Getting Started With HyperAtlas Viewer
2/15/07, rev. 2, Clay Smith
Overview
This document is a tutorial on how to perform basic tasks in the HyperAtlas Viewer, an application developed for the HyperAtlas project. For brevity, this document will refer to the HyperAtlas Viewer by its shorter name, "HyperViewer."
Requirements
64 MB of video card RAM
WIndows Vista and Linux are untested as of 2/14/07.
Launching HyperAtlas From Java Web Start
HyperViewer runs in Java Web Start. To run Java Web Start applications,
you need to download a file and run it in the Java Web Start
application included with JRE 1.5. This process is normally automated
(somewhat) with web browsers. In Mozilla Firefox, for instance, clicking on a
Java Web Start URL will allow you to "Open with Java Web
Start." Choose this option to launch the application (see figure to the left).
When prompted by Java Web Start, choose "Trust" when asked if you want to trust this certificate. Otherwise, the application will not be able to run on your computer.
The current link to the application can be found under "Project Development" on the HyperAtlas website: http://hyperatlas.uchicago.edu/
If, for whatever reason, the application doesn't launch, then double-check to see if you have Java installed. In Windows, go to Start -> Run, and type in "javaws" (no quotes). If the Java Web Start application does not appear, then Java probably isn't installed. In that case, download the latest version of the JRE from http://java.sun.com.
If the Java Web Start application does appear after typing in "javaws", enter "http://hyperatlas.uchicago.edu/hyperatlas/HyperDemo.jnlp" (no quotes) into the address bar of the Java Web Start application and press return. This should launch HyperViewer. For further assistance, contact support.
Basic Overview of HyperAtlas Controls
The diagram above is useful before reading the rest of the documentation. As you can see from the diagram, all options users can toggle are located on the left hand and bottom edges of the windows. Changes to certain options in these panels will result in visible changes in the 3D scene window to the right. The names we give to the components above correspond with the names used in the rest of the documentation.
Important: Shape manipulation
Before we create a scene, notice what happens when you use the mouse to select different shapes in the scene -- the left hand panel changes to reflect the properties of the shape you selected. Try typing something different in the Object Name Text Box and clicking the "Update" button (two blue arrows) in the "Object Buttons" area. In the 3D Scene Window, the title of the object you selected will change to the text you entered in the text box.
This is how basic manipulation of individual objects is achieved in HyperAtlas: An object is selected, its properties are modified, the update button is selected, and the 3D Scene Window updates.
Creating a New Scene
To start creating your own scenes, choose "New" in the File menu.
Creating a New Object
Two properties must be specified before creating a new object: Type and Name. Type corresponds to the physical shape of the object, such as Cylinder, Cone, or Box. Name, on the other hand, is a textual unique identifier that gives some meaning to the object you are creating
To create a shape, select a Type from the Object Type Selector and type in a name in the Object Name Text Box. You can optionally specify other properties as well, such as color, position, size, transparency, image texture, etc.
When finished, click on the Add button (blue box with a plus sign) on the left of the object buttons. The object should appear in the scene.
Moving around HyperViewer using a mouse
Mouse navigation in Xj3D can be confusing. The are two important considerations while moving your mouse around in the 3D Scene Window: What "mode" do you have selected, and where is your mouse pointed.
There are five modes supported by Xj3D: Fly, Pan, Tilt, Walk, and Examine. Toggling these modes changes the way you move around the scene. Examine and fly are the two modes most frequently used.
You begin to move around the scene by clicking and dragging the mouse in a particular direction in the 3D scene window. Make sure you have clicked and dragged in an area free of objects, otherwise you will only move the object.
Alternately, you can use the keyboard arrow keys (up, down, right, left) to navigate. Some users find this easier. Holding down shift while navigating on the keyboard makes increases the speed in which the scene changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I see the object I just added to the scene?
This document is a tutorial on how to perform basic tasks in the HyperAtlas Viewer, an application developed for the HyperAtlas project. For brevity, this document will refer to the HyperAtlas Viewer by its shorter name, "HyperViewer."
Requirements
Windows XP or Mac OS 10.4 with JRE (Java Runtime Environment) 1.5.0 or above installed
Recommended 512 MB of RAM64 MB of video card RAM
WIndows Vista and Linux are untested as of 2/14/07.
Launching HyperAtlas From Java Web Start
When prompted by Java Web Start, choose "Trust" when asked if you want to trust this certificate. Otherwise, the application will not be able to run on your computer.
The current link to the application can be found under "Project Development" on the HyperAtlas website: http://hyperatlas.uchicago.edu/
If, for whatever reason, the application doesn't launch, then double-check to see if you have Java installed. In Windows, go to Start -> Run, and type in "javaws" (no quotes). If the Java Web Start application does not appear, then Java probably isn't installed. In that case, download the latest version of the JRE from http://java.sun.com.
If the Java Web Start application does appear after typing in "javaws", enter "http://hyperatlas.uchicago.edu/hyperatlas/HyperDemo.jnlp" (no quotes) into the address bar of the Java Web Start application and press return. This should launch HyperViewer. For further assistance, contact support.
Basic Overview of HyperAtlas Controls
The diagram above is useful before reading the rest of the documentation. As you can see from the diagram, all options users can toggle are located on the left hand and bottom edges of the windows. Changes to certain options in these panels will result in visible changes in the 3D scene window to the right. The names we give to the components above correspond with the names used in the rest of the documentation.
Important: Shape manipulation
Before we create a scene, notice what happens when you use the mouse to select different shapes in the scene -- the left hand panel changes to reflect the properties of the shape you selected. Try typing something different in the Object Name Text Box and clicking the "Update" button (two blue arrows) in the "Object Buttons" area. In the 3D Scene Window, the title of the object you selected will change to the text you entered in the text box.
This is how basic manipulation of individual objects is achieved in HyperAtlas: An object is selected, its properties are modified, the update button is selected, and the 3D Scene Window updates.
Creating a New Scene
To start creating your own scenes, choose "New" in the File menu.
Creating a New Object
To create a shape, select a Type from the Object Type Selector and type in a name in the Object Name Text Box. You can optionally specify other properties as well, such as color, position, size, transparency, image texture, etc.
When finished, click on the Add button (blue box with a plus sign) on the left of the object buttons. The object should appear in the scene.
Moving around HyperViewer using a mouse
Mouse navigation in Xj3D can be confusing. The are two important considerations while moving your mouse around in the 3D Scene Window: What "mode" do you have selected, and where is your mouse pointed.
There are five modes supported by Xj3D: Fly, Pan, Tilt, Walk, and Examine. Toggling these modes changes the way you move around the scene. Examine and fly are the two modes most frequently used.
You begin to move around the scene by clicking and dragging the mouse in a particular direction in the 3D scene window. Make sure you have clicked and dragged in an area free of objects, otherwise you will only move the object.
Alternately, you can use the keyboard arrow keys (up, down, right, left) to navigate. Some users find this easier. Holding down shift while navigating on the keyboard makes increases the speed in which the scene changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I see the object I just added to the scene?