Display options

Transform Tools Panel

The transform tools panel contains tools that let you translate, rotate, and scale objects in your scene. It also includes a number of buttons that let you specify how objects are transformed.

Location: Inside the tools and options panel, lower-right area of the main window.

Tools and Options Panel

Button Option Description

Reset Scaling Sets the selected object's scaling to (1, 1, 1) in its

parent's coordinate system.

Reset Rotation Sets the selected object's rotation to (0, 0, 0) in its

parent's coordinate system.

Reset Translation Sets the selected object's translation to (0, 0, 0) in

its parent's coordinate system.

Reset All Transforms Resets the selected object’s scaling, rotation, and

translation.

Center Transform Mode

Move Center to Selected Points

Toggles center transform mode, which lets you translate or rotate an object’s center using the transform tools.

Moves the selected object’s center to the averaged coordinate value of the selected points.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Button Option Description

Move Center to Object Bounding Box

Moves the selected object’s center to the geometric center of the object’s bounding box.

Align Maximum Aligns the tops of all selected objects’ bounding

boxes with the object whose bounding box bottom has the highest axis value. Select which of the X, Y, or Z axes to use for aligning the objects.

Align Middle Aligns all selected objects according to the average

midpoint of all their bounding boxes. Select which of the X, Y, or Z axes to use for aligning the objects.

Align Minimum Aligns the bottoms of all selected objects’ bounding

boxes with the object whose bounding box bottom has the lowest axis value. Select which of the X, Y, or Z axes to use for aligning the objects.

Spotlight Cone Activates the spotlight cone tool that lets you

manipulate different aspects of the selected spotlight.

Texture Projection Activates the texture projection tool that lets you

manipulate the texture projection control objects on an object.

Animation Tools Panel

The animation tools panel contains tools that let you animate objects and edit the animation in different ways, such as by putting objects on paths, constraining them, using math presets, or creating function curves. There are also tools that let you select and key the camera.

Tools and Options Panel

Location: Inside the tools and options panel, lower-right area of the main window.

Button Tool Description

Remove Animation Removes the animation from all marked parameters.

Remove All Animation Removes animation from all parameters on the

selected object.

Decelerating Curve Creates an fcurve for the selected parameter that

decreases the speed of the animation.

Accelerating Curve Creates an fcurve for the selected parameter that

increases the speed of the animation.

Ease In Curve Creates an fcurve for the selected parameter that

accelerates and then gradually decelerates as it approaches the parameter’s maximum value.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Button Tool Description

Ease Out Curve Creates an fcurve for the selected parameter that

Linear Curve Creates an fcurve for the selected parameter that

Gaussian Curve Creates an fcurve for the selected parameter that

Constant Speed Applies a math preset to an object that keeps its

Sine Wave Applies a math preset to an object that creates an

Jitter Applies a math preset to an object that creates a

accelerates and then gradually decelerates as it approaches the parameter’s minimum value.

increases its value at a constant (unchanging) rate.

eases into its maximum value, then eases out to its minimum value.

animation speed at a constant rate.

undulating motion.

random, jittery motion (noise).

Set Object on Motion Path

Sets the selected object on a motion path. When you click this button, you are prompted to select the curve you want to use as the path.

Save Path Key Saves the translation keys of the selected object

as a motion path.

Position Constraint Constrains the position of the selected object to

another object. When you click this button, you are prompted to select the object to which you want to constrain the selected object.

Direction Constraint Constrains the direction (orientation) of the

selected object to another object. When you click this button, you are prompted to select the object to which you want to constrain the selected object.

Save Key on Active Camera and Interest

Save Key on Active Camera Position

Save Key on Active Camera Zoom and Roll

Sets keys for the position of the camera and its interest in viewport B.

Sets keys for the position of the camera in viewport B.

Sets keys for the zoom and roll animation of the active camera in viewport B.

Button Tool Description

Select Active Camera Selects the active camera in viewport B.

Tools and Options Panel

Text Tools Panel

Select Active Camera Interest

Selects the active camera interest in viewport B.

The text tools panel provides tools that let you create and modify text.

Location: Inside the tools and options panel, lower-right area of the main window.

Button Tool Description

Create Single-Line Text Block

Create Multi-Line Text Block

Create Text Rig Breaks the selected text object into separate objects

Apply Angle Bevel (30 Degrees)

Creates a new text object that can span a single line.

Creates a new text object that can span multiple lines.

for each character, and sets up an offset rig. Animate the scaling, rotation, and translation of the first character for “follow-the-leader” animation.

Applies a bevel with a 30-degree angle profile to the selected text or logo.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Button Tool Description

Apply Angle Bevel (45 Degrees)

Apply Angle Bevel (60 Degrees)

Apply Rounded Bevel Applies a bevel with a rounded edge profile to the

Apply Rounded Bevel

- Incut

Apply Squared Bevel Applies a bevel with a square edge profile to the

Apply Squared Bevel Incut

Apply Early Pulse Bevel

Toggle Front Bevel Turns the beveling on the front of the selected

Toggle Back Bevel Turns the beveling on the back of the selected text

Applies a bevel with a 45-degree angle profile to the selected text or logo.

Applies a bevel with a 60-degree angle profile to the selected text or logo.

selected text or logo.

Applies a bevel with a rounded incut profile to the selected text or logo.

selected text or logo.

Applies a bevel with a square incut profile to the selected text or logo.

Applies a bevel with a pulse (lip) profile to the selected text or logo.

text or logo on or off.

or logo on or off.

Deformation Tools Panel

The deformation tools panel is where you apply deformations to change the shape of geometric objects.

Tools and Options Panel

Location: Inside the tools and options panel, lower-right area of the main window.

Button Tool Description

Reset Shape Removes any deformation applied to the selected

objects.

Bend Deform Bends the selected objects along one axis.

Bulge Deform Pushes the points of the selected objects outward

along the length of one axis.

Push Deform Moves the points of the selected objects

perpendicularly to the surface.

QuickStretch Deform Makes the selected objects flex, stretch, and yield

in response to motion.

Shear Deform Pulls the ends of the selected objects in opposite

directions.

Taper Deform Gradually scales the selected objects along

one direction.

Twist Deform Progressively rotates the selected objects along

one direction.

Vortex Deform Rotates the points of the selected object about its

center, tapering off along the radius.

Circular Wave Applies an animated wave deformation that

radiates outward in a circle to the selected objects.

Planar Wave Applies an animated wave deformation that

moves laterally to the selected objects.

Spherical Wave Applies an animated wave deformation that

radiates outward in a sphere to the selected objects.

Shape Jitter Moves the points of the selected objects

randomly over time.

Deform by Curve Warps one of the selected object’s axes along a

curve. You are prompted to pick a curve.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Button Tool Description

Particle Tools Panel

The particle tools panel is where you create and apply particles, forces, and obstacles in your scene.

Location: Inside the tools and options panel, lower-right area of the main window.

