"Create Animation" tutorial

[tsjaikdus]

Does anybody know where I can find a tutorial about the "Create Animation" menu in NX. I'm using NX6. I have the documentation installed, but the search option doesn't work in both FF and IE. I've been fiddling around with it for two hours or so and at one point I managed to use a path and look at point, but I can't repeat it anymore.

Also, is it posible to create an animation with an output equal to the "True Shading Editor". It looks much better than a High Quality Image.

 

[JohnRBaker]

Since your search isn't working, the path to the NX 6.0 documentation for where the Animation information is...

Gateway to NX -> Viewing Files -> Visualization Tools -> Visualization -> Create Animation Dialog ->

As for True Shading, once an animation sequence has been created, there is a 'Preview Animation' button on the creation dialog which will allow you to 'play' the animation without actually creating an mpeg movie. You can enter the True Shading mode and then open this dialog and use the 'Preview Animation' option to see the model animation in that mode as well.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[tsjaikdus]

I wouldn't have guessed where to find that. Thanks! I'll try making some animations to see how it works.

 

[JohnRBaker]

In the current version (NX 7.5) of the documentation, it's located in a bit more of a logical place.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[tsjaikdus]

Isn't it possible to save the animation in True Shading Mode? It uses a basic rendering for the save even if in True Shading Mode. The model is too large and too slow to do a screen capture.

Also, how do I get the "Quick-View Pop Up" to pop up? The help file says:

Set Up Camera

Edits Frame0. Frame0 is a special key frame that is used to set up the basic camera settings for the entire trajectory. You can change the View Up Vector setting using the Reverse Up Vector button and the focus (the perspective and field of view).

You can easily change the focus settings for Frame0 by turning ON the Navigate mode from the Quick-View Pop Up menu and then dragging the mouse with <Control><Shift>MB1 held down.

 

[JohnRBaker]

Your only options when Playing an Animation is to either generate an MPEG movie using the software (Studio) rendering engine or running it in real-time in whatever display mode that you're in.

As for the 'Navigate' option, the documentation is a bit out-of-date as it's no longer on the view pop-up. Your only access now is either from...

View -> Operation -> Navigate

...or by selecting the Navigate icon found on the View toolbar.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[tsjaikdus]

I'm sorry, but I just don't get this interface.

Under "Edit [Key Frame]" there two windows

1) Edit Key Frames
2) Key Frames

But how do you get to a specific one? If I press buttons long enough then I end up with either one, but I don't understand what's the order of button presses to get there.

The help uses a lot of text to explain details that are obvious, like button captions and horizontal and vertical resolution, but it's completely unclear to me what the idea behind this interface is.

 

[JohnRBaker]

I have to agree that this is perhaps the worst example of a 'user interface' in all of NX. It's also an interface which was developed prior to the advent of Windows. And while I would encourage people to open ER's (and even PR's), I wouldn't hold my breath since the people who know how it works pride themselves in thinking how good they are in spite of the interface and the people who don't care either never try a second time or they find someone who does know how to use it and ask them for help.

It's too bad that hudson888 is no longer posting here on Eng-Tips as he was an expert at using this functionality.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[tsjaikdus]

Haha! Never mind, I'll try again when I have time. Thanks for all the input.

 

[bmaverick]

This is the closest I had found for a tutorial. Felix came through with this one.

http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=296161&page=1

Otherwise, log onto GTAC and read the Q1, Q2 &Q3 2002 newsletters for pointers.

For what I needed, nothing was very descriptive nor a step-by-step guide found in the help.

 

[ewh]

Maybe hudson888 will take pity and post. I see that he last logged on 4/10.

"Good to know you got shoes to wear when you find the floor." - [small]Robert Hunter[/small]

 

[JohnRBaker]

Here's a tutorial (attached below) which was written by one our people a few year ago and is still relevant today. It covers the basics for creating a animated fly-thru using the Navigation/Rendering tools (example part files are included).

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.