Copyright: Copyright (c), Ulead Systems, Inc. June 1997


File: New

Opens a new window for creating three dimensional stylized text images and animations. The actual size of the image is relative to the size of the window in the workspace. To change the image size, simply drag the window border to the desired dimensions or you can explicitly define the dimensions from the Image: Dimensions command.

Note: All Cool 3D titles have the same image resolution as the current screen resolution. In most cases this is 96 dpi.

Changing image dimensions


File: Open

Opens an existing Cool 3D title in the workspace for editing.

Editing files in Cool 3D


File: Close

Closes the active Cool 3D title without ending the Cool 3D session or closing other open windows. Cool 3D prompts you to save or discard changes.

Editing files in Cool 3D


File: Save / Save As

Saves the active Cool 3D title for future editing. The Save As command allows you to specify a destination and file name for the title, while the Save command updates an existing file with the most recent changes.

Note: Clicking Save for an unnamed title is the same as clicking Save As.

Editing files in Cool 3D


File: Print

Opens the Print dialog box displaying the current default printer. You can set the following:

To change to other printer, click the drop-down arrow and select one from the drop-down list.

Properties Click to set up options for this printer. The options available depend on the features of the selected printer.

Print to file Select if you want to print the title to a file instead of sending it directly to the printer. After clicking OK, this opens a dialog box for specifying a filename and location for the file.

Number of copies Specify the number of copies to print. If more than one copy, specify whether you want the copies to be collated.


File: Print Preview

Allows you to see approximately how the image will appear on a page after printing.


File: Print Setup

Opens a dialog box for specifying the printer and also the paper's size, location and how the image is positioned on the page.


File: Recent Titles List

Opens the named title into the Cool 3D workspace for modification. Cool 3D retains the last four titles you edited and saved with the .C3D extension in this list.


File: Exit

Quits Cool 3D. If any open titles have been modified since they were last saved, Cool 3D prompts you to save or discard them before shutting down.


Edit: Undo / Redo

Undo  Restores the title to the condition it was in previously to the last action performed. Cool 3D tracks the last 99 changes performed on a title.

Redo  Reapplies the last action that was reversed by the Undo command.


Edit: Copy

Copies the active title to the clipboard. You can then use this data to create a new title that matches the current one or to apply selected attributes such as the style, text orientation, light and color, and others to different Cool 3D titles.

Note: You cannot paste data placed onto the clipboard with this command into other programs. Use the commands in the Image: Copy As submenu for this purpose.

Using the clipboard

Placing images created in Cool 3D into other documents


Edit: Paste

All  Pastes a title that was copied to the clipboard using the Edit: Copy command into the active window. Cool 3D automatically resizes the clipboard data to fit the target window size.

Location  Applies the orientation of the title on the clipboard to the text in the active Cool 3D window. Use this to make sure that you keep the exact desired location of a title when placed on another window.

Style  Applies the three dimensional style of the title on the clipboard to the text in the active Cool 3D window. Use this to create another title with the same looks quickly instead of setting Style attributes one by one.

Light and Color  Applies the color and lighting attributes of the title on the clipboard to the text in the active Cool 3D window.

Texture  Applies the texture of the title on the clipboard to the text in the active Cool 3D window.

Background  Applies the background title on the clipboard to that of the active Cool 3D window.

Using the clipboard


Image: Dimensions

Opens the Dimensions dialog box where you can assign the exact height and width for the title created in Cool 3D in inches, cm, or pixels. Cool 3D uses the current display mode resolution settings, when determining the size.

Changing image dimensions


Image: Display Quality

Allows you to control how well Cool 3D smooths out edges in your title while you edit. By choosing higher quality settings, your image will look better, but the program may run a bit sluggishly. At lower settings, you can work faster but your image will not look as good while your working at it. To view how your title will actually look at the final output, click [image] on the Standard Toolbar.

  Previewing your image


Image: Output Quality

Allows you to control how well Cool 3D smooths out edges in your title when you print or save it as an image, animation, or video. By choosing higher quality settings, your image will look better, but the program may take longer to create the files. At lower settings, you can work faster but your image will not look as good. This is particularly noticeble when saving animation or video files.

Previewing your image


Image: Output Preview

Updates the displayed title to show how it will look in the printed or saved image.

Previewing your image


Image: Copy As

Copies the active title to the clipboard for placement as an image or object in other programs. A submenu offers three methods for how to copy the data:

Bitmap  Allows you to paste the image into any program that supports bitmaps. Cool 3D merges the text to the background to create the image.

OLE Object  Allows you to paste the title into another program that supports Object Linking and Embedding (such as Microsoft Word or PowerPoint). You can then double-click the object for in-place editing.

Ulead Object  Allows you to paste the title into any Ulead program's workspace. The text becomes a regular object in that program and you can add enhanced features to it such as shadows.

Editing files in Cool 3D

Placing images created in Cool 3D into other documents


Image: Save As

Creates an image file based upon the current Cool 3D title’s appearance and Image: Output Quality setting. The created file cannot be edited in Cool 3D but you may continue to edit and change the original title. A submenu opens with these file format options:

BMP File

GIF File

JPEG File

TGA File

GIF Animation File

Video File


View: Standard Toolbar

The Standard Toolbar contains frequently used commands such as File: Open, File: Save, Edit: Undo and Edit: Redo. It also contains tools for changing font style, size, and orientation. You can dock the Standard Toolbar to the top or bottom of the workspace or make it floating by dragging it from its docked position.


View: EasyPalette

The EasyPalette offers sample settings for 3D styles, lighting and colors, textures, camera lenses, and backgrounds using thumbnail images to represent the settings for easy reference. By clicking the folders in the File directory located on the left side of the EasyPalette, you can select which Attributes Toolbar to show below it and view the thumbnails of pre-defined settings you can choose from. You can dock the EasyPalette at the top or bottom of the workspace or make it floating by dragging it from its docked position. When floating, you can resize the EasyPalette by dragging one of its four sides.


View: Animation Toolbar

The Animation Toolbar enables you to specify the starting and ending positions for creating a series of images that when shown sequentially make the title appear to be animated. By specifying the number of frames to use, you can control how smoothly the animation appears. Play and stop buttons on the toolbar enable you to preview how the animation progresses and view intermediate frames.

Notes:  1.  You can only specify the attributes of the starting and ending frames. Cool 3D automatically determines the attributes of intermediate frames and how a 3D animation will progress. You can dock the Animation Toolbar to the top or bottom of the workspace or make it floating by dragging it from its docked position.

2.  Animated GIF files saved directly in Cool 3D may appear slightly different from the preview animation because Cool 3D shows the preview as a series of True Color images instead of indexed-color.


View: Location Toolbar

This Location Toolbar shows and allows you to fine tune the current spacial placement of the title, lights, and title texture depending upon which tools are currently active.


View: Attributes Toolbar

This Attributes Toolbar contains settings for changing the title attributes according to the selected folder in the EasyPalette. This allows you to explicitly define or fine tune settings for 3D style, lighting and color, textures, camera lenses, and backgrounds.


View: Status Bar

The Status Bar offers tips and information about the currently selected tool or command.


