University of Oregon - Department of Architecture - ARCH 408/508 Cheng - Computer Modeling and Rendering Workshop

I.  Interface & Navigation

June 22, 1998 
Objective: To become familiar with a new user interface and to understand basic concepts of modeling.

I.  Approaching New Software

A. Strengths in context B. Get to know the program's modular structure C. Find learning resources D. Examine components of the user interface

Exercise 1.1:  Open, Simplify the interface, Draw, Save, Quit

Opening FormZ from Klamath or Millrace Labs

A.  Login:  Under the Apple menu, select the Chooser, Appleshare, Appletalk zone = CC Klamath Labs, and Pigasys.

 Select Apple Standard VAMs, login and then select both the Course Disks and the Software Disk.

 
B.  Copy the following components from the Software Disk's formZ RZ Radiosity JS folder to your hard drive's Guest folder:

formïZ RR JS PPC ß, formïZ logo.PICT, formïZ RZ Help, formïZ RZ Icons

C.  Open the local copy on your hard drive by double clicking on the formïZ RR JS PPC § logo

D.  Examine FormZ's user interface

E. Simplify the interface to the bare basics by stripping the interface temporarily (TUT 2.7):
PC: Under the Help Menu, select Modeling OR
Mac: Under the Options > Help > Modeling Tools, open the modeling tools pop-up window.

Option + Double click to turn off rows of icons
                        OR
TRY IT: At the same Modeling Tools pop-up window, Load a presaved FZ Basic menu.zmn from the Course disk.

Then Quit to get out of the Help utility.
 
F.  Draw with the simplified menu, try Undo, Save and Quit

Exercise 1.2:  Navigation

  1. Copy  house.fmz from the Course DIsk to your local Guest folder
  2. Open the file by double clicking.
  3. Try viewing functions such as Pan and Zoom In  (TUT 2.2 &  2.3)
  4. From the Views menu, select preset views, switch between Perspective and Axonometric
  5. From the Palettes menu, open the Views palette, check different views.
  6. From the Display menu, try the rendering modes (TUT 4.5)
  7. From the File menu, Print a view
  8. From the File menu, Save a view as a PICT file.

II. Modeling Concepts

What you can do in a software is shaped by how the programmers crafted it. In FormZ, the basic operations are affected by modifiers.

 

IV.  Assignment 1

 


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edited June 23, 1998 by nywcheng