Using Vedute help

When you are using Vedute help, you can use the Contents, Index, or Find tabs to find and display help topics that interest you. To access these from a topic, click the Help Topics button.

You can browse through the help topics by clicking the >> and << buttons.

Main windows

Most windows in the Vedute help system are main windows. This window is an example of a main window. Each time you display a new main window, it overwrites the existing one.

Click on underlined green text to display a new main window. For example click here.

To return to the previous main window, select the Back button at the top of the Help window.

Pop-up windows

Pop-up windows provide a brief description of a term in the text.

Click on green text underlined with a dotted line to display a pop-up window. For example, click here. To close a pop-up window, click again anywhere on your screen.

Tooltips

You can also display 'tooltips' by holding the mouse over a component of the Vedute window, such as a toolbar button. The tooltip pops up the name of the tool, and the status bar at the bottom of the Vedute window provides more detailed information.


Example main help window

This is a main help window. Click the Back button to return to the previous window.


Overview of Vedute

Vedute (pronounced Veh-doo-teh) is the Italian word for 'Views'.

Vedute enables you to create a view with an eye position, a look-at point, and lighting, and save it as an Extended Pixel (EPix) format file suitable for use with Piranesi™.

You can create views from:

•	DXF™ format files (*.dxf)

•	Things files (*.thf)

•	MAN files (*.man)

Note that material colours are not transferred to Vedute. The colours shown are for display purposes only. You paint the surfaces of the materials in the EPix file using Piranesi.


Creating views from DXF files

DXF™ format files are produced from AutoCAD® drawings. AutoCAD is a product of Autodesk Inc. Many other products also produce DXF format files.

When you open a DXF file in Vedute, the attributes and entities are converted as described below.

Material names

The material name is taken from the AVE_FINISH property of the entity, if specified. Otherwise, the LAYER name is used.

Layers

Frozen layers are not drawn in Vedute.

Entities on a layer that is switched off are not drawn in Vedute, unless they are INSERT entities.

Surface modelling

Entities with curved surfaces are converted to a faceted approximation of the surface.

Lines are treated as follows:

•	lines with no width and no thickness are omitted

•	lines with width but no thickness are modelled as flat ribbons

•	lines with no width but with thickness are modelled as open surfaces

•	lines with both width and thickness are modelled as closed surfaces

AutoCAD entities that form closed, filled shapes (such as the CIRCLE entity) are modelled as plane facets if they have no thickness, and closed solids if they have extrusion thickness.

Entities

POLYGON MESH and POLYFACE MESH primitives are modelled directly.

For other entities, closed flat areas are converted to planar facets. Any thickness is modelled by extruding the geometry (facets into solids; lines into open surfaces):

•	complete CIRCLE entities are faceted, and are extruded to their thickness

•	ARC and ELLIPSE entities are included if they are extruded to form an open surface, or if they encompass a full 360 degrees and form a closed planar loop

•	LINE and 3DLINE entities are ignored unless they have a thickness and form an extruded surface

•	SOLID and TRACE entities form planar facets, and are extruded into solids if they have thickness

•	3DFACE entities form planar facets without extrusion

•	LWPOLYLINE and POLYLINE2D are included if either they have non-zero vertex-widths (so that they form a planar ribbon), or they have a thickness and can be extruded to form a surface, or they have both non-zero vertex-widths and thickness and can be extruded to form a solid

A flat POLYLINE (with no thickness) with a mixture of sections having a definite width or a zero width, breaks apart to retain only those with non-zero width.

•	POLYLINE3D entities are omitted

•	INSERT entities insert a scaled copy of the BLOCK they reference

•	XREF entities reference AutoCAD proprietary DWG files, and are ignored by Vedute

•	the following entities are ignored:

Text and line-graphics	External objects	ACIS proprietary data
ATTDEF ATTRIB DIMENSION LEADER MLINE MTEXT	POINT  RAY SPLINE TOLERANCE SHAPE TEXT	OLEFRAME	3DSOLID BODY REGION
Related topics

•	Creating views from Things files

•	Creating views from MAN files

•	Opening a file


Creating views from Things files

Things files are produced by the 3-D Viewer of GDS. GDS is a product of Graphic Data Systems Corporation. Some other products also produce Things format files.

When you open a Things file in Vedute, the attributes and entities are converted as described below.

Material names

The material name in the source file is used. If a material is not specified for a facet in the Things file, the material name DEFAULT is used.

