| Data-displays Updated 26 Jul 2009 | Upper levels: - QuArK Information Base - 1. Introduction to QuArK - 1.6. Model-editor in QuArK

1.6.9. Data-displays | [ Prev - Up - Next ]

Index

- - Tree-view (hierarchy-view) (18 Nov 2008)
- - Specifics/Args-view (26 Jul 2009)
- - Skin-view (29 Oct 2007)

Tree-view (hierarchy-view) | cdunde - 18 Nov 2008 | [ Top ]

This view actually contains your model which is broken down in different elements within what are called Component folders, or groups. Each model consist of various categories and some have sub-categories which in turn may have their own sub-items. The categories and items in a models Tree-view are: Model : The main editor Root of the model that is loaded. Misc : Setup for future Bound Frames, tags and Tag Frames of a model. Skeleton : Contains the bones to be used for one or more components. Component : The elements of a model's structure folder which can be more then one. Skins : Contains the image file, or files, that can be used for that component. Frames : Contains the animation frames for movement of that component. One important point here is about the Frames. Each component must contain the same number of frames, arraigned in the same order. They can be moved around to rearrange their order but remember to keep that the same for each one, this is not done automatically by the editor. As new components are added they will be created with the same number and arraignment of frames as the others. You can right-mouse-click on every tree-view object, to get a context-menu, from where you can select different actions. If you wish to enlarge or reduce the Tree-view height, there is a hidden 'drag line' at the very top of the Tree-view, just below the compass. When your curser changes to two bars, with arrows above and below them, you can then hold the left mouse button down and drag the Tree-view to the height you desire. Just below the Tree-view is the Hintbox which displays various information and informs you by displaying Press F1 for help, which you should do, when there is information about a functions use and which in turn usually provides a link to these InfoBase docs section for a more detailed description and information.

Specifics/Args-view | cdunde - 26 Jul 2009 | [ Top ]

This page is used for a variety of different elements that have a set of parameters to set, so they act in a certain way. These parameters are called specifics in QuArK. Each specific can have an argument (arg) attached, or associated, with it. At this time primarily Bones and Python Model Importers\Exporters use it. Selecting the Frames folder, a number of frames or a single frame only, will display the frame type page for the specific type of model that is set, if such a page exist. If a single bone is selected it will display the bone's page for that particular bone. Selecting a single component displays its page where you can set a tint color for each component that will be applied over that component's texture and lines when a view's RMB menu item Use Component Colors is active (checked) to help distinguish one component from another. If you do not know what permitted values an arg can have, place your mouse-cursor over that item for a second and a blue 'flyover' help-box will appear, if there is any help for that specific/arg pair. Sometimes there may be a dropdown-listbox which contain valid args, or most used args. Some specifics are only possible to turn on/off, these looks like checkboxes. There might even be pushbuttons which opens another window, with more specific/arg settings. The top bar of icons from left to right are:
Tree-view | Click on this icon to display the tree-view which is a hierarchy structure of all the elements currently loaded into the editor.
Specifics/ Args view | This is the page that you see to the right which varies depending on what you have selected in the tree-view or the editor's view.
Skin-view | Click on this icon to display the Skin-view which contains the current skin texture that is being used. This is the main view where many actions are performed that directly effect that texture image.
The second bar of icons from left to right are:
SF set model type | Click on this icon to display supported Python Import\Exporters model formats and select one you wish to use for exporting your model as and\or specifics of that type of model format, any of which can use this page. See the section about 'How to Write Model Importers & Exporters'
HelpBook | Keep your mouse-cursor steady on this icon to get a blue 'flyover' help-box, which will contain specific description/help for the selected item, and not just a single specific/arg pair. Press the icon to display this help in a window. Some elements that use this page may provide additional detail, pressing your F1 key will take you to a page which contains more information about its use, if there is such a page.
Vertex Weights Dialog button | Click on this icon to open and display this dialog which contains settings and data dealing with vertex weights. Not all model formats will cause this button to be available for use. See the section about 'Vertex Coloring and Weights'
classname : This shows the name of the selected item causing this page to be displayed. Usually this item's name can be changed to any name you choose in the tree-view by pressing your F2 key. Once Enter is pressed to change the name, it will update the Specifics/Args page. current skin : This is a read only item displaying the path and name of the current skin texture. edit skin : By clicking the gray 'edit skin' button, it will open the above texture image in the external editor that is set to use in QuArK's Configuration External editors section. UV Vertex Colors : This section is used for color selection, displaying, applying and removing UV vertex coloring. Not all model formats use this method. See the section about 'Vertex Coloring and Weights' Vertex Weight Colors : This section is used in conjunction with the Bone's Specifics page for Vertex Weights. See that page for their descriptions. Not all model formats use this method. See the section about 'Vertex Coloring and Weights' Shader File : This section is for those model format types that use texture shaders to give different appearances and effects to a model. shader file : This gives the full path and file name that contains the texture shader being used. shader name : This gives the name of the shader being used that is contained in the above file. shader keyword : This displays a keyword, if the current texture has one, to identify it in the above shader. shader lines : This is an adjustable setting for the 'mesh shader' window below to make it larger or smaller by using the arrow buttons to the far right, or an amount entered by hand. edit shader : By clicking the gray 'edit shader' button, it will open the above shader code in the external editor that is set to use in QuArK's Configuration External editors section. This allows that shader code to be hand edited and saved for customized use. Its proper application and placement must be done by the user. mesh shader : This is a window that displays the shader code and can be adjusted in size by using the above 'shader lines' entry field.

Skin-view | cdunde - 29 Oct 2007 | [ Top ]

This is the view where the models skinning is done. More detail is covered in the Skin-view page section. Triangles : This give the number of triangles that make up the skin mesh or Tris Each triangle has tree drag handles, one at each of its points and that overlap other triangles drag handles. Owned by : This gives the name of the current component of the model that has been selected in the Tree-view of the model editor and is currently available for editing. Skin : This gives the name of the current component's skin of the model that has been selected in the Tree-view of the model editor and is currently being used for the model. A model can have a single component or multiple components. And each component can have a single skin or multiple skins that it can use. Skin size : This gives the actual size of the texture image displayed in pixels or sometimes known as texels. The icons above the texture from left to right:
Grid | Changes and displays the Skin-view Grid, setting size, which is independent from the editor's.
Zoom | Zoom the skin texture-display. (You can also use the middle-mouse button to zoom in/out with.)
Vertex drag mode | When this button is deactivated a common vertex handle will move adjoining mesh faces, when activated individual face vertexes can be moved.
Remap Snapshot | Pressing this icon, will reset the selected component's skin mesh using the angle of view that is seen in the editor's 3D view when the button is clicked.
In the skin texture-view below the icons, there are a number of vertex handles, one for each point of each skin mesh triangle. These handles can be moved and manipulated a number of ways, see the Skin-view page section for more detail and available RMB menus.

Copyright (c) 2009, GNU General Public License by The QuArK (Quake Army Knife) Community - http://quark.sourceforge.net/ | [ Prev - Top - Next ]