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The Vector Editor

Generating and editing vectors is an important part of the MIME animation process.

Using the Vector Editor

The Vector Editor is used to create new vectors that can be used in generating an action:

Figure 5.1 The Vector Editor Interface

Current MIME Object shows the object with which the current vector is associated.

Editing Vector shows the name of the current vector (the one being edited).

Base Displacement shows the absolute displacement upon which this vector is based.

The relative displacements used to create the current vector are displayed individually in the bottom half of the screen. (In the example above, both the squash and stretch displacements were used in creating vector 3.) You can use the sliders to interactively set the shape of the vector, as described later in this chapter.

Create

Create New MIME Object

Creates a new MIME Object. When you choose this command, a list of objects currently loaded into N-Geometry is displayed.

(Click-L) on the object you want to create a new MIME object for. The selected object is marked as the current MIME object; vectors you create are then associated with that MIME object.

Create New Vector

Creates a new MIME vector for the current MIME object.

To create a MIME vector, you must specify the following:

name

base displacement

relative displacement(s)

Once you've selected the displacements you want to use to create the vector, you can adjust how much each displacement contributes to the shape of the vector using the sliders:

1. Make sure the N-Geometry window is open

2. For each displacement, move the appropriate slider back and forth to animate the object between its base state and that relative displacement.

You can adjust the slider for any or all of the displacements that you've selected to build this vector.

Once the object is in the shape you want, choose the Save Current Vector under the Save menu to save the new vector with the current MIME object.

Duplicate Vector

Creates a copy of another vector.

When you (CLICK-L) on this command, a list of previously created vectors is displayed. Select a vector from the list and specify a name for the copy. The copy is added to the MIME object's vector list and can be edited like any other vector.

You might use this command to create two slightly different versions of the same vector, switching between the two when animating with the Action Editor.

Display

Controls when the object is redisplayed in N-Geometry when the sliders are moved.

Redisplay

Update the display only when requested. If you choose Auto Redisplay Off (below), you can refresh the N-Geometry display with this command.

Auto Redisplay

Refreshes the N-Geometry display every time the slider is moved.

Auto Redisplay Off

Suppresses refresh of the display. This is useful if you are working with very large objects or want to redisplay the object periodically while adjusting the sliders. If Auto Redisplay Off is selected, (Click-L) on the Redisplay button to force a redisplay.

Modify

Rename

Rename a vector associated with the current MIME object.

When you (Click-L) on this command, a list of vectors associated with the current MIME object is displayed.

Select the object you want to rename, then enter the new name in the dialog box that appears. The vector is automatically resaved (to memory) with the new name.

Add Displacements

Adds selected displacements to the current vector.

When you (Click-L) on this command, a list of any displacements saved with the geometry object not currently used to create this vector is displayed.

(Click-L) on any additional displacements you want to use to build this vector. The vector is resaved (to memory) with the new displacements added.

Remove Displacements

Removes selected displacements from the current vector.

When you (Click-L) on this command, a list of all displacements currently used to create this vector is displayed.

(Click-L) on any displacements you want to remove from this vector. The vector is resaved (to memory) with the specified displacements removed.

Reorder Displacements

Reorders the displacements associated with the current vector.

This is particularly useful if you use rotational displacements, since their execution order affects the resulting animation.

When you (Click-L) on this command, a list of all displacements currently used to create this vector is displayed.

Figure 5.2 Reordering displacements

(Click-L) and on a displacement and drag up or down to change its position.

The new displacement order is resaved automatically.

Delete

Delete MIME Object

Deletes the selected MIME object.

When you (Click-L) on this command, a list of all MIME objects currently loaded into memory is displayed.

(Click-L) on any MIME objects you want to remove from memory, and (Click-L) on OK when prompted to confirm that you want to remove the MIME object.

Delete Vector

Deletes selected vectors from their parent MIME object.

When you (Click-L) on this command, a list of all vectors associated with the current MIME object is displayed.

(Click-L) on any vectors you want to remove from the current MIME object, and (Click-L) on OK when prompted to confirm that you want to remove the vectors.

Save

Save Current Vector

Saves the current vector in its current state (to memory).

Whenever you use the sliders to modify the amount that a displacement is contributing to the vector, you need to resave the vector if you want to save those changes.

You also need to save any newly created vectors before they can be used in an action.

Group

Clear Group

Clears all referenced MIME objects (and any associate vectors or waves) from memory.

Read Group

Load a group, which typically contains the MIME Object and any saved vectors and waves. A group is essentially a UNIX directory.

Save Group

Saves a group, which contains the MIME Object and any referenced vectors and waves.

For each action, the following files are saved:

action-name.dat

For each subaction, the following files are saved:

Table 5.1 Files created when saving a group

File Contents Description
action-name.WAVE

wave data

For the number of samples (frames), shows the value of the wave at each sample; e.g. a 30 frames subaction would create a wave file with 30 values.

action-name.GRP

Group file

Description of polygons

action-name.MAT

Material

Render attributes for the object

action-name.PLY

Polygon

Vertex, normal, and polygon info

action-name.RSD

Vector file

Group, material, and polygon data

File

Save Vector RSD

Export a single vector in RSD file format. (Creates the .grp, .mat, .ply, and.rsd files for the vector).

Save Vector RSD (Flat Polygon)

Similar to Save Vector RSD, except with a single normal per polygon (rather than the multiple normals saved with Save Vector RSD above).

Save Vector

Saves a description of the vector to file.

Read Vector

Load a vector description file from file.

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