reference and scripting guide

Reference and Scripting Guide

Legal Notices

Published by Toon Boom Animation Inc.Corporate Headquarters7 Laurier Avenue EastMontreal, QuebecCanada H2T 1E4Tel: (514) 278-8666Fax: (514) 278-2666

toonboom.com

DisclaimerThe content of this manual is covered by a specific limited warranty and exclusions and limit of liability under the applicable License Agreement as supplemented by the special terms and conditions for Adobe® Flash™ File Format (SWF). Please refer to the License Agreement and to those special terms and conditions for details.

The content of this manual is the property of Toon Boom Animation Inc. and is copyrighted. Any reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. For additional copies of this manual, please contact Toon Boom Animation Inc. at the Corporate Headquarters address.

Copyright © 2007 by Toon Boom Animation Inc. All rights reserved.

TrademarksToon Boom Digital Pro is a trademark owned by Toon Boom Animation Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

CreditsDocumentation Development: Peter Cawthorne

Content Development: Marie-Eve Chartrand

Publication DateAugust 2007

Contents

Chapter 1: About the Guide........................................................................13

Chapter 2: Reference Introduction........................................................15Toon Boom Digital Pro Interface .....................................................................................15Toolbars ...........................................................................................................................16Commands ......................................................................................................................17Dialog Boxes ....................................................................................................................18Effect Modules ................................................................................................................20

Chapter 3: Toon Boom Digital Pro User Interface ..................23 Welcome Screen .............................................................................................................24User Interface ..................................................................................................................26

View Tabs ..................................................................................................................27Window Workspace ............................................................................................28Panning and Zooming Windows ........................................................................29

View windows ..................................................................................................................30Camera View .............................................................................................................31Colour View ...............................................................................................................34Coordinates and Control Points View .......................................................................35

Selection Coordinates ........................................................................................35Control Point and Keyframes .............................................................................36

Drawing View ............................................................................................................37Free View ..................................................................................................................39Function View ............................................................................................................40

Displaying a Function Curve in the Function View .............................................40Setting Stop-Motion Keyframes .........................................................................42

Message Log View ....................................................................................................44Model View ...............................................................................................................45Module Library View .................................................................................................47Module Properties View ............................................................................................48Morphing View ..........................................................................................................49Network View ............................................................................................................50Pen View ....................................................................................................................51

Texture ...............................................................................................................51Playback View ...........................................................................................................53Side View ...................................................................................................................54Template Library View ..............................................................................................55Timeline View ............................................................................................................56

Copying and Pasting Keyframes in the Timeline ................................................56Filtering the Layers that Appear in the Timeline View .......................................57Enabling and Disabling Modules from the Timeline ..........................................58

1

Toon Boom Digital Pro: Reference and Scripting Guide

Locking Drawing Elements and Pegs ................................................................ 59Collapsing Pegs and Child Layers in the Timeline ............................................. 60Displaying Groups, Sounds and Effects in the Timeline .................................... 61Displaying Functions in the Timeline ................................................................. 61Changing the Track Colour of Layers in the Timeline ....................................... 62

Top View ................................................................................................................... 62Xsheet View .............................................................................................................. 63

Chapter 4: Toolbars ............................................................................................ 65Animation Tools .............................................................................................................. 67Drawing Tools ................................................................................................................. 71Display Toolbar ............................................................................................................... 80Easy Flipping ................................................................................................................... 80Edit .................................................................................................................................. 81File ................................................................................................................................... 81Flip .................................................................................................................................. 82Inverse Kinematics .......................................................................................................... 83Onion Skin ....................................................................................................................... 85Playback .......................................................................................................................... 86Rendering ........................................................................................................................ 87Scripting .......................................................................................................................... 87Workspace ...................................................................................................................... 88

Chapter 5: Commands ..................................................................................... 89Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar .............................................................................. 89

Animation ................................................................................................................. 90Compositing ........................................................................................................... 103Drawing .................................................................................................................. 108Edit ......................................................................................................................... 136File Menu ................................................................................................................ 142Help Menu .............................................................................................................. 145Play Menu ............................................................................................................... 146Scene Menu ............................................................................................................ 148View Menu .............................................................................................................. 152Windows Menu ....................................................................................................... 173

Camera View Menu ....................................................................................................... 176Colour View Menu ........................................................................................................ 195Drawing View Menu ...................................................................................................... 200Free, Side and Top View Menus ................................................................................... 212Function View Menu ..................................................................................................... 215Model View ................................................................................................................... 216Module Library Menu .................................................................................................... 218Network View Menu ..................................................................................................... 219Pen View Menu ............................................................................................................. 223

2

Contents

Playback View Menu ......................................................................................................224Template Library Menu .................................................................................................226Timeline View Menu ......................................................................................................229Xsheet View Menu .........................................................................................................239Thumbnail Panel Contextual Menu ...............................................................................250

Chapter 6: Dialog Boxes ...............................................................................251Buttons ..........................................................................................................................2533D Path Editor ...............................................................................................................254

Point ........................................................................................................................255Parameters ..............................................................................................................255Other 3D Path Editor Commands ...........................................................................256

Add Columns .................................................................................................................257Add Frames ...................................................................................................................258Adjust Line Texture Opacity ..........................................................................................258Alignment ......................................................................................................................259Apply Velocity on Editor ................................................................................................260Bezier Editor ..................................................................................................................262

Point ........................................................................................................................262Left/Right Handle ....................................................................................................263Other Bezier Editor Commands ..............................................................................263

Bitmap Image Quality ....................................................................................................264Close Gaps ....................................................................................................................265Colour Picker .................................................................................................................265Colour Recovery ............................................................................................................268Column Editor (Drawing) ...............................................................................................269Column Types ................................................................................................................270Convert Morphing to Drawings .....................................................................................270Create Cycle ..................................................................................................................271Ease Editor ....................................................................................................................272

Point ........................................................................................................................272In/Out ......................................................................................................................272Other Ease Editor Commands ................................................................................273

Export to Flash Movie (Swf) ...........................................................................................274Export to .................................................................................................................274Export from Display module ...................................................................................275Export Range ..........................................................................................................275Options ...................................................................................................................275

Export to QuickTime Movie ..........................................................................................276Export to .................................................................................................................276Export from Display module ...................................................................................276Export Range ..........................................................................................................276Video Options .........................................................................................................277

3


Sound Options ....................................................................................................... 277Expression ..................................................................................................................... 278

Using the Expression Column ................................................................................ 278Extend Exposure ........................................................................................................... 281Fill Selection .................................................................................................................. 282Fill Cells Randomly ........................................................................................................ 283Go to Frame .................................................................................................................. 283Hold Value Editor .......................................................................................................... 284Import Drawings ........................................................................................................... 285Load Playback ............................................................................................................... 287Morphing Inspector ...................................................................................................... 288New Scene .................................................................................................................... 289OpenGL Frames ............................................................................................................ 290Palette Browser ............................................................................................................. 291

Palette Browser ...................................................................................................... 291Advanced Palette Browser ..................................................................................... 292

Paste Special ................................................................................................................. 293Playback Start/Stop Frame ........................................................................................... 297Preferences ................................................................................................................... 298

Shortcuts ................................................................................................................. 299General ................................................................................................................... 300

Save .................................................................................................................. 300Colour Management ........................................................................................ 300Colours ............................................................................................................. 301Playback View .................................................................................................. 301Options ............................................................................................................ 302Settings ............................................................................................................ 302Snap Keyframe ................................................................................................. 303

Camera ................................................................................................................... 303Tools ................................................................................................................. 304Zoom Settings .................................................................................................. 304Settings ............................................................................................................ 304Control Size ...................................................................................................... 304Wash Background ............................................................................................ 304Control Points .................................................................................................. 305

Network .................................................................................................................. 305Navigator ......................................................................................................... 305Port Options ..................................................................................................... 306Element Module Drawing Options .................................................................. 306

Exposure Sheet ...................................................................................................... 307Filtering ............................................................................................................ 307Options ............................................................................................................ 308New Element .................................................................................................... 308Function Editors ............................................................................................... 308Drawing Creation ............................................................................................. 308Apply/Next ....................................................................................................... 308

Drawing .................................................................................................................. 309

4

Contents

Light Table ........................................................................................................309Options .............................................................................................................310New Colour Pots ..............................................................................................310Settings .............................................................................................................311

Template .................................................................................................................311Paste/Drag and Drop .......................................................................................312Editing a Template ...........................................................................................312

Timeline ...................................................................................................................313Default ..............................................................................................................313

OpenGL ...................................................................................................................314Settings .............................................................................................................314

Advanced ................................................................................................................315Advanced Options ............................................................................................316

Preview Manager ...........................................................................................................316Elements Tab ..........................................................................................................317Frames Tab ..............................................................................................................318Memory Tab ............................................................................................................319

Quality ..............................................................................................................319TVG Options .....................................................................................................320Vector Quality ...................................................................................................320Memory ............................................................................................................320

Preview Options ............................................................................................................321Render View Tab .....................................................................................................322Other Views Tab .....................................................................................................323

Remove Dirt ...................................................................................................................325Remove Hair ..................................................................................................................325Rename Palette .............................................................................................................326Render Network ............................................................................................................327

