Screen Camera track events
There are three events available on the Screen Camera track:
- Set Layer View – switch to a particular pre-defined Layer View at a defined point or points along the Timeline.
- Set active Camera – select a pre-defined camera from which to view the simulation playback.
- Add a Snapshot event – save ‘snapshots’ of the simulation as image files at specified points along the Timeline.
Before you can set a Layer View, you need to have defined at least one in the LEGION Model Builder; please see Layer Views.
Before you can set active Cameras, you need to define and name them, so they are available for use. The next section explains how to do so.
Creating a camera
You can pan and zoom into specific areas of your simulation and save the view as a fixed camera position. You can then use these cameras to make playback and recordings more dynamic, pertinent and persuasive.
For example, when recording an ‘avi’ of your simulation, you could start from a wide camera that shows the whole of your model, eventually zooming in on crucial areas of design or examples of Entity movement.
To create a camera:
- Using the pan and zoom tools, arrange the view you would like the camera to show.
-
Click
or right-click in the workspace
and select
Create camera based on the current view.
The ‘Edit Camera’ dialog is displayed with a new camera listed in the left-hand pane.
- If you want to rename the camera, highlight the default name, type a new name and press Enter.
- To specify how LEGION Simulator will switch to this camera during the course of a playback or recording, select one of these options from the drop-down list labelled Mode of switching to this camera:
-
Click
Apply or
OK to save your changes.
The Camera is added to the ‘Analysis’ tab of the Object Directory.
- Repeat from step 1 to add any further cameras.
Updating an existing camera
-
If you want to change an existing camera’s viewpoint, first use
the pan and zoom tools to arrange the view that you would like the camera to
show. Next, right-click in the workspace and select
.
The existing camera whose name you selected will now show the updated view when activated or used in a recording as an active camera.
- (Optional) You can undo camera updates by pressing <Ctrl + Z>.
Setting a Layer View
If you created Layer Views in the LEGION Model Builder, you can create events on the Screen Camera track which display these views during the course of playback. For instance you may have created a Layer View containing Presentation CAD for trains or other vehicles.
If you want this Layer to be visible when passengers alight from trains in a simulation, you may switch the Layer View on at times which match the arrival of trains. To turn the Layer View off for the departure of trains, you will need to set Layer View events that revert to a view which does not contain the vehicle CAD lines.
To set a Layer View:
-
Right-click on the Screen Camera track at the point at which
you want the event to start and select
Set Layer View.
The ‘Layer View’ dialog is displayed. The new event and time are displayed in the Registered events box.
- If required, enter a name in the Event name box.
- To run this event when you next play back the simulation, leave the Enable this event box checked (if you don’t want to run this event in the next session, uncheck the box).
- From the Activate layer view drop-down list, select the relevant view.
-
Click
OK to place the event on the track.
To switch to a different Layer View, repeat the process at the required point on the track.
Setting an active camera
Having created cameras, they are now available for use on the Screen Camera track and Record .AVI events. You can set as many as you need on the respective tracks.
When you set active cameras on the Screen Camera track, the changes of camera are apparent on screen as you play back or record the simulation.
When you set active cameras on a Record .AVI event, those particular camera transitions are recorded only within the ‘avi’ rather than seen when you play back or record the simulation.
This procedure applies to Screen Camera tracks and Record .AVI events.
To set an active Camera:
-
Right-click on the relevant track at the point at which you
want the event to start and select
Set active Camera.
The ‘Camera’ dialog is displayed. The new event and time are displayed in the Registered events box.
- If required, enter a name in the Event name box.
- To run this event when you next play back the simulation, leave the Enable this event box checked (if you don’t want to run this event in the next session, uncheck the box).
- From the Activate camera drop-down list, select the camera you would like to activate at this point. Click OK to save the event.
- Repeat from Step 1 for any other active cameras you would like to set.
Adding a Snapshot event
A Snapshot event is only available on the Screen Camera track. This event ‘takes a picture’ of the simulation at a specified time and saves it as an image file. If you haven’t set any active cameras on the Screen Camera track, the image taken will be of the whole model, otherwise it will use the current active camera.
To add a Snapshot event:
-
Right-click on the relevant Screen Camera track at the point at
which you want the event to start and select
Add a Snapshot event.
The ‘Snapshot’ dialog is displayed. The new event and time are displayed in the Registered events box.
- If required, enter a name in the Event name box.
- If you want this event to run in the next play or record session, check the box labelled Enable this event (see also "Disabling and enabling events before playback or recording" in About the Timeline).
- From the Image dimensions drop-down list, select one of the three options:
- Select one of the three Image Format options:
- If you want to apply these image and format settings to all Snapshot events on this particular track, click Apply To All.
-
If you want to change the default layout of the saved map image,
click the
Layout button and make any changes to the
layout.
The Layout Designer works in the same way as the ‘avi’ Layout Designer, which is dealt with in Customising the AVI layout.
- Click Apply or OK to save the event.
- Repeat from step 1 for any further Snapshot events you wish to run.