VRML Tools for 3D Cyberspace/VRML_Tools_For_3D_Cyberspace.iso/virtus/refpart1.txt

Text File | 1996-07-01 | 79KB | 1,683 lines

Reference, Part 1

Program Basics

There are two main components to the Virtus WalkThrough VRML interface:
Windows and Menus. Within Windows are elements such as Views, Tools and
Editors. Menus contain command functions and options.

VIEWS

Virtus WalkThrough VRML has two kinds of views: the Walk View and the
Design Views.

The Walk View displays a three-dimensional rendering of the objects
that you draw in a Design View and allows you to walk through and
around the objects.

A Design View is a two-dimensional area where you draw objects. There
are six possible Design Views: Top, bottom, Front, Back, Left and
Right. You can draw, view or edit your drawings in any of the Design
Views.

Within the Design Views, there are two editors that perform specific
operations on the objects you draw: the Surface Editor, and the Tumble
Editor.

WINDOWS

Each view or editor is displayed in a window that can be resized or
repositioned. See your Windows documentation for more about windows
manipulation and standard Windows interface operations.

Tools Window

Each of the two kinds of views and each editor has its own set of tools
that appear in the Tools window. The view or editor that you are
working in determines which tools are displayed.

Active Window

Only one window may be active at any time. To make a window active,
click anywhere inside its boundaries, or select a view name from the
View menu (see View menu), or select a window name from the Window menu
(see Window menu). You can tell if a window is active by looking at its
Title Bar.

Title Bar The Title Bar of a view window displays the name of the view
or editor that the window is associated with. If a window is active,
its Title Bar is dark and the text is light. If a window is not active,
its Title Bar is light and the text is dark.

WALK VIEW

The Walk View displays a three-dimensional rendering of the objects
that you draw in a Design View. In the Walk View, you can walk around
and through objects by moving the mouse. The Walk View has a set of
tools specific to the Walk View. (See Walk View Tools.) These tools are
displayed when the Walk View is active. In addition to the regular
menus, the Walk menu is visible when the Walk View window is active.
The Walk menu contains commands and options that affect the appearance
of the Walk View and the objects within it. (See Walk menu.)

Navigation Methods

Movement through the Walk View is in response to your movement of the
mouse pointer relative to the cross hair in the center of the Walk View
screen. Press the mouse button to begin movement and release the mouse
button to stop. Speed increases as the cursor is pointed farther from
the cross hair. Direction is determined by the position of the pointer
relative to the cross hair. By using a combination of the Option key
(Macintosh) or Ctrl key (Windows) or Shift key (both platforms) with
the mouse, movements like tilting your head, sliding from side to side
or increasing and decreasing your altitude are also possible.

Cross Hair

The cross hair in the middle of the Walk View is used as a reference
point for navigation. (See Navigation Methods.) The cross hair can be
hidden with the Cross Hair option under the Walk menu.

Velocity Grid

Velocity Grid marks are the horizontal and vertical marks in the Walk
View that display the points at which walk speed changes. The default
for the Velocity Grid marks is off (not visible), but they can be
turned on and off by selecting Velocity Grid under the Walk Menu or by
selecting Velocity Grid in the Preferences, Navigation dialog under the
Edit menu. Novice Virtus WalkThrough VRML users may find the Velocity
Grid helpful while learning to navigate.

WALK VIEW TOOLS

When the Walk View is active, the Walk View Tools are displayed in the
Tools window. The Walk View Tools allow you to change the Walk View
background color, adjust the lens of the Observer, and record and play
back a walk path. The Tools window can be hidden with Tools Window
under the Window menu.

3-D Object Selector, 3-D Surface Selector

With these tools, you can now select a single object or surface,
respectively, in the 3-D Walk View. This method of selection makes it
easier to choose a single object or surface, which makes it easier to
work with complex models.

Color Selector

The Color Bar on the top of the Tools window (Design View, active) is the
Background Color Selector that is used to change the color of the background
within the Walk View.

To change the background color, mouse down on the Background Color
Selector (Color Bar) to reveal the color selector. Drag the mouse to
the desired color and release. If the colors in the color selector do
not contain the desired color, drag the mouse to the icon in the upper
left corner of the color selector and release. This action displays the
standard Macintosh Color Picker or Windows Color Palette and Custom Color
Selector in one window. (The Color Palette and Custom Color Selector are normally displayed in
separate windows.)

To select a new color from the Macintosh Color Picker or Windows Basic Color
Palette, point to the desired color and click (See your System Documentation
for further information regarding color selection.)

If the color you selected does not appear to be the same shade in the
Walk View, it is probably due to the effects of lighting. You may wish
to turn off the effects of light and shade (see Preferences,
Rendering).

Lens Focal Length Tool

The lens size indicator and the sliding control beneath it are both
parts of the Walk View Lens Focal Length Tool. If the sliding control
is moved, the reading in the lens size indicator will change to display
the new lens focal length. You can also adjust the lens focal length by
highlighting the numbers in the lens size indicator, typing a new
number and pressing the Enter/Return key. You must press the
Enter/Return key for the change to take effect.

The lens focal length determines the zoom factor of the virtual camera.
A smaller lens size indicates a wider angle lens, while a larger lens
size indicates a telephoto lens.

Focal length is also affected by film size. A larger film size requires
a longer focal length to maintain the same camera angle. If the focal
length does not change and the film size increases, the effect is a
wide angle lens. If the film size decreases but the focal length does
not, the effect is a telephoto lens. Film size is set in the
Preferences, Rendering dialog. The default value for film size is a
35mm still camera. (See Camera in Preferences, Navigation.)

Orientation Cube

The Orientation Cube shows the orientation of the Observer inside the
Virtus world. If any objects can be seen, the Orientation Cube
indicates the side(s) of the objects that the Observer is facing:
F=Front, B=Back, L=Left, R=Right, T=Top, b=bottom.

The Orientation Cube also appears in the Tumble Editor, but has added
functionality there. (See Tumble Editor.)

Record, Stop and Playback Path

As you navigate through a model in the Walk View, you can record and
later play back the walk path with the Record Tool and Playback Tool.
The length of a recording is limited only by memory; however, it is
unlikely that you will run out of memory because the requirement is
small.

When you save a file, the recorded walk path is saved with it. When you
open the file again, you can click the play button and view the
recording. Only one recorded path can be saved with each model. If you
record another, the previous path will be erased.

Recording does not take a picture of the screen each time the Observer
takes a step; it records movement through the Virtus world. This means
that if you record a walk path and then change your model, the playback
will follow the same recorded path and you will see the changes you
made to the model.

To record the walk path, click inside the Walk View to make it active,
then click on the Record Tool. Navigate the Observer through the Walk
View. (See Navigation Methods.) You may also record a path by selecting
Record under the Walk menu. This menu option is helpful when running in
full screen mode or when the Tools window is hidden.

To stop recording, click the Stop Tool. The Stop Tool will also stop a
playback in progress. You may also stop recording by selecting Stop
under the Walk menu. This menu option is helpful when running in full
screen mode or when the Tools window is hidden.

To play back a recording, click the Playback Tool. If the playback
reaches the end of the recording, it will loop automatically and start
from the beginning until you click the mouse button anywhere on the
computer screen or click the Stop Tool. You may also play back a
recorded path by selecting Play under the Walk menu. This menu option
is helpful when running in full screen mode or when the Tools window is
hidden.


Walk Mode Selector
The Walk Mode Selector, which enables navigation, is the default setting for
the Walk View.


THE DESIGN VIEWS

There are three sets of skills to learn in Virtus WalkThrough VRML:
creating objects, editing/modifying objects, and navigating in and
around objects. The Design Views are used for creating and
editing/modifying objects.

A Design View is a drawing area where you draw or view object outlines
in two dimensions. There are six different Design Views: Top, bottom,
Front, Back, Left, Right. You may draw in any Design View. More than
one Design View can be open at any time (see Multiple Design Views);
however, only one view can be active at any time.