Range ......................................................................................................................327Other Render Network Options .............................................................................327

Field Composite Options .................................................................................328Resolution/Frame Rate ..................................................................................................328Saving a Scene ...............................................................................................................329

Saving the current version of a scene .....................................................................329Saving a different version of a scene ......................................................................329

Select Colour .................................................................................................................330Sequence Fill .................................................................................................................331Set Exposure ..................................................................................................................332Show Hidden Columns ..................................................................................................332Sound Element Editor ...................................................................................................333Tint Offset/Blend ...........................................................................................................335Toolbar Manager ...........................................................................................................337Vectorization Parameters ..............................................................................................338

Options Tab ............................................................................................................339Help Tab ..................................................................................................................342

Velobased Editor ...........................................................................................................343

5


Velocity Editor - Bezier ................................................................................................. 345Workspace Manager ..................................................................................................... 347Xsheet Column Width ................................................................................................... 349

Chapter 7: Effect Modules.......................................................................... 351Anti-Flicker Module ...................................................................................................... 354

Anti-Flicker Module Editor ..................................................................................... 354Blur-Directional Module ................................................................................................ 355

Blur-Directional Module Editor .............................................................................. 355Blur-Radial Module ....................................................................................................... 357

Blur-Radial Module Editor ...................................................................................... 357Blur-Variable Module .................................................................................................... 358

Blur-Variable Module Editor ................................................................................... 358Brightness-Contrast Module ......................................................................................... 359

Brightness-Contrast Module Editor ....................................................................... 359Camera Module ............................................................................................................ 360

Camera Module Editor ........................................................................................... 361Colour Art Module ........................................................................................................ 362

Colour Art Module Editor ...................................................................................... 362Colour-Card Module ..................................................................................................... 363

Colour-Card Module Editor ................................................................................... 364Colour-Override Module .............................................................................................. 365

Colour-Override Module Editor ............................................................................. 366Colour-Scale Module .................................................................................................... 368

Colour-Scale Module Editor ................................................................................... 369Colour-Screen Module .................................................................................................. 370

Colour-Screen Module Editor ................................................................................ 371Composite Module ....................................................................................................... 371

Composite Module Editor ...................................................................................... 372Composite-Generic Module ......................................................................................... 374

Composite-Generic Module Editor ........................................................................ 375Contrast Module ........................................................................................................... 378

Contrast Module Editor .......................................................................................... 379Crop Module ................................................................................................................. 379

Crop Module Editor ............................................................................................... 380Cropping tab .................................................................................................... 381Enabling tab ..................................................................................................... 382

Cutter Module ........................................................................................................ 383Cutter Module Editor ............................................................................................. 384

Display Module ............................................................................................................. 385Display Module Editor ............................................................................................ 385

Dither Module ............................................................................................................... 386Dither Module Editor ............................................................................................. 386

Element Module ........................................................................................................... 387

6

Contents

Element Module Editor ...........................................................................................387Drawing tab ......................................................................................................388Transformation tab ...........................................................................................390Advanced Thickness tab ...................................................................................391

External Module ............................................................................................................394External Module Editor ...........................................................................................394

Field-Chart Module .......................................................................................................395Field Chart Module Editor ......................................................................................396

Focus-Multiplier Module ...............................................................................................399Focus-Multiplier Module Editor ..............................................................................399

Focus Module ................................................................................................................400Focus Module Editor ...............................................................................................400

Glow Module .................................................................................................................402Glow Module Editor ................................................................................................403

Glue Module ..................................................................................................................405Glue Module Editor ................................................................................................406

Gradient Module ...........................................................................................................407Gradient Module Editor ..........................................................................................407

Grain Module .................................................................................................................408Grain Module Editor ...............................................................................................409

Greyscale Module ..........................................................................................................410Greyscale Module Editor ........................................................................................410

Group Module ...............................................................................................................411Group Module Editor ..............................................................................................412

Highlight Module ...........................................................................................................412Highlight Module Editor .........................................................................................413

Line Art Module .............................................................................................................414Line Art Module Editor ...........................................................................................415

Matte-Blur Module ........................................................................................................415Matte-Blur Module Editor .......................................................................................416

Matte-Resize Module ....................................................................................................417Matte-Resize Module Editor ...................................................................................418

Motion-Blur Module ......................................................................................................418Motion-Blur Module Editor .....................................................................................419

Multi-Port-In Module .....................................................................................................420Multi-Port-In Module Editor ....................................................................................421

Multi-Port-Out Module ..................................................................................................422Multi-Port-Out Module Editor ................................................................................422

Negate Module .............................................................................................................423Negate Module Editor ............................................................................................423

Note Module .................................................................................................................424Note Module Editor ................................................................................................424

Offset-Position Module .................................................................................................424Offset-Position Module Editor ................................................................................425

7


Offset-Position-Legacy Module .................................................................................... 425Offset-Position-Legacy Module Editor ................................................................... 426

Peg Module .................................................................................................................. 426Peg Module Editor ................................................................................................. 427

Position tab ...................................................................................................... 427Transformation tab ........................................................................................... 428Pivot tab ........................................................................................................... 429Advanced tab ................................................................................................... 429

Pixelate Module ............................................................................................................ 430Pixelate Module Editor ........................................................................................... 431

Placeholder Module ...................................................................................................... 431Placeholder Module Editor .................................................................................... 431

Quadmap Module ......................................................................................................... 432Quadmap Module Editor ....................................................................................... 434

Refract Module ............................................................................................................. 435Refract Module Editor ............................................................................................ 435

Remove-Transparency Module ..................................................................................... 436Remove-Transparency Module Editor .................................................................... 436

Scale-Output Module ................................................................................................... 437Scale-Output Module Editor .................................................................................. 438

Shadow Module ............................................................................................................ 438Shadow Module Editor ........................................................................................... 439

Sparkle Module ............................................................................................................. 441Sparkle Module Editor ........................................................................................... 443

Tone Module ................................................................................................................. 444Tone Module Editor ............................................................................................... 445

Transparency Module ................................................................................................... 446Transparency Module Editor .................................................................................. 447

Write Module ................................................................................................................ 447Write Module Editor ............................................................................................... 448

Output tab ....................................................................................................... 448Enabling tab ..................................................................................................... 449

Chapter 8: Scripting Overview.............................................................. 451Using Qt Script to Automate Toon Boom Digital Pro Functions ................................. 451Creating a Qt Script ...................................................................................................... 452Exporting and Importing Scripts ................................................................................... 454Linking a Script to a Toolbar Button ............................................................................. 455

Customizing a Scripting Toolbar Button ................................................................ 455

8

Contents

Chapter 9: Scripting Introduction.........................................................457

Chapter 10: Script Reference ...................................................................459Function Summary .........................................................................................................460Scene .............................................................................................................................471

beginUndoRedoAccum ...........................................................................................472coordAtCentreX ......................................................................................................472coordAtCentreY ......................................................................................................472currentScene ...........................................................................................................473endUndoRedoAccum ..............................................................................................473numberOfUnitsX .....................................................................................................473numberOfUnitsY .....................................................................................................474numberOfUnitsZ .....................................................................................................474setCoordAtCentre ..................................................................................................474setNumberofUnits ...................................................................................................475setUnitsAspectRatio ................................................................................................475unitsAspectRatioX ...................................................................................................475unitsAspectRatioY ...................................................................................................476

Frame .............................................................................................................................476current .....................................................................................................................477insert .......................................................................................................................477numberOf ................................................................................................................478remove ....................................................................................................................478

Element ..........................................................................................................................479add ..........................................................................................................................479getName .................................................................................................................480id .............................................................................................................................480numberOf ................................................................................................................480

Column ..........................................................................................................................481add ..........................................................................................................................482clearKeyFrame ........................................................................................................482getElementOfDrawing ............................................................................................483getEntry ...................................................................................................................483getName .................................................................................................................483getTextOfExpr ........................................................................................................484isKeyFrame ..............................................................................................................484numberOf ................................................................................................................485rename ....................................................................................................................485setElementOfDrawing .............................................................................................485setEntry ...................................................................................................................486setKeyFrame ...........................................................................................................486setTextOfExpr .........................................................................................................487type .........................................................................................................................487

9


Node ............................................................................................................................. 488add .......................................................................................................................... 490coordX .................................................................................................................... 490coordY .................................................................................................................... 491dstNode .................................................................................................................. 491equals ..................................................................................................................... 491flatDstNode ............................................................................................................ 492flatSrcNode ............................................................................................................. 492getName ................................................................................................................. 492getTextAttr ............................................................................................................. 493isGroup ................................................................................................................... 493isLinked ................................................................................................................... 493link .......................................................................................................................... 494linkAttr .................................................................................................................... 494linkedColumn ......................................................................................................... 495noNode ................................................................................................................... 495numberOfInputPorts .............................................................................................. 495numberOfOutputLinks ........................................................................................... 496numberOfOutputPorts ........................................................................................... 496numberOfSubNodes .............................................................................................. 496parentNode ............................................................................................................ 497rename .................................................................................................................... 497root ......................................................................................................................... 497setCoord ................................................................................................................. 498setTextAttr .............................................................................................................. 498srcNode .................................................................................................................. 498subNode ................................................................................................................. 499type ......................................................................................................................... 499unlink ...................................................................................................................... 499unlinkAttr ................................................................................................................ 500