Window: Arrange Icons

Arranges icons for all minimized windows in the workspace neatly along the bottom of the workspace.


Window: Open Titles

Lists the names of all currently open titles in the workspace. Clicking on a file name activates its window


Help: Help Topics

Starts the on-line help. You can also access help topics by:

Clicking the help button and then clicking on the item of interest.

Placing the mouse over a menu command and pressing F1. Pressing F1 anywhere on the workspace other than a menu command opens Cool 3D Help Contents page offering navigation for accessing the different topics included in this help file.


Help: About Cool 3D

Shows an information box containing copyright and other essential information about this version of Cool 3D.


Display Resolution Shows the current windows display mode resolution.


Width/Height Specify the desired dimensions for the image that will reflect the actual size of the active window. Click the Measurement list to select how to determine the size in terms of the unit of measurement to use.


Measurement Select the desired unit of measurement for determining the image size.


Use Background Image Size Click to resize the image dimensions to match those of the currently selected background image.


Style: Bevel

Select the type of edge you want for the text. You have these choices:

None  Creates a sharp edge. When this is selected, you can only change the Extrusion setting in the 3D Style Attributes Toolbar.

Flat  Creates an angular edge.

Round  Creates a curved edge.

Making text appear three-dimensional


Style: Extrusion

Increase the value to extend the sides of the text after the bevel ends.

Making text appear three-dimensional


Style: Border

Increase the setting to cause the bevel to overlap more of the original text surface. A setting of 0 causes the bevel to begin at the original edge of the text. As the setting increases, the inner bevel edges move closer together.

Note: Although the range for this setting is from 0 to 20, the most significant changes fall in the range of 0 to 0.5. Also, you may find it sometimes that when you use a border setting of 100 or 200, the effect is not noticeable. This happens because the border setting for your text is dependent on the selected font face.

Making text appear three-dimensional


Style: Weight

Increase this setting to make the bevel size larger. Among other things, this is a way to make the text "more bold."

Making text appear three-dimensional


3D Style: Depth

Increase this setting to make the perceived distance from where the bevel begins to where it ends and the extrude begins larger. For a round bevel, Depth affects how curved the bevel is. For Flat bevels, it affects how steep the bevel appears.

Making text appear three-dimensional


Adjust how close one letter is to another. If you are increasing the Style Weight setting in the Style Attributes Toolbar, you may want to increase the spacing settings as well to keep your letters well separated. Another reason for changing the spacing is to fit the text in the image better without changing letter size.

Click to add more space between letters. Each click increases the spacing a little.

Click to place the letters closer together. Each click reduces the spacing a little.

Placing and orienting text


Change the font attributes:

When pressed, gives the text a stronger and thicker look.

When pressed, gives the text a slanted look.


Adjust the size of the letters in the title. These buttons change the physical size of the letters without changing the perceived location and window size.

Click to increase the overall size of the letters.

Click to reduce the size.

Note: If you wish to make significant changes in the text size, you can also do it by adjusting the Z position in the Location Toolbar or by adjusting Distance in the Camera Attributes Toolbar. While adjusting these settings is not exactly the same as changing size, the effects are often close enough.

Sizing text


Click to add the settings of the current Attributes Toolbar to the appropriate folder in the EasyPalette. Once in the EasyPalette, you can easily recall the settings and apply them to other titles.

The EasyPalette

Working with the EasyPalette


The color of this button shows the current color for the selected feature. Click to show the Windows Color dialog box and select a different color. (You can also adjust the color without opening the Color dialog box by adjusting the Hue, Saturation, and Brightness controls in the Attributes Toolbar.)

Working with color


Increase this setting to adjust the amount of light that emanates from the color. A brightness of 0 (all the way to the left) makes all colors black. A brightness of 255 (all the way to the right) makes the colors their brightest. This image adjusts brightness for a saturated red from 0 to 255. (Note: Image is optimized for size and display limitations.)

Working with color


Increase this setting to adjust the purity of the color. A saturation of 0 causes only the brightness value for the color to affect the shading and all colors are shades of gray. A saturation of 255 makes colors very vivid. This image shows changes in saturation of bright red from 0 to 255. (Note: Image is optimized for size and display limitations.)

Working with color


Choose a color according to its location in the Hue color wheel. The Hue color wheel assigns values to colors according to their locations about the outside of the wheel with the starting color, red, assigned a value of zero (0). As the colors change moving away from red, their values increase towards a highest value of 359, which completes the spectrum. For example, a hue value of 0 represents red while a value of 120 represents green and 240 represents blue. (Note: Image is optimized for size and display limitations.)

Working with color


Change the effect of the light reflected from the surface. Slide to the right to concentrate the effect in areas where light directly hits the object. This gives the text a more polished appearance. Slide to the left to distribute the effect over more of the surface. As a rule, the text becomes brighter but has a more dull or flat finish.

Working with color


Select which aspect of the title light or color you wish to work on.

Surface  Select the color attributes the surface would display when a white light is directed straight at it.

Specular  Select the color of the light that "bounces" or is "reflected" from the surface. (The results from changing the Specular settings may be very subtle and should be completed last.)

Light  Adjust the lighting conditions for the title. You can specify up to four different lights for a title, customizing their colors, positions, and how the light is exposed to the surface.

Ambient  Select the color attributes for the surrounding light. By adjusting this you can control how strongly the colored lights affect the title.

Working with color


You can specify up to four different lights for a title, customizing their colors, positions, and how the light is exposed to the surface.To adjust any of the lights that are turned on, simply select that particular light's radio button located above it.

Working with color

Adjusting lighting


Select the light you want to adjust. You can only adjust lights that are already turned on.

Working with color

Adjusting lighting


Select the type of light you wish to use.

Directional This is a directed beam of constant strength emanating from a set point around the text. By moving the light to different positions (considering a 2-dimensional plane) , different areas of the text will be highlighted or in shadows.

Point This is a diffused, variable strength light similar to the sun. As you increase the distance between the light and the text, the light strength weakens and has less effect on the text.

Working with color

Adjusting lighting


Click to move the selected light you are currently adjusting to the desired location. When pressed, dragging the mouse over the Cool 3D workspace changes the placement of the selected light. To stop moving lights, click one of the text movement tools on the Standard Toolbar. (When adjusting the position for a point light, right-click as you drag to change the Z setting.)

Working with color

Adjusting lighting


Slide to the left to increase the amount of ambient light. Slide to the right to reduce it. Ambient light is white light that surrounds the text in all directions. By adjusting the ambient light you can control how strongly the colored lights affect the text.

Working with color


When selected allows you to use an image file as a background. Clear to remove the image applying the previous solid color background and select again to reapply the previously cleared image.

Working with textures and backgrounds


When selected indicates that a texture is applied to the text. Clear to remove the texture and select again to reapply a texture you cleared previously.

Working with textures and backgrounds


Click to show the Open dialog box for selecting a previously saved image to use as a texture or background. (You may only use True Color images as textures or backgrounds.)

Working with textures and backgrounds


Click to apply the clipboard data to the title as a texture or background.

Note: The clipboard data must be in the form of a True Color image to be used as a texture or background.

Working with textures and backgrounds


Select a method for applying the texture to the text.

Flat Applies the texture as-is to the text surface.