Surface modelling

Wire lines are ignored.

Faceted shells are modelled by Vedute.

Related topics

•	Creating views from DXF files

•	Creating views from MAN files

•	Opening a file


Creating views from MAN files

MAN format files are produced from MicroGDS™ drawings. MicroGDS is a product of Informatix Software International Limited. You can open MAN files saved in versions 5.1 and 5.2 of MicroGDS.

When you open a MAN file in Vedute, the attributes and entities are converted as described below.

Material names

If an MSTYLE has been attached to an individual facet, it is used. If no MSTYLE has been attached to the facet, but one has been attached to the clump (as a 'solid' material), the solid material is used. If no MSTYLE has been attached, the material name DEFAULT is used.

Layers

Layers that are Visible, Hittable, or Editable are drawn. Layers that are Invisible are omitted.

Surface modelling

Lines and text are ignored.

Wire lines within clumps are ignored.

Open and closed faceted shells are retained by Vedute.

Related topics

•	Creating views from Things files

•	Creating views from DXF files

•	Opening a file


The Vedute window

Click any component in the following picture for a description:

Related topics

•	Show/hide controls

•	The pictorial view

•	The toolbar

•	The eye slider

•	The plan view

•	The elevation view

•	The stereogram

•	Lights


The pictorial view

The pictorial view shows the model as seen from the eye position.

For example:

The look-at point is at the centre of the view. The view is fitted to the window, with an aspect ratio of 800 x 600. You can change the aspect ratio (and the size of the resultant EPix file) using the Image Size command.

Vedute displays each material in a different colour, selected to make the surfaces easy to distinguish. However, note that these colours do not reflect the colours of the surfaces. (Use Piranesi™ to paint the surfaces of the EPix file produced by Vedute.)

To change the look-at point:

•	Click on the view at the new position.

The view is immediately redrawn with this look-at point at the centre, and with the view direction changed appropriately. The eye position, view distance, and zoom angle are not changed.

To decrease the zoom angle:

1	With the mouse cursor in the view, press-and-hold the mouse button, and drag the mouse across the view.

A rectangular outline is drawn to indicate the new view extent. The rectangle is centred on the look-at point.

2	Drag the mouse until the rectangle is the size you require, and release the mouse button.

The zoom angle is adjusted accordingly, and the view is redrawn.

Related topics

•	Increasing the zoom angle

•	Editing the view parameters


The plan view

The plan view shows a quick-rendering of the model from above, with a view extent four times the model radius. The eye position and look-at point are shown, unless they are beyond the extent of the plan view.

For example:

To move the eye position or look-at point individually:

•	Press-slide-release the mouse button with the cursor over the appropriate symbol to drag it to the required position.

If you are in perspective projection, the Z co-ordinate is not changed.

If you are in parallel projection, the view distance remains constant (since it is not applicable to parallel projection). The position to which you drag the eye or view point defines the view direction. The exact position of the eye is then adjusted to ensure that the view distance has not changed.

To move the eye position and look-at point in unison:

1	Press-and-hold Shift.

2	Press-slide-release the mouse button with the cursor over the eye or view point symbol to drag them to the required position.

3	Release Shift.

The Z co-ordinates of the eye position and view point are not changed.

Related topics

•	The elevation view

•	The stereogram

•	Editing the view parameters


The elevation view

The elevation view shows a quick-rendering of the model from the front, with a view extent four times the model radius. The eye position and look-at point are shown, unless they are beyond the extent of the elevation view.

To move the eye position or look-at point individually:

•	Press-slide-release the mouse button with the cursor over the symbol to drag it to the required position.

If you are in perspective projection, the Y co-ordinate is not changed.

If you are in parallel projection, the view distance remains constant (since it is not applicable to parallel projection). The position to which you drag the eye or view point defines the view direction. The exact position of the eye is then adjusted to ensure that the view distance has not changed.

To move the eye position and look-at point in unison:

1	Press-and-hold Shift.

2	Press-slide-release the mouse button with the cursor over the eye or view point symbol to drag them to the required position.

3	Release Shift.

The Y co-ordinates of the eye position and view point are not changed.

Related topics

•	The plan view

•	The stereogram

•	Editing the view parameters


The stereogram

The stereogram shows the direction of the eye position from the look-at point (the view direction), and the positions of the lights.

The stereogram is a plan view of a sphere, with the look-at point at its centre, and the eye position on its surface. The concentric circles represent lines of latitude at 0°, 22.5°, 45°,and 67.5° from the horizontal.