The Design Views have a specific set of tools. When a Design View is
active, the Design View tools are displayed in the Tools window. (See
Design View Tools.)

Creating an Object

In the Design Views, an object is represented by a 2-D polygonal
outline. To draw the polygonal outline of an object, select a drawing
tool, point to a location in the active design view, click and drag.
(See Drawing Tools.)

The resulting polygonal outline is a 2-D cross-section from which a 3-D
object is derived. The polygonal outline may look flat, but it has
depth and a position in space. Virtus WalkThrough VRML applies an
inflation distance, or depth, to the outline and inflates the object in
the same direction you are viewing so you cannot see the inflation
unless you change views. (See Inflation, Depth Controls.)

To change views, select a view from the Change View submenu under the
View menu.

The 3-D object assumes the default color displayed in the Color Bar
(see Color Bar), as well as the selected opacity (see Opacity
Modifiers) and the selected inflation type (see Inflation Modifiers).
You can change these factors before you draw the object or change them
after the object is drawn.

Dimensions: X, Y and Z

The Virtus World is a cube (six sides). Each of the Design Views
corresponds to a side of the cube. The three dimensions of the cube -
X, Y and Z - are based on the Top View, since the Top View opens as the
default when you start the program. X is the left/right dimension, Y is
the front/back dimension and Z is the top/bottom dimension.

Inflation In any Design View, the objects you draw are represented by a
2-D polygonal outline. To create a 3-D object, the missing third
dimension is added by a process of inflation. When creating a 3-D
object, there are two important factors that need to be defined in
addition to the polygonal outline. The first is the object's position
in the 3-D world, or its coordinates. The second is the object's
inflation distance, or how far it is inflated. The position and
inflation distance are calculated according to a Depth Control (see
Depth Controls) set in either a Design View ruler or in the Depth
window. Given the polygonal outline, the position in space and the
inflation distance, the resulting 3-D virtual object appears
immediately in the Walk View.

The direction of the inflation depends on the view in which an object
is drawn. For example, the inflation of an object drawn in the Front
View is not the same as the inflation of an object drawn in the Top
View. An object drawn in the Front View is inflated front to back
(along the Y axis). An object drawn in the Top View is inflated top to
bottom (along the Z axis). The inflation direction is always in the
dimension that you cannot see in the view in which you are drawing. The
rulers will help you determine which dimension you cannot see because
each ruler is labeled. (See Rulers.)

In addition to position and inflation distance, objects also can be
assigned an inflation type that affects the overall object shape. For
example, if you draw a 16-sided polygonal outline representing a
circle, that outline can be assigned an inflation type that makes the
3-D object appear spherical, conical or of other shapes. Inflation types
are assigned with the Inflation Modifiers. (See Getting Started.)

Moving Between Design Views

Usually, only one Design View is open at any time, but more are
possible. (See Multiple Design Views.)

When Virtus WalkThrough VRML is started, the Top View is displayed by
default. To change the Top View to another Design View, make sure that
the Design View is active. (See Active Window.) If not, click anywhere
inside its boundaries. Select Change View under the View menu. A
pullout menu will display the names of the six possible Design Views.
Select the desired view. The active Design View will change to the view
you selected.

An active Design View can be changed to another Design View with the
Change View command under the View menu. Or a new window with a new
Design View can be opened with the New View command under the View
menu. It is important to understand the difference between Change View
and New View. (See Change View and New View.)

Multiple Design Views

There are six Design Views and, if desired, all six can be open at the
same time. In most cases, however, the size of your monitor will limit
the usefulness of multiple Design Views. If you have a large monitor,
you may wish to experiment with multiple Design Views; this can
increase your efficiency.

To open multiple Design Views, select New View under the View menu. A
pullout menu will display the names of the six possible Design Views.
Select the desired view. The new view that you select appears over the
active view; it can be resized and positioned. Though only one view can
be active at a time, you are able to see objects and edits in all
views.

Modifying Objects

After objects are created, they can be modified. Any modifications or
edits to an object must be preceded by selecting the object. An object
is selected if it displays handles. A handle is a small square block
that represents the meeting of two planes, or in the case of an object,
the meeting of two sides. If an object is selected, its handles are
visible. Immediately after you draw an object, its handles are
displayed and the object is selected, allowing for any adjustments in
size or shape that you may wish to make.

To select an object, click the Select Object Tool, point to the desired
object and click inside the polygonal outline. (See Select Object
Tool.)

Modifications to selected objects are accomplished with different tools
and editors. For example, the size and shape of an object can be
changed by dragging a handle or a surface with the Select Object Tool.
The type of object can be changed by adding or deleting a handle with
the Add/Remove Handle Tool. The inflation type (the 3-D shape of the
object) can be changed with Inflation Modifiers. An object can be
rotated or scaled with the Rotate Object Tool and Scale Object Tool.

The opacity of an object can be changed with the Opacity Modifiers. The
color of an object can be changed with the Color Bar. Individual object
surfaces can have surface features added to them with the Surface
Editor. (Surface features, like objects, can have color and opacity,
and they can be rotated or scaled.) Also, the opacity or color of an
entire object surface can be changed with the Tumble Editor, and a new
surface can be created in the Tumble Editor by slicing off part of the
object.

Modifying Handles

An object can be reshaped by dragging a handle or a surface between two
handles. To reshape an object, select the object, point to a side or to
a handle, click and drag to a new location. If you hold down the Option Key
(Macintosh) or Ctrl key (Windows) while dragging, you can move an individual
handle rather than an object surface.

The way an object's handles appear indicates the extent to which an
object can be reshaped in the active view. If the handles appear solid,
all sides and handles can be dragged to reshape the object. If handles
appear hollow, only some sides and handles can be dragged to reshape
the object (depending on the direction of the object's inflation). If
handles appear gray, the object sides and handles cannot be manipulated
at all; however, the object can be scaled since object scaling has no
restrictions.

The limitations to how an object can be reshaped occur if you are
attempting to reshape it in a view other than the view in which it was
created. Furthermore, if you rotate an object out of the plane in which
it was created, it cannot be reshaped; you must first unrotate the
object.

Moving an Object

You may move an entire object to a new location by pointing inside the
polygonal outline and dragging. Any contained objects will move with
the object unless you hold down the Option Key (Macintosh) or Ctrl key
(Windows) while moving.

Modifying Inflation Type

Inflation Modifiers determine the 3-D shape of an object. You can
select an inflation type before you draw an object, or change the type
after the object has been drawn.

To create an object with a selected inflation, click on the desired
Inflation Modifier, select a drawing tool and draw the object.

To modify the inflation of an existing object, select the object and
choose an inflation type in the Modify Selected submenu under the Edit
menu. You can also modify an object's inflation by double-clicking the
desired Inflation Modifier in the Tools window.

Modifying Opacity

The opacity of an object can be changed with the Opacity Modifiers:
Make Opaque, Make Translucent and Make Transparent. Opacity Modifiers
determine whether the entire object has opaque, translucent or
transparent surfaces. You can select the opacity before you draw an
object or change the opacity after the object has been drawn.

To create an object with a selected opacity, click on the desired
Opacity Modifier, select a drawing tool and draw the object.

To modify the opacity of an existing object, select the object and
choose an opacity type in the Modify Selected submenu under the Edit
menu. You can also modify an object's opacity by double-clicking the
desired Opacity Modifier in the Tools window.

Modifying Color

The color of an entire object can be changed with the Color Bar. You
can select a color before you draw an object or change the color after
the object has been drawn. (See Color Bar.)

DESIGN VIEW FEATURES

Observer

The Observer represents your eyes in the Virtus WalkThrough VRML
environment. In a Design View, the Observer is shown as a circle with a
line that indicates the viewing direction. In different Design Views,
the appearance of the Observer is different. As you navigate in the
Walk View, the Observer position changes in the Design View.