Cylindrical Distorts the texture as if it were projected off the outer surface of a cylinder. Vertical lines are distorted while horizontal lines are not significantly affected.

Spherical Distorts the texture as if it were projected off the outer surface of a sphere. Vertical and horizontal lines are distorted.

Reflection Applies a mirror image of the texture to the text.

Working with textures and backgrounds


Click to adjust the texture on the text. After clicking the desired positioning tool, drag your mouse over the active title to move the texture. To quit moving the textures, click one of the text positioning buttons in the Standard Toolbar. (Right-click as you drag to change the Z position.)

Position  Click to place a specific point in the texture at a desired location in the text. For example, the texture may contain an image that you want to appear in the center of the text.

Rotate  Click to reorient the texture. For example, the texture may have horizontal lines that you prefer to run vertically.

Resize  Click to resize the texture. For example, the texture may tile several times inside the text. You can resize the texture to the size of the text.

Working with textures and backgrounds


Click to reset the surface and light color settings to white. This is useful if you wish the texture colors to be affected only by the position of the title and the light placement. You can always go back to the Light and Color folder to reapply colors later.

Note: This does not change the ambient or specular color settings.

Working with textures and backgrounds


Drag the slider to the right to simulate a zoom lens. Drag to the left to simulate a wide angle lens. In this image, the red x illustrates the focal length and angle of a zoom lens while the blue y shows those of an wide angle lens. For more pronounced results, combine wide angles with short distances or narrow angles with long distances.

Changing camera angles and perspective


Drag the slider to the right to increase the distance between the text and a simulated camera. As the distance increases, the text appears to get smaller.

Changing camera angles and perspective


Enter up to 32 characters for the text you wish to apply to the title. Text must be on one line.

Placing and orienting text


Select the desired font for the text. Cool 3D only supports Windows TrueType fonts.

Placing and orienting text


EasyPalette: Apply

Applies the selected example to the active window. You can also apply samples by double-clicking them or dragging them from the EasyPalette to the desired title.

The EasyPalette

Working with the EasyPalette


EasyPalette: Move Forward/Backward

Moves the selected sample in the EasyPalette list. If there is a sample that you use more frequently than others, it might be useful to place it near the beginning of the list so you do not need to scroll through the EasyPalette to find it.

The EasyPalette

Working with the EasyPalette


EasyPalette: Insert

Adds the current title attributes for the selected folder to the end of the EasyPalette as a sample thumbnail.

The EasyPalette

Working with the EasyPalette


EasyPalette: Delete

Deletes the selected sample from the EasyPalette. This command cannot be undone.

The EasyPalette

Working with the EasyPalette


File Menu

The File Menu contains commands for starting or finishing Cool 3D titles. You can create new windows, open existing file, and save your work from this menu.


Edit Menu

The Edit Menu contains commands for using the clipboard as temporary storage when copying or pasting title attributes. It also offers commands for recovering from mistakes.


Image Menu

The Image Menu contains commands for setting your image display and output options. It also offers commands for placing titles into another program as a bitmap or linked object.


View Menu

The View Menu contains commands for showing and hiding Cool 3D toolbars, panels, and other elements.


Window Menu

The Window Menu contains commands for arranging and focusing multiple titles in the workspace.


Help Menu

The Help Menu contains commands for showing online help and copyright information for Cool 3D.


Location Toolbar

This Location Toolbar shows and allows you to fine tune the current spacial placement of the title, lights, and title texture depending upon which tools are currently active.

Click the image to learn more about each item.


Standard Toolbar

The Standard Toolbar contains frequently used commands such as File: Open, File: Save, Edit: Undo and Edit: Redo. It also contains tools for changing font style, size, and orientation. You can dock the Standard Toolbar to the top or bottom of the workspace or make it floating by dragging it from its docked position.

Click the image to learn more about each item.


Animation Toolbar

The Animation Toolbar enables you to specify the starting and ending positions for creating a series of images that when shown sequentially make the title appear to be animated. By specifying the number of frames to use, you can control how smoothly the animation appears. Play and stop buttons on the toolbar enable you to preview how the animation progresses and view intermediate frames.
Notes:  1.  You can only specify the attributes of the starting and ending frames. Cool 3D automatically determines the attributes of intermediate frames and how a 3D animation will progress. You can dock the Animation Toolbar to the top or bottom of the workspace or make it floating by dragging it from its docked position.
2.  Animated GIF files saved directly in Cool 3D may appear slightly different from the preview animation because Cool 3D shows the preview as a series of True Color images instead of indexed-color.

Click the image to learn more about each item.


EasyPalette

The EasyPalette provides numerous examples and controls for the various effects you can create in Cool 3D in the form of thumbnail images. Whenever you click a folder, the examples and Attributes Toolbar change to reflect the selected category. You can apply the attributes of the thumbnails to your own titles by double-clicking or dragging them to the desired title. Once applied, you can fine tune the attributes by adjusting the Attributes Toolbar settings. Right-click on the EasyPalette to add, remove, or rearrange thumbnails as well as apply examples to your title.

Click the image on the left to learn more about each folder.


EasyPalette: Style

Allows you to change the overall shape of the text. The Attributes Toolbar changes to offer settings for controlling the bevel shape for the outer edges of the text and its size.

Making text appear three-dimensional

Working with the EasyPalette


EasyPalette: Light & Color

Allows you to assign colors for the text surface and lighting conditions. Besides setting the actual surface color, you can place up to four different colored lights "around" the object, assign ambient light attributes, and control how the object reflects light.

Working with color

Working with the EasyPalette


EasyPalette: Texture

Allows you to superimpose a pattern on the object. The pattern can come from any True Color image or from the samples in the EasyPalette.

Working with textures and backgrounds

Working with the EasyPalette


EasyPalette: Camera

Allows you to control the distance and type of lens used to view the object.

Changing camera angles and perspective

Working with the EasyPalette


EasyPalette: Background

Allows you to add a background to your title. The background can be a solid color, one of the samples in the gallery, or come from a True Color image on your system. Cool 3D automatically resizes (resamples) the image to fit the current window size. If you want your title to have the same dimensions as the original background image (in pixels) click  [image]  in the Attributes Toolbar.

Working with textures and backgrounds

Working with the EasyPalette


Control how much you want to compress the image. Lower settings produce smaller file sizes, but more original image information is distorted. Higher settings retain more original data, but result in larger file sizes. As a rule, start with a quality setting of 60.

Tip: Never exceed a quality setting of 95. File size increases dramatically above this setting and the improvement in quality is rarely noticeable.

Creating JPEG images


Select how accurately each pixel in the original image should be evaluated when optimizing:

Select 4-1-1 for the smallest possible file size. (Default setting)

Select 4-2-2 for good accuracy and good compression.

Select None for the most accurate reproduction and larger file size.

Creating JPEG images


Specify the total number of indexed colors contained in the color palette. Smaller indexes result in smaller files.

Creating GIF images


Select the method for portraying colors in the optimized image:

Diffusion Uses patterns of colors to simulate colors not in the palette. This is usually best for converting True Color to Indexed Color images with the greatest accuracy.

Pattern An alternative method if diffusion produces a "noisy" image and None is too blotchy.