The eye position

The eye position is shown as a green eye symbol. The eye symbol has a circle around it when it is below the equator.

•	To move the eye position, press-slide-release the mouse button with the cursor over the symbol to drag it to the required position.

To move it into negative elevation, press-and-hold Ctrl as you drag the symbol.

•	To swing the eye position around keeping the elevation constant, click the left or right arrow buttons, or press the left or right arrow keys on your keyboard.

The eye position is rotated by 1° in the indicated direction. To move the eye position by 5°, press-and-hold Ctrl, then click the appropriate arrow button or key.

•	To change the elevation of the eye position keeping the bearing constant, click on the up or down arrow buttons, or press the up or down arrow keys on your keyboard.

The eye position is rotated by 1° in the indicated direction. To move the eye position by 5°, press-and-hold Ctrl, then click the appropriate arrow button or key.

Lights

Parallel lights are shown as dots when they are above the equator, and circles when they are below it.

•	To move a light, press-slide-release the mouse button with the cursor over the symbol to drag it to the required position.

To move it into negative elevation (below the equator), press-and-hold Ctrl as you drag the symbol.

•	To add or remove a light, or to change its brightness, use the lights sliders situated below the stereogram.

You can also move the eye position and lights to pre-set positions by pressing Shift, then dragging the appropriate symbol. The pre-set bearings correspond to the eight principal compass directions. The pre-set elevations are -90°, -35°, 0°, +35° and +90°.

Related topics

•	The Vedute window

•	The plan view

•	The elevation view

•	Editing the view parameters


Lights

You use the sliders in the bottom right corner of the Vedute window to set the lights.

Vedute has an auto-exposure mechanism. Maximum light available from all of the lights that are switched on always corresponds to a constant maximum brightness in the view.

For example, if you have only one light switched on and it is set to half intensity, any parts of the model that are in full light are shown at maximum brightness, and any parts in complete shadow are dark. If you then increase the intensity of the light, the parts of the model in full light are still shown at maximum brightness, so no difference is visible.

Similarly, if you have one light shining directly onto the front of the model, you will see parts of the model in full light at maximum brightness. If you then add a light behind the model, the illumination of the model will appear to decrease. This is because maximum brightness now corresponds to areas of the model that are illuminated fully by both lights. Areas of the model that are fully lit by only one light are now shown at half the maximum brightness.

There are two ambient lights (sky and ground), and five parallel lights.

You control the intensity of the ambient lights by moving the two sliders in the top section of the lights controller, as indicated in the picture above. The distance of the slider from the left-hand position corresponds to the intensity of the light.

Parallel lights are shown as solid dots in the stereogram when they are above the equator, and circles when they are below it. The lights are shown in different colours on the stereogram, corresponding to the different colours on the sliders. To adjust a light, move the appropriate slider as follows:

•	To create a new light, drag the slider from the zero (left-hand) position.

The light is displayed in the stereogram. The distance of the slider from the left-hand position corresponds to the intensity of the light.

•	To move a light, press-slide-release the mouse button with the cursor over the symbol in the stereogram to drag it to the required position.

To move it into negative elevation (below the equator), press-and-hold Ctrl as you drag the symbol.

•	To remove a light, drag the appropriate slider back to the zero (left-hand) position.

You can also adjust the intensity and positions of the lights using the View Parameters window.


The toolbar

The toolbar provides shortcuts to the following menu commands:

  Whole Model

  Centre Look-at Point

  Previous View

  Increase Zoom Angle


The eye slider

You use the eye slider to change the distance from the eye position to the look-at point (the view distance), and to move the eye and look-at points in relation to the model.

The scale on the slider is non-linear, with infinity at both ends.

To change the view distance by moving the eye position:

•	press-slide-release the mouse button with the cursor over the eye symbol to drag it to the required position

•	or click the up and down arrow buttons on the slider or keyboard to move the eye position by 1/10th the current view distance

•	or press-and-hold the Ctrl key, then click the up and down arrow buttons on the slider or keyboard to move the eye position by half the current view distance

When you move the eye position, the pictorial view, the plan view, and the elevation view are all updated appropriately.

The zoom angle symbol is moved with the eye symbol, keeping the zoom angle constant. If you move the eye symbol to either end of the slider, the view is switched to parallel projection, and the zoom angle symbol disappears.