Deform by Curve Rim

Lattice Creates a lattice that you can use to warp the

A variation of Deform by Curve where the object is rotated around the curve by 90 degrees.

selected objects.

Button Tool Description

Create Particles Creates particles that emit from a selected object. You

can use any type of object as a particle emitter, including an animated object.

Gravity Creates a gravity force and applies it to the selected

particles.

Wind Creates a wind force and applies it to the selected particles.

Fan Creates a fan force and applies it to the selected particles.

Turbulence Creates a turbulence force and applies it to the selected

particles.

Button Tool Description

Display Options Panel

The Display Options panel contains tools that let you determine what’s displayed or hidden in the viewport.

Tools and Options Panel

Apply Force Applies an existing force to the selected particles.

Clicking this button starts a picking session: pick the force you want to apply by clicking on its control object in a viewport. Right-click to end the picking session.

Apply Obstacle Applies an obstacle to the selected particles to create

collisions. Clicking this button starts a picking session: pick one or more objects in the viewport that will act as obstacles for the particles. Right-click to end the picking session.

Location: Inside the tools and options panel, lower-right area of the main window.

Button Tool Description

Show/Hide Safe Area Toggles the display of the safe area in the user or

camera views in the viewports.

Show/Hide Grid Toggles the display of the grid in the viewports.

Show/Hide Rulers Toggles the display of rulers in the Front, Top, and

Right views in the viewports.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Button Tool Description

Show/Hide Ghost Animation

Toggles the display of ghosted images for animated objects in the viewports.

Show/Hide Lights Toggles the display of all light objects in the

viewports.

Show/Hide Cameras Toggles the display of all camera control objects

in the viewports.

Show/Hide Curves and Motion Paths

Toggles the display of all curves or animation paths in the viewports.

Show/Hide Particles Toggles the display of all particles in the viewports.

Show/Hide Control Objects and Rig Handles

Show/Hide Selected Objects

Toggles the display of all control objects (such as forces and particle clouds) and rig handles in the viewports.

Toggles the display of selected objects in the viewports. When hidden, the object remains visible in the scene explorer so that you can select it there.

Show All Objects Displays all hidden objects in the viewports.

Set Background Color to Gray

Sets the background color of the viewports to gray (default).

Set Background Color

Sets the background color of the viewports to black.

to Black

Set Background Color

Sets the background color of the viewports to white.

to White

Set Small Font Size Sets the font size to small for the on-screen

parameters displayed in viewport B.

Set Medium Font Size Sets the font size to medium (default) for the on-

screen parameters displayed in viewport B.

Set Large Font Size Sets the font size to large for the on-screen

parameters displayed in viewport B.

Options Panel

Tools and Options Panel

The options panel contains tools that let you set up preferences for different aspects of working in Avid 3D, from rendering and time properties to data management and the function curve editor.

Location: Inside the tools and options panel, lower-right area of the main window.

Button Tool Description

Render Region Options

Time Format Options Lets you set up the frame rate and format, as well

Mojo Options Lets you set up Avid 3D to output to an Avid

Data Management Options

Function Curve Editor Options

Lets you set up the render region as you like for previewing your scene. See “Rendering Property

Editor” on page 187 for information.

as other timing options, for your scene. See “Time

Property Editor” on page 160 for information.

Mojo while you work. See “Display Property

Editor” on page 80 for information.

Lets you set up the autosave and backup options for your scene. See “Data Management Property

Editor” on page 79 for information.

Lets you set up the function curve editor as you like for editing your animation. See “Fcurve Editor

Property Editor” on page 156 for information.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Viewports

When you open Avid 3D, the four windows you see are the viewports where you view and work on your scene. You can choose different kinds of views: User, Top, Front, Right, camera views, and display types (shaded, wireframe, textured, etc.). Any viewport can display any type of view.

Provides a variety of specialized

Views menu

ways in which to view your

scene.

Letter Identifier button

Identifies the viewport and,

when selected, alternates

between displaying and hiding

(muting) viewport contents.

Letter Identifier Button

Letters (A, B, C, and D) help simplify the way viewports are referenced. The letter A refers to the upper-left viewport, B is the upper-right, C is the lowerleft, and D is the lower-right viewport.

Display Types menu Specifies how visible items in the viewports are displayed.

Resize button Resizes viewports to full-screen, horizontal, or vertical layouts.

Location: Left end of viewport menu bar

To speed up the refresh rate of a viewport, you can use the letter identifiers to mute (hide/deactivate) displays:

• Mute mode: To mute, or gray out, a viewport, middle-click its letter. Its letter disk turns red. Middle-click again to redisplay the viewport.

Views Menu

Viewports

• Solo mode: To display only one viewport, left-click its letter; all other

viewports become grayed out and their letter disks turn red, while the letter disk you've clicked on turns green. Left-click again to redisplay all viewports.

To switch between mute and solo modes:

t Right-click a letter for a menu.

You can select camera viewpoints and orthographic views, as well as spotlight viewpoints.

If your viewport currently fills the screen, you can display more than one view type simultaneously by setting the viewport window to quarter-view using the resize icon on the right end of the menu bar. You can also toggle between the previous and current view in a viewport by middle-clicking the colored bar.

Location: Colored part of viewport menu bar

Option Description

Camera Displays your scene in a viewport from the viewpoint of a

particular camera and lists the cameras available in the scene. These cameras are the only "real" cameras in your scene: all other views are orthogonal points of view and are not associated with an actual camera.

Spotlight Sets the view in the viewport relative to the chosen spot light.

The point of view is set according to the direction of the light cone defined for the chosen spot light. You can look through the spot light at its interest.

The submenu lists the names of all the spot lights defined in your scene.

Zooming, panning, dollying, and orbiting will move the

viewing spot light.

User User-defined view that shows objects in a scene from a virtual

camera's point of view. Can be either perspective or orthogonal, and can be placed at any position and at any angle within the global 3D coordinate system. You can orbit, dolly, zoom, and pan in this view.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Option Description

Top An orthogonal view that sets the camera perpendicular to the

XZ plane.

Front An orthogonal view that sets the camera perpendicular to the

XY plane.

Right An orthogonal view that sets the camera perpendicular to the

YZ plane.

Display Types Menu

Commands for different display types for viewing your scene within the viewports. Default setting is Wireframe. You can also toggle between the previous and current display type in a viewport by middle-clicking the menu.

Option Description

Bounding Box Reduces all scene objects to simple cubes. This speeds up the

redrawing of the scene because fewer details are calculated in the screen refresh.

Wireframe An image made up of the edges of objects and drawn as lines

resembling a model made of wire. Displays tracing features such as edges or contour lines without removing invisible or hidden parts or fill surfaces.

Depth Cue Gradually fades wireframe objects in proportion to their

distance from the current point of view, to give a visual indication of depth.

Hidden Line Removal

Constant Ignores the orientation of surface normals and instead considers

Displays only the edges of objects that are facing the camera. Lines that are hidden from view by the surface in front of them are not displayed as they would otherwise be in a "see-through" wireframe.

them to be pointing directly toward the infinite light source. All the object's surface triangles are considered to have the same orientation and be the same distance from the light.