You can drag the Observer to a desired location with the Select Object
Tool. You can also rotate the Observer, thus changing the viewing
direction, by holding down the Option Key (Macintosh) or Ctrl key (Windows)
and dragging from the center of the Observer outward to the direction of the
desired view. As you drag outward, a dotted line appears, representing the
apparent viewing direction of the Observer. The farther you drag, the more
control you have over the angle of view.

Rulers

Rulers appear in the Design Views, the Surface Editor and the Tumble
Editor. They help you measure objects, determine the grid system to
snap to and display Depth Controls (see Depth Controls) and
Non-Reproducing Guidelines (see Non-Reproducing Guidelines).

In each Design View, a ruler appears across the top of the window and
along the left side of the window. The gray box at the right of the top
ruler and at the bottom of the left ruler is called a Dock. Each Dock
will have a letter in it that determines the dimension (X, Y or Z) that
the ruler and its Depth Control are associated with. (See Depth
Controls.)

The rulers show major tick marks and minor tick marks. Depending on
which measurement system you are working in and which base unit you
have selected (see Preferences, Units), the tick marks represent
different units of measurement. If you change the relative scale of the
current view by zooming in or out with the zoom tools, the tick marks
will represent a larger or smaller unit of measurement.

Rulers can be hidden with the Show Rulers option in the Preferences,
Editor dialog under the Edit menu. The ruler color can also be changed
in the Preferences, Editor dialog.

Movable Origin

At the 0 coordinate of each ruler there appears an arrowhead attached
to a line perpendicular to the ruler. This arrowhead and line represent
the ruler Origin, the 0 coordinate. The Origin can be moved by dragging
the arrowhead to a new position on the ruler. After you release the
mouse button, the ruler and tick marks will follow you, in effect
resetting the 0 coordinate. This will help with measurement of objects
and distances.

Once moved, the Origin can be reset to its original position by
selecting Reset Origin under the View menu. It is a good habit to reset
the origin after you have moved it. The Origin can be hidden by
unselecting Show Origin in the Preferences, Editor dialog under the
Edit menu. The Origin color can also be changed in the Preferences,
Editor dialog.

If you are positioned in the view such that you cannot see the Origin,
you can hold down the Option Key (Macintosh) or Ctrl key (Windows) and
drag the Origin out of a Dock. (See Non-Reproducing Guidelines.)

Non-Reproducing Guidelines

Non-Reproducing Guidelines are available in the Design Views, the
Surface Editor and the Tumble Editor to help align objects. At the end
of each ruler is a Dock. A Dock is a gray box with the letter X, Y or Z
in the center. (X, Y or Z tells you which axis the ruler is on). By
pointing to the Dock and dragging outward along the ruler, you can
display a Non-Reproducing Guideline and position it where you like.
There is no limit to the number of guidelines. If you want to get rid
of some of them, just drag them back into the Dock. The color of the
guidelines can be set in the Preferences, Editor dialog.

If you hold down the Option Key (Macintosh) or Ctrl key (Windows) when
you drag out from a Dock, you can display the Movable Origin instead of
a Non-Reproducing Guideline. (See Movable Origin.)

Depth Controls

A Depth Control appears on each ruler in the Design Views and on the
ruler in the Depth window. Depth Controls determine the inflation
distance and position of objects. Because there are three dimensions in
Virtus WalkThrough VRML, there are three Depth Controls that determine
inflation distance and position in the X, Y and Z dimensions. By
reading the letter in the Dock on each ruler (see Rulers) you can
determine which dimension each Depth Control is associated with.

A Depth Control consists of two black half-arrowheads on each end of a
gray bar. The half-arrowheads are called endpoints. The distance
between the endpoints is the inflation distance, or the depth. The
object position is determined by where the endpoints are in space. The
endpoints determine where the object begins or ends.

Endpoints can be dragged to a new location, thus stretching or
compressing the gray bar, or the entire Depth Control can be moved by
dragging the gray bar.

If you cannot see the Depth Control on a ruler when working in a Design
View, hold down the Option Key (Macintosh) or Ctrl key (Windows) and click
on the ruler. This action repositions the Depth Control to the point where
you clicked.

In addition to affecting objects you draw, the Depth Control also
allows you to adjust the inflation and position of an object that has
already been drawn. By double-clicking the Depth Control, selected
objects will re-inflate according to the Depth Control setting, if
applicable.

For example, suppose you set the Z Depth Control from 0' to 10'. If you
create an object in the Top View, it will inflate from 0' to 10' (with
a depth of 10') according to the Z Depth Control that you just set. If
you then reset the Z Depth Control from 20' to 25', select the object
you created and double-click the Z Depth Control, the selected object
will be redrawn between 20' and 25' (with a depth of 5').

This is applicable only for objects inflated along the same axis as the
Depth Control. For example, suppose you draw an object in the Top View
and another in the Front View. Next, you reset the Z Depth Control,
select both objects and then double-click the Z Depth Control. Only the
object created in the Top View will be affected by the double-click
since the object created in the Front View was not inflated along the Z
axis. The object created in the Front View was inflated along the Y
axis.

Another way to adjust depth and inflation is with the Depth window.
(See Depth Window.)

The Depth Control on each ruler shows the inflation distance for
objects created in a perpendicular view. For example, in the Top View,
the Depth Controls do not affect what is drawn in the Top View. In the
Top View, the Y Depth Control applies to objects drawn in the Front or
Back Views. The X Depth Control applies to objects drawn in the Left or
Right Views. Objects drawn in the Bottom View are not affected by the
Depth Controls in the Top View because the Top and Bottom Views are
parallel to, not perpendicular to, each other. Objects created in the
Top and Bottom Views are inflated along the same axis, the Z axis.

Depth Controls in parallel views mirror each other. For example, when
you change the Depth Controls in the Top View, they also change in the
Bottom View. Similarly, the Right and Left View Depth Controls mirror
each other, as do the Front and Back View Depth Controls.

Grid Lines

Grid Lines appear on the drawing area of the Design Views, the Surface
Editor and the Tumble Editor. These are extensions of the major tick
marks on the rulers. As the relative scale of the Design View changes,
through zoom commands, the major tick marks will change to represent
different units of measure. Because Grid Lines are based on the major
tick marks, the actual distance between Grid Lines changes. Grid Lines
can be hidden with Show Grid in the Preferences, Editor dialog under
the Edit menu. The Grid color can also be changed in the Preferences,
Editor dialog. Grid Lines cannot be printed.

DESIGN VIEW TOOLS

The tools on the upper half of the Tools window allow you to create,
edit and orient objects and surfaces. Some tools have other tools
nested beneath them. Nested tools are indicated by a small arrowhead to
the lower right of a tool.

To select a tool, point to the desired tool and click. To make a nested
tool available, mouse down on the tool to reveal the nested tools, drag
to the desired tool and release the mouse button. You can also cycle
through the nested tools by selecting a tool, holding down the Option key
(Macintosh) or Ctrl key (Windows) and pressing the space bar.

Color Lifter Tool

The Color Lifter Tool copies the color of an existing object to the
Color Bar. The copied color can then be used for the next object drawn
or can be transferred to an already existing object. (See Color Bar.)

This tool allows for consistency with colors in your model. To copy a
color to the Color Bar, select the Color Lifter Tool and click on an
object in the Design View. You cannot use the Color Lifter on objects
in the Walk View. If a surface of an object has been edited to a
different color, the Color Lifter will not copy the surface color; it
will copy only the color of the whole object.

Magnify Tool

A magnifying glass has replaced the Zoom-In Tool, but
its function is the same. To access the Zoom-Out Tool, click on the
Magnify Tool and press the Option key; when you do, the plus sign (+)
in the center of the Magnify Tool is replaced by a minus sign (-) and
zooming out function is activated. To perform a constrained
magnification, use the Magnify Tool to drag a marquee around a
designated area.