None Directly substitutes each pixel in the original image with the closest matching color in the palette. This produces the smallest possible file and is the best choice for optimizing images that already use an indexed color palette.

Creating GIF images


Check to create an interlaced GIF image when you save the optimized image. This makes the file a little bit bigger but enables people to get a good idea of how the image looks faster when viewed in many web browsers.

Creating GIF images


Click to restore the GIF Save Options to the settings used when you first installed Cool 3D. These settings are:

  Colors: 236	  Dither: Selected

  Transparent background: Selected	  Interlace: Selected

Creating GIF images


These buttons control how dragging the mouse in the active window affects the text placement and orientation.

Click this button and then drag the text to move it to a different location in the window. Right-click as you drag to change the distance (Z) value.

Click this button and then drag the text to change its orientation. Right-click as you drag to change the rotation (Z) value.


The EasyPalette provides numerous examples and controls for the various effects you can create in Cool 3D in the form of thumbnail images. Whenever you click a tab, the examples and Attributes Toolbar change to reflect the selected category. You can apply the attributes of the thumbnails to your own titles by double-clicking or dragging them to the desired title. Once applied, you can fine tune the attributes by adjusting the Attributes Toolbar settings.

The EasyPalette

Working with the EasyPalette


EasyPalette Gallery
EasyPalette: Gallery

Offers you completed samples, combining style, color and lighting, texture, and font attributes to apply to a title. Double-click or drag the desired example to apply it to a title.

Working with the EasyPalette


EasyPalette Animation
EasyPalette: Animation

Allows you to apply effects to the text to make it move around or you can choose to just make the texture, color, or light settings change as if in motion.

Working with the EasyPalette


Texture Resize To
Click to automatically resize the active window to match the dimensions of the image used as the background. (Cool 3D uses the number of pixels in the background to determine the actual size, not the resolution of the original file.)


XYZ Settings
Depending on the selected tool, shows the current position or placement of a text object, lighting, or superimposed texture. The icon at the left of the toolbar shows which attribute is displayed. You may directly enter a new value into the text boxes to change the setting instead of dragging over the image.

Place the text in the image. X, Y, and Z measurments are in pixels.

Orient the text in the image. X, Y, and Z measurements are in degrees.

Place the light in the image. X and Y measurements are in degrees. When placing point light, Z measurement is in pixels

Place the pattern over the text. X, Y, and Z measurements are in pixels.

Rotate the pattern over the text. X, Y, and Z measurements are in degrees.

Resize the pattern. X and Y measurements are in pixels.


Click to select the starting frame of an animation. Once selected, you may assign the starting frame attributes.


Click to select the ending frame of an animation. Once selected, you may assign the ending frame attributes.


Click to set Cool 3D to use the ending frame as the midpoint of an animation. When you playback or save an animation, Cool 3D will create an animation that cycles from the starting frame to the ending frame and back to the starting frame.


Click to preview an animation before saving it.

Note: If you are creating animations in Cool 3D that are intended to be saved using the Animated GIF format, your previews may not exactly match your final results because GIF animations are Indexed Color images while Cool 3D titles are True Color. Also, when your animation includes change in Style settings from start to finish, this may slow down your animation. To make the Style the same through out the animation, select the frame with Style to keep and click Edit: Copy. Then, switch to the other frame and click Edit: Paste -Style.


Stop the preview playback and return to the last frame you edited.


Enter the number of frames you wish to use in your animation. As a rule, more frames enable you to create a smoother animation but result in significantly larger file sizes. Depending on the intended output format, you may also wish to use frames to control the duration of the animation.


Thumbnail pane

Displays visual representation (thumbnail) of the different effects contained in the selected folder that can be applied to the current title. Double-click or click and drag a thumbnail to apply it to your title. Right-click to open a submenu for moving, inserting, or deleting thumbnails.

The EasyPalette


File directory

Lists the folders of available Cool 3D title settings ready to be applied by simple drag-and-drop procedure. Click a folder from the list to display thumbnails of pre-defined Cool 3D settings that you can choose from.

The EasyPalette


Program and Text Object window's title bar Double-click to maximize window or to restore the window to its previous size and location.

Any toolbar and EasyPalette's title bar Double-click to dock the toolbar or EasyPalette.


Save Options

This section of the dialog box allows you to set additional items on how to save the image(s) in a particular file format. You can also set the frame rate and delay time when saving GIF Animation and AVI files.


To access topics in Cool 3D Help, click Help: Help Topics or click [image] on the Standard Toolbar and then clicking the item of interest.


Save image sequence Select to save each title in the animation as a separate image file. Cool 3D automatically numbers your image files and it adds the number at the end of the filename you have specified.


Colors Specify the total number of indexed colors contained in the color palette. Smaller indexes result in smaller files.


Default Click to restore the Save Options of a particular file format to the settings used when you first installed Cool 3D.


Frame delay Enter the length of time (in 1/100ths of a second) that you want the image to remain visible before showing the following layer.


Transparent background Select to make the background transparent when you place the file into another application that supports transparency feature.


Dither Select to simulate colors in the palette for the optimized image.


Interlace Select to create an interlaced GIF image when you save the optimized image. This makes the file a little bit bigger but enables people to get a good idea of how the image looks faster when viewed in many web browsers.


Quality Control how much you want to compress the image. Lower settings produce smaller file sizes, but more original image information is distorted. Higher settings retain more original data, but result in larger file sizes. As a rule, start with a quality setting of 60.

Tip: Never exceed a quality setting of 95. File size increases dramatically above this setting and the improvement in quality is rarely noticeable.


Subsampling Select how accurately each pixel in the original image should be evaluated when optimizing:

Select 4-1-1 for the smallest possible file size. (Default setting)

Select 4-2-2 for good accuracy and good compression.

Select None for the most accurate reproduction and larger file size.


Progressive compression Select to enable the file to open progressively. This also places preview information in the file which enables some programs to view the file without actually opening it. This is most useful for images you are preparing for the WWW or other on-line services. It enables viewers to see a representation of the image faster, thus allowing them to decide faster whether to wait to download the entire image for viewing.


Frame rate Specify the frame rate to use for the resulting video file. A higher frame rate will provide greater quality of video recording and more natural motion. A lower frame rate results in a more "jerky" effect. A frame rate of 15 frames per second is recommended. This should be enough to provide continuous motion, while at the same time saving disk space and processing time.


Changing image dimensions

The dimensions of images created by Cool 3D are determined by the actual window size of the project. To make the image larger or smaller, drag the borders of the window to the desired size. If you need to explicitly define the dimensions, click Image: Dimensions to open the Image Dimensions dialog box where you can specify the exact dimensions for the title either in inches, cm, or pixels. (Cool 3D uses the display mode resolution to determine image dimensions specified in inches or centimeters.)

To change the resolution of a Cool 3D image, first create the title as an image file, by clicking Image: Save As and select the file format to use (TGA or BMP is best). Then open the file in an image editing program that allows you to change resolution. Remember that changing the resolution affects the image’s dimensions when printed. If you intend to increase the resolution, (for example, from 96 dpi to 300 dpi), then the original saved title should be about three times bigger than the final desired dimensions.