Results in an object that appears to have no shading at all. This is particularly useful when you want to work in textures, as there are no attributes to interfere with the texture's definitions.

Option Description

Shaded Displays a quick-shaded (hardware shaded) view of your scene

Textured Displays textures and special material attributes such as

Textured Decal Textured viewing mode where all textures are displayed in a

OpenGL Displays all realtime shader attributes for objects that have been

Resize Viewport Icon

Viewports

that closely approximates its realistic "look" but does not show shadows, reflections, or transparency. You can view icons for objects such as the lights and cameras.

transparency, reflectivity, and refraction.

bright, constant illumination, unaffected by lighting and shadows. The net effect is a general “brightening” of your textures and an absence of shadow. This allows you to see a texture on any part of an object regardless of how well that part is lit.

textured using realtime shaders. Unshaded objects or objects using mental ray shaders are displayed as they would be in Textured viewing mode.

Click this button to maximize the viewport so that it fills the entire screen (full view). If the viewport is already maximized, clicking this button divides the viewport into quarter views. In full-screen view, the scene appears centered in the viewport on a gray background.

Location: Right end of viewport menu bar

Option Description

Left-click Toggles between a quarter-view (the four viewports) and full

view.

Middle-click Toggles between a quarter-view and a landscape view

(horizontal).

Ctrl+middle-click Toggles between a quarter-view and a portrait view (vertical)

Right-click Displays a pop-up menu for configuring the viewports.

Maximize Displays the viewport in full view.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Option Description

Restore Returns the viewport to its previous setting.

Horizontal Displays the viewports in landscape view.

Vertical Displays the viewports in portrait view.

Reset Size Displays the viewports in quarter view.

Reset All Restores the default viewport display.

Multi-Purpose Editor

The multi-purpose editor lets you edit properties of any type of scene element. You can also open the profile and function curve editors from here. The multipurpose editor appears as a floating window. You can resize the window by dragging its borders, and move it around the interface by clicking and dragging on its title bar.

To open the multi-purpose editor, click the Multi-Purpose Editor button on the control bar.

Material and Fx

properties

Geometry and

Deform properties

Click an element

name in the tree to

open its property

editor in the panel

on the right.

Texture clip

viewer

Profile

editor

Function curve

editor

Geometry and Deform Properties

The Geometry and Deform Properties tab provides access to all of an element’s properties, except for its color and surface attributes. You can view, edit, and animate an object’s name, geometry, transformations, constraints, deformations, and much more.

To view an element’s properties:

1. Select the element in the viewport or from the scene explorer.

2. If it is not already visible, open the multi-purpose editor by clicking the Multi-Purpose Editor button in the control bar.

3. Click the Geometry and Deform Properties tab. The element’s nodes are listed in the tree.

4. Click a property’s node to display its property editor in the panel on the right.

Material and Fx Properties

The Material and Fx Properties tab provides access to all the properties related to an object’s appearance—from materials and textures to effects such as glows and lens flares. You can also access properties related to scene-wide attributes such as ambient color and environment maps. You can view, edit, and animate these properties.

Multi-Purpose Editor

To view an element’s material and fx properties:

1. Select the element in the viewport or from the scene explorer.

2. If it is not already visible, open the multi-purpose editor by clicking the

3. Click the Material and Fx Properties tab. The element’s nodes are listed in

4. Click a property’s node to display its property editor in the panel on the right.

Texture Clip Viewer

The Texture Clip Viewer tab lists all of the images and video clips used for the selected element’s textures.

Multi-Purpose Editor button in the control bar.

the tree.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

To view an element’s textures:

1. Select the element in the viewport or from the scene explorer.

2. If it is not already visible, open the multi-purpose editor by clicking the Multi-Purpose Editor button in the control bar.

3. Click the Texture Clip Viewer tab. All of the element’s 2D textures will be listed in the tree.

4. Click texture node to display the texture image in the panel on the right. If the selected texture is a video clip, the panel will update the image depending on the current frame on the timeline.

Profile Editor

The profile editor allows you to modify the profile curves used to generate revolved and extruded objects.

Displays the selected profile curve.

Use the camera tools in the control bar of the main window to orbit, dolly, pan, zoom, roll, frame, and reset the camera. Press G to toggle the grid on or off.

Lists all profile curves

available on the selected object.

Click to select a profile

for editing.

Select Object tool

Select Points tool

Add Point tool

Delete Point tool

Move Point tool

Toggle proportional mode

Increase proportional radius

Decrease proportional radius

Function Curve Editor

Where you can edit the animation of the currently selected element using a number of different editors. You can set preferences for the function curve editor in the Fcurve Editor property editor.

Too lbar Contains commands and tools for saving, editing, and viewing animated properties (such as fcurves).

Multi-Purpose Editor

Animation tree

Displays the animatable properties of selected elements.

Function Curve Editor Timeline

Shows the current portion of animation in the fcurve graph. Click and drag the playback cursor in the timeline to “scrub” through the animation. When you click in the timeline, a red line (playback cursor) is displayed in the fcurve graph.

As well, you can see and move loop markers in the function curve editor's timeline when you click the Loop button in the playback controls.

Copying Key Values to Another Frame

To copy key values to another frame:

t Right-click+drag the playback cursor in the function curve editor's

timeline to copy key values from one frame to another.

View area

Displays and allows manipulation of property animation using the graph.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

The playback cursor stays green until you set a key. This is the same as you can do in the main Avid 3D timeline.

Function Curve Graph

A function curve (often called an fcurve) shows the change in a parameter's value over time. In the function curve editor, a function curve is represented as a curve with points on a graph, with each point representing a key.

You can edit keys by adjusting the points on a function curve interactively or typing in the desired values directly. You can also add or remove keys, change the slope at each key by moving the point's handles, and more.

The graph's horizontal axis (X) displays the time scale in frames or milliseconds (as set in the user preferences). The vertical axis (Y) displays the values of the animated property. Curves for X, Y, and Z parameters are red, green, and blue, respectively.

To adjust the graph's view:

t Determine how function curves are displayed and set grid and ruler

options, set the options in the FCurve Editor property editor.

Function Curve Editor Command Bar

When the function curve view is active, the function curve editor contains all the commands, tools, and options required to create, edit, and view a selected property’s function curve.

Stretch Keys scales keys using a pivot point.

Select Key

Select Curve

Select

fcurves or

keys.

Region selects rectangular area of fcurves.

Add/Remove Key

Edit Key

Unified Slope Orientation/Handle Length

Pan and zoom

Zoom

Frame frames

selected keys or fcurves.

Horizontal/Vertical Pan

pans and zooms across or up-and-down.

Linear/Spline Interpolation

of fcurve.

Constant/Gradient Extrapolation and Cycle/Relative Cycle set extrapolated and repeated fcurve segments.

Multi-Purpose Editor

You can hide/display certain buttons on the function curve editor's command bar. To do this, right-click in an empty area of the command bar and toggle the appropriate items on or off.

