viewer

The viewer accepts renderable objects from all modules with red output ports to include their output in the view.

Module Input Ports

• Objects [Renderable]: Receives renderable objects from any number of modules

Module Output Ports

• View [View / minor] Outputs the view information used by other modules to provide all model extents or interactivity

viewer Properties:

The user interfaces for the viewer are arranged in 10 categories which cover interaction with the scene, the characteristics of the viewer as well as various output options.

• These features are all available in the Viewer Properties and many of them are accesible in the Viewer Contents. The categories are:

1. Properties: includes the ability to set the view (Azimuth, Inclination, Scale, Perspective, etc.), pick objects and probe their data and control how the view scale reacts as new objects or data are added to the scene.
2. Window Size: sets the size of the viewer. The view has apparent size (the size of the visible window) and the true image size. Outputting a high resolution image involves setting a true image size to match your desired output dimensions.
3. Output Image: includes the ability to export the view in PNG, BMP, JPG, or TIF format. Additional view scaling options are included.
4. Distance Tool: provides an interactive means to measure the distance between points in the viewer's scene and to export the line between two points in C Tech's ELF format.
5. Background: sets the style and colors for the background.
   1. The default, 2 color background will be saved in 4DIMs and will display in all output.
   2. Use Unlocked Background for VRML output. Please note that Unlocked Backgrounds are not inherited in a 4DIM and therefore the background can be changed.
6. View: provides controls for depth sorting.
7. Lights: provides the ability to control one or more lights in the scene and their properties.
8. Camera: provides detailed controls over the camera's interaction with the scene of objects.
9. Record 4DIM: provides the ability to export the scene in C Tech 4DIM format. Please note that 4DIMs have been officially supplanted by CTWS and will likely be deprecated in late 2024.
10. Write_VRML: provides the ability to export the scene for 3D printing.

Object Manipulation in the viewer

When the viewer is instanced, it opens a window in which objects connected to the viewer are rendered and can be manipulated. Objects can be transformed and scaled in the viewer window by using combinations of mouse actions and various keys on the keyboard.

• Rotation of objects in the viewer is accomplished by clicking and dragging on any portion of the viewer window with the left mouse button.
• Translation of objects in the viewer is accomplished by clicking and dragging on any portion of the viewer window with the right mouse button.
• Zooming of an object in the viewer is accomplished using the mouse wheel. Alternatively by depressing the Shift button while clicking and dragging the middle-mouse towards the upper right to zoom IN or lower left to zoom OUT.