If you drag the eye symbol past the look-at point, the view direction is reversed (although the eye symbol always points upwards). You cannot place the eye position and look-at point exactly on top of one another.

To change the view distance by moving the look-at point:

•	press-slide-release the mouse button with the cursor over the look-at point symbol to drag it to the required position

When you move the look-at point, the plan and elevation views are updated appropriately. The pictorial view is not affected.

If you drag the look-at point past the eye position, the view direction is reversed (although the eye symbol always points upwards). You cannot place the eye position and look-at point exactly on top of one another.

To move the eye and look-at points in unison:

•	press-and-hold the Shift key, then press-slide-release the mouse button with the cursor over the eye symbol or view point symbol to drag it to the required position

•	or press-and-hold the Shift key, then click the up and down arrow buttons on the slider or keyboard to move them by 1/10th the current view distance

•	or press-and-hold the Shift + Ctrl keys, then click the up and down arrows on the slider or keyboard to move the eye and look-at points by half the current view distance

The zoom angle is not changed. The pictorial, plan, and elevation views are all updated appropriately.

You can also adjust the positions of the eye and look-at points using the View Parameters window.


The menu bar

The menu bar provides commands to manage files, edit the view, change the Vedute display, and access the help. It has four pulldown menus:

•	File

•	Edit

•	View

•	Help


File menu commands

Open Model...	Opens a DXF, MAN, or Things file.
Model Properties...	Specifies properties for the model.
Save	Saves the opened file to EPix format with the same name.
Save As...	Saves the opened file to a specified file name in EPix format.
Recently-used file list	Lists recently used files. Click on a file to open it.
Exit	Exits Vedute.


Edit menu commands

Whole Model	Shows the entire model in the view.
Increase Zoom Angle	Increases the zoom angle by a fixed amount.
Centre Look-at Point	Positions the look-at point at the centre of the model.
Previous View	Reverts to the previous view settings.
Image Size...	Specifies the size of the image.
View Parameters...	Specifies the view parameters and lighting.
Save Parameters...	Saves the view parameters and lighting.
Load Parameters...	Loads previously-saved view parameters and lighting.


View menu commands

Full Screen	Uses the full screen to display the view.
Show Controls	Show/Hide the control panel.


Help menu commands

Contents	Displays Vedute help.
About	Displays information about the application.


Opening a file

You can have one file open at a time. If you already have a file open, this will be closed automatically when you open another file.

1	Press Ctrl + O, or click Open model on the File menu.

The Open model window is displayed.

2	Select the type of file that you want to open from the 'Files of type' drop-down menu.

You can open DXF files (*.dxf) MAN files (*.man), or Things (*.thf) files in Vedute.

3	In the Look In box, click the drive that contains the file.

4	In the box beneath Look In that lists folders and files, double-click the name of the folder that contains the file.

Continue double-clicking subfolders until you open the subfolder that contains the file.

5	In the list of files, click the file name.

6	Click Open.

The model is shown in the graphics window. It fits to the window, with a default aspect ratio of 800 x 600 pixels. As you resize the Vedute window, the size of the scene on your screen is also changed. To change the aspect ratio, use the Image Size command on the Edit menu.

To open a file you have used recently, click its name in the list near the bottom of the File menu.

Related topics

•	Creating views from DXF files

•	Creating views from MAN files

•	Creating views from Things files


Saving a file

To save a file that you have already saved as an EPix file:

•	Press Ctrl + S, or click Save on the File menu.

The file is saved.

If you have not already saved the file, the Save As window is displayed for you to enter a name for the file. See Saving a file to a new name for more information about how to use this window.

If you have already saved the file, but you want to change its name or save it to a different folder, choose the Save As command from the File menu.

Related topics

•	Opening a file


Saving a file to a new name

To save the file to a new name:

1	Click Save As... on the File menu.

2	In the Save In drop-down list, click the drive that contains the folder in which you want to save the file.

3	In the box beneath Save In that lists folders and files, double-click the name of the folder in which you want to save the file.

Continue double-clicking subfolders until you open the subfolder that you require.

4	Type a name for the file in the File name box.

5	Click Save.

Related topics

•	Opening a file

•	Saving a file


Model properties

You use the Vedute Model properties window to change the units and scale of the model. These two settings together define the 'real world size' of the model.