Location: Top of function curve editor

Go to Previous/Next Key

Selects the previous or next key on the selected function curve. You can also press the comma (,) key to select the previous key, and the period (.) key to select the next key.

Frame

The location of selected key points or function curves.

• To move a single key point to another frame, type that frame number and press Enter.

• To offset selected key points or function curves, enter the number followed by a + (addition) or - (subtraction) sign (such as 2+).

• To scale selected key points or function curves, enter the number followed by a * (multiplication) or / (division) sign. For example, to double the length of an fcurve, enter 2*.

Value

The value of the selected key points or function curves.

• To change the value of a single key point, type that value and press Enter.

• To change the value of selected key points or function curves, you can also enter the number followed by a + (addition) or - (subtraction) sign (such as 2+).

• To scale the value of selected key points or function curves, enter the number followed by a * (multiplication) or / (division) sign (such as 2*). For example, to divide the value in half, enter 2/.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Tool Icons

Button Tool Description

Select Selects function curves or keys and allows you to

Select Curve Selects only function curves. You cannot move

Select Key Selects only key points. You cannot move keys

Region Selects all the key points on the selected function

move the keys. To select a curve, click it with the left mouse button. Holding down Shift while clicking other function curves adds them to the selection; holding down Ctrl toggles function-curve selection. To deselect all function curves, click in the empty space in the graph.

curves with this tool.

with this tool.

curves within a defined rectangular region. The region's handles can be used to stretch or compress the selected region; dragging the region moves the keypoints.

Stretch Keys Stretches selected keys using a pivot anywhere you

like within the keys' range.

Edit Key Click to select/translate keys, middle-click to add,

and right-click to delete keys.

Add Key Click to add keys to the selected curve.

Remove Key Click to remove a key on the selected curve.

Unified Slope Orientation

Toggles between keeping the slope handles at a key point together at 180 degrees to each other (when icon is selected) or having the slope handles move freely as you drag each one individually (when icon is not selected).

Unified Slope Length Toggles between keeping the length for the slope

handles equal on both sides of the key point (when icon is selected) or breaking the slope handles (when icon is not selected), meaning that you can change the handles independently.

Button Tool Description

Zoom To zoom in, rectangle-select a region to enlarge; to

zoom out, Shift+click and drag; to interactively zoom, right-click and drag; to reset the magnification, click in the graph.

Pan and Zoom To interactively pan the view, drag the mouse

pointer in the graph; to reset the pan, click in the graph. Middle-click to zoom in and right-click to zoom out.

Property Editors

Pan and Zoom Horizontally

Pan and Zoom Vertically

Frame Selection Frames the selected curves by resetting the pan and

Linear Interpolation Sets the interpolation immediately after the selected

Spline Interpolation Sets the interpolation immediately after the selected

Drag to pan only horizontally. Middle-click to zoom in horizontally and right-click to zoom out horizontally.

Drag to pan only vertically. Middle-click to zoom in vertically and right-click to zoom out vertically.

zoom so that they fit in the graph.

key points to linear. If no key points are selected, the entire function curve will be set to linear interpolation. Linear interpolation creates uniform movement, with sudden changes at each key point

key points to spline. If no key points are selected, the entire function curve will be set to spline interpolation. Spline interpolation accelerates and decelerates to ease into and out of each key point, resulting in a smooth transition. The degree of acceleration and deceleration near a key point is determined by the orientation and length of the slope handles.

Property Editors

To open an element’s property editor, select an element and click the MultiPurpose Editor button in the control bar.

When you select an item in the tree in the left pane of the multi-purpose editor, its property editor appears in the right pane.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Parameter Set headers

Click the arrow to expand and

collapse the property set.

Property-page controls

For viewing and setting

parameter values for sets

of grouped properties.

Property Page Controls

Property Page tabs

Switch between sets of grouped parameters within a property set.

Color box

Opens color editors from which

you can pick or define the colors

you want to use.

Text boxes

Let you enter values for the

Shows status of animatable

parameters (whether or not the

parameter is animated). You can

also set and remove keys by

parameters.

Animation button

clicking this button.

Not all of the options described above are available in every property editor.

Sliders

Let you change values by dragging the bar or arrow in the slider.

Check box

Toggles the option so that it’s active or inactive. A check mark appears in the box when it’s active.

Drop-down lists

Let you select one option from several. Click the arrow beside the list to open its menu.

Color Properties

Property Editors

There are a number of standard ways of defining color properties for textures, materials, particles, and lighting.

To define a color using the color sliders:

1. Select the color model that best suits your needs. Below the color box, you can click on the color model button to toggle between RGB, HLS, and HSV.

2. Do one of the following to set the color: t Click and drag the sliders to change the strength of each channel

independently, or type a numerical value directly in the text box beside the sliders.

Color box

Color

model

Color sliders

t To move all three sliders at once, hold the Ctrl key down while

dragging the color sliders.

t For fine-tuning a single color value, hold down the Shift key while

dragging the color sliders.

To select a color using the mini color editor:

1. Click the color box next to the color sliders in a property editor.

Color box

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

2. The mini color editor (below) opens:

Color spectrum

Current color box

Color preview box

Color picker copies a

color from anywhere

on the screen.

Slider bar

Changes color model.

Opens the full color editor.

To fine-tune a color using the full color editor:

1. In a property editor, click the color box beside the color sliders to open the mini color editor.

2. In the mini color editor, click the browse (...) button. The full color editor opens.

Slider bar

Color area

Color views

Current

and Preview

color boxes

Color picker

Browser

The browser is a type of window specifically used to:

• Search (browse) through scene databases, project directories, video and audio clip libraries, and other repositories whose files are required to build a project.

• Import scene files from databases as well as load scene and project files.

• Perform file management tasks such as moving, copying, renaming, and deleting files.

Browser toolbar

Path controls

The Tree View

Tree view

Contents view

The browser’s tree view is a hierarchy of folders and subfolders that contain files belonging to the scenes, objects, properties, or presets that you use to build a project. When you select an item from the tree, its contents (if any) are displayed in the list view of the browser.

You can view items in the tree view by expanding or collapsing folders.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

To move up a level in the browser tree view, do one of the following:

t Click the Up button in the browser toolbar. t Press the Backspace key.

To create a new folder:

1. Click on the New Folder button in the browser toolbar.

2. Type a name in the text box that appears and click OK.

Viewing Folder Contents

The browser’s contents view displays the files of a folder selected in the tree view. You can display these files either as thumbnails or in detail mode, which includes file name, size, and comments.

To view folder files in thumbnail mode:

Click the Thumbnail button to view folder files as thumbnails.

To view folder files in detail mode:

Click the Details button to view folder contents in detail mode.

Browser

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

To edit the Contents view:

Click this arrow to show/hide the Contents view.

In detail mode, right-click anywhere in the Contents view...

...to add, move and rearrange columns in the Add/Remove Columns dialog box (below).