Selection ....................................................................................................................... 500numberOfColumnsSelected ................................................................................... 501numberOfNodesSelected ...................................................................................... 501selectedColumn ...................................................................................................... 502selectedNode ......................................................................................................... 502

Function Curve .............................................................................................................. 503addCtrlPointAfter3DPath ....................................................................................... 505addKeyFrame3DPath ............................................................................................. 506angleEaseIn ............................................................................................................ 507angleEaseOut ......................................................................................................... 507holdStartFrame ....................................................................................................... 507holdStep ................................................................................................................. 508holdStopFrame ....................................................................................................... 508numberOfPoints ..................................................................................................... 508

10

Contents

numberOfPoints3DPath ..........................................................................................509pointBias3DPath .....................................................................................................509pointConstSeg ........................................................................................................509pointContinuity .......................................................................................................510pointContinuity3DPath ...........................................................................................510pointEaseIn .............................................................................................................510pointEaseOut ..........................................................................................................511pointHandleLeftX ....................................................................................................511pointHandleLeftY ....................................................................................................512pointHandleRightX ..................................................................................................512pointHandleRightY ..................................................................................................512pointLockedAtFrame ..............................................................................................513pointTension3DPath ...............................................................................................513pointX ......................................................................................................................513pointX3DPath ..........................................................................................................514pointY ......................................................................................................................514pointY3DPath ..........................................................................................................514pointZ3DPath ..........................................................................................................515removePoint3DPath ................................................................................................515setBezierPoint .........................................................................................................515setEasePoint ............................................................................................................516setHoldStartFrame ..................................................................................................517setHoldStep ............................................................................................................517setHoldStopFrame ..................................................................................................517setPoint3DPath .......................................................................................................518setVeloBasedPoint ..................................................................................................518

Timeline .........................................................................................................................519firstFrameSel ...........................................................................................................520isAncestorOf ...........................................................................................................520layerIsColumn ..........................................................................................................520layerIsNode .............................................................................................................521layerToColumn ........................................................................................................521layerToNode ...........................................................................................................521numFrameSel ..........................................................................................................522numLayers ...............................................................................................................522numLayerSel ............................................................................................................522parentNodeIndex ....................................................................................................523selIsColumn .............................................................................................................523selIsNode ................................................................................................................523selToColumn ...........................................................................................................524selToLayer ...............................................................................................................524selToNode ...............................................................................................................524setDisplayToUnconnected ......................................................................................525

View ...............................................................................................................................525

11


column .................................................................................................................... 525currentView ............................................................................................................. 526group ...................................................................................................................... 526type ......................................................................................................................... 526

12

Chapter 1About the Guide

This guide is split into two sections:

• The Reference Guide

• The Scripting Guide

Here is a brief description of each:

The Reference Guide provides information about the descriptions and purpose of toolbars, commands, path of access and dialog boxes.

This explains the following:

• Toon Boom Digital Pro User Interface on page 23

• Toolbars on page 65• Commands on page 89

• Dialog Boxes on page 251

• Effect Modules on page 351

The Scripting Guide provides an overview of Qt, the scripting language supported by Toon Boom Digital Pro.

It explains the following:

• “Using Qt Script to Automate Toon Boom Digital Pro Functions” on page 451

• “Creating a Qt Script” on page 452

• “Exporting and Importing Scripts” on page 454• “Linking a Script to a Toolbar Button” on page 455

13


14

Chapter 2Reference Introduction

This chapter gives a brief overview of the main categories of Toon Boom Digital Pro.

In the reference section you will find information which will allow you to understand the purpose of the following:

• Toon Boom Digital Pro Interface on page 15

• Toolbars on page 16

• Commands on page 17• Dialog Boxes on page 18

• Effect Modules on page 20

Each of these chapters provides you with reference information detailing the purpose and functionality of the chapter topic.

Toon Boom Digital Pro Interface

15


This chapter provides information on the different views and workspace management features that are available.

This chapter covers three main topics:

• Welcome Screen on page 24

• User Interface on page 26• View windows on page 30

Toolbars

The Toolbars chapter provides information on the different toolbars and their icons available in the user interface.

This chapter covers the following toolbars:

• Animation Tools on page 67• Display Toolbar on page 80

• Drawing Tools on page 71

• Easy Flipping on page 80• Edit on page 81

• File on page 81

• Flip on page 82• Inverse Kinematics on page 83

• Onion Skin on page 85

• Playback on page 86• Rendering on page 87

• Scripting on page 87

• Workspace on page 88

16

Chapter 2: Reference Introduction

Commands

The Commands chapter provides information on the different commands that are encountered in Toon Boom Digital Pro’s diverse menus.

This chapter covers the following menus:

• Animation on page 90

• Compositing on page 103• Drawing on page 108

• Edit on page 136

• File Menu on page 142• Help Menu on page 145

• Play Menu on page 146

• Scene Menu on page 148• View Menu on page 152

• Windows Menu on page 173

• Camera View Menu on page 176• Colour View Menu on page 195

• Drawing View Menu on page 200

• Free, Side and Top View Menus on page 212• Function View Menu on page 215

• Model View on page 216

• Module Library Menu on page 218• Network View Menu on page 219

• Pen View Menu on page 223

• Playback View Menu on page 224• Template Library Menu on page 226

• Timeline View Menu on page 229

• Xsheet View Menu on page 239• Thumbnail Panel Contextual Menu on page 250

17


Dialog Boxes

The Dialog Boxes chapter provides information on the different dialog boxes that are available in Toon Boom Digital Pro.

This chapter covers the following dialog boxes:

• Buttons on page 253

• 3D Path Editor on page 254

• Add Columns on page 257• Add Frames on page 258

• Adjust Line Texture Opacity on page 258

• Alignment on page 259• Apply Velocity on Editor on page 260

• Bezier Editor on page 262

• Bitmap Image Quality on page 264• Close Gaps on page 265

• Colour Picker on page 265

• Colour Recovery on page 268• Column Editor (Drawing) on page 269

• Column Types on page 270

• Convert Morphing to Drawings on page 270• Create Cycle on page 271

• Ease Editor on page 272

• Export to Flash Movie (Swf) on page 274• Export to QuickTime Movie on page 276

• Expression on page 278

• Extend Exposure on page 281• Fill Selection on page 282

• Fill Cells Randomly on page 283

18


• Go to Frame on page 283

• Hold Value Editor on page 284• Import Drawings on page 285

• Load Playback on page 287

• Morphing Inspector on page 288• New Scene on page 289

• OpenGL Frames on page 290

• Palette Browser on page 291• Paste Special on page 293

• Playback Start/Stop Frame on page 297

• Preferences on page 298• Preview Manager on page 316

• Preview Options on page 321

• Remove Dirt on page 325• Remove Hair on page 325

• Rename Palette on page 326

• Render Network on page 327• Resolution/Frame Rate on page 328

• Saving a Scene on page 329

• Select Colour on page 330• Sequence Fill on page 331

• Set Exposure on page 332

• Show Hidden Columns on page 332• Sound Element Editor on page 333

• Tint Offset/Blend on page 335

• Toolbar Manager on page 337• Vectorization Parameters on page 338

• Velobased Editor on page 343

• Velocity Editor - Bezier on page 345• Workspace Manager on page 347

• Xsheet Column Width on page 349

19


Effect Modules

The Effect Modules chapter provides information on the different effect modules that are available in Toon Boom Digital Pro and how to use them.

This chapter covers the following effect modules:

• Anti-Flicker Module on page 354

• Blur-Directional Module on page 355

• Blur-Radial Module on page 357• Blur-Variable Module on page 358

• Brightness-Contrast Module on page 359

• Camera Module on page 360• Colour Art Module on page 362

• Colour-Card Module on page 363

• Colour-Override Module on page 365• Colour-Scale Module on page 368

• Colour-Screen Module on page 370

• Colour-Screen Module Editor on page 371• Composite Module on page 371

• Composite-Generic Module on page 374

• Contrast Module on page 378• Crop Module on page 379

• Display Module on page 385

• Dither Module on page 386• Element Module on page 387

• External Module on page 394

20


• Field-Chart Module on page 395

• Focus-Multiplier Module on page 399• Focus Module on page 400

• Glow Module on page 402

• Glue Module on page 405• Gradient Module on page 407

• Grain Module on page 408

• Greyscale Module on page 410• Group Module on page 411

• Highlight Module on page 412

• Line Art Module on page 414• Matte-Blur Module on page 415

• Matte-Resize Module on page 417

• Motion-Blur Module on page 418• Multi-Port-In Module on page 420

• Multi-Port-Out Module on page 422

• Negate Module on page 423• Note Module on page 424

• Offset-Position Module on page 424

• Offset-Position-Legacy Module on page 425• Peg Module on page 426

• Placeholder Module on page 431

• Quadmap Module on page 432• Refract Module on page 435

• Remove-Transparency Module on page 436

• Scale-Output Module on page 437• Shadow Module on page 438

• Sparkle Module on page 441

• Sparkle Module on page 441• Tone Module on page 444

• Transparency Module on page 446

• Write Module on page 447

21


22

Chapter 3Toon Boom Digital Pro

User InterfaceThis chapter contains information on the Toon Boom Digital Pro interface.

