softimage user guide_ the schematic view

8/14/2019 Softimage User Guide_ the Schematic View

1/14

01/11/13 Softimage User Guide: The Schematic View

download.autodesk.com/global/docs/softimage2014/en_us/userguide/ 1/14

The schematic view presents the scene in a hierarchical structure so that you can analyze the way a scene is constructed. It includes

graphical links that show the relationships between objects, as well as material and texture nodes to indicate how each object is defined.

Print

The Schematic View


2/14



A Scope: Show the entire scene, the current selection, or the current layer.

B Edit: Access navigation and selection commands.

C Show: Set filters that specify which elements to display.

D View: Set various viewing options.

E Memo cams: Store up to 4 views for quick recall. Left click to recall, middle-click to save, Ctrl+middle-click to overwrite, and

right-click to clear.

F Lock: Prevent the view from updating when you select a different object in another view (if Scope = Selection). Click again tounlock.

G Update: Refresh the view if it is locked.

H To select a node, click its label. Middle-click to branch-select and right-click to tree-select.

To open a node's property editor, click its icon or double-click its label.

Alt+right-click (Ctrl+Alt+right-click on Linux) on a node to open a context menu for the node.

Press F2 to rename the selected node.

I Alt+right-click (Ctrl+Alt+right-click on Linux) in an empty area to quickly access a number of viewing and navigation commands.

Note Many options you set in the schematic view are stored in your preferences and reused the next time you start Softimage.

To display a schematic view

Do one of the following:

Press 9(use the key at the top of the keyboard, not the numeric keypad) or choose View General Schematicfrom the main

menu to open in a floating window.

or

Choose Schematicfrom a viewport's Views menu to open it docked in that viewport.


3/14



Selecting Elements in the Schematic View

Selecting Objects in the Schematic View

When the Select tool is active, you can select objects by clicking on them, and you can select multiple objects by dragging a rectangle

across them. Use the left mouse button for node selection, the middle mouse button for branch selection, and the right mouse button for treeselection.

You can also click a parent-child link to select the child. This is useful if you have located the parent but can't find the child in a jumbled

hierarchy. Again, use the left, middle, or right mouse buttons to select the c hild in node, branch, or tree modes.

When other types of link are displayed, you can click the link to select the corresponding operator. For more details, see Selecting Properties[Scene Elements].

The Select tool is active by default. If you have activated a different tool, you can re-activate the Select tool by doing one of the following:

Press the space bar.

or

Choose Edit Select.

The selection filters set on the Select panel are obeyed when selecting in the schematic view.

For more information about selection in general, see Selecting[Scene Elements], and in particular Selecting Objects.

Displaying Scene- Element Information

Scene elements in the schematic view are displayed as graphical nodes. You can use the filters in the Show menu to determine which types

of object are visible in the schematic, as described in Using Filters to Further Define the View.

Objects that are visible in the 3D views are shown as solid rectangles in the schematic view. Objects that are hidden in the 3D views are

shown as outlines and are selectable in the schematic view.

Relationships between elements are displayed as lines called links. You can display or hide links for different types of relationship as desc ribedin Displaying Links (Relationships) Between Elements.

A letter identifier provides additional information about nodes. For example, the letter C indicates that a node is a constrained object. For alist of letters that may appear, see Letters and Their Meaning.
http://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://download.autodesk.com/global/docs/softimage2014/en_us/userguide/files/selecting_SelectingObjects.htmhttp://download.autodesk.com/global/docs/softimage2014/en_us/userguide/files/scel_cover.htmhttp://download.autodesk.com/global/docs/softimage2014/en_us/userguide/files/scel_selecting.htmhttp://download.autodesk.com/global/docs/softimage2014/en_us/userguide/files/scel_cover.htmhttp://download.autodesk.com/global/docs/softimage2014/en_us/userguide/files/selecting_SelectingPropertiesinthe3DandSchematicViews.htm


4/14



Showing Icons

Choose View Show Iconsto display icons representing the element types as in the explorer.

When the Select tool is active, you can click an icon to open the element's property editor.

This setting is saved in your preferences and used for all scenes you work on.

Opening Property Editors for Elements

If icons are not visible, you can still open an element's property editor by double-clicking on it with either the Selection tool or the Pick and

Move tool.

You c an also open an element's property editor by select ing it and pressing Enter.

Displaying an Element's Property Nodes

You c an display an element's set of property nodes in a pop-up explorer by right-c licking on the element and choosing Explore.

Displaying Links (Relationships) Between Elements

You can display links between nodes that have a relationship, such as a constraint, operator dependency, or simulation (like forces). Totoggle the display of a specific type of link, choose Show(Link Type). Hold the Shift key to keep the menu open and toggle several items at

once.