  See Also


Editing files in Cool 3D

You can only open files for editing in Cool 3D if they were created in and saved using the Cool 3D (.C3D) format. However, you can save your work using these popular image and video file formats as well.

  AVI	  JPG

  BMP	  TGA

  GIF

To save images in these formats, click the appropriate command under the Image: Save As command. A dialog box opens with options for determining the unique characteristics for the selected file format.

Backgrounds and Textures

Besides solid colors, you may also import previously saved BMP or JPG files to serve as backgrounds or textures in your titles. To import a file for a background or texture, switch to the appropriate folder in the EasyPalette and click [image] or [image] on the resulting Attributes Toolbar. Then, in the dialog box that opens, select the folder and file for the image you wish to use and click OK. If you are working with a texture, you may then use other tools in the Attributes Toolbar to adjust the appearance, placement, and orientation of the texture over the text.

  See Also


Using the clipboard

If you are working with multiple titles, there may be times when you want to exactly duplicate one or more of the attributes of one title to another. An easy way to do this is through the clipboard. By clicking Edit: Copy you can copy a title and all its attributes on the clipboard. You can then selectively place elements from the clipboard data into another title by clicking Edit: Paste and selecting from the submenu what to place on another title. Some of the reasons you might want to do this include preparing multiple text images that will be merged together into a single image in another program or preparing individual images for animation. These are the commands that are available and what they do:

Copy  Copies the entire title to the clipboard

Paste All  Replaces everything in the active Cool 3D window with the clipboard contents.

Paste Location  Repositions the text in the selected Cool 3D title to match that of the text on the clipboard.

Paste Style  Changes the bevel and shape settings of the text in the selected title to match that of the text on the clipboard.

Paste Light and Color  Changes the surface colors and the light colors and positions of the text in the selected title to match that of the text on the clipboard.

Paste Texture  Changes the texture of the text in the selected title to match that of the text on the clipboard.

Paste Background  Changes the background in the selected title to match that of the clipboard.

Note: If there is a particular attribute that you expect to use for several titles, you can add it to the EasyPalette by clicking that folder in the EasyPalette and then clicking the Add button in the Attributes Toolbar.

  See Also


Previewing your image

Because Cool 3D often needs to make many adjustments to a title each time you make even a small change to its appearance, you may want to simplify how the program updates while you are making most of your changes. Then when you are fine tuning your work, you may want more precise updates so you can have a better idea of how the finished product will appear. By being able to adjust how Cool 3D updates, you can work faster and more efficiently.

To have Cool 3D update more quickly, click Image: Display Quality - Draft. Your titles will appear on screen with jagged edges and rough shadows, but you will not need to wait as much when changes are applied.

To see the most accurate rendering, click Image: Display Quality - Optimal. This will show your title using the most stringent rendering controls. This takes significantly more time.

To see how the image will look when saved or printed, click Image: Output Preview ( [image]).. Cool 3D will update the title to match the selection in the Image: Output Quality submenu.

  See Also


Placing images created in Cool 3D into other documents

You can place Cool 3D objects into other programs that support Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) and in-place editing. The Image: Copy As submenu offers you three ways to place an object:

Bitmap  This renders the text to the background and places the image as a bitmap in the client document. When you double-click the image, the default image editing program on your system starts so you can edit the image. If your image editing program does not support in-place editing, the program opens as a separate window.

OLE Object  This enables you to come back and edit your Cool 3D image to change the text and background characteristics while still being able to show and print it from the client document. Use this command if you still expect to make changes to your title for using in the target document.

Ulead Object  This converts the text in your title to an object that can be pasted on any Ulead program's workspace and then you can add shadows and other effects to the image.

  See Also


Creating TGA images

The advantage of saving as a TGA image is that it is save as a True Color data type that includes alpha channel support. By using an alpha channel, you can isolate portions of the image when loading them into other programs. This may be useful when placing the image in a digital video timeline for creating a transparent matte or when editing the image in another image editing program. To create a TGA file, click Image: Save As - TGA File and assign a name and destination for your file in the resulting dialog box. If you wish to keep the title as an Alpha channel (useful for transparency and overlay editing), select "Transparent background." Select "Save image sequence" if you wish to save multiple files to use for creating animations or videos. When you save an image sequence, Cool 3D appends a sequential three-digit number (starting with 001) to the name you assigned for each image created.

  See Also


Creating BMP images

If you want an image that you can use in a wide variety of other programs, such as word processors, presentation programs, and other image editors, this may be the best format to use. It supports the True Color data type and is one of the most popular file formats on for modern PCs. To create a BMP file, click Image: Save As - BMP File and assign a name and destination for your file in the resulting dialog box. Select "Save image sequence" if you wish to save multiple files to use for creating animations or videos. When you save an image sequence, Cool 3D appends a sequential three-digit number (starting with 001) to the name you assigned for each image created.

  See Also


Creating JPEG images

If you are preparing images for the Web or if disk space is limited, this is probably the best format to use. It offers very good compression for True Color images. One minor disadvantage to the JPEG format is that some data is lost when compressing the file. In most cases, the changes are barely noticeable to the naked eye and you can control how much is actually changed. Nevertheless, if you want the most faithful rendition of your image and disk space is not a problem, you should probably opt for the BMP or TGA formats instead. To create a JPEG image,

1.	Click Image: Save As - JPEG File and assign a name and destination for your file in the resulting dialog box.

2.	Adjust your quality and subsampling settings for the best tradeoff between image size and appearance.

  Quality

  Subsampling

3.	Select or clear "Progressive compression" to control how the image opens. When selected, the image will open gradually, offering the viewer a rough idea of the overall image’s appearance before it completely come into focus. Usually, images with progressive compression are smaller.

4.	When your settings are complete, click OK. To see your final image, open it in an image editing program that supports the JPEG format, such as Ulead PhotoImpact.

Note:  Select "Save image sequence" if you wish to save multiple files to use for creating animations or videos. When you save an image sequence, Cool 3D appends a sequential three-digit number (starting with 001) to the name you assigned for each image created.

  See Also


Creating GIF images

Probably the main reason for choosing this format is if you only want the 3D Text without the background to place on a web page. Cool 3D creates the image flagging the background as a transparent color so that the web page background can show through. Unlike the other file formats supported by Cool 3D, this is an indexed color format which means that a maximum of 256 colors are possible in the image. As a result, the saved image may not look quite as good as the one shown in the workspace. To create a GIF image,

1.	Click Image: Save As - GIF File and assign a name and destination for your file in the resulting dialog box.

2.	Specify the maximum number of colors to include in your image. As a rule, including more colors makes your image look better but increases file size. If you want to make sure your image looks the same on all computers, always keep this setting below 236.

3.	Select or clear "Dither" to determine how Cool 3D should convert the current colors in your title to those in the saved GIF file. Usually, selecting "Dither" will result in better looking images, but file size will be larger.

4.	Select or clear "Interlaced" to control how the image opens. Selecting "Interlaced" increases file size but offers the viewer a rough idea of the overall image’s appearance before it completely comes into focus when opened.

5.	When your settings are complete, click OK. To see your final image, open it in an image editing program that supports the GIF format, such as Ulead PhotoImpact.