This chapter is divided into three topics:

• Welcome Screen on page 24

• User Interface on page 26• View windows on page 30

23


Welcome ScreenWhen you launch Toon Boom Digital Pro, a welcome screen appears.

The Welcome Screen allows you to:

• Create new scenes

• Set the scene resolution and frame rate

• Open scenes by browsing• Open recent scenes from a list

• Access Support, ELearning, Toon Boom Digital Pro web page and the Forum

• Access Tutorials

24

Chapter 3: Toon Boom Digital Pro User Interface

To create a new scene from the Welcome Screen:

1. To select the Project Directory location, browse the files by clicking on the Choose button.

2. In the Project Name field, enter the scene’s name.

3. In the Resolution window, select the scene’s resolution or click on the Add button to add a new resolution to the list.

4. Click on the Create button.

To open a scene from the Welcome Screen:

1. In the Recent Scenes section, click on the Open Scene option.

The Open Digital Pro Scene dialog box opens.

2. Browse to the scene file.

3. Click on the OK button to open the scene.

To open a recent scene from the Welcome Screen:

In the Recent Scenes section, select a scene from the list.

To access the tutorials:

In the Tutorials section, select the desired tutorial.

To access the support and web help:

At the bottom of the New Scene section, click on the corresponding icon.

Toon Boom Digital Pro web page

ELearning

Support

Forum

25


User InterfaceAs soon as you open a scene, a number of View windows appear.

• You can open different scene Views in any window and move them from one

window to another by dragging and dropping.• You can save the placement of View windows in a variety of workspaces patterns

that you can later return to by selecting the appropriate name from the Workspace menu.

26


View TabsTo optimize the workspace of your Toon Boom Digital Pro window, you can open new View windows in tabs. This means that you can access multiple Views from the same window, maintaining a clean and organized workspace.

The view tabs can be used to organize your workspace.

27


Window WorkspaceToon Boom Digital Pro offers the option of changing the default window workspaces. This is done by opening views in tabs, changing their positions, and then saving the workspace.

The Workspace Manager allows you to create, reorder, rename, and customize icons, as well as hide workspaces.

To open the Workspace Manager:

1. To open the Workspace Manager:

In the Workspace toolbar, click on the Workspace Manager button.

In the top menu select Windows > Workspace > Workspace Manager

Managing WorkspacesWith the Workspace Manager, you can create, delete, hide, show, rename and reorder workspaces.

To show a workspace:

1. Open the Workspace Manager.

2. In the Available Workspaces list, select the workspace to be displayed and click on

the right arrow button to send it to the Workspace Toolbar.

To hide a workspace:


2. In the Workspace Toolbar, select the workspace to be deleted and click on the left

arrow button to send it to the Available Workspaces List.

If you not only want to modify the existing workspace, but also want to create a new one, you must create a new workspace first using the Workspace Manager.

To create a new workspace:


2. In the Available Workspace list, select an existing workspace.

3. At the bottom of the Available Workspace list, click on the Add button to add a new workspace.

4. Select the new workspace, click on the Rename button and rename the workspace.

5. Select the new workspace and click on the right arrow button to send it to the Workspace Toolbar.

6. Click on the OK button.

28


To delete a workspace:



arrow button to send it to the Available Workspace List.

3. At the bottom of the Workspace list, click on the Delete button to delete the workspace.


To rename a workspace:


2. Double-click on the workspace to be renamed and rename it.


To reorder workspaces:


2. In the Workspace Toolbar, select the workspace to be reordered and click on the up

or down arrow buttons to move it accordingly


Panning and Zooming WindowsYou can pan and zoom most of the View windows using your mouse.

To pan a View window:

Hold the [Spacebar] down while you click and drag the View window. Your cursor becomes a small hand when you press and hold the [Spacebar].

To zoom a View window:

Hold the [Spacebar] down, use the middle-mouse button and drag the View window up to zoom out or drag down to zoom in. You can also zoom out using the keyboard shortcut [1] and zoom in with [2].

29


View windowsThere are a number of View Windows that can appear in after you open a scene:

• Camera View on page 31

• Colour View on page 34

• Coordinates and Control Points View on page 35• Drawing View on page 37

• Free View on page 39

• Function View on page 40• Message Log View on page 44

• Model View on page 45

• Module Library View on page 47• Module Properties View on page 48

• Morphing View on page 49

• Network View on page 50• Pen View on page 51

• Playback View on page 53

• Side View on page 54• Template Library View on page 55

• Timeline View on page 56

• Top View on page 62• Xsheet View on page 63

30


Camera ViewThe Camera View displays your scene exactly as the active camera records the elements. This window offers a frontal view of your scene in which you can select and modify elements.

You can also playback selected frames in the Camera View window by clicking on the Play

button on the Playback toolbar. You can select the range of frames that you want to playback by entering Start Frame and Stop Frame values in the Playback toolbar.

The Camera View is the main view used in Toon Boom Digital Pro. It is used to setup a scene, perform the compositing, animate, draw and paint. You can use Drawing and Animation tools in this view.

31


The Camera view can display the scene’s elements in three modes:

• OpenGL: a fast display mode used to animate and playback animation in real time. This is the principle mode used to draw, animate and setup the scene.

• Render: a display mode used to see the final image. The Render mode will calculate effects and anti-aliasing on the current frame.

Note

To see the full scene as final images, you need to calculate the scene from the Playback view.

• The Auto-Render button in the Rendering Toolbar must be “enabled” to see rendered frames.

32


• Matte: a display mode used to see the element’s matte. This is the opaque shape of a drawing and can be thought of as the drawing’s silhouette.

The Camera view has a toolbar placed at the bottom which allows you to switch between the different display modes, display selected information and modify the view.

• Calculates the final image on the current frame. Click and choose Auto-Render to have the system automatically calculate the final image each time you do a modification.

• Displays the scene in OpenGL View.

• Displays the scene in Render View.

• Displays the scene in Matte View.

• Shows or hides the Camera cone.

• Shows or hides the Camera Mask

• Prevents you from drawing in the Camera view while working.

• Resets the Camera view to its default position.

• Resets the Camera view’s rotation to its default position.

• Displays only the Colour Art (layer) of a drawing.

33


• Displays only the Line Art (layer) of a drawing.

• Displays both Line and Colour Art (layers) of a drawing. Note that even in Preview Line and Colour Art mode, you must select either the Line or Colour Art to edit. To apply a tool to both, you need to enable the Apply Tool to Line and Colour Art option.

In the Drawing or Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Apply Tool to Line and Colour Art.

Colour ViewUse the Colour View to organize and maintain colour palettes linked to your element.

• In the upper portion of the Colour View window is the palette list. You can use

the up and down arrow buttons, or the Move Palette Up and Move Palette Down commands, to change the order of palettes in the list.

• In the lower portion of the Colour View window are the colour pots.

Palette List

Colour Pots

Use the Menu button to access commands and options for colour palette management.

34


Coordinates and Control Points ViewUse the Coordinates and Control Points View to modify the peg’s position values and keyframes.

Selection Coordinates • Separate: Select the Separate check-box when you want to have different X, Y

and Z functions. When you select this checkbox, the Y (separate Y) and Z (separate Z) fields become editable. You must have a peg selected for this option to be available.

• X (Left-Right): The X value of the selected element or motion point. Positive values are in the east quadrant and negative values are in the west quadrant.

• Y (Up-Down): The Y value of the selected element or motion point. Positive values are in the north quadrant and negative values are in the south quadrant.

• Z (Front-Back): The Z value of the selected element or motion point. Positive values are in the front quadrant, closer to the eye, and negative values are in the back quadrant.

• Cumulative Z: The Cumulative Z value shows you the front-back value of the selected element, including its offset, or motion point, and taking into consideration all pegs that the selection might be attached to.

35


• Separate Scale: Select the Separate Scale check-box when you want to have different X and Y values for the scaling of a peg. When you select this checkbox, the SY (separate Y) field becomes editable. You must have a peg selected for this option to be available.

• Separate X Scale: Enter a value for the horizontal scale of the peg in the SX field. If the Separate check-box is not selected, the value you enter will be applied to the vertical (Y) scaling. You must have a peg selected for this option to be available.

• Separate Y Scale: Enter a value for the vertical scale of the peg in the SY field. You must have a peg selected and you must select the Separate check-box for this field to be available.

• Angle: Use this field to enter a value for rotation of the peg. You must have a peg selected for this option to be available.

• Skew: Enter a value for the skew of the peg in the Skew field. You must have a peg selected for this option to be available.

Control Point and Keyframes • Locked In Time: Select this option to turn your control point into a keyframe,

locked at a specific frame number.• Stop-Motion Keyframe: Select this option to set a Stop-Motion keyframe if you

want your animation pose to jump to the next one without a gradual progression of motion.

• Tension: Enter a value for the tension in the motion point. The tension value controls how sharply the path bends at a motion point on a peg spline. Set to +1, a sharp angle is formed between the lines before and after the point.

