RealiView
RealiView:  3D Viewer

Welcome to RealiView, Datapaths 3D Window World Fly Through application.  RealiView is FreeWare! and as such can be freely distributed in an unmodified form .... so now you can use RealiView to demonstrate RealiMations in real time on any computer.

How to use RealiView

When RealiView starts up it automatically opens up with a pre-defined demonstration file, which you are free to fly around.

There are two modes of camera flight, the ground flight camera and the free flight camera.

The ground flight mode keeps the camera at a constant height within the database, and has gradual acceleration as you move.  This is the default camera mode when you start up the Viewer.

Free flight camera has no constraints, allowing you to fly at any height.  To toggle between the two flight modes using the icon.

All flight controls are the same whichever mode is in use.  However, the ground flight camera does not offer the roll function.

How to Fly RealiView

Simply click the mouse inside the RealiView windows and move it to fly around the file.  The flight path is determined by the author of the RealiBase - if there is a free form camera, i.e. as with the file logo.rbs, then you can fly wherever you wish to around the logo.

Mouse Controls: Left Button

Hold button down & move mouse to the left	Looking left (turn the viewpoint to the left)
Hold button down & move mouse to the right	Look right (turn the viewpoint to the right)
Hold button down & move mouse UP	Move into the picture
Hold button down & move mouse DOWN	Move out of the picture

Note:  Holding down the Control key as you move the mouse will  give you finer control over the camera movements.

Mouse Controls: Right Button

Hold button down & move mouse to the left	Pans to the left
Hold button down & move mouse to the right	Pans to the right
Hold button down & move mouse UP	Pans upwards above the view
Hold button down & move mouse DOWN	Pans downwards below the view

Note:  Holding down the Control key as you move the mouse will give you finer control over the camera movements.

As you pan either up or down you can then tap the left mouse key to tilt the camera viewpoint down or up to allow you to look onto the view from a different angle.  If you are panning downwards then the left mouse button will tilt the camera upwards, and if you are panning upwards then the left mouse button will tilt the camera downwards/

Mouse Controls: Left & Right Buttons together

Position the mouse in the top half of the window and hold both buttons down	Rotates the camera upwards
Position the mouse in the bottom half of the window and hold both buttons down	Rotates the camera downwards
Position the mouse in the left half of the window and hold both buttons down	Rotates the camera to the left
Position the mouse in the right half of the window and hold both buttons down	Rotates the camera to the right

Note:  Holding down the Control key as you move the mouse will  give you finer control over the camera movements.

Other Options: Menu Bar

File:

Open a new file for viewing

Select a file to open from the previous eight files viewed

Exit the program

Display:

Choose between the different display modes: wireframe, flat or smooth shaded - wireframe manipulation is faster - but shaded models are easier to view in virtual worlds - Experiment a little and see which mode you prefer.

View:

Click on the Toolbar option to toggle the Toolbar display on or off.  This will give you a slightly bigger windows display area.

Click on the RealiMate Control Bar option to toggle the animation control window on and off

Help:

Allows you to access this file and to get version information about this copy of RealiView.

Other Options:  Toolbar

From this toolbar, you can change the camera you use as you fly through the world. The cameras available to you depend on how the RealiMation was originally set up.  You cannot add new cameras.  Different files have different settings.

The File| Open icon is a shortcut to the dialogue to open a different file.  Remember the last eight files opened in RealiView are listed under the File menu option.

The last three icons on the toolbar are for selecting the display more:  from the left these are wireframe, flat shaded and smooth shaded.

RealiMate Control Bar

These buttons control the RealiMation playbacks set up for the individual files.  The icons used are standard video playback symbols - stop, play, rewind, back one frame, forward one frame and fast forward.

The value in the time box shows the number of frames played per second and the number below shows the number of seconds the sequence has taken.

Setup:

This dialog box allows you to set up the time control for the playback sequences.  If you check the Use Time Delta box  then the animation is shown in real time.

If you check the Use time delta option then the value of the time delta (in the seconds box) is added to the actual animation time to show you where the objects would be along their paths after the time delta.

See Also

RealiSave

RealiMation

Datapath


RealiSave

RealiSave is Datapaths program for using RealiMations, either supplied or created with RealiMation STE, as speical 3D screen savers.