Tape Measure Tool

The Tape Measure Tool determines the distance between two points. The
distance is displayed in the Coordinates Window. (See Coordinates
Window).

To measure the distance between two points, select the tool and point
to the location in the active view where you want to measure from.
Press the mouse button and drag to the location that you want to
measure to. As you drag, a dotted line appears between the starting
point and the cursor, and the distance and other information is
displayed in the Coordinates Window.

The information displayed in the Coordinates Window depends on the
Tracking option in the Preferences, Editor dialog. The two options in
the dialog are World and View. If the View option is selected, the
following information is displayed in the Coordinates Window in the
following order from top to bottom:

h: the horizontal coordinate of the cursor.

v: the vertical coordinate of the cursor.

h: the difference between the horizontal coordinate of the cursor and
the starting point.

v: the difference between the vertical coordinate of the cursor and the
starting point.

l: the linear distance or length of the line between the starting point
and the cursor.

a: the angle of the line between the starting point and the cursor.
Right horizontal is 0 degrees.


If the World option is selected, the information below, depending on
which Design View is active, is displayed in the Coordinates Window in
the following order from top to bottom:

x: the linear distance from 0 on the X axis.

y: the linear distance from 0 on the Y axis.

z: the linear distance from 0 on the Z axis.

x: the linear distance from the x coordinate of the point where you
began dragging.

y: the linear distance from the y coordinate of the point where you
began dragging.

z: the linear distance from the z coordinate of the point where you
began dragging.

l: the linear distance or length of the line between the starting point
and the cursor.

a: the angle of the line between the starting point and the cursor.

Select Object Tool

The Select Object Tool is used to select and edit objects. The Select
Object Tool is used in the Design Views, Surface Editor and Tumble
Editor. In the editors, the Select Object Tool functions differently
than in the Design Views.

If you are working with another tool and wish to use the Select Object
Tool, press the space bar and the Select Object Tool will be
automatically selected. Press the space bar again to go back to the
previously selected tool.

In the Design Views and Surface Editor, the Select Object Tool is used
to select, move and change the size or shape of objects and surface
features.

To select an object or surface feature, click the Select Object Tool,
point to the object or surface feature and click. Handles (blocks at
the object's vertices) are displayed when an object or surface feature
is selected.

To select more than one object or surface feature, there are two
methods. The first is to hold down the Shift key and click each object
or surface feature that you want to select with the Select Object Tool.
The second is to point to a location outside the objects that you want
to select, click and drag the Select Object Tool pointer to create a
box around the objects or surface features (as you drag, a dotted
rubber-banding box will appear) and release the mouse button. This
selection rectangle method is a standard Windows procedure.

To select all objects or surface features, choose Select All under the
Edit menu or double-click the Select Object Tool. To unselect some
objects, hold down the Shift key and click the objects that you want to
unselect. To unselect all objects, choose Unselect All under the Edit
menu, or point to an empty space in the Design View and click.

To move an object or surface feature, select the object or surface
feature to make it active, point with the Select Object Tool inside the
polygonal outline of the object or surface feature, click and drag to a
new location. When moving an object that contains other objects, the
contained objects will move with it unless you press and hold down the
Option key (Macintosh) or Ctrl key (Windows) before you press the mouse
button to drag. Use of the Option Key (Macintosh) or Ctrl key (Windows)
will leave contained objects behind.

To change the size or shape of an object or surface feature, select the
object or surface feature to make it active, point with the Select
Object Tool to a side of the outline of the object or surface feature
or to a handle, click and drag to a new location. You will not be able
to drag the object into a non-convex shape.

Dragging a handle with the Option Key (Macintosh) or Ctrl key (Windows)
held down changes the object's type. For example, moving a handle of a
rectangle with the Option Key (Macintosh) or Ctrl key (Windows)
down will create a shape that is no longer a rectangle because only the
handle will move. If you drag the handle without using the Option Key
(Macintosh) or Ctrl key (Windows),the object will resize; it becomes a
larger or smaller rectangle.

In the Tumble Editor, the Select Object Tool is used to select surfaces
and edit slices.

To select a surface in the Tumble Editor, click the Select Object Tool,
point to the surface and click. (You can also select surfaces in the
Tumble Editor with the Move Tool. See Move Tool.)

To change the position of a slice in the Tumble Editor, click the
Select Object Tool, point to the slice and drag it to a new location.
You can also change the angle of a slice by using the Select Object
Tool to select and drag one of the slice's handles.

Lock Object Tool

The Lock Object Tool functions in the Design Views and in the Surface
Editor, and allows you to lock objects or surface features so they
cannot be edited. A locked object or surface feature appears with a
dotted polygonal outline rather than a solid outline.

To lock an object or surface feature, select the Lock Object Tool,
point to the object or surface feature and click. To unlock a locked
object or surface feature, hold down the Option Key (Macintosh) or Ctrl
key (Windows) and click the object or surface feature with the Lock
Object Tool. To unlock all locked objects and surface features, double-click
the Lock Object Tool, or select UnLock All under the Edit menu.

Hide Object Tool

The Hide Object Tool functions in the Design Views and in the Surface
Editor, and allows you to hide objects or surface features in the
Design Views, the Walk View or both views. The Hide Object Tool hides
objects and surface features from the view, but does not actually
remove them from the model.

To hide an object or surface feature in a Design Views, select the Hide
Object Tool and click on the object or surface feature.

Hidden objects and surfaces features in the Design Views can be made
visible by double-clicking the Hide Object Tool or by selecting Show
All under the Edit menu.

To hide an object or surface feature in the Walk View, select the Hide
Object Tool, hold down the Option key (Macintosh) or Ctrl key (Windows) and
click on the object or surface feature.

Hidden objects and surfaces features in the Walk View can be made
visible by holding down the Option key (Macintosh) or Ctrl key (Windows) and double-clicking the Hide
Object Tool, or by holding down the Option key (Macintosh) or Ctrl key (Windows) and selecting Show All
under the Edit menu.

When you save your model, all hidden objects and surface features are
made visible before being saved.

Drawing Tools

Drawing tools allow you to draw 2-D polygonal outlines of basic shapes.
When the basic shapes are combined and inflated (see Inflation),
complex 3-D models can be created and rendered in the Walk View.
Drawing tools are also used in the Surface Editor to draw surface
features.

Create 8-Sided Object Tool

The Create 8-Sided Object Tool draws an 8-sided polygonal object
outline or surface feature. To create an 8-sided object or surface
feature, select the Create 8-Sided Object Tool, point to the location
where you want to place the center of the outline or surface feature
and drag in any direction. As you drag outward from the center, a
dotted outline is displayed. When you release the mouse button, the
dotted outline becomes solid and an object or surface feature is
created.

Create 6-Sided Object Tool

The Create 6-Sided Object Tool draws a 6-sided polygonal object outline
or surface feature. To create a 6-sided object or surface feature,
select the Create 6-Sided Object Tool, point to the location where you
want to place the center of the outline or surface feature and drag in
any direction. As you drag outward from the center, a dotted outline is
displayed. When you release the mouse button, the dotted outline
becomes solid and an object or surface feature is created.

Create Square Object Tool This tool draws a square polygonal object
outline or surface feature. To create a square object or surface
feature, select the Create Square Object Tool, point to the location
where you want the center of the outline and drag in any direction. As
you drag outward from the center, a dotted object outline is displayed.
When you release the mouse button, the dotted outline becomes solid and
an object or surface feature is created.

Create Triangular Object Tool This tool draws an equilateral triangular
object outline or surface feature. To create a triangular object or
surface feature, select the Create Triangular Object Tool, point to the
location where you want to place the center of the outline and drag in
any direction. As you drag outward from the center, a dotted outline is
displayed. When you release the mouse button, the dotted outline
becomes solid and your object or surface feature is created.