When you use Piranesi™ to paint the model, the model units are used to scale textures and items of scenery. For example, if you are painting brickwork onto the model using a supplied texture, Piranesi uses the model units to make the bricks a realistic size. Therefore, it is important to set up the model units correctly. (It is possible to adjust the units and scaling in Piranesi, if necessary.)

To view or change the properties of the file:

1	Press Alt + Enter, or click Model Properties... on the File menu.

The Vedute Model Properties window is displayed.

The pathname of the open file is shown at the top of the window.

Centre shows the co-ordinates of the centre of the view. Radius shows the radius of the model, in the selected units. The numbers of vertices, edges, facets, and materials, are also shown.

You cannot edit these details.

2	Select the units in which you want to work from the radio button menu.

For example, at a scale of 1 (see below) if you select metres, one model unit is one metre.

3	Type the scale in the Scale text box.

For example, if you enter 2, one model unit corresponds to two of the selected units. The file details are updated appropriately.

4	Click OK or Apply.


Exiting Vedute

To exit Vedute:

•	Click Exit on the File menu, or press Alt + F4.

If you have changed the view parameters since you last saved, you are prompted to save the file.

Related topics

•	Saving a file

•	Saving a file to a new name


Viewing the whole model

To display a default view that contains the entire model:

•	Click [image], or click Whole model on the Edit menu.

The new view is shown in the graphics area. The viewing parameters are:

•	perspective projection is selected

•	the eye position is moved to a bearing of –225° (south-west) and altitude of +30°

•	the look-at point is moved to the centre of the model

•	the zoom angle is 40° (this is similar to a 35mm camera with a 50mm lens)

•	the view distance is set such that the whole model is in view


Increasing the zoom angle

To zoom out by a factor of 2:

•	Click [image], or click Increase Zoom Angle on the Edit menu.

The zoom angle is increased, and the new view is shown in the graphics area. The model is shown at half its previous size in the new pictorial view.

Related topics

•	Decreasing the zoom angle


Decreasing the zoom angle

To decrease the zoom angle:

1	With the mouse cursor in the pictorial view, press-and-hold the mouse button, and drag the mouse across the view.

A rectangular outline is drawn to indicate the new view extent. The rectangle is centred on the look-at point.

2	Drag the mouse until the rectangle is the size you require, and release the mouse button.

The zoom angle is adjusted accordingly and the view is redrawn.

Related topics

•	Increasing the zoom angle


Centring the look-at point

To place the look-at point at the centre of the model:

•	Click [image], or click Centre Look-at Point on the Edit menu.

The eye position is unchanged.


Reverting to the previous view

To revert to the previous viewing parameters:

•	Click [image], or click Previous on the View menu.

The viewing parameters are updated, and the view is redisplayed.

If you click Previous again, you are returned to the view you started with. You can therefore move back only one step, not through the history of views you have used. If you want to experiment with a number of different sets of viewing parameters, use the Save Parameters command to save each set. You can then reload them, using the Load Parameters command.


Changing the image size

You can change the size of the image by specifying the extent of the EPix file to be created in pixels. (This refers to pixels in the EPix file, not display pixels on your screen.)

The default EPix image size is 800 x 600 pixels.

To specify the size of the EPix image to be created:

1	Click Image Size... on the Edit menu.

The EPix File Image Size window is displayed.

2	Click the radio button for the size, in pixels, that you require, or type the size in the Width and Height text boxes.

You can type any size in the text boxes. If it does not match one of the pre-set sizes, the Other radio button is automatically selected.

The approximate size of the file in kilobytes is displayed.

3	Click OK or Apply.

The image size is changed. If the aspect ratio has changed, this is reflected in the pictorial view. However, the actual size of the EPix image is not shown in the pictorial view, because the displayed image is fitted to the Vedute window size.


Editing the view parameters

To change the view parameters:

1	Click View Parameters... on the Edit menu.

The View Parameters window is displayed. You cannot use the tools on the Control panel or toolbar when this window is displayed.

Model centre shows the co-ordinates of the centre of the model. Model radius shows the radius of the model, in the selected units. You cannot edit these.

(You can change the units by using the Model Properties command on the File menu.)

2	To change the eye position or look-at point, type the co-ordinates in the appropriate text boxes.

You can also use the plan view, the elevation view, and the eye slider to change the eye position and look-at point. In addition, you can use the stereogram to change the eye position, and the pictorial view to change the look-at point.

3	To change the zoom angle if you are in perspective projection, type the angle (0 to 179) in degrees, in the Zoom angle text box.

