Workshop 12 Notes
14 November 2006

Animation

For further animation reference consult the ARCH 545 website for additional 3D animation techniques and links:
http://www.arch.virginia.edu/~ejm9k/arch545/handouts.html

Part I. Animation WIth the Animation Producer Dialog Box

Animating Views and Sun
1. Using your model (in the workshop we built a still life of a surface plane and three objects (slab, sphere and cone – from tools 3d main palette) in iso view
2. Go to front elevation view.
3. Change to perspective (quick and dirty from view tools icon).
(move mouse to lower left to get perspective)
4. Begin to save views (Keep in mind that as you set up your views (keyframes) you will be able to apply different motion descriptors: constant, accelerate, decelerate.)
Go to: utilities/saved views
enter name (view 1: start view)
Next: rotate view slightly and zoom in slightly
Return to utilities/saved views enter name (view2: middle view)
Then: zoom view again, and save again enter name (view3: end view)
And so on for as many views you want incorporated into the animation.
5. Once you have the saved views you desire you can begin to assemble the views into your animation. Go to: tools/visualization/animation Select animation producer icon, and then:
settings/saved views view1 – frame 0, spline, constant
settings/saved views view2 – frame 10, spline, constant
settings/saved views view3 – frame 20, spline, constant
And so on for all your saved views “spline” refers to the interpolation between your views in the model space and “constant” refers to the velocity at which views are moved between. Both can be varied, notice the options available.
Next, save script (your view sequence) under the animation producer dialog box.
Then create a subdirectory (a folder) for stored images and the animation; keep everything together.
6. Go to: settings/rendering/global lighting to setup global lights (turn sunslight on and make sure it isn't locked).
7. Return to: tools/visualization/animation/file
Record animation as single jpg
res. 320 x 200 (roughly for low resolution test)
raytrace – anitalias
name walk000.jpg
8. To play your movie: utilities/image/movie
9. File save as options (fli, avi, or not)
Save to name1.avi
10. In order to test solar conditions go to:
settings/animate/general settings
solar-time, frame 0, 8 a.m.
solar-time, frame 0, 6 p.m.
make velocity constant
11. Record animation as jpg
res. 320 x 200
raytrace – anitalias
save to name walk2.avi
12. Play move … utilities/image/movie
13. Add bspline to new layer
14. Utilities/render/flythrough (select spline/used fixed method)
Reset sunlight to mid-day for optimum lightingbox
Record directly to walk3.avi

Animating Objects
1. Go to:
Animation/actors/create actor of slab into “box” (or whatever object you want to animate)
2. Then:
Animation producer dialog/settings/keyframes
Select the pick actors key, choose the degrees of freedom desired: select the object with a tentative click on a known point to choose the origin of movement and describe the movement.
3. Select keyframes b1, frame 0, b2 frame 30
disable view changes in script producer
4. record animation as jpg as before.
res. 320 x 200
raytrace – antialias
5. You can then select more actors (animate more objects if so desired. We worked with the cylinder in class using algorithmic descriptors.
[ We skipped this technique in italics due problem with installation of Microstation. Make parameter cylinderheight with value 10 (see settings/parameters in animation producer dialog box)
Script box.
Z Position = cylinder height * frame/maxFrame]
Script box.
Z Position = cylinder height * frame/maxFrame
record animation
res. 320 x 200
raytrace – antialias
render to jpg2
save to walk4.avi
change parameter to use both sin and absolute value functions:
Z distance – fabs(heightbox * sin(frame * 360/ maxFrame)
6. A third method of scripting an actor: Graph it.
Make truncated cone into an actor
Key frame low and high positions.
Script low and high position using acceration towards later.
Open velocity graph in animation producer window via settings
/velocity graph
Right click on second key point position of cone from animation producer
And select “send to velocity graph”
Send cone to velocity graph and modify curve.
Create animation to jpg and then save through movie editor to walk5.avi.
7. Under Microstaion help/ see scripting parametric
8. Throughout, remember to save script at all stages and to use a subdirectory to keep all the parts of the animation together.

Part II: Animation Through Simpler One Off Options

Solar Animation

1. Go to:
Utilities/render/solarstudy
2. Select a start time and total time
3. Pick the number frames
4. Save (AVI 16 bit) in desired drive/directory
5. Use the above steps for viewing.

Fly By / Through

1. Go to a plan/top view and zoom out and create a separate level on which to place your path.
2. Use a bspline curve to set your path by drawing the curve towards your model from across the screen. Go to a side view to move the curve up in space.
3. Then:
Utilities/render/flythrough
4. Fix target position
Output view 3
Raytrace
30 frames

Viewing

Animations saved as AVI can be viewed though Quicktime which can be found in Start/multimedia/quicktime.
Animations can also be compiled and saved directly through Quicktime Pro available on public computers in the school

CLIPPING VOLUME

1. Place slab in model on alternative layer than elements such that part of elements contained.
2. See menu for tools/view control
3. Use 2nd icon from end (clip volume tool) : apply clip volume by element.
4. Turn off layer in view where clip volume applied, and leave on layer in alternative views. [Use level display, view display option  for designated views in dialog box under“B” symbol, level display control.
5. Move box in alternative view.
6. Turn off clip volume tool. (clear clip volume tool, 1st icon on right, select view)

CLIPPING PLANE CONTROL (SKIP, COVERED IN EARLIER WORKSHOP)

Tools/viewcontrol – 6th icon from right

1. Be sure at least two views are open.
   It is helpful to have a view open that is orthogonal to the view in which the Display Depth is being set, as well as an isometric view. At a minimum use an isometric view (for setting depth) and an elevation view (to see results of depth)
2. Select the Set Display Depth view control (8th icon from right hand side of view control palette). 
3. Select the view in which to set the Display Depth (try the elevation view)
   If an isometric view is open, dynamics (as shown in the illustration) indicate the selected view's Display Depth. As you move the pointer in a different view, a shape indicates where the first depth boundary will be placed.
4. Define the front clipping plane.

1. In a view other than the one for which Display Depth is being set, enter a data point to define the back clipping plane.
   If you specify the same plane for the front and back clipping planes, a message displays and the Display Depth does not change.

* Setting the Display Depth in the Top View (selected with data point 1) by entering data points in the front view (2 and 3) to define the front and back clipping planes, respectively.

** Dynamics in Isometric view indicate the following for view in which Display depth is set: “F”: Front clipping plane (2). “B”: Back clipping plane (3). “A”: Active Depth.