Create N-Sided Object Tool This tool draws a polygonal outline with a
user-specified number of sides up to 32. The number of sides, can be
specified by double-clicking the Create N-Sided Object Tool. This
action takes you to the Preferences, Defaults dialog where you can
specify the number of sides. Once an object is drawn with this tool,
the sides can be changed with the Sides command in the Modify Selected
submenu under the Edit menu.

To create an n-sided object or surface feature, select the Create
N-Sided Object Tool, point to the location where you want to place the
center of the outline and drag in any direction. As you drag outward
from the center, a dotted outline will be displayed. When you release
the mouse button, the dotted outline becomes solid and your object or
surface feature is created.

The Create Irregular Object Tool

This tool draws an irregular-shaped polygonal outline, one segment at a
time. This tool does not draw non-convex objects or surface features.
(See Convex Objects.)

To create an irregular object or surface feature, select the Create
Irregular Object Tool and point to the location where you would like to
add one of the vertices (meeting of two sides represented by a handle)
of the outline. Click to establish the vertex and move the mouse to
another location. Click again. Do this for all the vertices. There is
no limit to the number of vertices allowed; however, there is a convex
space limitation. If you double-click, a line is drawn from where you
double-clicked to the starting point, thus closing or finishing the
object outline.

When creating an irregular object with this tool, you are limited to
the immediate drawing area in the window. If you want your object
outline to go beyond the confines of the window, drag the cursor. In
other words, instead of simply clicking to establish a vertex, press
and hold down the mouse button as you move to establish the next
vertex. If the mouse button is down, the window will scroll
automatically any time that the cursor touches the window border.

Another method of creating an irregular-shaped object or surface
feature is to create a regular-shaped object or surface feature, then
use the Add/Remove Handle Tool to change the object shape.

Create Rectangular Object Tool

This tool draws a rectangular polygonal outline. To create a
rectangular object, select the Create Rectangular Object Tool, point to
the location of one of the corners of the rectangle and drag to the
opposite diagonal corner. As you drag, a rubber-banding dotted line is
displayed, indicating where the object or surface feature is being
positioned. When you release the mouse button, the dotted line becomes
solid and your object or surface feature is created.

Connect Surfaces Tool

The Connect Surfaces Tool functions in the Design View and is used to
connect two objects at a common surface. A connection between surfaces
is necessary before you can see common surface features such as the
colored, transparent or translucent surface features representing
doorways or windows. Without the connection, surface features between
objects will not be shared and holes will not penetrate both surfaces.

To connect object surfaces, click inside one of the objects to make it
active. Click on the Connect Surfaces Tool. If the object surfaces you
want to connect are already touching, click on the line that represents
the touching surfaces. A "snap" sound indicates a connection has been
made. If the object surfaces you wish to connect are not touching, drag
the surface of the selected object toward the surface of the second
object until you hear a "snap" sound.

A connection can be broken by dragging one object away from the other
with the Select Object Tool. The See Through option in the Preferences,
Rendering dialog allows connections to be seen. If not selected, all
connections within the model cannot be seen (you cannot see through any
transparent or translucent surfaces between objects).

Add/Remove Handle Tool

The Add/Remove Handle Tool functions in the Design View and the Surface
Editor, and is used to add a new handle to an object or surface feature
or remove an existing handle. A handle represents a vertex, the meeting
of two object surfaces.

To add a handle, select the object or surface feature that you want to
modify and click the Add/Remove Handle Tool. Point to the location on a
segment of the outline where you want to add the new handle, then
click. Depending on the complexity of the object or surface feature and
the speed of your machine, there may be a brief pause before the handle
appears. If a handle does not appear, select the Add/Remove Handle
Tool, point to the location on the outline where you want the new
handle, click and drag the surface slightly outward.

To remove an existing handle, select the Add/Remove Handle Tool, point
accurately to the handle and click. Again, depending on the complexity
of the object or surface feature and the speed of your machine, there
may be a brief pause before the handle disappears.

You may reposition a new handle at the same time that you add it by
dragging instead of clicking.

Adding a new handle to a regular polyhedron or polygon breaks its type
(for example, an octagon will no longer be an octagon), but breaking
the object's type can be avoided by holding down the Option key (Macintosh)
or Ctrl key (Windows).

If your goal is to create an irregular object or surface feature, you
might want to try the Create Irregular Object Tool instead of the
Add/Remove Handle Tool. Both tools can accomplish the same result, but
you may prefer one method to the other.

Rotate Object Tool

The Rotate Object Tool functions in the Design Views and the Surface
Editor, and is used to rotate an object or surface feature. When
rotating an object, this tool works in any view, allowing rotation on
more than one axis.

To rotate an object or surface feature, select the object or surface
feature that you want to rotate, click on the Rotate Object Tool and
point to any location to establish the center of rotation. Click and
drag the pointer away from the center of rotation. A dotted line will
appear between the pointer and the center of rotation. As you drag the
pointer farther from the center of rotation, you gain finer control
over the angle of rotation. Drag the pointer in an arc around the
center point to rotate the object.

If Snap to Grid is selected (see Snap to Grid) when you rotate the
object or surface feature, the rotation snaps to 5-degree increments.

If you hold down the Shift key when you rotate the object or surface
feature, the rotation is constrained to 15-degree increments.

Contained objects are rotated with the container unless you hold down
the Option key (Macintosh) or Ctrl key (Windows) when you rotate an object.
Holding the Ctrl key down rotates the container, but not the contained objects.

If objects are grouped (see Group), they will maintain their
orientation relative to each other when the group is rotated.

Scale Object Tool

The Scale Object Tool functions in the Design Views or Surface Editor
and scales an object or surface feature about its center or about a
specified anchor point. Objects may be scaled independently along any
of the three coordinate axes. Objects may also be scaled uniformly in
all dimensions (X, Y and Z) by holding down the Shift key before
dragging. When an object is scaled, its contents and any surface
features are scaled with it unless you hold down the Option key (Macintosh)
or Ctrl key (Windows) while you are dragging.

To scale an object about its center, select the object to be scaled,
select the Scale Object Tool, point to a reference point (like a
corner), and drag to the new position. To scale an object about a
specified anchor point, select the object, select the Scale Object Tool
and point to the desired location of the anchor point. Hold down the
Option key (Macintosh) or Ctrl key (Windows) and click to establish the
new anchor point. Point to a reference point and drag to a new location.

Skew Object Tool

The Skew Object Tool distorts an object from its true symmetrical form.
An object can be skewed on more than one axis, but only from the view
(or opposite view) in which it was created.

To skew an object, select the object you wish to skew and select the
Skew Object Tool. Point inside the object outline, click and drag in
the direction(s) you wish to skew. Contained objects are not skewed
with the container.

Color Bar

The Color Bar functions in the Design Views, the Surface Editor and the
Tumble Editor, and displays the default color for new objects. It also
allows new colors to be selected, created and assigned to objects or
surface features. Colors can be applied to translucent as well as
opaque objects and surfaces.

The current color displayed in the Color Bar is the default color for
all newly created objects or surface features. The default color and
the color of existing objects or surface features can be changed.

To change the default color, point to the Color Bar and mouse down. The
color selector will appear. Drag the pointer to the desired color on
the color selector and release the mouse button. The color you selected
appears as the default color in the Color Bar. If an object is selected
when you change the default color, the object assumes the default
color.

To change the color of an existing object, select the object and
double-click the Color Bar to give the object the default color, or
select the object and select a new color from the color selector.

Color palette

Each time you select a new color, that color appears as a small square
across the top of the color selector. This section of the color
selector is the color palette. If you have selected several colors
since you started the program, each of those colors will be displayed
as a small square in the color palette. This helps you keep your color
selections consistent. By recording the last 30 colors that you
selected, the color palette allows you to select the same shade of
color for the same types of objects.