• Continuity: Enter a value for the continuity of the motion point. This value controls the smoothness of a transition between segments that are joined by a motion point on a peg spline. The closer this value is to -1 or +1, the sharper the transition will be between the segments. Typical values used are 0 and 1: a value of 0 creates a continuous motion effect; a value of 1 will completely lack continuity. You might want to use a discontinuous effect on a jump or a punch, where there is an abrupt change in direction.

• Bias: Enter a value between -1 and +1 for the bias of the motion point. The Bias value controls the slope of the path, so that it goes towards one side of a motion point. When it is set to 0, neither side of the point is favored.

36


Drawing ViewIn the Drawing View window, you can create new drawings, correct existing ones, and ink and paint Toon Boom Vector Graphic (.TVG) drawings. You can have only one Drawing View in your workspace.

There are a number of different display modes that you can use to view your artwork, including:

• Colour Art Mode: displays the zones that you can paint.

• Line Art Mode: displays the lines that you can ink.

• Preview Line and Colour Art Mode: displays the Colour Art and Line Art, with the line texture from the original paper drawing

37


You must send a drawing from the Xsheet or Timeline View to the Drawing or Camera View to see and modify the drawings. Select the cell in the Xsheet or Timeline View, and click to send a single drawing or [Alt]+click to send a selected range of drawings.

Note

Scanned drawings must be vectorized and turned into TVGs to be displayed in the Drawing View window.

Information about the drawing, the active tool, and the mode are displayed in the Drawing or Camera View’s status bar.

38


Free ViewThe Free View window allows you to move around your elements in your scene as if you were a director in a chair that can move closer to, on top of, and behind the elements. This view is particularly useful to understand the scene's layout.

You can not modify any elements or pegs in this view but you can see where elements are positioned in the current frame.

• Zoom: press [Spacebar], click on the middle-mouse button, and drag up or down with the mouse. You can also use the default keyboard shortcuts [1] and [2].

• Pan: press [Spacebar], click on the left-mouse button and drag the mouse up, down, left or right.

• Rotate: press [Spacebar]+[Alt], click on the left-mouse button and drag the mouse up, down, left or right to move around the elements in your scene.

• To return the Free View window to its original view settings, click on the Menu

button and select View > Reset View, Reset Pan or Reset Zoom.

You can rotate the scene so that you can see all of the elements from the side.

39


Function ViewThe Function View allows you to see the function curves, keyframes and values of functions that you select. Instead of opening an editor to display a function curve, you can display the curve in this window from a column in the Xsheet View or from a module in the Network View or the Timeline View.

Displaying a Function Curve in the Function View To display a function curve from the Xsheet View, do one of the following:

From the Xsheet View window, click on the Menu button and select View > Send to Function View.From the Xsheet View window, press [Alt] and click on the column header.

To display a function curve from the Network or Timeline View:

Click on a Peg module in the Network or Timeline View window.

Displaying Multiple Function Curves at the Same Time

You can display multiple function curves at the same time. This can help you to compare the values of keyframes on the X, Y and Z of the 3D path functions.

You can edit only one function curve at a time.

40


To select the functions you want to display:

Click on the Function button and select the functions that you want to add to the function view.

To select the function you want to edit:

Select the function you want to edit from the drop-list menu.

Use this menu to select the function you want to display and edit.

41


The name of the function you are editing appears in the Editing field.

Note

You can also press [Alt] and click a function column in the Xsheet View to load it into the Function View.

Setting Stop-Motion Keyframes When you create a change over time with a peg, Toon Boom Digital Pro automatically interpolates the values between two keyframes. However, you may not want this effect for your animated sequences. For example, you might want one the animated element positions to go straight to the next without any interpolation. To achieve this effect, you can use the Stop-Motion Keyframe option in the Function Editors, Camera, Top, Side and Timeline Views.

The shortcut for Stop-Motion Keyframe is [S].

42


Take a look at the selected keyframe in the following image. Notice that the graph maintains the same value until the last keyframe.

You can set Stop-Motion keyframes on the following function curves:

• Scale

• Angle

• Skew• Velocity

On a 3D Path function, you cannot set Stop-Motion Keyframes solely on X, Y or Z curves without affecting all three and the velocity. This is because the interpolation on these curves are controlled by the same velocity function. When you set Stop-Motion Keyframes on a Velocity function, the curves in the X, Y and Z functions change to reflect the constant velocity between keyframes.

43


Message Log ViewWhen you launch Toon Boom Digital Pro, a log file is created. The Message Log View window displays information related to each action you perform. The provided history can help you to track your work and isolate any problems that you might have with your scene.

44


Model ViewIn the Model View window, you can load drawings which can be used as reference models while you ink and paint in the Drawing or Camera View window.

Work with the Colour View and use the Dropper to select a colour in a drawing loaded in the Model View. Toon Boom Digital Pro selects the associated colour pot from the colour palette. This can be used to paint a drawing in the Drawing or Camera View.

The colour palettes used by the colour model drawing must be added to the palette list of the drawing that you will paint. If the colour model palettes are not loaded, the colour model will appear painted in the unrecovered palette colour, which is red by default.

45


Note that when a paint bucket tool is selected, you will automatically switch to the dropper tool once you use the Model View.

When you click a painted area in the Model View, Toon Boom Digital Pro selects the colour pot in the Palette View. You can then switch to the Drawing View window to ink your line or paint your colour art.

46


Module Library View The Module Library View stores and organizes the Toon Boom Digital Pro effects and compositing modules. These are used to create effects, change elements over time, and group modules. You can also see plug-in modules developed by third-party providers.

Tabs organize the modules by type:

• Favourites: includes the most common modules.

• Filter: includes effect modules, such as blurs.• Group: includes modules used for grouping, like Group Modules and Port-

Image-In and -Out Modules.• IO: includes Display, Element, Write and Note Modules.

• Move: includes modules used to change elements over time, like Peg Modules.• Plug-ins: includes plug-in modules.

• All modules: lists all of the modules available.

Click this button to display a list of the modules.

Different tabs organize the effects and compositing modules.

47


Module Properties ViewThe Module Properties View automatically displays the selected module’s editor.

Refer to the Dialog Boxes chapter to learn about the module editor’s functions.

48


Morphing ViewUse the Morphing View to add new layers and manage morphing hints.

All of the different layers of your drawing are created in the Layers section. The order of the layers indicates how they are stacked in the drawing. Layers at the top of the list are displayed in front of the layers at the bottom of the list.

• Name: the name of the layer.• Drawing From: the first drawing in the layer.

• Drawing To: the last drawing in the layer.

• From Frame: the first frame the layer appears in.• To Frame: the last frame the layer appears in.

Note

When you create a drawing that starts or ends during the morphing sequence, Toon Boom Digital Pro inserts a green (representing the start) or red (representing the end) square in the Xsheet View cell where a layer starts or ends.

Layers section: use this to create all of the different layers in your morphing key drawings.

Hints section: use this to modify the hint type for all hints in a layer.

Deformation Path section.

Velocity section.

49


Network ViewIn the Network View, you connect effects and compositing modules forming a network. The organization of modules determines the flow of data during the composition process and how your animation elements are composited.

• You can use Group Modules to help you organize modules in your Network View.

• You can also use the Navigator square to pan the entire network.

After you set up your elements in the Xsheet View, you can manually build a network. You need to manually add modules from the Module Library to the Network View. A network includes:

• Element (Drawing) Module for each element, which incorporates visual data into the compositing network.

• Composite Module, which combines all elements and effects you have built.• Write Module, which writes final frames to your file system.

• Display Module, which displays your image for display in several Toon Boom Digital Pro views.

• Effect module, which process different effects on element modules.

Use the Navigator to pan the Network View window.

50


Pen ViewUse the Pen View to control the size of the drawing tool that you are using. It can also be used to create or modify styles that you will use to retouch your drawings.

• Use the New Pen button and the Delete Pen button to add and delete pen styles from the Pen list.

• Use the New Texture Pen button to add a textured pen style.

• Use the Minimum Size and Maximum Size sliders to select the thickness of lines you draw. The default keyboard shortcuts are [Shift]+[O] and [O].When you draw with the Brush tool, the width of the line varies between the Maximum Size and Minimum Size values based on the amount of pressure you apply with a graphic tablet and pen.Other drawing tools (such as Pencil or Line) use only the Maximum Size value for the line thickness.

• Use the Smoothness slider to adjust the of smoothness that Toon Boom Digital Pro will apply to lines you draw with the Brush and Pencil tool.

Texture

In the Texture tab, you can adjust the characteristics of pen styles that use texture images (bitmaps with “noise”, or various levels of opacity) to create unique line textures when

51


drawing with the Brush tool. Based on the qualities of the texture image and the settings in this panel, Toon Boom Digital Pro generates a bitmap that defines the opacity of each pixel in the brush line. This bitmap is mapped on top of the vector to create the final line.

• Alpha Pressure Max and Alpha Pressure Min: controls the change in opacity of the stroke from the centre to the edge. A value of 1 means full opacity and a value of 0 is fully transparent. For example, enter 1 for the centre value and 0.1 for the edge value to make the centre more opaque than the edge. If you put the same value in each field, the opacity will remain consistent from the line’s centre to edge.