Note:  Select "Save image sequence" if you wish to save multiple files to use for creating animations or videos. When you save an image sequence, Cool 3D appends a sequential three-digit number (starting with 001) to the name you assigned for each image created.

  See Also


Creating GIF Animations

After you have created your 3D title animation, you might want to save it to a file with a format that can be recognized by a web browser. You can open this GIF Animation File later in any GIF animation program for further editing. Unlike the other file formats supported by Cool 3D, this is an indexed color format which means that a maximum of 256 colors are possible in the image. As a result, the saved image may not look quite as good as the one shown in the workspace. To create a GIF Animation File,

1.	Click Image: Save As - GIF Animation File and assign a name and destination for your file in the resulting dialog box.

2.	Specify the maximum number of colors to include in your image. As a rule, including more colors makes your image look better but increases file size. If you want to make sure your image looks the same on all computers, always keep this setting below 236.

3.	Specify the "Frame delay time" for the animation. This is the amount of time each image in your animation will remain visible before then next one in the sequence replaces it. Shorter frame delay times result in faster playbacks.

4.	Select or clear "Dither" to determine how Cool 3D should convert the current colors in your title to those in the saved GIF file. Usually selecting "Dither" will result in better looking images, but file size will be larger.

5.	Select or clear "Interlaced" to control how the image opens. Selecting "Interlaced" increases file size but offers the viewer a rough idea of the overall image’s appearance before it completely comes into focus when opened. (Some Web browsers do not support the interlaced features of GIF Animations, so there may be little advantage to selecting this option.)

6.	When your settings are complete, click OK. To see your final image, open it in a GIF animation program that supports the GIF format, such as Ulead GIF Animator.

Note: If you have a dedicated GIF Animation program, you may discover that you can create more bandwidth and web browser friendly animations by saving image sequences using the BMP or TGA formats and then constructing the animation from them.

  See Also


Creating a video file

After creating your title animation in Cool 3D, you might want to save it to a file with an AVI file format so you can view it using any media player or be able to insert it in any video project you're working on. This format creates a video in True Color data type and includes your background as well. To create a Video File:

1.	Click Image: Save As - Video File and assign a name and destination for your file in the resulting dialog box.

2.	Specify the number of frames to play per second considering the number of frames you have created in your Cool 3D animation. The frame rate specified affects how long the created video file will be when played.

3.	After clicking Save, the Video Compression dialog box opens for choosing the compressor to use in creating the file. Once you have selected the compressor, the default setting for that particular compressor appears. You can then choose to modify these settings to suit the purpose of the file you want to create.

4.	Click OK to start the creation process. You can then play this file using any media player or do further video editing by opening it in any video editing program such as MediaStudio Pro's Video Editor.

  See Also


Making text appear three-dimensional

The Style folder in the EasyPalette offers all the controls for determining the three-dimensional qualities of your text. By adjusting the settings on the Attributes Toolbar, you can apply a flat, angled, or curved edge to your text to blend the face (front) with the sides. Then you can adjust this area to make the blend larger or smaller; gradual or immediate. This image illustrates how the different Attributes Toolbar settings affect text by showing a skewed letter I from the top.

  See Also


Placing and orienting text

All the controls for entering and changing text are located on the Standard Toolbar.

To add or change the text in a Cool 3D title, type the desired letters or words into the Text box on the Standard Toolbar and press Enter or click anywhere else in the Cool 3D workspace. You may enter words of up to 32 characters in length using any of the standard characters in the selected font’s character set, including special symbols such as the "space key."

To change the font, select the desired font from the drop down list on the Standard Toolbar and press OK. When you click the drop-down list, Cool 3D provides a preview of a font as you scroll down.

To adjust the height (and width) of the text, click the height adjust buttons ( [image],  [image] ). (If you want to make a big change in the size, you might want to try clicking  [image] on the Standard Toolbar and adjusting the Z setting on the Location Toolbar or clicking the Camera folder in the EasyPalette and adjusting the Distance setting.

If the letters in your word are too close together or far apart, you can adjust the spacing between letters by varying clicking  [image] or  [image] on the Standard Toolbar.

  See Also


Sizing text

Depending on which aspect of your text you wish to adjust, there are several ways to increase or reduce the size of your text.

Overall size  Increase or reduce the text size by clicking the size buttons on the Standard Toolbar ( [image],  [image] ) or by dragging one of the borders of your title window.

Bold button  To make the face of your text a little thicker, click the Bold button on the Standard Toolbar.

Style Weight setting  Many times, making text bold is not enough to make the face thick enough. You can make the text appear "more bold" by increasing the Weight setting in the Style Attributes Toolbar. When you do this, you may also wish to adjust the spacing by clicking [image] on the Standard Toolbar to separate each letter by a greater distance.

Depth  To give letters the appearance of greater depth, increase the Extrusion settings in the Style: Attributes Toolbar. You may need to rotate the text to see the results of this adjustment.

Perspective  Click the Camera folder in the EasyPalette to change the Camera Lens and Distance settings. Wide angle lenses tend to give your text a greater feeling of depth.

  See Also


Working with color

The surface and light colors you use in your title all interrelate to determine the actual appearance of your text. Even a small change in the position, color, or type of light you use, the entire feeling of your text object can drastically change. Here are some tips to help you select and adjust the colors you use.

Picking a color Click the color square and use the Windows Color dialog box to pick a color for your text, light, or background. The visual interface makes it easier for you to get close to the color you really want for that item.

Fine tuning a color  After you choose a color, fine tune it using the Hue, Saturation, and Brightness settings on the Attributes Toolbar. For best results, adjust the Hue first to get close to the actual color you want. Then adjust the Brightness and Saturation settings.

Surface colors  Try assigning the surface color (and texture) for your text first. Be aware that the lights you use will affect the final outcome. Also, remember that shadowing and 3D imaging effects may cause areas of your text to appear lighter or darker than the color you specified.

Light placement  Work with one light at a time. You might try turning all other lights off while you work on one so that you will not be misled by their interaction. To get a solid feel for the overall impact the light has on the text, make it a Point Mode light first. Then change it to a Directional Mode light if necessary to focus the beam more precisely.

Composition  Adjusting the specular settings enables you to simulate different types of surfaces for your text. As a rule, by assigning a Specular color with high Shininess produces a polished surface such as a cue-ball. By reducing Shininess, you dull the surface, for example, to simulate a colored chalk surface.

  See Also


Adjusting lighting

In addition to adjusting the color and texture properties of your title, you can also adjust the number and position of "lights" that are shone onto your title. The lights for all of the styles in the EasyPalette have already been set, but you can adjust them the same way

1.	Select Light from the Adjust pull down menu.

2.	Click a light  [image]  to turn it on and off. The current window will update each time you turn a light on or off.

3.	Click the radio button above a selected light to adjust its properties. Click Color to open the Color dialog box, where you can change the color of the light.

4.	Click Position to adjust the direction the light is shining from. Click on the current window to set the new position of the light.

5.	To select the mode of the light, click Mode.

  See Also


pufor adjust lights
Directional  Shines a direct beam of light with a constant strength on the text.

Point  Shines diffused light with a variable strength on the text. The further the light is from the text, the weaker the light will appear.