If you are in parallel projection, type the diagonal of the view in the set units.

4	To change the intensity of any of the lights, type the value (between 0.1 and 10) in the appropriate text box.

5	To change the position of a parallel light source, type the bearing  (-360 to +360) or elevation (-90 to +90), in degrees in the appropriate text box.

6	Click OK.

The view is updated with the new parameters.


Saving view parameters

To save the current view parameters and lighting:

1	Click Save Parameters... on the View menu.

The Save Parameters browser is displayed.

2	In the Save In drop-down list, click the drive that contains the folder in which you want to save the view parameters.

3	In the box that lists folders and files, double-click the name of the folder in which you want to save the file.

Continue double-clicking subfolders until you open the subfolder that you require.

4	Type a name for the file in the File name box.

5	Click Save.

View parameters files have the file extension .vvp. If you do not type an extension, Vedute adds the extension for you.

Related topics

•	Loading view parameters

•	Editing the view parameters


Loading view parameters

To load a saved view parameters file:

1	Click Load Parameters... on the View menu.

The Load Parameters window is displayed.

2	Select the view parameters file that you want to load.

Vedute view parameters files have .vvp file extensions.

3	Click Open.

The new view parameters are loaded, and the view is redisplayed.

Related topics

•	Saving view parameters

•	Editing the view parameters


Full screen display

To display the view to use your entire screen:

•	Click Full Screen on the View menu.

The view is redisplayed. No controls are visible. To close the full screen display, right-click anywhere on the view.

Note that if you left-click to close the Full Screen view, the look-at point will be changed to the position at which you clicked.


Show/hide controls

By default, the control panel and toolbar are displayed. To hide the control panel and toolbar:

•	Click Show Controls on the View menu.

To show the controls when they are hidden, click on Show Controls again.


Trademarks and Acknowledgements

Copyright (c) 1998 Informatix Software International Limited. All rights reserved.

Version 1.0: January 1998

Information in this help text is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Informatix Software International Limited. The software described in this help text is furnished under a licence agreement or nondisclosure agreement. It is against the law to copy the software on any medium except as specifically allowed in the licence or nondisclosure agreement. No part of this help text 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 Informatix Software International Limited.

Piranesi is a trademark of Informatix Software International Limited. International Patent Application Publication No. WO97/10570

Microsoft, Windows, Windows NT, and Intellimouse are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

MicroGDS is a trademark of Informatix Software International Limited.

DXF is a trademark, and AutoCAD is a registered trademark, of Autodesk, Inc.

Other product names mentioned in this help text may be trademarks, and they are used for identification purposes only.


About Vedute command (Help menu)

Displays the version number of Vedute, and copyright and legal information.


Close button

Closes the window.


Co-ordinates are shown in the model's co-ordinate system.


DXF™ format files are produced from AutoCAD® drawings. AutoCAD is a product of Autodesk, Inc.


Extended Pixel (EPix) format files are used by Piranesi™. Piranesi is a product of Informatix Software International Limited.


The eye position is the observer's position in space. The eye position and look-at point together define the direction of viewing across the scene.


Contents command (Help menu)

Displays the Contents page of the Vedute help system.


The look-at point is the point on the scene at which the observer is looking. The look-at point and eye position together define the direction of viewing across the scene.


MAN format files are produced from MicroGDS™ drawings. MicroGDS is a product of Informatix Software International Limited. You can open MAN files saved in versions 5.1 and 5.2 of MicroGDS.


Maximize button

Click this button to enlarge the window so that it fills the screen.


Minimize button

Click this button to reduce the window to an icon.


The model radius is the radius of a sphere that just encloses the entire model.


Piranesi™ is an interactive paint system that enables you to produce exhibition quality images from three dimensional models. Piranesi is a product of Informatix Software International Limited.


A pop-up window displays a brief description of the topic you clicked on. To remove the pop-up window click anywhere on the screen.


Status bar

The bar at the bottom of the Vedute window. It displays information about the current action.


Things files are produced by the 3-D Viewer of GDS. GDS is a product of Graphic Data Systems Corporation.


Title bar

Shows the name of the open file. To move the Vedute window, drag the title bar.


The view distance is the distance between the look-at point and the eye position.


The zoom angle is the angle at the apex of a cone that defines what is visible from the eye position. It defines how much of the scene is to be included in the view, and the amount by which lines must be distorted to 'squeeze' them in. A high zoom angle creates a 'fish-eye lens' effect.