To use RealiSave, you need to manually add the RealiMation executable directory to your system search path.

For example, if you have installed RealiView/RealiSave in C:\Program Files\Datapath\ RealiMation, directory, you must add C:\Program Files\Datapath\RealiMation\bin to your search path.

Windows 95 users can do this by adding to the PATH variable in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, and restarting Windows. If you are running on Windows NT, use the System icon in the Control Panel to change the Path variable directly.

NB:  ONCE YOU HAVE ADDED THE DIRECTORY TO YOUR SEARCH PATH YOU WILL NEED TO RESTART WINDOWS 95 AND WINDOWS NT

Once you have done this you can set up the screen saver via the Desktop icon in Control Panel.

Select the "Screen Savers" box, and look for "RealiMation Screen Saver"

Click "Setup", and browse for a RealiBase to use. We recommend that you try using "FLY.RBS".

Make any other changes to the Screen Saver configuration - we recommend that you test the setup before closing Control Panel.

See

RealiView

RealiMation

Datapath


Datapath
Datapath Limited

Datapath has a long and very successful history in the computer graphics industry.  Founded in 1982, Datapath has been designing and supplying high performance, high quality graphics display systems to the worlds largest and most demanding companies and institutions.

Datapath Power Graphics designs, develops and manufactures outstanding graphics accelerators for all levels - both entry level and highly specialised customised designs.

Datapath Power Software is responsible for RealiMation, Datapaths VRSG development platform, and associated products, including RealiMation Editor, the World Builder editor toolset, and RealiView.  Additionally, Power Software has developed the TWIN for Windows software or multiple screen Windows operation in a multitude of demanding applications, including financial dealing rooms.

Datapath Power Systems develops customised system solutions for particular customers.

Datapath Power Projects combines the three other Power Groups to offer complete solutions to particular problems calling on the wealth of expertise in the graphics and software areas.

Following a continuous development program, we pride ourselves on our support and responsive nature towards all our customers and their changing needs.  As more sophisticated equipment and techniques become readily available so we are there to exploit the power and potential that this technology presents.

UK Headquarters:	Datapath Ltd., Alfreton Road, Derby, DE21 4AD, UK

Tel: +44 (0) 1332 294441  Fax: +44 (0) 1332 290667

German Office:	Datapath GmbH, Lagerstr. 11 - 15, 64807 Dieburg

Tel: +49 (0) 6071 9630 0  Fax: +49 (0) 6071 9630 20

Copyright Statement

© Datapath Ltd., 1995.

Datapath Limited claims copyright on this documentation.  No part of this documentation may be reproduced, released, disclosed, stored in any electronic format, or used in whole or in part for any purpose other than stated herein without the express permission of Datapath Limited.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this manual is correct, Datapath Limited make no representations or warranties with respect to the contents thereof, and do not accept liability for any errors or omissions.  Datapath reserves the right to change specifications without prior notice and cannot assume responsibility for the use made of the information supplied.  All registered trademarks used within this documentation are acknowledged by Datapath Limited.

RealiView Help

RealiMation


What is RealiMation
What is RealiMation?

RealiMation is Datapaths Virtual reality Simulation and Game (VRSG) Development Toolkit designed to ease the creation and development of applications.  RealiMation is the first VRSG development system to combine a very powerful delivery API and fully functional World Builder.  The delivery platforms can be anything from high end games consoles, through PCs right up to high end SG workstation.  With support for a whole host of sub-renderers, many delivery environments are available from day one.  Furthermore by using its own  geometry architecture, RealiMation allows real-time multi-channel network based operation.

RealiMation Space Time Editor (STE) is the world builder tool which operates in a Windows environment.  Use RealiMation STE either as part of the advanced developer kit, or as a desktop version for creating your own virtual worlds - simulations, games, the opportunities are never ending ....

Everything you see in RealiView has been created in the RealiMation STE - use RealiMation STE to create your own worlds and even your own screen savers.

Look out for news of an exciting competition - design a stunning RealiMation and win a prize!!  Call us for details of how to get your own limited run time version of RealiMation STE,

See Also

Datapath

RealiView

RealiSave