• Gamma: adjusts the opacity of the entire bitmap fill by applying a gamma correction to each pixel. The gamma value is applied after the Alpha and Pressure values are calculated. Try values between 0.5 and 6. Values less than 1 will make the pixels in the line more transparent; values greater than 1 will make them less transparent.

• Texture Scale: changes the resolution of the bitmap image. Drawing with a texture produces a large bitmap file, so you may end up with very large drawing files that can affect the performance of your system. For larger pen styles, use a larger scale value to improve performance. The quality of the resulting line may vary because of the scaling, so you will have to experiment with different settings. If you have a smaller pen style you can use a value below 1 for higher quality.

• Eraser Blur: adds a smoothness to the eraser’s edge while erasing textured lines.

52


Playback ViewIn the Playback View you can play back the output from a Display Module as final images or selected frames of rendered animation, including effects and anti-aliasing. When you playback from this view, you can also hear the sound synchronized to the animation in your scene. You can have only one Playback View in your workspace.

Playback controls appear at the bottom of the Playback View when you load frames from a directory. When you load frames from a Display Module, you can use the playback controls in the Playback Controls Toolbar.

Playback controls appear at the bottom of the view. If you load frames from a Display Module, you can also use the controls in the Playback Toolbar.

53


Side ViewThe Side View window shows you how the elements of your scene look from the side. From this view, you can evaluate each element’s relative up/down and front/back position.

In the Side View, elements appear as lines. Imagine looking at a stack of animation cels from the side. From this angle you can just see the edge of the piece of celluloid. However, with this view you can see how close each element is to each other, as well as to the camera.

The Side View window includes:

• a thumbnail of each drawing element in your scene. The order of the thumbnail images is based on each element’s FB position in the scene space.

• a cone that represents the camera’s field-of-view (FOV).

Element thumbnails are displayed based on each element’s front/back order in the scene.

The camera cone represents the camera’s field of view.

F B

U

D

54


Template Library ViewThe Template Library View window is your centre for managing re-usable content in Toon Boom Digital Pro. The Template Library includes:

• Libraries: contain templates.Templates are files that you can use to store pieces of animation, such as individual drawings, entire elements, a selection of frames from several elements, or effects modules.

• Drawing Substitution panel: displays the contents of the selected Drawing Element. Use this panel to change the drawing that is displayed in the selected frame.

• Preview panel: allows you to playback your template.

The Library folders store your templates.

Preview panel

The Drawing Substitution panel replaces the Preview panel when a Element module is selected.

You can display your animation assets as thumbnails, a general list or a detailed list.

55


Timeline ViewThe Timeline View is the centre of many of the operations you perform while animating a character or a prop.

See AlsoCopying and Pasting Keyframes in the Timeline on page 56Filtering the Layers that Appear in the Timeline View on page 57Enabling and Disabling Modules from the Timeline on page 58Locking Drawing Elements and Pegs on page 59Collapsing Pegs and Child Layers in the Timeline on page 60Displaying Groups, Sounds and Effects in the Timeline on page 61Displaying Functions in the Timeline on page 61

Copying and Pasting Keyframes in the TimelineYou can drag and drop selected frames and their values in the Timeline View to move or copy the entire contents of the frame or copy only selected contents.

To copy keyframe values in the Timeline View Select the frames that you want to copy. Drag the selection to the new location and release the mouse button.

To copy selected keyframe values in the Timeline View select the frames you want to copy and use the Paste Special dialog box to select the properties that you want to move or copy to the new frames.

The selected frames are copied to their new location. Toon Boom Digital Pro extends the exposure from the old to the new frame.

56


Filtering the Layers that Appear in the Timeline ViewThe Timeline View allows you to display all layers in the scene or only those that are connected to a Display Module in the Network View.

As you are building the content of your scene using templates or elements you create in the scene, you can display all layers by selecting Display All from the Display toolbar drop-menu. Once you have started to build the effects and render the network, you can use the Display filter to show only those that are connected to Display Modules. This can make it easier to manage the layers in your scene and to verify the results of your created effects.

The Paste Special dialog box can be selected in two ways:

1. Selecting the Edit > Paste Special command

OR

2. Dragging the selection, pressing [Alt] and releasing the mouse button.

57


To filter the layers that appear in the Timeline View, do one of the following:

To see only those modules that are connected to a Display Module, select the the name of the Display Module from the drop-down menu. To see all modules, select Display All.

Enabling and Disabling Modules from the TimelineModules can be enabled or disabled using the Timeline View. When modules are disabled, they are not rendered in the Camera Render View and Playback View, and they are not composited in the final render.

To enable or disable modules from the Timeline:

Click on the Show/Hide button next to the module name in the Timeline View.

Select the desired display module from the Display toolbar drop-menu.

To change only the display module in one view, you must set your Preferences to be on Advanced Display Mode.

Select the desired display module from the View Display drop-menu.

Click on the Show/Hide button next to a module name to disable it.

58


Locking Drawing Elements and PegsYou can lock the drawing elements and pegs that you want to protect from being modified while you are making modifications in the Camera, Top or Side Views. Once the elements are locked, they cannot be selected or modified in the Camera, Top or Side Views.

You can select the Locked drawing elements to appear as outlines in the Camera View.

To set the Outline Locked Drawings option:

In the Camera View menu > Outline Locked Drawings.

When you are working on a scene that has many elements, you can lock certain drawings in order to isolate the ones that you want to modify.

To lock drawing elements and pegs that you want to protect from modification, select them in the Timeline View and select one off the following criteria from the Timeline view menu > Edit > Lock:

• Lock: locks the current selection and all child layers.

• Unlock: unlocks the current selection and all child layers.

• Lock All: locks all drawing elements and pegs.• Unlock All: unlocks all drawing elements and pegs.

• Lock All Others: locks all drawing elements and pegs not in the selection.

See AlsoEnabling and Disabling Modules from the Timeline on page 58

Locked drawing elements appear as outlines in the Sceneplanning Views. In this shot, all of the bird’s layers are locked and the trees are not.

59


Collapsing Pegs and Child Layers in the Timeline

After you add a peg and attach an element to it, you will notice that there is an arrow button next to the icon for the peg. This button helps simplify the display of elements in your Timeline and makes it easier for you to work on the timing of your pegs and their child elements.

You can use the arrow button to show or hide child elements and change their timing. This simplifies the display of elements in your Timeline.

When you collapse the parent peg in a hierarchy of elements, all changes that you make to the timing of the parent peg are applied to the elements beneath it, including other pegs and drawing elements.

If you are animating a cut-out character, you can collapse the top-most peg in the hierarchy to simplify your Timeline. You can then use the Transform tool to select and animate the parts of the character visually in the Camera View. This is easier than trying to locate the peg that you want to animate in the Timeline View and then transforming it in the Camera View.

In this example, pegs have been used to organize the pieces of our cut-out character.

Notice the arrows next to the peg icons.

The parts of this cut-out character are organized on numerous pegs.

There is one parent peg that organizes all of the parts of the character.

You can collapse all of the child elements in the hierarchy to simplify your Timeline. You can then use the Transform tool to select and animate the parts of the character.

60


Displaying Groups, Sounds and Effects in the TimelineBy default, Toon Boom Digital Pro displays drawing elements and pegs, groups, sounds and effects in the Timeline.

Displaying these layers in the Timeline can help preview the timing of your scene. However, displaying all of these layers can make the Timeline more difficult to manage.

To show or hide elements in the Timeline View:

1. In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select:

View > Show > Show ManagerView > Show > Show EffectsView > Show > Show GroupsView > Show > Show Sounds

Displaying Functions in the TimelineYou can display functions for pegs and effects in the Timeline View to see and modify

keyframes values by clicking on the Peg Functions button or clicking on the Menu

button and selecting Show > Show Functions.

See AlsoDisplaying Groups, Sounds and Effects in the Timeline on page 61

When you display peg functions in the Timeline, you can see all of the keyframes for the functions in your pegs.

61


Changing the Track Colour of Layers in the TimelineYou can change the track colour of selected layers in the Timeline View to help you organize and identify layers more easily.

• Select a drawing layer in the Timeline and click on the Menu button and select View > Change Track Colour. Use the colour dialog box that appears to 25select a new colour for the track.

Top ViewThe Top View window shows you how the elements of your scene look from the top looking down. From this view, you can evaluate each element’s relative left/right and front/back position.

In this view, elements appear as lines. Imagine looking at a stack of animation cels from the top. From this angle you can just see the edge of the piece of celluloid. This view enables you to see how close each element is to each other, as well as to the camera.

The Top View window includes:

• A thumbnail of each drawing element in your scene. The order of the thumbnail images is based on the each element’s FB position in the scene space.

62


• A cone that represents the camera’s FOV.

Xsheet ViewIn the Xsheet View, you organize the columns (elements) in your scene and their timing.

• columns organize the animation levels. • cells represent the value of the element at each frame number.

• rows represent all of the contents of the scene at the frame number.

The camera cone represents the camera’s field of view.

Element thumbnails are displayed based on each element’s front/back order in the scene.

L R

B

F

ColumnCellRow

The status bar displays the selected column and frame number. It indicates if you are working in Overwrite or Insert mode. Press [Insert] (Windows) or the [I] key (Mac OS X) to switch between these two modes.