Drag the split bar right or left to resize the browser’s right and left panes.

Setting Favorites

Browser

Favorites give you quick access to a folder without having to remember where the file is located. The Favorites button lets you mark a direct path to a folder of interest on any local, network, or external disk to which your workstation is connected.

To add a favorite to the list:

1. In the browser tree, navigate to the folder that you want to add as a favorite.

2. Click the Favorites button in the browser toolbar.

3. Choose the Add to Favorites command in the menu that appears.

The new favorite is added to the Favorites list at the bottom of the menu, and the browser updates to set the favorite folder at the top of the tree.

To select a favorite:

• Click the Favorites button and select a favorite from the list that appears at the bottom of the menu. Your selection is displayed in the browser.

To delete a favorite:

• Click the Favorites button, choose the Remove Favorite command, and select a favorite from the submenu that you want to delete. The favorite path is deleted from the list. The folders or files are not affected.

Accessing Files from the Browser Path Controls

The browser’s Paths controls let you access files by entering their folder directory path in a text box or by selecting a preset path from a pop-up menu.

To access files from the browser path controls:

Type the folder directory path in the Path text box.

Click Paths and choose a preset path

from the pop-up menu.

Chapter 1 Commands and Interface Reference

Once you have made your selection, the browser’s tree updates and displays the path’s folders.

Accessing Computers on a Network

When you want to find a file on a network, but don’t have the path to it set directly, use the Network Neighborhood to navigate directly to the computer where it’s stored.

To locate a computer on the network:

1. Click the Network Neighborhood button in the browser toolbar.

2. In the Browse for Computer dialog box that is displayed, select the

computer that you want and click OK. The path to the computer you selected is entered in the Path text box, and

its files and folders are listed in the browser.

Chapter 2

Properties Reference

Chapter 2 Properties Reference

General

Color Editor Dialog Box

The Color Editor dialog box (full color editor) lets you pick colors from a palette or create new colors. To create new colors, you can pick them from the viewing area or from anywhere on the screen. You can also specify the RGB, HSV, or CMYK color model values.

To display : Click on a property page's color box, then click on the browse (...) button in the mini color editor that opens.

Option Description

Color area Displays a color area based on the color view you selected.

Slider Represents the color view you selected. For example, if you

selected the Saturation view, then the slider represents the saturation component.

Color views Displays different views of color and color components.

Color wheel Displays a color wheel for you to select a color.

Hue Displays a view of the hue component of the HSV color model.

Saturation Displays a view of the saturation component of the HSV

color model.

Value Displays a view of the value component of the HSV color model.

Color palette Displays a color palette for you to select a color.

Color picker Lets you select a color from the image in the viewer.

Color preview Displays the previously selected color (left) and the color you

are currently selecting (right). The bottom arrow resets the color preview to the previously

selected color. The top arrow makes the color you selected (right) the current color.

General

Option Description

RGB The RGB (red, green, blue) additive color model. The intensity

of each color is represented by a number from 0 to 255. A value of 0 represents no light (black) in a channel and 255 represents maximum light intensity (white) in a channel.

For example, (0, 0, 50) represents a dark blue, while (0, 0, 255) represents a bright blue. To produce a shade of gray, set all three RGB colors to the same level.

HSV The HSV (hue, saturation, value) color model.

Hue refers to the position of a color measured in degrees on the color wheel (red, yellow, green, cyan, blue, or magenta) and the various shades between them. For example, red is 0, cyan is 180, and magenta is 300.

Saturation refers to the purity of color or the amount of gray in the color. Values: 0 (most-saturated color) to 100 (leastsaturated color).

Value refers to the total amount of light in a color. A value of 0 gives the darkest result (black) and 100 gives the lightest result (white).

CMYK The CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) color model. This

model simulates the four-color (CMYK) process used in printing.

Data Management Property Editor

Sets file-management options and locations for features such as autosave, project lists, backup, and default paths.

To display: Click the Show All Options tab in the tools and options panel, then click the Data Management Options tab.

Option Description

Scene File Options

Enable Autosave Toggles autosave on or off. Autosave saves the current scene

to a file at regular intervals. This can protect you from losing work in the event of a power failure or system failure.

Chapter 2 Properties Reference

Option Description

Autosave Interval (Minutes)

Number of Scene Backups

Number of Backup Days to Keep

Display Property Editor

Controls what views will be output to a monitor via the Avid Mojo.

To display : Click the Show All Options tab in the tools and options panel, then click the Mojo Options tab.

Option Description

Digital I/O Output to Mojo

The frequency of automatic saves.

Sets the number of backup scenes to be saved under the project's Backup directory. If Number of Backup Days to Keep is a value other than zero, this is the number of backups to keep per day.

Sets the number of days for which to keep backups. This allows you to restore a backup from a previous day, no matter how many times you saved a scene during the current day. Backups older than the specified number of days are deleted.

Monitor Type

Sets the display to the appropriate monitor type: NTSC or PAL.

Option Description

View Output Sets which view will be output via the Mojo:

• Disabled: nothing is output to the monitor.

• 3D View A: the display in viewport A is output to the monitor.

• 3D View B: the display in viewport B is output to the monitor.

• 3D View C: the display in viewport C is output to the monitor.

• 3D View D: the display in viewport D is output to the monitor.

• 3D Auto A/B/C/D: the viewport that has focus is output to the

monitor. Click a viewport to give it focus.

• Render View: outputs the rendered image from the render

preview or the render view when rendering an image to disk. The image/frame is not displayed on the monitor until the last

tile is rendered.

• The FX View option is not implemented in Avid 3D.

• Image Clip View: the image clip view, as seen in the Texture

Clip Viewer, is output to the monitor.

General

Environment Map Property Editor

Takes a single image file and maps it to the environment using one of five possible mapping methods. Environment maps are typically used to light a scene with a combination of direct and indirect lighting. You can control the intensity of the image in the background, the intensity of its reflections in the scene, and the intensity of the lighting.

To display: Click the Environment node in the Material and Fx tab of the

multi-purpose editor.

Option Description

Image Defines an image clip to use as an environment map.

Click Edit to open a property page for the image clip being presently used. To retrieve a new clip, click New and indicate whether you wish to create a new clip or create one from a source.

Chapter 2 Properties Reference

Option Description

Environment Mode Specifies the kind of mapping used by the image. Choose

Intensity

Background Controls the degree to which the selected image shows up

from one of the following:

• Spherical: maps the image spherically around the scene.

• Cylindrical: maps the image cylindrically around

the scene.

• Cubic Strip: takes an image in which the faces of a

cube are laid out horizontally, side by side, and maps it in a cubic shape around the scene.

• Cube Cross: takes an image in which a cube has been

unfolded to look like a cross and maps it in a cubic shape around the scene.

• Cube Cross Sideways: a cubic cross, but rotated

90 degrees.

in the background. Eye rays that hit nothing will evaluate the environment shader making it appear in empty areas of the scene's background.