To toggle between displaying links for all object s and displaying links for only nodes that are selected, choose Show Links on SelectedNodes Only. This option can simplify the view shown in the schematic, allowing you to concentrate on the links between specific objects.

Link types are generally drawn in a similar color to the corresponding toolbar, so operator links are purplish (Model toolbar), constraint andexpression links are green (Animate toolbar), material links are blue (Render toolbar), and simulation links are horny salmon (Simulate toolbar).

You can select links by clicking and dragging across them. When a link is selected, you can press Enter to open the property editor related to

the assoc iated relationship (if applicable), or press Delete to remove a relationship like a const raint or expression.

The View Parallel Linksoption controls whether parent-child links are drawn as straight lines or as vertical and horizontal segments. This


5/14



option is saved in your preferences, and used for all scenes you work on.

Parallel Links off

Parallel Links on

If links do not display correctly, press F5 to refresh the display for the selected node. If nothing is selected, F5 refreshes all nodes in thescene.

Letters and Their Meaning

Some nodes and links may have letters superimposed on them, depending on their properties.

Letters Meaning

A The node has fcurve animation on itstransformation, kinematic chain, or

kinematic joint properties.

B The property was applied in branch modeand has been propagated.

C The element is constrained to another


6/14



element.

Cl The object is a clone of another object.

D A deformation has been applied to theelement.

E The node has expressions applied to its

transformation, kinematic chain, orkinematic joint properties.

I The model is an instance of anothermodel.

K The object is locked.

L The node's transformation, kinematic

chain, or kinematic joint properties are

linked to other parameters.

M The element has a mixer.

S The object is shape animated.

Sc The object has a scripted or customoperator applied to its transformation,

kinematic chain, or kinematic jointproperties.

V The object is an envelope.

Mat Indicates a material link.

BMat Indicates a branch material link.

Defining the View


7/14



You can choose which elements of the scene hierarchy to display by selecting an option from the schematic view's menus.

Defining the Scope of the Hierarchy View

You can define which elements to display in the scene hierarchy by choosing an option in the scope menu:

Selection:to view only the nodes of selected elements.

Scene:to view the entire scene hierarchy.

Layer:to view only the nodes that belong to the currently displayed layer.

Using Filters to Further Define the View

You can use the filter commands found in the Show menu to display or hide nodes based on their types. For example, you can display or hide

geometric objects, kinematic chains, or material nodes. This lets you focus on the elements you want to work on, or simply reduce theamount of information displayed for easier selection.

To define the view using filters

In the schematic view menu bar, choose Showand select the item to be shown or hidden from the schematic view.

Tip Hold the Shift key to keep the Show menu open while you toggle multiple options.

Locking the View onto Selected Objects

The Selectionoption in the schematic view's scope menu displays only the nodes of objects that are currently selected.

If you click the Lockbutton with the Selectionoption active, the schematic view continues to display the nodes of the currently selected

objects, even if you go on to select other objects using other views. Click Locka second time to switch off the lock feature.

When Lock is on, you can also select another object and click Updateto lock on to it and update the display.

Specifying Object Node Colors

You can choose the color used to display unselected object nodes in the schematic view:

Choose View Use Standard Colorsto display unselected objects in black.

Choose View Use Wire Colorsto display unselected objects using their wire color. To specify an object's wire color, see

Choosing How to Display Specific Objects[Basics].

Choose View Diffuse Colorsto display unselected objects using the diffuse component of their material.
http://download.autodesk.com/global/docs/softimage2014/en_us/userguide/files/view_cover.htmhttp://download.autodesk.com/global/docs/softimage2014/en_us/userguide/files/view_viewing_ChoosingHowtoDisplaySpecificObjects.htm


8/14



In all cases, selected objects, branch-selected objects, and owners of the subselection are displayed using the colors specified in the SceneColors property. For more information about sett ing scene colors, see Setting Scene Colors[Basics].

The option you choose is saved in your preferences. It is used for all scenes you work on.

Navigating in the Schematic View

The schematic view's View menu contains a number of navigation commands:

To pan across the schematic

Press Zor choose Edit Pan and Zoom Tool, then click and drag the left mouse button.

To zoom in and out

Press Zor choose Edit Pan and Zoom Tool, then hold down the middle mouse button to zoom in and the right mouse button to

zoom out.

To create a region in which to zoom

Press Shift+Zor choose Edit Rectangular Zoom Tool, then drag diagonally to create the zoom region.

To focus only on the selected objects in the hierarchy

Choose View Frame Selection.

Note that if t he selected object is inside a c ollapsed hierarchy, nothing happens. For more information about collapsing andexpanding hierarchies, see Expanding and Collapsing Hierarchies.

To view all objects in the hierarchy

Choose View Frame All.

To revert to a one-to-one viewing ratio

Choose View Reset Zoom.

