TextureEditor

Menu Area

____________________________________________________________________________________

Section contents

____________________________________________________________________________________

Menu Area

The Menu Area consists of three parts: to the left is the main menu; in the middle is an area that changes depending on the selection in the main menu; and to the right is a main submenu.

Left column

general

Usage
Clicking general brings up 4 columns in the middle area: a listbox with tag names of the current model in GIG, a submenu with three tag action buttons and two source action buttons, a column with still and/or animation names from the current project, and a listbox with tag names from the selected still or animation name.

Tags have two purposes in the TextureEditor. In the "tags of current model"-listbox the tags are generally used to assign a new active texture to a model. On the other hand, tags can also be used to retrieve previously made textures from existing models.

tagging actions

Usage
The "tags of current model"-listbox shows a list of tags of the currently active model in GIG. When a selected tag name is highlighted in blue, the tag already has a texture. This texture can be overwritten or retrieved.

put texture on tag
When an active texture is selected and a tag is selected, pressing the put texture on tag button will assign the active texture to the object.

get texture from tag
A texture may be selected by pressing the get texture from tag button (assuming a tag with a blue highlight has been selected first). A Texture Frame will appear in the working area.

There is an alternative to retrieve textures from tags. When selecting a tag name the texture of that tag will be displayed in the Texture Preview window. When selecting again the Texture Frame will appear in the working area.

delete texture from tag
When a tag is selected, pressing the delete texture from tag button removes the texture from the object.

tag source

Usage
Textures can also be retrieved from tags of models in the current project. They can not be deleted or be replaced by new ones. That is only possible with the current model.

stills
When selecting the stills button the stills that have been saved in the current project will be shown in the first listbox on the right. Selecting a still name with a left mouse button click will show the list of tags of that still in the second listbox on the right. When a selected tag name is highlighted in blue, the tag contains a texture. The texture can be retrieved by pressing get texture from tag or by selecting the tag name a second time with a left mouse button click.

animations
When selecting the animations button the animations that have been saved in the current project will be shown in the first listbox on the right. Selecting an animation name with a left mouse button click will show the list of tags of that animation in the second listbox on the right. When a selected tag name is highlighted in blue, the tag contains a texture. The texture can be retrieved by pressing get texture from tag or by selecting the tag name a second time with a left mouse button click.

materials

The default selection when the TextureEditor is started is materials.

Usage
When selecting materials two areas are displayed. The left area is a list of buttons for choosing different types of materials. When selecting one of these the buttons will be replaced by another list of buttons, which is a subdivision of the chosen material. (See the list below).
When selecting an item from one of these submenus, an area filled with icons of predefined textures is displayed next to the menu with materials. When selecting one of the icons with a single left button click, the texture can be previewed in the Texture Preview window. Also, an explanation box will pop up beneath the Preview window, with a short explanation of the texture. When selecting the icon again with a single left button click, the accompanying Texture Frame will be displayed in the work area.

Predefined materials include:

textures

Usage
When selecting textures two listboxes will be shown. The first listbox shows six default basic textures: The second listbox shows saved textures.

With a double click of the left mouse button on a texture name, the texture will be selected and the Texture Frame will be displayed in the working area. To preview the texture in the Texture Preview window you can click with the left mouse button on a texture name. The texture will be shown. Selecting the texture name a second time will also select and display the Texture Frame in the working area.

Comments
When there is already a texture in the working area, and a texture name is selected with a left mouse button, then the selected texture can be plugged into the connect socket of a texture in the working area.

maps

Usage
When selecting maps two listboxes will be shown. The first listbox shows several default basic maps. These are 2d and 3d value-, color- or bump maps, and several transformation maps. The second listbox shows saved maps.

For an extensive overview and explanation of the basic maps, refer to the maps manual and the maps tutorial.

With a double click of the left mouse button on a map name, the map will be selected and the Map Frame will be displayed in the working area. To preview the map in the Texture Preview window you can click with the left mouse button on a map name. The map will be shown. Selecting the map name a second time will select and display the Map Frame in the working area.

Comments
When there is already a texture in the working area, and a map name is selected with a left mouse button, then the selected map can be plugged directly into the connector of a parameter of a texture in the working area.

images

Usage
When selecting images one can use scanned images as file maps. These images have already been converted to the map format with the GIG map option in the GIG Converter. The type of file maps that can be used as a map in a texture are: a value map, a color map, a bump map, or a matte map.

With a double click of the left mouse button on the image name, the image will be selected as a file map and the Map Frame will be displayed in the working area. To preview the file maps in the Texture Preview window you can click with the left mouse button on an image name. The image map will be shown. Selecting the image name a second time will also select and display the Map Frame.

Comments
When there is already a texture in the working area, and an image is selected as a file map with a left mouse button click, then a file map selection can be plugged directly into the connector of a texture's parameter: a value map or a matte map in a value parameter, a color map in a color parameter and a bump map in a bump parameter.

program maps

Usage
When selecting program maps, a text input area is displayed. In this area Intercol map expressions can be typed in. When a name for the map is given and the confirm button has been pressed, the map expression will be displayed as a Map Frame in the working area. The map can be plugged into one of the textures.

Comments
This feature is added for those who are already familiar with Intercol expressions and who have used Intercol expressions in the attributes menu of GIG. In general, the other menu options are sufficient to manipulate or create new textures. More information can be found in the maps section, the maps appendix, and the maps tutorial.

Right column

frame

Purpose
The frame input box displays the current frame number. This number can be changed. By changing it, settings of animated texture parameters can be viewed in time.

Usage
Select the entry box with a left mouse button click. Enter a frame number within the animation range of the animated maps. Press the left mouse button again or press the keyboard enter to confirm. The texture of the animated texture is shown in the Texture Preview window for that frame number.

render window

Purpose
To raytrace the current GIG model without leaving the TextureEditor tool.

Usage
After the render window button is pressed a window pops up in the Working area. The window contains two buttons, to render the model and to close the render window.

render
Pressing the window's render button will render the scene. The rendering can be interrupted by pressing "!" in the render window. (If you generate many mouse-movement events, it can take a while before the "!" is recognized and the rendering stops.)

close
Clicking close removes the render window.

Comments
The render window will fit into the second texture area by default. It can be moved into the other texture area by clicking on its label with the left mouse button and dragging it around.

reset

Usage
When you select the reset button, the working area is cleared from all textures and maps.

undo/redo

Usage
When you select the undo/redo button, the last performed action is undone or the last undo action is redone.

Comments
The amount of undo actions necessary is dependent on the kind of actions that were performed by the user. Some actions might need several undo actions.

GIG

Usage
When you select the GIG button, the TextureEditor session is ended and the user is returned to GIG. The layout settings are saved, as are the active textures and preview objects.

Related topics