For example, you might select a light shade of blue from the color
selector and apply that color to a glass window. Every time you create
another glass window, you will be able to give it exactly the same
shade of blue by selecting from the color palette rather than from the
color selector.

Custom colors

If the colors in the color selector do not contain the desired color,
click and drag the mouse to the icon in the upper left corner of the
color selector and release. This action displays the standard Macintosh Color
Picker or Windows Basic Color Palette and Custom Color Selector in one window.
(For Windows, The Color Palette and Custom Color Selector are normally
displayed in separate windows.)

To select a new color from the Windows Basic Color Palette, point to
the desired color and click. To define a custom color, point to a shade
of color in the color refiner box (within the Custom Color Selector)
and click. To the left of the color refiner box is the Windows Vertical
Luminosity Bar (brightness control). You may slide the Vertical
Luminosity Bar up or down to change the shade of a color in the color
refiner box, thus creating a custom color.

If you wish to add a selected custom color to the Windows Basic Color
Palette, click the Add button. (See your Windows documentation for more
about standard Windows color.)

Opacity Modifiers

Opacity Modifiers function in the Design Views, the Surface Editor and
the Tumble Editor, and edit the opacity of entire objects, selected
object surfaces or surface features. Object surfaces can be modified in
the Tumble Editor or the Surface Editor, and surface features can be
edited only in the Surface Editor.

Make Opaque Modifier Functions in the Design Views, the Surface Editor
and the Tumble Editor, and makes selected objects, object surfaces or
surface features opaque (solid).

To make an object, object surface or surface feature opaque, select the
object, object surface or surface feature and choose Opaque in the
Modify Selected submenu under the Edit menu. Or select the object,
object surface or surface feature and double-click the Make Opaque
Modifier in the Tools window. If your're modifying a whole object, any
surfaces or surface features with a different opacity will not be
affected by this procedure unless they are edited individually, either
in the Surface Editor or the Tumble Editor.

Make Translucent Modifier Functions in the Design Views, the Surface
Editor and the Tumble Editor, and makes selected objects, object
surfaces or surface features translucent (like glass).

To make an object, object surface or surface feature translucent,
select the object, object surface or surface feature and choose
Translucent in the Modify Selected submenu under the Edit menu. Or
select the object, object surface or surface feature and double-click
the Make Translucent Modifier in the Tools window. If you are modifying
a whole object, any surfaces or surface features with a different
opacity will not be affected by this procedure unless they are edited
individually, either in the Surface Editor or the Tumble Editor.

Make Transparent Modifier Functions in the Design Views, the Surface
Editor and the Tumble Editor, and makes selected objects, object
surfaces or surface features transparent (invisible).

To make an object, object surface or surface feature transparent,
select the object, object surface or surface feature and choose
Transparent in the Modify Selected submenu under the Edit menu. Or
select the object, object surface or surface feature and double-click
the Make Transparent Modifier in the Tools window. If modifying a whole
object, any surfaces or surface features with a different opacity will
not be affected by this procedure unless they are edited individually,
either in the Surface Editor or the Tumble Editor.

Inflation Modifiers Determine the inflation type, or shape, of an
object. Inflation is the process of creating a 3-D object from a 2-D
polygonal outline. The distance and the direction of object inflation
are determined by the Depth Controls. (See Depth Control, Inflation).

Inflate Straight Modifier

    Inflates an object with straight sides perpendicular to the object base,
    like a box.

    To create an object that is inflated straight, select the Inflate
    Straight Modifier and draw the object.

    To make an existing object inflate straight, select the object and
    choose Straight in the Modify Selected submenu under the Edit menu, or
    select the object and double-click the Inflate Straight Modifier in the
    Tools window.

Inflate Double-Pointed Modifier

    Inflates an object with sides that converge to two points, like a
    diamond.

    To create an object that is inflated double-pointed, select the Inflate
    Double-Pointed Modifier and draw the object.

    To make an existing object inflate double-pointed, select the object
    and choose Pointed, then Double in the Modify Selected submenu under
    the Edit menu. Or select the object and double-click the Inflate
    Double-Pointed Modifier in the Tools window.

Inflate Double-Rounded Modifier

    Inflates an object with sides that round to two points, like a sphere.

    To create an object that is inflated double-rounded, select the Inflate
    Double-Rounded Modifier and draw the object.

    To make an existing object inflate double-rounded, select the object
    and choose Rounded, then Double in the Modify Selected submenu under
    the Edit menu. Or select the object and double-click the Inflate
    Double-Rounded Modifier in the Tools window.

Inflate Pointed Modifier

    Inflates an object with sides that converge to a point, like a pyramid.
    The object can be inflated to a point in the opposite direction with
    the Inflate Pointed Flip Modifier.

    To create an object that is inflated pointed, select the Inflate
    Pointed Modifier and draw the object.

    To make an existing object inflate pointed, select the object and
    choose Pointed in the Modify Selected submenu under the Edit menu. Or
    select the object and double-click the Inflate Pointed Modifier in the
    Tools window. To reverse the direction of the point, select the object
    and choose Flip in the Modify Selected submenu under the Edit menu.


Inflate Rounded Modifier

    Inflates an object with sides rounded to a point, like a dome. The
    object can be inflated rounded to a point in the opposite direction
    with the Inflate Rounded Flip Modifier.

    To create an object that is inflated rounded, select the Inflate
    Rounded Modifier and draw the object.

    To make an existing object inflate rounded, select the object and
    choose Rounded in the Modify Selected submenu under the Edit menu. Or
    select the object and double-click the Inflate Rounded Modifier in the
    Tools window. To reverse the direction of the rounded inflation, select
    the object and choose Flip in the Modify Selected submenu under the
    Edit menu.

Inflate Pointed Flip Modifier

    Inflates an object to a point in the opposite direction of the Inflate
    Pointed Modifier.

    To create an object that is inflated pointed and flipped, select the
    Inflate Pointed Flip Modifier and draw the object.

    To make an existing object inflate pointed and flipped, select the
    object and choose Pointed, then Flip in the Modify Selected submenu
    under the Edit menu. Or select the object and double-click the Inflate
    Pointed Flip Modifier in the Tools window. To reverse the direction of
    the point, select the object and choose Flip in the Modify Selected
    submenu under the Edit menu.

Inflate Rounded Flip Modifier

    Inflates an object with sides rounded to a point in the opposite
    direction of the Inflate Rounded Modifier.

    To create an object that is inflated rounded and flipped, select the
    Inflate Rounded Flip Modifier and draw the object.

    To make an existing object inflate rounded and flipped, select the
    object and choose Rounded, then Flip in the Modify Selected submenu
    under the Edit menu. Or select the object and double-click the Inflate
    Rounded Flip Modifier in the Tools window. To reverse the direction of
    the rounded inflation, select the object and choose Flip in the Modify
    Selected submenu under the Edit menu.

Layer List

Displays the names of the different layers that may have been created in a
model. Though some existing models may have more than one layer, Virtus
WalkThrough VRML will only allow you to create a model with one single layer
named DRAW LAYER.

Coordinates Window

The Coordinates Window identifies the position of the mouse cursor in
the active drawing area. The information in the Coordinates Window
helps you measure and draw accurately. The Coordinates Window does not
function in the Walk View. The type of display is determined by the Tracking
option in the Preferences, Editor dialog under the Edit menu. The two choices
for Tracking are World and View.

If View is selected as the Tracking option, the information in the
Coordinates Window is in the following format:


    h: the horizontal distance from 0,0.

    v: the vertical distance from 0,0.

    f: the current floor setting, the lower endpoint of the depth control.

    d: the current inflation distance, the length between the two endpoints
    of the depth controls.


When you press the mouse button, the Coordinates Window changes to
display local coordinates. This gives you the size of the object you
are drawing so you don't have to add and subtract ruler measurements.