63


At the bottom of the Xsheet View is a status bar indicating the column and frame number of the selection. It also indicates if you are in Overwrite or Insert mode for working in the Xsheet View. You can switch between these two modes by pressing the [Insert] or [I] key.

• Overwrite: Toon Boom Digital Pro replaces the cell’s value with the one you are entering.

• Insert: Toon Boom Digital Pro adds the value to the current cell and moves all subsequent cell values down.

64

Chapter 4Toolbars

You can customize your Toon Boom Digital Pro workspace by positioning toolbars according to your working requirements.

Each View window toolbar can be customized using the Toolbar Manager, which allows you to add and remove functions to the toolbar.

By default, global toolbars are displayed directly below the menu bar. Click and drag a handle to move a toolbar to the sides or bottom of the Toon Boom Digital Pro window.

Right-click on the top menu area to see a list of toolbars you can display or hide.

Detach or re-attach a toolbar to the window by dragging it away from or towards the Toon Boom Digital Pro menu bar.

65


This chapter describes the following Toon Boom Digital Pro toolbars:

• Animation Tools on page 67• Display Toolbar on page 80

• Drawing Tools on page 71

• Easy Flipping on page 80• Edit on page 81

• File on page 81

• Flip on page 82• Inverse Kinematics on page 83

• Onion Skin on page 85

• Playback on page 86• Rendering on page 87

• Scripting on page 87

• Workspace on page 88

66

Chapter 4: Toolbars

Animation ToolsUse the Animation Tools toolbar to apply transformations to elements and pegs in the Camera, Top and Side views.

Command Action Access Methods

Keyframe Use the Keyframe mode to select peg elements and animate them in the Camera view.

• In the top menu, select Animation > Keyframe Mode.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Keyframe Mode

• In the Camera View, right-click and select Keyframe Mode.

• Press [Shift]+[K], the default keyboard shortcut.

Inverse Kinematic

Use the IK tool to animate the joints in an IK chain.

• In the top menu, select Animation > Inverse Kinematic Tool.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools > Inverse Kinematics Tool.

• In the Camera View, right-click and select Animation Tools > Inverse Kinematics Tool.

• Press [Alt]+[8], the default keyboard shortcut.

Element Mode

Use the Element mode to select drawing elements in the Camera view.

• In the top menu, select Animation > Element Mode.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Element Mode

• In the Camera View, right-click and select Element Mode.

• Press [Shift]+[E], the default keyboard shortcut.

67


Maintain Size Use the Maintain Size tool to reposition elements in depth (move them from front-to-back) and preserve their apparent size.

• In the top menu, select Animation > Animation Tools > Maintain Size.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools > Maintain Size.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View window, right-click and select Animation Tools > Maintain Size.


All Keyframes Mode

Use the All Keyframes Mode to select peg elements without animating them in the Camera View.

• In the top menu, select Animation > All Keyframes Mode.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > All Keyframes Mode.

• In the Camera View, right-click and select All Keyframes Mode.

• Press [Shift]+[A], the default keyboard shortcut.

Rotate Use the Rotate tool to change the angle of elements in your scene. You must first select them with the Select tool or by pressing [Ctrl].

• In the top menu, select Animation > Animation Tools > Rotate.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Rotate.

• Press [R], the default keyboard shortcut.


68

Chapter 4: Toolbars

Scale Use the Scale tool to change the size of elements in your scene. You must first select them with the Select tool or by pressing [Ctrl].

• In the top menu, select Animation > Animation Tools > Scale.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools >Scale.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View window, right-click and select Animation Tools > Scale.


• If the Select tool is active, press [Ctrl]+[middle mouse button] to temporarily switch to the Scale tool.

Select Use the Select tool to select elements or pegs you want to Scale, Rotate, Translate or Maintain Size. You can press the middle mouse button and use the Select tool to move elements.

• In the top menu, select Animation > Animation Tools > Select.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools >Select.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View window, right-click and select Animation Tools > Select.


Skew Use the Skew tool to distort elements attached to pegs in the Camera View.

• In the top menu, select Animation > Animation Tools > Skew.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools >Skew.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View window, right-click and select Animation Tools > Skew.



69


Offset Spline Use the Offset Spline tool to offset a peg’s visual trajectory to another location without offsetting or modifying the animation itself. You need to display the peg element’s control parameters in order to see the visual trajectory.In the Camera View, right-click a selected Peg element and select Show Control Parameters [C] to display the Spline.

• In the top menu, select Animation > Animation Tools > Offset Spline.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools > Offset Spline.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View window, right-click and select Animation Tools > Offset Spline.


Transform Use the Transform tool to select, move, rotate, scale and skew peg elements in the Camera View.

• In the top menu, select Animation > Animation Tools > Transform.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools >Transform.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View window, right-click and select Animation Tools > Transform.


Translate Use the Translate tool to reposition elements or motion points on pegs.

• In the top menu, select Animation > Animation Tools > Translate.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools >Translate.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View window, right-click and select Animation Tools > Translate.


• If the Select tool is active, you can use the [middle mouse button] to temporarily switch to the Translate tool.


70

Chapter 4: Toolbars

Drawing ToolsUse the Drawing Tools toolbar to select your preferred drawing tool.


Brush Use the Brush tool to draw and sketch. Pressure sensitivity is taken into account, allowing you to create lines with variable thicknesses. Press [Shift] to draw a straight line.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Brush.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Brush.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Brush from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[B], the default keyboard shortcut.

Close Gap Use the Close Gap tool to fill small gaps in a drawing. Display strokes with the Show Strokes command [K] to see the closed gaps.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Close Gap.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Close Gap.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Close Gap from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[C], the default keyboard shortcut.

71


Contour Editor

Use the Contour Editor tool to change the shape of a pencil line or a brush stroke.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Contour Editor.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Contour Editor.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Contour Editor from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[Q], the default keyboard shortcut.

Cutter Use the Cutter tool to cut out strokes or shapes from objects you draw in the Camera or Drawing View window. You can use the Apply Tool to Line and Colour Art option to cut both the line art and colour art simultaneously.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Cutter.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Cutter.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Cutter from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[T], the default keyboard shortcut.

Deform Use the Deform tool to reshape Brush strokes using a centreline.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Deform.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Deform.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Deform from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Shift]+[F4], the default keyboard shortcut.


72

Chapter 4: Toolbars

Dropper Use the Dropper tool to identify the colour of a painted zone or line on your drawing. When you click a colour in your drawing, Toon Boom Digital Pro selects the corresponding colour in the Colour View.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Dropper.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Dropper.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Dropper from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[D], the default keyboard shortcut.

• When the Paint, Brush, or the Pencil tools are active, press [D] to temporarily switch to the Dropper tool to select a colour. Release the button to return to your original tool.

Edit Gradient/Texture

Use the Edit Gradient/Texture tool to change the shape, size, and orientation of gradient and bitmap texture fills.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Edit Gradient/Texture.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Edit Gradient/Texture.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Edit Gradient/Texture from the pop-up menu.


Ellipse Use the Ellipse tool to draw circles and ellipses.Press [Shift] to start the ellipse from its centre.Press [Alt] to draw the ellipse with a 1:1 fixed aspect ratio.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Ellipse.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Ellipse.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Ellipse from the pop-up menu.


73


Eraser Use the Eraser tool to trim areas from a drawing object.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Eraser.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Eraser.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Eraser from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[E] (Windows) or [Ctrl]+[E] (Mac OS X), the default keyboard shortcut.

Grabber Use the Grabber tool to change the Camera and Drawing views.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Grabber.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Grabber.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Grabber from the pop-up menu.

• Hold down the [Spacebar] while you click and drag the window.

Line Use the Line tool to draw straight lines. This is a central vector type of line.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Line.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Line.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Line from the pop-up menu.


74

Chapter 4: Toolbars

Morphing Use the Morphing tool to add and select hints for morphed drawings in the Drawing and Camera views.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Morphing Tool.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Morphing > Morphing Tool.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Morphing Tool from the pop-up menu.

• Press [F3], the default keyboard shortcut.

Paint Use the Paint tool to paint colour zones in your animations.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Paint.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Paint.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Paint from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[I] (Windows) or [Ctrl]+[I] (Mac OS X), the default keyboard shortcut.

Paint Unpainted

Use the Paint Unpainted tool to only paint zones that are not already filled with colour.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Paint Unpainted.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Paint Unpainted.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click on the Drawing View window and select Drawing Tools > Paint Unpainted from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[Y], the default keyboard shortcut.


75


Pencil Use the Pencil tool to draw centreline shapes with your mouse or graphic tablet and pen.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Pencil.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Pencil.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Pencil from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[/], the default keyboard shortcut.

Perspective Use the Perspective tool to change the orientation of a drawing. With this tool, you can take a 2D object and make it appear as if it is stretched across 3D space.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Perspective.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Perspective.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Perspective from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[0] (zero), the default keyboard shortcut.

Polyline Use the Polyline tool to draw vector shapes consisting of many continuous points that form different angles. Add a point and pull on its bezier handle to shape the line.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Polyline.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Polyline.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Polyline from the pop-up menu.