Changing camera angles and perspective

Make the most of 3D by adjusting the angle your text is viewed from. The Cool 3D EasyPalette contains many preset camera angles, or you can create custom effects.

To apply a preset effect, click Camera on the EasyPalette and drag and drop your chosen angle onto the current window. Adjust the Camera Zoom and Distance using the sliders on the EasyPalette.

To create your own effect click Move: Style on the EasyPalette and adjust the Extrusion, Weight, Bevel, Width and Depth. For example, to create the effect of looking at your text through a Fish-Eye lens, try increasing the Extrusion value to approximately 300.

Also try using the Rotate Object tool to adjust the angle your title is viewed from.

  See Also


Adding a background
Working with textures and backgrounds
  Adding a texture and image to your title
  Adding a background

Solid colors and previously saved BMP and JPG images can be used as backgrounds for your title.

1.	Click Background in the EasyPalette File directory.

2.	To add a solid color background, drag and drop one of the solid colors onto the current window. Adjust the Hue, Saturation and Brightness of the color using the sliders on the EasyPalette.

3.	Add an image as your background by clicking Use Image. In the Open dialog box, select a BMP or JPG file you have saved previously and click OK. Click Clipboard  [image]  to use an image copied to the clipboard.

4.	It is likely that the image you want to use as your background will have different dimensions to the current window. Cool 3D automatically resizes the image to fit the window. To revert the image to its original size (and therefore adjust the current window size), click Resize  [image].

5.	Click Add  [image]  to add your background to the EasyPalette. Your background will then be available for use in other Cool 3D titles.

  See Also


Your text will also resize to fit the new window size.


Adding a texture or image to your title
Working with textures and backgrounds
  Adding a texture or image to your title
  Adding a background

Images and textures from the EasyPalette can be added to your text.

1.	Click More: Texture in the EasyPalette to view the preset textures available in Cool 3D.

2.	Drag and drop a texture onto the current window to apply it.

3.	Click Clear Tint to remove any colors previously applied to the text. This will apply the texture as if your text color is white.

4.	To fill your text with an image click Use Image and select a previously saved BMP or JPG file from the Open dialog box.

5.	Adjust the properties of your image by using the Mapping and Wrap Mode commands on the EasyPalette.

Wrap Mode

Flat  Tiles the image over your text.

Cylindrical  Distorts the image as if it were projected off the surface of a cylinder.

Spherical  Distorts the image as if it were projected off the surface of a sphere.

Reflection  Tiles a reflection of the image.

Mapping

Position Texture  Click and drag on the current window to move the position of the image.

Rotate Texture  Click and drag on the current window to rotate the image.

Scale Texture  Adjusts the dimensions of the image.

6.	Click Add  [image]  to add your image or color to the EasyPalette.

  See Also


Working with the EasyPalette

Save a custom color, camera angle, animation, texture, background or style in the EasyPalette so you can use it with other titles. Click Add  [image]  or right click on the EasyPalette and select Insert to save to the EasyPalette.

To apply the attributes of a thumbnail from the EasyPalette, either drag and drop it onto the current window or double click the thumbnail.


Getting Started

These topics introduce simple techniques for getting you going with Cool 3D. Once you are comfortable with these tasks, you will be ready for the more advanced topics.

Editing files in Cool 3D

Placing and orienting text

Sizing text

Making text appear three-dimensional

Working with color

Working with textures and backgrounds

Changing camera angles and perspective

Previewing your image

Changing image dimensions

Working with the EasyPalette


Advanced Procedures

If you know your way around Cool 3D and are comfortable with the tools, these procedures will help you understand how each interacts with the others. With this understanding, you will be able to accomplish your goals faster.

Using the clipboard

Adjusting lighting

Adding a texture and image to your title

Adding a background

Placing images created in Cool 3D into other documents

Creating BMP images

Creating GIF images

Creating JPEG images

Creating TGA images

Creating GIF Animations

Creating a video file


Reference
Cool 3D Reference

This section offers complete information about every command, tool, and screen element in Cool 3D. If you are unsure of how a particular item functions or what it is for, the answer is here.

File Menu

Edit Menu

View Menu

Image Menu

Window Menu

Help Menu

Standard Toolbar

EasyPalette

Location Toolbar

Animation Toolbar


Nav


Tutorial

If you want guided instruction of how to get started in Cool 3D right through completing some truly amazing effects, this is the place. This section starts by telling you how to create your first project and then proceeds step-by-step towards enhancing your knowledge and abilities.

Lesson 1: Creating your first title

Lesson 2: Adding backgrounds and textures

Lesson 3: Using Cool 3D titles in other programs

Lesson 4: Preparing text for GIF Animation


Getting Started

Sizing text

Advanced Procedures

Changing camera angles and perspective

Reference

Image Menu


Getting Started

Placing and orienting text

Making text appear three-dimensional

Working with color

Working with textures and backgrounds

Changing camera angles and perspective

Changing image dimensions

Reference

File Menu

Image Menu


Advanced Procedures

Placing images created in Cool 3D into other documents

Reference

Edit Menu


Getting Started

Changing image dimensions

Reference

Image Menu


Reference

Image Menu


Getting Started

Previewing your image

Changing image dimensions

Advanced

Creating BMP images

Creating GIF images

Creating JPEG images

Creating TGA images

Creating GIF Animations

Creating a video file

Reference

Image Menu


Getting Started

Making text appear three-dimensional

Working with color

Working with textures and backgrounds

Changing camera angles and perspective

Advanced

Adjusting lighting

Using the clipboard

Reference

EasyPalette


Getting Started

Placing and orienting text

Sizing text

Making text appear three-dimensional

Working with color

Working with textures and backgrounds

Changing camera angles and perspective

Advanced

Adjusting lighting

Using the clipboard

Reference

EasyPalette


Tutorial 1 -- Creating your first title
Tutorials
  Tutorial 1:  Creating your first title
  Tutorial 2:  Adding backgrounds and textures
  Tutorial 3:  Using Cool 3D titles in other programs
  Tutorial 4:  Preparing titles for GIF Animation

To create a new title, click File: New, or press Ctrl+N. Cool 3D opens a new window in the workspace, with default settings. Change the text by clicking on the text entry box on the Standard Toolbar and typing in your own text. The current window updates to display your text.

Click on the Standard Toolbar to select the font, style (bold,  [image]  italic  [image]  or plain), increase or decrease the font size  [image] [image]  and character spacing  [image] [image]. Each time you change a setting, the current window updates the display.

To spin your text through 360, click Rotate  [image]  and click Move  [image]  to adjust the position of your title in the current window. To position your text more precisely, enter X, Y and Z coordinates.

Now you have select the basic style for your text, you can adjust the 3D settings that will give your text maximum impact. Cool 3D’s EasyPalette contains a number of preset 3D styles you can drag-and-drop onto the current window to apply to your text. To view them, click More: Style in the EasyPalette. To create a custom effect, use the Attributes Toolbar. You can save your own settings in the EasyPalette by clicking  [image]  on the Attributes Toolbar.

Extrusion The thickness of the 3D text.

Weight Increases the "fatness" of the text.

Bevel The slant style on 3D text. Select from rounded, flat or none.