When the mouse button is down the following information is displayed:


    h: the horizontal distance from 0,0.

    v: the vertical distance from 0,0.

    h: the horizontal distance from where you began dragging.

    v: the vertical distance from where you began dragging.

    l: the diagonal (length) distance from where you began dragging.

    a: the angle in degrees of the diagonal from where you began dragging.


If World is selected as the Tracking option, the information in the
Coordinates Window, depending on which Design view is active, is in the
following format:


    x: the linear distance from x to 0 in the world.

    y: the linear distance from y to 0 in the world.

    z: the linear distance from z to 0 in the world.

    d: the current inflation distance, as set by the depth controls.


When the mouse button is down, the Coordinates Window changes to
display the following information:


    x: the linear distance from the x coordinate of the point where you
    began dragging.

    y: the linear distance from the y coordinate of the point where you
    began dragging. z: the linear distance from the z coordinate of the
    point where you began dragging.

    l: the diagonal distance from where you began dragging.

    a: the angle in degrees of the diagonal from where you began dragging.



Zoom Tools Used to increase or decrease the apparent size of the drawing.
They're located at the bottom of the Tools Window.

ZOOM IN TOOL (Magnify)

Each click of the Zoom In Tool increases the apparent size of the
drawing by a factor of two. There is a limit to how close you can zoom
in. When you reach the limit, clicking the Zoom In Tool will have no
effect.

You can also zoom in by selecting Zoom In command under the Design
menu. (See also Constrained Zoom Tool.)

ZOOM OUT TOOL

Each click of the Zoom Out Tool decreases the apparent size of the
drawing by a factor of 2. There is a limit to how far you can zoom out.
When you reach the limit, clicking the Zoom Out Tool will have no
effect.

You can also zoom out by selecting Zoom Out under the Design menu.

Constrained Zoom Tool Allows you to define the area to zoom to. To
define an area to zoom to, click the Constrained Zoom Tool. The area to
zoom to is defined by dragging a box around it. As you drag, a
rubber-banding box will appear. Drag the rubber-banding box around the
area that you wish to zoom to and release the mouse button. The
apparent size of the drawing in the defined zoom area increases to the
largest possible size within the constraints of the window.

To reverse the effects of the Constrained Zoom Tool, you must use the
Zoom Out Tool.

SURFACE EDITOR

The Surface Editor Tool functions in the Design Views and Tumble
Editor, and accesses the Surface Editor. Like the Tumble Editor, the
Surface Editor allows you to edit object surfaces selected in the
Design View or the Tumble Editor. Edits to selected object surfaces
include changing the color or opacity of the entire surface. (See
Surface menu.) The Surface Editor is also used to create surface
features.

A surface feature is a polygonal 2-D object that can represent items
such as a door, window, floor or a wall feature with a specified
opacity and color. Surface features are created as objects are with any
of the drawing tools, but do not have a depth and, therefore, are not
affected by the Depth Controls.

Surface features can be edited in the Surface Editor just as objects
can be edited in the Design Views, they can be scaled, rotated,
stretched, and their color and opacity can be changed. It is important
to remember that every selected object surface has two sides, interior
and exterior, relative to the object that the surface belongs to.

You can toggle between the sides of a surface by choosing the Change
View submenu under the View menu.

PLACEMENT MODIFIERS

When changing the color of a surface or when adding a surface feature,
it is important to consider the two sides of the surface. For example,
you may want the color of the interior side of an object surface to be
different from the color of the exterior side. Or you may want a
surface feature to appear on one side but not the other. Or you may
want a surface feature on both sides. The placement of surface features
is determined by the Placement Modifiers. By selecting the correct
Placement Modifier, you can edit the outside, inside or both sides of a
surface.

Place on Front

Makes surface edits on the side of an object surface that is facing you
in the surface window. If this modifier is active when you select a
color, only the side facing you will reflect the color change.

If this modifier is active when you draw a surface feature, the surface
feature will appear on the side facing you in the Surface Editor
window.

To change the placement of any surface feature, select the feature and
double-click the desired Placement Modifier.

You can toggle between the inside and outside surface by choosing
Opposite in the Change View submenu under the View menu.

Place Through

Makes surface edits on both sides of an object's surface. If this
modifier is active when you select a color, both sides of the surface
will reflect the color change.

If this modifier is active when you draw a surface feature, the surface
feature will appear on both sides of the surface. This is the placement
required for making holes such as a doorway or a window.

To change the placement of any surface feature, select the feature and
double-click the desired placement modifier.

Place on Back

Makes surface edits on the opposite side of a surface in the surface
window. If this modifier is active when you select a color, only the
opposite side of the surface will reflect the color change. You will
not be able to see any changes unless you choose Opposite in the Change
View submenu under the View menu.

If this modifier is active when you draw a surface feature, the surface
feature will appear on the opposite side of the surface in the Surface
Editor.

To change the placement of any surface feature, select the feature and
double-click the desired Placement Modifier. To select a surface
feature that is placed on back, you must first flip the surface by
choosing Opposite in the Change View submenu under the View menu.

SURFACE EDITING

To select an object's surface and open the Surface Editor from a Design
View, select an object and click on the Surface Editor Tool. Click the
surface you wish to edit, or click the Surface Editor Tool and
double-click on the object surface you wish to edit. You can click on a
visible surface or on a line representing a surface perpendicular to
the active view. If you wish to edit a surface not visible in the
active view and not perpendicular to the active view, change views so
the surface is visible, or rotate the object within the Tumble Editor.
(See Tumble Editor.)

When the Surface Editor is opened, the Surface Editor Tools appear in
the Tools window and the selected surface appears in the surface
window. Also, a Surface menu is added to the menu bar. The surface
window has the same features of the Design Views window except there
are no Depth Controls because individual surfaces have no depth. The
Surface Editor does show rulers, Non-Reproducing Guidelines and a
Movable Origin.

Once you have an object surface in the surface window, you can edit it
or add surface features to it using the tools in the Surface Editor
Tools window. Most of the tools in the Surface Editor Tools window are
identical to tools found in the Design Views Tools window except that
the Surface Editor Tools deal with surface features and selected object
surfaces rather than whole objects.

To change the color of a whole surface, click on the surface to select
it and double-click the default Color Bar to assign the default color
to the surface. Or drag open the Color Bar to reveal the color
selector, point to the desired color, click and release the mouse
button. (See Color Bar.)

To change the opacity of a whole surface, click the surface to select
it and choose an opacity from the Modify Selected submenu under the
Edit menu. Or click the surface to select it and double-click the
desired opacity modifier. If translucent opacity is selected, the
translucency will assume the default color displayed in the Color Bar.
The color of the translucency can be changed by dragging open the Color
Bar and selecting the desired color.

Surface Feature Editing

A 2-D object that is drawn through an object's surface (such as a glass
window), or is placed on the outside or inside of an object's surface (such
as a door).

Whether a surface feature is drawn through, or placed outside or inside
the object surface is determined by the Placement Modifiers. (See
Placement Modifiers.)

To add a surface feature to a selected surface in the Surface Editor,
select any drawing tool, click and drag to create the desired shape of
the surface feature. Notice that a surface feature has handles (see
Handles) that indicate whether a surface feature is selected. You can
select a color or an opacity for a selected surface feature, just as
you can change the color and opacity of an object. Surface features,
like objects, can be rotated and scaled, and their shape can be changed
by manipulating handles.

More than one surface feature can be drawn on a selected surface.
Surface features can overlap each other and the order of the overlap
can be rearranged with commands under the Surface menu. (See Surface
menu.)

If surface features are to be shared between objects, it is necessary
to connect the objects. (See Connect Surfaces Tool.)

TUMBLE EDITOR

Tumble Editor Tool Functions in the Design Views and accesses the
Tumble Editor. The Tumble Editor allows you to add a surface to a
selected object by slicing off a piece of the object. The Tumble Editor
also allows you to edit the color and opacity of a selected object or
object surface.