Reflection Controls the intensity of the reflections. Higher values

will cause bright areas of the image to appear more intense on the surfaces of reflective scene objects.

Image Controls the intensity of the lighting in the scene from the

environment map. Higher values brighten the lighting, while lower values darken it.

Transformation A transformation matrix that allows you to scale, rotate,

and translate the image in X, Y, and Z, to adjust how it is placed around the scene.

Halve/Double all lights intensity

Halves or doubles the intensity of the scene’s imagebased lighting.

Inspect Source Paths Property Editor

Displays the complete paths and file names of external files (textures, video and audio clips, etc.) referenced by the scene. Use this property editor to update source paths when files are moved or renamed.

File paths are the paths as saved in the scene. The resolved paths are the file paths as seen by the operating system, after having been resolved by Avid 3D. You cannot edit the resolved paths directly.

An entry whose path or file name is no longer accurate will be displayed in red and have an "Invalid" status. You can correct individual entries by doubleclicking in the appropriate File Path cell.

To display: Choose File > Source Paths from the menu bar.

Option Description

Browse Selected Path Opens a browser so that you can navigate to the desired file.

General

Mini Color Editor

Search and Replace All Opens the Search and Replace dialog box, where you can

update multiple paths or file names simultaneously by replacing the text strings shown in the File Path list.

Pick colors from a palette or create new colors. To create new colors, you can pick them from the image in a viewport or you can specify their HLS, HSV, or RGB color model values.

To display: Click on a property page's color box (to the left of the color sliders). For the full color editor, click on the browse (...) button in the mini color editor.

Option Description

Color Spectrum Displays a color spectrum based on the color box you selected

from the property page.

Chapter 2 Properties Reference

Option Description

Slider Represents the channel you've selected from the property page.

For example, if you selected HSV Saturation, then the slider represents the saturation.

Current-Color/ Color-Preview

Displays the correct color of the shader (left) and the color you are previewing (right).

boxes

Palette Selects a solid color from a pop-up menu.

> (Options menu) Displays different color input options (HSV, HLS, RGB,

numerical, color wheel).

Color Wheel Displays a color wheel from which you can select a color.

HSV Saturation Displays a view of the saturation component of the HSV

color model.

HSV Hue Displays a view of the hue component of the HSV color model.

HSV Brightness Displays a view of the value component of the HSV color model.

HLS Specifies colors using the HLS (hue, luminance, and saturation)

model. Hue refers to the position of a color measured in degrees on the

color wheel (red, yellow, green, cyan, blue, or magenta) and the various shades between them. For example, red is 0, cyan is 180, and magenta is 300.

Luminance refers to the total amount of light in a color. A value of 0 gives the darkest result (black) and 255 gives the lightest result (white).

Saturation refers to the purity of color or the amount of gray in the color. Values: 0 (most-saturated color) to 255 (leastsaturated color).

Option Description

HSV Specifies colors using the HSV (hue, saturation, value) color model.

Hue refers to the position of a color on the color wheel (red, yellow, green, cyan, blue, or magenta) and the various shades between them. For example, red is 0, cyan is 180, and magenta is 300.

Saturation refers to the purity of color or the amount of gray in the color. Values: 0 (most-saturated color) to 255 (leastsaturated color).

Value refers to the total amount of light in a color. A value of 0 gives the darkest result (black) and 255 gives the lightest result (white).

RGB Specifies colors using the RGB (red, green, blue) additive color

model. The intensity of each color is represented by a number from 0 to 255. A value of 0 represents no light (black) in a channel, and a value of 255 represents maximum light intensity (white) in a channel.

For example, (0, 0 ,50) represents a dark blue, while (0, 0, 255) represents a bright blue. To produce a shade of gray, set all three RGB colors to the same level.

You can enter values higher than 255 for the R, G, or B channel, although the displayed result will be the same as if the value were set to 255.

General

Normalized Normalizes the values so that they range from 0 to 1.

Color picker Selects a color from the image in the viewer.

... Opens the Color Editor Dialog Box.

New Project Dialog Box

Where you create a new project, giving it a name and location. The project is stored in the list in your user location.

To display: Select File > New Project from the menu bar.

Option Description

Project Name Name of the new project.

Chapter 2 Properties Reference

Option Description

Location Specifies a location for the new project.

(...) button Opens a browser in which you can specify a location for

Project Manager Dialog Box

The Project Manager is where you open and delete existing project folders, create new project folders and scene files, and manage project lists. A project is a file folder containing subfolders for your scene files and related elements. In Avid 3D, you always work within the structure of a project.

To display : Select File > Project Manager from the menu bar.

Option Description

Select a Project Select a project from the list. The current project is

the new project.

highlighted. The prefixes indicate which project list file contains each project:

• [F] indicates that the project is listed in the project file in the factory location.

• [U] indicates that the project is listed in the project file in your user location.

• [W] indicates that the project is listed in a project file in a workgroup location.

Sort By Sort the projects in the above list by Name, Origin

(factory, user, and workgroup), or none (no sorting).

Project Path The path to the selected project. This is displayed for

information only and cannot be modified.

New Project Opens a dialog box where you can create and name a new

project folder.

Set as Default Sets the selected project folder as default. Whenever the

software is restarted, this project is automatically selected.

Project List

Add Project Adds an existing project to the project list.

3D Objects

Option Description

Remove from List Removes the selected project from the project list. The

project is not deleted from the hard disk.

Scan Disk Searches the specified folders and adds any projects found

to the list.

Clear List Removes all projects from the project list. Projects are not

deleted from the hard disk.

Import List Opens a browser that lets you search for an exported

project list file, which contains a list of projects and their associated paths. These project names are added to any existing projects in the project list.

Export List Creates a text file containing the path and file name of

each project currently displayed in the project list. You can then use the Import List button to access and display these projects.

Delete Project Deletes the selected project. The associated folder and its

files are removed from the hard disk.

New Scene Creates a new scene file within the selected project folder.

Delete Deletes the selected scene file from the project folder.

3D Objects

Arc Property Editor

To get an arc: Drag the arc curve object from the object library into a viewport.

To display: Select the arc, then click its node in the Geometry and Deform

Properties tab of the multi-purpose editor.

Option Description

Radius The radius of the arc in distance units.

Start, EndAngle The start and end positions of the arc in degrees. The arc is

drawn from the start angle to the end angle.

Chapter 2 Properties Reference

Circle Property Editor

To get a circle: Drag the Circle from the object library into a viewport.

To display : Select the circle, then click its node in the Geometry and Deform

Properties tab of the multi-purpose editor.

Option Description

Radius The radius of the circle in distance units.

Cluster Property Editor

To create a cluster, select some polygons then click the Create/Edit Polygon Clusters button on the control bar.

To display : Select the cluster, then click its node in the Geometry and Deform Properties tab of the multi-purpose editor.

Option Description

Name The name of the cluster as it appears in the explorer. If you

change this value, the new name appears on the property editor tabs the next time you display these parameters.