Border The width of the bevel.

Depth The depth (or length) of the bevel

Click Light & Color on the EasyPalette to apply one of the preset styles to your text, or create a custom style by changing the settings in the Attributes Toolbar.

Use the Hue, Saturation and Brightness sliders to adjust these values in your text.

Once you have selected colors for your text you can alter them further by using lights. Select up to 4 lights, each located in a different position to create shadow and light on different areas of the text, by clicking the Adjust pull down menu on the Attributes toolbar and selecting Light. You may need to experiment a little with different positions before you get the right effect.

Tutorial 1 example


Brightness A description of how much light appears to emanate from an image; also referred to as luminance. The two extremes of brightness are black (no light) and white (all light): black represents 0% brightness, while white represents 100% brightness.

Hue The quality of a color that sets it apart from other colors with the same base. For example, yellow and orange are different hues.

Saturation The degree of a color’s purity. A color that is highly saturated will be more pure and appear stronger. Increasing a color’s saturation makes it appear quite vivid while reducing saturation makes the color seem washed out.


Tutorial 2 -- Adding backgrounds and textures
Tutorials
  Tutorial 1:  Creating your first title
  Tutorial 2:  Adding backgrounds and textures
  Tutorial 3:  Using Cool 3D titles in other programs
  Tutorial 4:  Preparing titles for GIF Animation

In Tutorial 1, you learned how to apply a basic color to your text. You can also apply textures and even previously created images to your text for more advanced effects. The Attributes Toolbar and EasyPalette are your two key tools for creating these effects.

Adding textures

Cool 3D’s EasyPalette contains a wide range of ready-made textures. Apply one by clicking on the Texture tab of the EasyPalette. Click the thumbnail of a texture you like and drag-and-drop it onto your text. Once the texture has been applied, use the Attributes Toolbar to adjust its size, position and appearance on your text.

Create a custom effect by applying a previously created file saved in a BMP or JPG file format onto your text. Click Use Image on the Attributes Toolbar and select a file from the Open dialog box. You can also adjust the image on the Attributes Toolbar once it has been applied to your text

Adding a background

Use a ready-made background from the EasyPalette or create a custom background with files saved in a BMP or JPG file format.

To add a solid background to your text, click Color on the Attributes Toolbar to open the Color dialog box. Adjust the hue, saturation and brightness on the Attributes Toolbar.

To use an image as your background, either paste the data from the clipboard or click Use Image on the Attributes Toolbar and select a file from the Open dialog box. Adjust the size, position and appearance of the image on the Attributes Toolbar.

If you are using an image for the background of your text, it is likely it will not be the same size as the current window. Click Resize  [image]  to resize the current window to fit the image. Alternatively, click Image: Dimension, and click Use Background Image Size in the Dimensions dialog box.

Tutorial 2 example


Cool 3D only supports 24-bit (True Color) images.


Create a smooth gradient transition through your animation by selecting a different background color in the first frame to the background color in the last frame.


Tutorial 3 -- Using Cool 3D titles in other programs
Tutorials
  Tutorial 1:  Creating your first title
  Tutorial 2:  Adding backgrounds and textures
  Tutorial 3:  Using Cool 3D titles in other programs
  Tutorial 4:  Preparing titles for GIF Animation

To add life to your Web Site or PowerPoint presentation, create a transparent GIF from your completed 3D text.

Adding 3D text into your web site

Create a GIF file by clicking Image: Save As - GIF File. Select Transparent background from the Save As GIF File dialog box to make your animation blend in seamlessly with the background of your web page.

Once the image has been created add it your web page as you would any other image.

Inserting 3D titles into Microsoft Office applications

One of the great features about Cool 3D is that it supports OLE in-place editing. This means you can not only paste a 3D title into presentations created in applications like Word or PowerPoint, but can also edit your title within that application.

Copy your text using the Copy As: OLE Object command. Open Word or PowerPoint and use the Paste Special command to paste the contents of the clipboard as an OLE object.

Double-click your text to display Cool 3D’s toolbars so you can adjust the properties of the text. The image will update as you make each change. Once you have made all the changes you want, click outside the text block to continue working in your original application.

Tutorial 3 example (You will need a browser to view this sample)


Try to match the Cool 3D background color as closely as possible to the color of your web page background to get the best possible results.


Tutorial 4 -- Preparing titles for GIF Animation
Tutorials
  Tutorial 1:  Creating your first title
  Tutorial 2:  Adding backgrounds and textures
  Tutorial 3:  Using Cool 3D titles in other programs
  Tutorial 4:  Preparing titles for GIF Animation

Once you have selected properties for you text you can animate your text. There are three basic methods to animate your title: moving along a straight line; rotating through the X, Y and Z axes or a combination of both methods.

Moving text along a straight line is the simplest method of animation. Click Begin Frame  [image]  to select the first frame of the sequence. Click Move Text  [image]  and move your text to the location you want the animation to begin from. Click End Frame  [image]  to select the last frame and move the text to the location you want to animation to end at. Alternatively, you can enter X and Y coordinates for the start and end frames. Click Play  [image]  to view the animation.

To make your text rotate around selected axes, use the Rotate Text tool  [image]. As with creating a straight line animation, select start and end positions by using the start and end buttons or entering X, Y and Z coordinates.

The speed at which your animation plays depends on the number of frames you have selected. Cool 3D’s default setting is 10 frames. A higher number of frames will result in a slower, more gradual animation.

Other effects to try:

Create a "breathing" effect by selecting a low the Weight value in the start frame, and increasing it in the last frame. Select Ping  [image]  and click Play  [image].

View your title through a fish-eye lens by increasing the Extrusion depth.

Make your text shrink and grow by selecting the Move Object tool  [image]  and entering a low Z axis value for the Start Frame and a higher value in the End Frame.

Morph textures by selecting a different start and end texture. Select Ping  [image]  and click Play  [image].

Tutorial 4 example 1

Tutorial 4 example 2


X Axis Rotates text forwards and backwards.

Y Axis Rotates text left and right.

Z Axis Rotates text clockwise and counterclockwise.


Try to keep the rotations fairly simple, or your text can become difficult to read.


Tutorial 1 -- Example

Create a neon effect using a sans serif font, such as Arial or Lucida Console. This example uses Bimini and has a Y axis rotation of –26. Three lights were shone onto the text: gray, orange and light green.


Tutorial 2 - Example
Tutorial 2 -- Example

A texture from the EasyPalette has been applied to the text in this example to make it look like raindrops are on the text. The camera angle was adjusted to produce an effect similar to that of a fish-eye lens on a camera. To create a more exaggerated fish-eye effect, try increasing the extrusion value.


Tutorial 4 -- Example 1

The effect of text zooming in and out was created by selecting the Move Object tool  [image]  and making the Z axis value smaller in the start frame than the end frame. The text was also rotated through 360 degrees on the X axis.


Tutorial 4 -- Example 2

Create this gradient effect by selecting a different background color for the first and last frames. Also try experimenting with different start and end colors for text. The first frame in this example has a dark magenta background color and the last frame a gray background color. Select Ping  [image]  on the Attribute toolbar for a smooth change back and forth between the colors in the first and last frames.