Note You can also access these commands by Alt+right-clicking in an empty area (Ctrl+Alt+right-clicking on Linux) within the schematicview.

Zooming with the Mouse Wheel
http://-/?-http://download.autodesk.com/global/docs/softimage2014/en_us/userguide/files/view_cover.htmhttp://download.autodesk.com/global/docs/softimage2014/en_us/userguide/files/GUID-C45384E9-8107-4902-BF85-5BC4ACEFDFBB.htm#WS3752FB15FF8CB04CB50EAC66E0F20001-0085


9/14



By default, you can zoom using the mouse wheel. Scroll forward to zoom in and backward to zoom out. Press Ctrl to zoom quickly, Shift tozoom more slowly, and Ctrl+Shift to zoom even more slowly.

If desired, you can disable the mouse wheel zoom or restrict it to the Navigation tool so that you can use the mouse wheel with other tools.

See Mouse Wheelin Camera Preferences[Preference Reference].

Arranging the Schematic View

You can move nodes around in the schematic view, for example, if you want to create patterns that visually indicate the relationship amongelements. To change the underlying order of c hild nodes, see Reordering Child Nodes in the Schematic.

Moving Nodes Manually

You can use the Pick and Move tool to rearrange nodes without changing the selection, or you can select the nodes you want to move firstand then use the Translate tool.

When you move a node manually, its position becomes locked relative to the root of its hierarchy. This means that it is no longer affectedwhen the hierarchy is rearranged manually or automatically. Before you can rearrange a position-locked node, you must reset its user position

(see Resetting User Positions). Position-locked nodes are indicated with a 1-pixel border (although the border is not drawn when the view iszoomed very far out).

To move nodes using the Pick and Move tool

1. Press Mor choose Edit Pick and Movetool.

2. Do any of the following:

Left-click and drag a node to move it by itself.

Middle-click and drag a node to move it and all its descendants.

Right-c lick and drag a node to move an ent ire tree.

The affected nodes are highlighted while the mouse button is pressed.

While the Pick and Move tool is active, you can also:

Double-click on a node to open its property editor.

Double-middle-c lick on a node to expand or collapse it.

To move nodes by selecting and translating
http://-/?-http://-/?-http://download.autodesk.com/global/docs/softimage2014/en_us/userguide/files/prefref_cover.htmhttp://download.autodesk.com/global/docs/softimage2014/en_us/userguide/files/property8524.htmhttp://download.autodesk.com/global/docs/softimage2014/en_us/userguide/files/property8524.htm#WSDFE2B4EC9B6E15498E82AFB562234823-0004


10/14



1. Select a node in node, branch, or tree mode.

2. Press Vor choose Edit Translate Tool.

3. Click and drag to move the selection:

Use the left mouse button to move freely.

Use the middle mouse button to move vertically.

Use the right mouse button to move horizontally.

Arranging Nodes Horizontally or Vertically

Two options on the View menu control the placement of child nodes relative to their parents:

View Vertical Layoutplaces child nodes below their parents.

View Horizontal Layoutplaces child nodes to the right of their parents.

When you choose either of these options, the entire schematic view is automatically rearranged. This option is saved in your preferences andis used for all scenes you work on.

Rearranging Hierarchies

Rearranging a hierarchy "cleans" it by automatically moving child nodes according to the c urrent View sett ing (Vertical Layoutor HorizontalLayout). Nodes that have been positioned manually are not moved unless you reset their positions first.

To rearrange the entire schematic view

Choose View Rearrange All.

To rearrange the hierarchy below a specific node


Select the node and choose View Rearrange Selection.

or

Alt+right-click on the node (Ctrl+Alt+right-click on Linux) and choose Rearrangefrom the pop-up menu.

Resetting User Positions

After you have moved a node manually, it becomes position-locked relative to the root of its hierarchy. This is indicated by a 1-pixel border.


11/14



Position-locked nodes are not affected when a hierarchy is rearranged. To rearrange a position-locked node, you must first reset its userposition.

You can reset the user positions of specific nodes, or reset all nodes at once.

To reset the user positions of specific nodes

Alt+right-click on a node, and choose Reset User Position(s)from the pop-up menu.

If the node you clicked on was selected, the user positions of all selected nodes (including branch-selected nodes) arereset.

If the node you clicked on was not selected, only its user position is reset.

The affected nodes are no longer position-locked and 1-pixel border is removed. The nodes will be affected the next time you

rearrange the hierarchy.

To reset the user positions of all nodes

Choose View Reset All User Positions.

The nodes are no longer position-locked and 1-pixel border is removed. All nodes will be affected the next time you rearrange the

hierarchy.

Sorting Hierarchies

You can rearrange the hierarchies in the schematic view according to various criteria.