Cluster Display Color

Red, Green, Blue Sets the display color of the cluster's components when the

cluster is not selected. If a component belongs to more than one cluster, it uses the color of the last cluster created.

Sort Order When clusters with local materials overlap, this value controls

the order in which they're drawn. The lower a cluster's sort order value, the earlier it's drawn. Thus the cluster with the highest sort order value is always drawn on top of any other overlapping clusters.

When you open scenes created using a version of

SOFTIMAGE|XSI where sort order was not assigned to clusters, all of the clusters in the scene are assigned a sort order value based on the order in which they were loaded from the file.

Cone Property Editor

Controls the size of a primitive cone.

To display: Select the cone, then click its node in the Geometry and Deform Properties tab of the multi-purpose editor.

Option Description

Base Radius The cone base radius, in distance units.

Height The cone’s height in distance units.

Cube Property Editor

Controls the size of a primitive cube.

To get a cube: Drag a cube from the object library into a viewport.

3D Objects

To display: Select the cube, then click its node in the Geometry and Deform Properties tab of the multi-purpose editor.

Option Description

Length The length of the sides in distance units.

Cylinder Property Editor

To get a cylinder: Drag a cylinder from the object library into a viewport.

To display: Select the cylinder, then click its node in the Geometry and

Deform Properties tab of the multi-purpose editor.

Option Description

Radius The radius at the base in distance units.

Height The height in distance units.

Chapter 2 Properties Reference

Disc Property Editor

To get a disc: Drag a disc from the object library into a viewport.

To display : Select the disc, then click its node in the Geometry and Deform

Properties tab of the multi-purpose editor.

Option Description

Radius

Inner The radius of the disc's hole in distance units.

Outer The radius of the disc's outside edge in distance units.

Extrusion Property Editor (Curve along Axis)

Creates a surface or polygon mesh by running a profile curve along an axis.

To display : Select the extruded object, then click its Extrusion node in the Geometry and Deform Properties tab of the multi-purpose editor.

Option Description

Inputs

Hide/Unhide Hides all the inputs for the generated object to simplify the

display of your scene in the 3D views, or unhides the inputs when you need to modify them.

Delete (Freezes Op)

Subdivisions

Freezes the generator and deletes the inputs. This simplifies the scene once you are satisfied that you won't need to modify the inputs again.

3D Objects

Option Description

Subdivision Type Determines how you specify the number of subdivisions in

the result.

• Per Span uses the "natural" subdivisions as determined by

the shapes of the inputs. You can subdivide each segment further using the U and V span sliders.

In this case, discontinuities resulting from multiknots in the inputs are preserved in the generated objects.

• Absolute allows you to set the total number of subdivisions using the U and V abs sliders.

U, V span The number of subdivisions corresponding to each segment of

the inputs, when Subdivision Type is Per Span.

U, V abs The total number of subdivisions, when Subdivision Type

is Absolute.

Open/Close Specifies whether the extruded surface is open or closed in U

and V. These options work only if the corresponding input curves are open. If the input curves are closed, the surface will always be closed in the corresponding direction.

Extrusion

Start Position, Length

The start and end positions of the extruded surface in distance units. Note that Start Position is available only if Snap to Profile is off.

From Center Controls how the profile is aligned with the global center. At 0,

the profile's center is aligned on the guide, and at 100 the minimum U boundary is aligned. Values that are between align a point between the center and the minimum U boundary; values below 0 and above 100 extrapolate beyond these points. This option is not available if Snap to Profile is on.

Snap to Profile When on, the extruded surface is created at the position of the

profile curve. If it is off, it is created at the global center.

Extrusion Axis

Local Axis Controls whether the extrusion occurs along the object's local

axes (on) or the scene's global axes (off).

Chapter 2 Properties Reference

Option Description

Extrude Along X, Y, Z

These options specify an axis along which to perform the extrusion: X, Y, or Z. When any of these options are on, any guide curve you picked is ignored. When multiple options are on, the extrusion is performed around the corresponding unit vector. For example, if both Extrude Along X and Extrude Along Y are on, the extrusion is performed around the vector [1, 1, 0].

Extrusion Property Editor (Curve Along Curve)

Creates a surface or polygon mesh by running a profile curve along a guide curve.

To display: Select the extruded object, then click its Extrusion node in the Geometry and Deform Properties tab of the multi-purpose editor.

Option Description

Inputs

Hide/Unhide Hides all the inputs for the generated object to simplify the

display of your scene in the 3D views, or unhides the inputs when you need to modify them.

3D Objects

Delete (Freezes Op)

Subdivisions

Subdivision Type Determines how you specify the number of subdivisions in

U, V span The number of subdivisions corresponding to each segment of

U, V abs The total number of subdivisions, when Subdivision Type

Open/Close Specifies whether the extruded surface is open or closed in U

Freezes the generator and deletes the inputs. This simplifies the scene once you are satisfied that you won't need to modify the inputs again.

the result.

• Per Span uses the "natural" subdivisions as determined by the shapes of the inputs. You can subdivide each segment further using the U and V span sliders.

In this case, discontinuities resulting from multiknots in the inputs are preserved in the generated objects.

• Absolute allows you to set the total number of subdivisions using the U and V abs sliders.

the inputs, when Subdivision Type is Per Span.

is Absolute.

and V. These options work only if the corresponding input curves are open. If the input curves are closed, the surface will always be closed in the corresponding direction.

Chapter 2 Properties Reference

Option Description

Extrusion

Start, End Pos. The percentages along the length of the guide at which the

From Center Controls how the profile is aligned on the guide curve. At 0,

Snap to Profile When on, the extruded surface is created at the position of the

Rotate Profile When on, the profile curve is rotated as the tangent of the

extrusion starts and stops. Note that Start Pos. is available only if Snap to Profile is off.

Start Pos. determines the first tangent and binormal that will be propagated along the curve. Changing this value changes the initial binormal. Changing End Pos. does not have this effect.

the profile's center is aligned on the guide, and at 100 the minimum U boundary is aligned. Values in-between align a point between the center and the minimum U boundary; values below 0 and above 100 extrapolate beyond these points. This option is not available if Snap to Profile is on.

profile curve. If it is off, it is created at the position of the guide curve.

guide curve changes, following the guide as it turns and twists.

Align Profile to Path

Geometry Property Editor (Arc)

Controls the number of points on a primitive arc.

To display : Select the arc, then click its Geometry node in the Geometry and Deform Properties tab of the multi-purpose editor.

Option Description

Subdivisions The number of segments. Higher subdivision values produce

Rotates the profile to align it with the start of the path. If this is off, the profile is not rotated.

greater resolution and denser, heavier geometry.

Geometry Property Editor (Circle)

Controls the number of points on a primitive circle.

To display: Select the circle, then click its Geometry node in the Geometry and Deform Properties tab of the multi-purpose editor.

Option Description

Subdivisions The number of segments. Higher subdivision values produce

greater resolution and denser, heavier geometry.

Geometry Property Editor (Cone)

Controls the number of points on a primitive cone.