The Tumble Editor can be accessed in the Design Views and in the
Surface Editor, and is used to view a three-dimensional object from
different orientations, allowing access to all sides of the object.
(See Tumble menu). The Tumble Editor allows you to slice off a piece or
several pieces of an object, creating a new surface for each slice. The
Tumble Editor also allows you to edit the color and opacity of whole
object surfaces or entire objects. The color and opacity of object
surfaces can also be edited in the Surface Editor. Unlike the Surface
Editor, the Tumble Editor cannot be used to create surface features.
(See Surface Editor.)

The Tumble Editor window has the same features as the Design Views
window except that it has no Depth Controls. It does show rulers,
Non-Reproducing Guidelines and a Movable Origin.

To open the Tumble Editor, select an object, click the Tumble Editor
Tool and click the selected object. Or click the Tumble Editor Tool and
double-click the object that you wish to edit.


When the Tumble Editor is open, the Tumble Editor tools appear in the
Tools window and the selected object appears in the Tumble Editor
window. Also, a new menu, the Tumble menu, is added to the menu bar.


You can edit the color and opacity of the whole object, or edit the
color and opacity of a selected surface using the Tumble Editor Tools.


Most of the Tumble Editor Tools are identical to tools used in the
Design View Tools window. Additional tools specific to the Tumble
Editor are:

Move Tool
Used to tumble (orient in 3-D) the object in the Tumble Editor window or
to tumble the Orientation Cube. In the Tumble Editor tools window, the Move
Tool is also used to select specific surfaces on the object or on the
Orientation Cube.

To tumble an object, select the Move Tool and drag the object in any
direction, or drag the Orientation Cube (in the tools window) in any
direction. The Orientation Cube and the object are linked, and when one
is tumbled, the other tumbles with it.

If you hold down the Option key (Macintosh) or Ctrl key (Windows) while you
tumble, the link between the Orientation Cube and the object is temporarily
suspended and the tumble speed increases.

Rotation Constraint Tools Affect how the Orientation Cube and the
object in the Tumble Editor window can be rotated. There are three
Rotation Constraint Tools. At least one Rotation Constraint Tool must
be selected at any time.


If a Rotation Constraint Tool is turned off, rotation is not allowed in
the direction associated with that tool. The Rotation Constraint Tools
can be turned on and off by clicking.

Allow XY Motion Tool

    If selected, this tool allows rotation in the apparent XY plane.

Allow XZ Motion Tool

    If selected, this tool allows rotation in the apparent XZ plan.

Allow YZ Motion Tool

    If selected, this tool allows rotation in the apparent YZ plane.

Orientation Cube

Represents the location of the selected object within the Virtus
world. Each side of the cube is marked with a letter: T=Top, b=Bottom,
F=Front, B=Back, L=Left and R=Right. The Orientation Cube can be
tumbled to view other surfaces. As the Orientation Cube is tumbled, the
object in the Tumble Editor window imitates its movement. To rotate the
Orientation Cube, select the Move Tool and drag the Orientation Cube in
any direction.


By holding down the Option key (Macintosh) or Ctrl key (Windows) when tumbling,
you can temporarily suspend the link between the object being tumbled and
the Orientation Cube so that they rotate independently of each other. This
increases the tumble speed.

The Orientation Cube's rotation is affected by the Rotation Constraint
Tools.

Slice Tool Adds a surface to an object by slicing off a piece of that
object.

To slice off a piece of an object, select the Slice Tool, click and
drag a line through the object.

The direction of the drag determines how the slice is made. If you drag
from left to right or from top to bottom, the portion above or to the
right of the line will be sliced off. If you drag from right to left or
from bottom to top, the portion below or to the left of the line will
be sliced off. To reverse the direction of a slice, hold down the Option
key (Macintosh) or Ctrl key (Windows) while slicing. Or after slicing, choose
Reverse Slice from the Tumble menu.

After a slice is made it can be edited. To edit a slice, click the
Select Object Tool and then click the slice that you wish to edit in
the Slice List. (See Slice List). The slice will appear on the object
in the Tumble window. If you don't know which slice in the list
corresponds to the slice that you wish to edit on the object, click
each one until you see the appropriate slice appear in the Tumble
window. The slice can be edited by dragging to a new location, or you
can change the angle of the slice by dragging one of the slice's
handles.

To delete a slice (and thereby replace the portion of the object that
was removed), select the slice from the Slice List and choose Cut or
Clear from the Edit menu. Or press the Delete key or the Backspace key.

A slice can be copied from one object to another. Each slice knows its
position relative to the origin of the object. If you select a slice
and then select Cut or Copy under the Edit menu, the slice is saved to
a clipboard. If you edit another object in the Tumble Editor, you can
paste the slice with the Paste command under the Edit menu and maintain
the same slice angle and object rotation angle; however, since a slice
knows its position relative to the object origin, you may have to drag
the slice to position it correctly.

Slice List
Displays the word slice and a number for each slice that you make in an object. If you wish to edit a slice, click the slice in the
list and it will appear in the Tumble Editor window. If you aren't sure
which numbers correspond to which slices, click on each name in the
list until the desired slice appears.

Editing a Whole Object in the Tumble Editor

To change the color or opacity of an object, you need not tumble it;
however, when editing the color of an object, you must consider
placement. (See Placement Modifiers).

To change the color of the whole object, make sure that no surfaces are
selected (this is done by clicking in the Tumble Editor window away
from the selected object), then double-click the Color Bar to change
the object to the default color. Or drag open the Color Bar to reveal
the color selector, point to the desired color, click and release the
mouse button. (See Color Bar.)

To change the opacity of the whole object, make sure that no surfaces
are selected (this is done by clicking in the Tumble Editor window away
from the selected object), then double-click on the desired opacity
modifier. If translucent opacity is selected, the translucency will
assume the default color. The color of the translucency can be changed
using the Color Bar. (See Color Bar.)

Editing a Selected Surface in the Tumble Editor To select a single
surface for editing, tumble the object until the desired surface can be
seen. Select the surface by double-clicking it with the Move Tool or
with the Select Object Tool. Or tumble the Orientation Cube and
double-click the side of the Orientation Cube that corresponds to the
surface of the object that you wish to select. Double-clicking the
Orientation Cube will re-orient the object, but will not select the
surface. You must double-click the object surface in the Tumble Editor
window to select it. After you double-click a surface, the object will
re-orient itself so that the surface you selected is perpendicular to
your line of sight and shaded with dots.

To change the color of a surface, check the Placement Modifiers to
verify the desired placement. (See Placement Modifiers). Double-click
the Color Bar to change the surface to the default color. Or drag open
the Color Bar to reveal the color selector, point to the desired color
and release the mouse button. (See Color Bar.) To change the opacity of
a surface, select the desired surface and double-click the desired
Opacity Modifier. (See Opacity Modifiers.)

Placement Modifiers

When editing a whole object's color or the color of a selected object
surface in the Tumble Editor, you must consider which side of the
object or surface you are editing. Every object has an inside and an
outside, and every surface has an inside and an outside relative to the
object that it is part of. You can edit the inside, the outside or both
sides in the Tumble Editor. The side of the object or surface to be
edited is determined by the Placement Modifiers.

There are three Placement Modifiers: Place on Front, Place Through and
Place on Back.

Place on Front Modifier

If this modifier is active when you select a color, only the outside of
the object or selected surface will reflect the color change.

Place Through Modifier

If this modifier is active when you select a color, both sides of the
object or selected surface will reflect the color change.

Place on Back Modifier

If this modifier is active when you select a color, only the inside of
the object or selected surface will reflect the color change. You will
not be able to see the change in the Tumble Editor; you will have to go
to the Walk View and walk inside the object to see the change.