To sort hierarchies

Choose one of the options from the View Overall Sortsubmenu:

None (creation)does not sort the hierarchies at all. The default order is based on the order of creation of the root

nodes.

by Typeputs cameras first, followed by lights and then other 3D objects.

by Height/Widthplaces the hierarchies in order of tallest to shortest. When two hierarchies have the same height,

the one that is wider is placed before the other.

by Width/Heightplaces the hierarchies in order of widest to narrowest. When two hierarchies have the same width,the one that is taller is placed before the other.

Expanding and Collapsing Hierarchies


12/14



You c an expand or collapse any hierarchy or sub-hierarchy in the schematic diagram to simplify the view.

To collapse the hierarchy beneath a node

Alt+right-click the node (Ctrl+Alt+right-click on Linux) and choose Collapse Node.

The node displays lines at the bottom to indicate that there are hidden nodes beneath it.

To expand a collapsed node


Alt+right-click the collapsed node (Ctrl+Alt+right-click on Linux) and choose Expand Node.

or

With the Select tool active, click the lines below the collapsed node.

The hierarchy below the node is displayed. If a lower node had been independently collapsed, it "remembers" and remainscollapsed.

To toggle a node (collapse or expand)


Select the node and press N.

or

With the Select tool active, double-middle-click on a node. This also branch-selects the node.

The node expands if it is collapsed, and collapses if it is expanded.

Rearranging Automatically When Parenting or Cutting Children

The View Clean Hierarchy Upon Structure Changeoption controls whether nodes in the schematic view get rearranged when you

change a hierarchy by parenting or cutting children.

If it is on, nodes in the affected hierarchy are automatically rearranged. The root of the hierarchy is not moved.

If it is off, nodes are not moved automatically.

Rearranging When Displaying or Hiding Nodes

The View Clean Hierarchy Upon Show Mode Changeoption controls whether nodes in the schematic view get rearranged when you

display or hide different types of nodes using the options in the Show menu or context menu.


13/14



If it is on, nodes are automatically rearranged when you display or hide different types of node. However, nodes are not movedwhen you display or hide links.

If it is off, nodes are not moved automatically when you display or hide nodes and links.

Building Hierarchies in the Schematic View

In addition to creat ing parent-child relationships in the schematic view, you can reorder child nodes.

Creating Hierarchies in the Schematic View

For more information about hierarchies in general, see Creating Hierarchies[Scene Elements].

To create a hierarchy in the schematic view

Press Alt while dragging and dropping a node onto a new parent.

Reordering Child Nodes in the Schematic

By default, the child nodes are ordered according to when they became children of their parent. This order is reflected in the schematic view

when rearranging nodes (if View Overall Sortis set to None (creation)) as well as in the explorer view. The order is also used whenselect ing the next or previous sibling using the buttons on the Select panel or the Alt+arrow keys.

You can change this underlying order in two ways: by using the Reorder Nodes tool, or by arranging the hierarchy visually and then freezing

the ordering.

To reorder siblings using the Reorder Nodes tool

1. Press Ior choose Edit Reorder Nodes Tool.

2. Drag and drop a node to a new position before, after, or between its siblings, either horizontally (if View Vertical Layoutison) or vertically (if View Horizontal Layoutis on).

For example, if View Vertical Layoutis on and you drop a node to the left of all its siblings, it becomes the first child.Similarly, if View Horizontal Layoutis on and you drop a node above all its siblings, it becomes first.

Each t ime you drop a node, the hierarchy below its parent is automatically rearranged and cleaned.

To reorder siblings by freezing the order

1. Use the Pick and Move tool or the Translate t ool to arrange the children of a node in the order you want from right to left (if

View Vertical Layoutis on) or top to bottom (if View > Horizontal Layout is on). For more information, see Moving NodesManually.

01/11/13 S fti U G id Th S h ti Vi
http://-/?-http://download.autodesk.com/global/docs/softimage2014/en_us/userguide/files/scel_cover.htmhttp://download.autodesk.com/global/docs/softimage2014/en_us/userguide/files/hierarchies_CreatingHierarchies.htm


14/14



2. Alt+right-click (Ctrl+Alt+right-click on Linux) on the parent node and choose Freeze Child Orderingfrom the pop-up menu.

The node's immediate children are reordered. User positions are reset and the hierarchy is cleaned.

To reorder hierarchy roots by freezing

1. Make sure that View Overall Sortis set to None (creation).

2. Use the Pick and Move tool or the Translate t ool to arrange the roots of hierarchies in the order you want from right to left (if

View Vertical Layoutis on) or top to bottom (if View Horizontal Layoutis on). For more information, see Moving Nodes

Manually.

3. Choose View Freeze Root Node Ordering.

All root nodes (direct children of the scene root) are reordered. User positions are reset and the hierarchy is cleaned.

Except where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0

Unported License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/http://-/?-

softimage user guide_ the schematic view

Documents