To display : Select the cone, then click its Geometry node in the Geometry and Deform Properties tab of the multi-purpose editor.

3D Objects

Option Description

Subdivisions

U, V, Base The number of segments in the corresponding directions.

Higher subdivision values produce greater resolution and denser, heavier geometry.

Extent (Angles) The Start and End U parameters let you open the cone.

Values are in degrees.

Close Bottom Caps the bottom of the cone.

Chapter 2 Properties Reference

Geometry Property Editor (Cube)

Controls the number of points on a primitive cube.

To display : Select the cube, then click its Geometry node in the Geometry and Deform Properties tab of the multi-purpose editor.

Option Description

Subdivisions

U, V, Base The number of segments in the corresponding directions.

Higher subdivision values produce greater resolution and denser, heavier geometry.

Geometry Property Editor (Cylinder)

Controls the number of points on a primitive cylinder.

To display : Select the cylinder, then click its Geometry node in the Geometry and Deform Properties tab of the multi-purpose editor.

Option Description

Subdivisions

U, V, Base The number of segments in the corresponding directions.

Higher subdivision values produce greater resolution and denser, heavier geometry.

Extent (Angles) The Start and End U parameters let you open the cylinder.

Values are in degrees.

Close top end Caps the top end of the cylinder.

Close bottom end Caps the bottom end of the cylinder.

Geometry Property Editor (Disc)

Controls the number of points on a primitive disc.

To display : Select the disc, then click its Geometry node in the Geometry and Deform Properties tab of the multi-purpose editor.

Option Description

Subdivisions

U, V The number of segments in the corresponding directions.

Extent (Angles) The Start and End U parameters let you open the disc. Values

Geometry Property Editor (Grid)

3D Objects

Higher subdivision values produce greater resolution and denser, heavier geometry.

are in degrees.

Controls the number of points on a primitive grid.

To display : Select the grid, then click its Geometry node in the Geometry and Deform Properties tab of the multi-purpose editor.

Option Description

Subdivisions

U, V The number of segments in the corresponding directions.

Higher subdivision values produce greater resolution and denser, heavier geometry.

Chapter 2 Properties Reference

Geometry Property Editor (Sphere)

Controls the number of points on a primitive sphere.

To display : Select the sphere, then click its Geometry node in the Geometry and Deform Properties tab of the multi-purpose editor.

Option Description

Subdivisions

U, V The number of segments in the corresponding directions.

Higher subdivision values produce greater resolution and denser, heavier geometry.

Extent (Angles) The Start and End U parameters let you open the sphere

longitudinally. The Start and End V parameters let you open the sphere latitudinally. Values are in degrees.

Geometry Property Editor (Torus)

Controls the number of points on a primitive torus.

To display : Select the torus, then click its Geometry node in the Geometry and Deform Properties tab of the multi-purpose editor.

Option Description

Subdivisions

U, V The number of segments in the corresponding directions.

Higher subdivision values produce greater resolution and denser, heavier geometry.

Extent (Angles) The Start and End U parameters let you open the sphere

longitudinally. The Start and End V parameters let you open the sphere latitudinally. Values are in degrees.

Grid Property Editor

To get a grid: Drag a grid from the object library into a viewport.

To display: Select the grid, then click its node in the Geometry and Deform

Properties tab of the multi-purpose editor.

Option Description

U, V Length The length of the grid in each of its two directions, in

Loft Property Editor

Creates a surface or polygon mesh that spans a series of cross-sectional profile curves.

To display: Select the lofted object, then click its Loft node in the Geometry and Deform Properties tab of the multi-purpose editor.

3D Objects

distance units.

Option Description

Inputs

Hide/Unhide Hides all the inputs for the generated object to simplify the

display of your scene in the 3D views, or unhides the inputs when you need to modify them.

Delete (Freezes Op)

Freezes the generator and deletes the inputs. This simplifies the scene once you are satisfied that you won't need to modify the inputs again.

Chapter 2 Properties Reference

Option Description

Subdivisions

Subdivision Type Determines how you specify the number of subdivisions in

U, V span The number of subdivisions corresponding to each segment of

U, V abs The total number of subdivisions, when Subdivision Type

Start, End Surface These parameters apply only when the first or last curve in the

the result.

• Per Span uses the "natural" subdivisions as determined by

the shapes of the inputs. You can subdivide each segment further using the U and V span sliders.

In this case, discontinuities resulting from multiknots in the inputs are preserved in the generated objects.

• Absolute allows you to set the total number of subdivisions using the U and V abs sliders.

the inputs, when Subdivision Type is Per Span.

is Absolute.

loft operation is a curve on a surface; for example, a boundary or isoline.

100

Continuity at Surface Curve

The continuity between the lofted surface and the original input surface.

• (G0) Position: The lofted surface begins or ends at the position of the surface curve but does not take into account the tangent or curvature of the surface. The result can be a sharp edge between the lofted surface and the input surface.

• (G1) Tangent: The tangent of the lofted surface is aligned with the tangent of the input surface at the boundary. The result is a smooth transition from the lofted surface to the original surface.

• (G2) Normal: The normal of the lofted surface is aligned with the normal of the input surface at the boundary. This results in an even smoother transition between the surfaces.

Scale Factor Affects the extent of influence of the original input surface's

shape on the lofted surface. This parameter does not apply when Continuity at Surface Curve is (G0) Position.

Avid 3D Reference Guide

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Copyright and Disclaimer

Contents

Using This Guide

Symbols and Conventions

If You Need Help

Accessing the Online Library

How to Order Documentation

Avid Educational Services

Commands and Interface Reference

Main Window Overview

Menu Bar

File Menu

Edit Menu

Layouts Menu

Help Menu

Control Bar

Lower Interface Controls

Timeline

Playback Controls

Animation Controls

Preview and Output Controls

Flipbook

Library Panel

Scene Explorer

Sample Projects Library

Object Library

Model Library

Digimation® Model Bank™

Material & Fx Library

Still Images Library

Video Library

Tools and Options Panel

Transform Tools Panel

Animation Tools Panel

Text Tools Panel

Deformation Tools Panel

Particle Tools Panel

Display Options Panel

Options Panel

Viewports

Letter Identifier button

Views Menu

Display Types Menu

Resize Viewport Icon

Multi-Purpose Editor

Geometry and Deform Properties

Material and Fx Properties

Texture Clip Viewer

Profile Editor

Function Curve Editor

Property Editors

Color Properties

Browser

The Tree View

Viewing Folder Contents

Setting Favorites

Accessing Files from the Browser Path Controls

Accessing Computers on a Network

Properties Reference

General

Color Editor Dialog Box

Data Management Property Editor

Display Property Editor

Environment Map Property Editor

Inspect Source Paths Property Editor

Mini Color Editor

New Project Dialog Box

Project Manager Dialog Box

3D Objects

Arc Property Editor

Circle Property Editor

Cluster Property Editor

Cone Property Editor

Cube Property Editor

Cylinder Property Editor

Disc Property Editor