76

Chapter 4: Toolbars

Rectangle Use the Rectangle tool to draw rectangles and squares. It is a central vector type of line.Press [Shift] to start the rectangle from its centre.Press [Alt] to draw the rectangle with a 1:1 fixed aspect ratio.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Rectangle.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Rectangle.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Rectangle from the pop-up menu.

Repaint Use the Repaint tool to change the colour values used in colour art zones and line art already filled with colour.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Repaint.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Repaint.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Repaint from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[R], the default keyboard shortcut.

Repaint Brush Use the Repaint Brush tool to fill only the areas that the tool touches with the selected colour.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Repaint Brush.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Repaint Brush.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Repaint Brush from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[X], the default keyboard shortcut.


77


Reposition All Drawings

Use the Reposition All Drawings tool to move, scale or rotate all of the drawings in a column.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Reposition All Drawings.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Reposition All Drawings.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Reposition All Drawings from the pop-up menu.

Rotate Use the rotary table (animation disk) to rotate your workspace while you draw.

• Press [Ctrl]+[Alt], the default keyboard shortcut.

Select Use the Select tool to select, scale, translate, rotate and skew drawing objects.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Select.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Select.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Select from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[S], the default keyboard shortcut.

Smooth Editor Use the Smooth Editor tool to select a drawing object area to smooth. Use the Smooth and Smooth Fast commands to smooth out the area and remove points.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Smooth Editor.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Smooth Editor.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Tools > Drawing Tools > Smooth Editor from the pop-up menu.


78

Chapter 4: Toolbars

Stroke Use the Stroke tool to draw invisible strokes in a drawing. Use the Show Strokes command [K] to display the strokes.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Stroke.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Stroke.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Stroke from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[V], the default keyboard shortcut.

Unpaint Use the Unpaint tool to remove the colour from zones and lines you have already painted. If the Paint Bucket tool is selected, the middle mouse button can be used as an Unpaint tool.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Unpaint.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Unpaint.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Unpaint from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[U] (Windows) or [Ctrl]+[U] (Mac OS X), the default keyboard shortcuts.

Zoom Use the Zoom tool to select the area of the Drawing or Camera View where you want to zoom in or out.

• In the top menu, select Drawing > Drawing Tools > Zoom.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Zoom.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Zoom from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[Z], the default keyboard shortcut.

• Press [Ctrl]+[Spacebar] to temporarily enable the Zoom tool.


79


Display ToolbarUse the Display toolbar, also known as Global Display, to select the different display modules available in the network. When selecting a new display, all of the views will update to show the content of the new display module.

Easy FlippingUse the Easy Flipping toolbar to flip between drawings within the same column. You can flip through your drawings one by one, or use the slider to go through them more quickly.


Flipbook Slider

Use the Flipbook Slider to flip between drawings by clicking and dragging. Enable the Loop option to loop the drawings.

Next Drawing Use the Next Drawing command to go to the next drawing.

• The default keyboard shortcut is [G].

Previous Drawing

Use the Previous Drawing command to go to the previous drawing.

• The default keyboard shortcut is [F].

80

Chapter 4: Toolbars

EditUse the Edit toolbar to undo and redo Toon Boom Digital Pro operations.

FileUse the File toolbar to work with scene files in Toon Boom Digital Pro.


History Use the History drop-down menu to undo or redo a series of actions.

Redo Use the Redo command to repeat the last command you erased with the Undo command. You can see a list of actions you have performed by clicking on the arrow next to the Redo button.

• In the top menu, select Edit > Redo.

• The default keyboard shortcut is [Ctrl]+[Shift]+[Z].

Undo Use the Undo command to erase the effects from the last command you performed. You can see a list of actions you have performed by clicking on the arrow next to the Undo button.

• In the top menu, select Edit > Undo.

• The default keyboard shortcut is [Ctrl]+[Z].


New Use the New command to display a dialog where you can create a new scene, as well as enter a new scene name and scene location.

• In the top menu, select File > New.

• The default keyboard shortcut is [Ctrl]+[N].

81


FlipUse the Flip toolbar to display only certain drawings as you flip through. In the Xsheet, drawings can be marked as key, breakdown or in-between. The Flip toolbar allows you to select one or more drawing types to view during the flipping process.

Open Use Open command open the browser, which can be used to select the scene you want to open.

• In the top menu, select File > Open.

• The default keyboard shortcut is [Ctrl]+[O].

Save Use Save command to save everything in the opened scene, including drawings, colour palettes, palette lists and the DIGITAL file.

• In the top menu, select File > Save.

• The default keyboard shortcut is [Ctrl]+[S].


82

Chapter 4: Toolbars

Inverse KinematicsUse the Inverse Kinematics toolbar to set constraints on some elements of a hierarchy chain (parenting). You can set temporary nails, hold orientation, set maximum or minimum angles, and apply a hold to X or Y positions on elements such as the feet, hands or shoulders. You can also correct angles on a section of a hierarchy chain.


Apply IK Constraints

Use this commend to apply IK Constraints to a series of frames. The IK Constraints are used to fix a cut-out puppet’s part to the same spot.

Enable Min/Max Angle

Use this to set angle limitations on a peg angle to avoid having the puppet break apart.

• In the top menu, select Animation > IK Constraints > Set IK Min Angle.

• In the top menu, select Animation > IK Constraints > Set IK Max Angle.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools > IK Constraints > Set IK Min Angle.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools > IK Constraints > Set IK Max Angle.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select IK Constraints > Set IK Min Angle

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select IK Constraints > Set IK Max Angle

83


Hold Orientation

Use this to block the angle (rotation). • In the top menu, select Animation > IK Constraints > Set IK Hold Orientation.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools > IK Constraints > Set IK Hold Orientation.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select IK Constraints > Set IK Hold Orientation.

• [Shift]+[middle mouse button] click in the pivot.

Hold X Use the Hold X command to block only the X position (left/right) of an element.

• In the top menu, select Animation > IK Constraints > Set IK Hold X.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools > IK Constraints > Set IK Hold X.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select IK Constraints > Set IK Hold X

Hold Y Use the Hold Y command to block only the Y position (up/down) of an element.

• In the top menu, select Animation > IK Constraints > Set IK Hold Y.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools > IK Constraints > Set IK Hold Y.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select IK Constraints > Set IK Hold Y


84

Chapter 4: Toolbars

Onion Skin Use the Onion Skin toolbar to only view drawings marked as key, breakdown or inbetween drawings, or to view a combination of these drawing types through your onion skin preview.

IK Keyframe Use IK Keyframe command to indicate which frame you want to start applying the IK Constraints to.

IK Nail Use the IK Nail command to block the X, Y and Z positions (respectively: left/right, up/down, front/back).

• In the top menu, select Animation > IK Constraints > Set IK Nail.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools > IK Constraints > Set IK Nail.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select IK Constraints > Set IK Nail.

• The default keyboard shortcut is to [Shift]+[Click] the pivot.


85


PlaybackUse the Playback toolbar to playback your animation and navigate through your frames.


Enable Cache Use the Enable Cache command to store frames that you playback in the memory. The next time that you playback the recorded frames, they will be recalled quickly to playback in real-time.

• In the top menu, select Play > Enable Cache.

Enable Sound Use the Enable Sound command to include the soundtrack during playback.

• In the top menu, select Play > Enable Sound.

Fps Use the Fps command to indicate the scene frame rate.

• In the top menu, select Play > Playback Speed.

Go to Frame Use the Go to Frame command to select the frame you want to see by using the up and down arrows, or by

entering a value in the field.You can also click and drag the spin arrows to move forward or backward through the frames.

• In the top menu, select Play > Go to Frame.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the frame field and select Go to Frame.

Loop Repeats the scene when it reaches the last frame.

• In the top menu, select Play > Loop.

Play Forward Use the Play Forward command to play the animation from the current frame to the last frame.

• In the top menu, select Play > Play Scene Forward.

• Press [Shift]+[Enter], the default keyboard shortcut.

Play Backward Use the Play Backward command to play the animation from the current frame to the first frame.

• In the top menu, select Play > Play Scene Backward.

Stop Use the Stop command to stop a playback.

• In the top menu, select Play > Stop.

• Press [Shift]+[Enter], the default keyboard shortcut.

86

Chapter 4: Toolbars

RenderingUse the Rendering toolbar to enable or disable the final image calculation. When this option is enabled, the current frame’s final image will be calculated with each modification.

ScriptingUse the Scripting toolbar to work with Qt scripts.

Start Frame Use the Start Frame command to control the starting frame of the playback range.

• In the top menu, select Play > Start Frame.

Stop Frame Use the Stop Frame command to control the end frame of the playback range.

• In the top menu, select Play > Stop Frame.


Auto Render Use the Auto Render tool to have Toon Boom Digital Pro render the current frame’s final image in the Camera Render View.

• In the Camera View, click and

hold the Render button and select Auto Render.


Edit Scripts Use the Add Script button to open QSA Workbench scripting environment.


87


WorkspaceUse the Workspace toolbar to update the Toon Boom Digital Pro workspaces.

Manage Scripts

Use the Manage Scripts button to display the Script Toolbar Manager.

Stop Script Use the Stop Script button to abort a script while it is running.


Save Workspace

Use the Save Workspace command to save changes to the Toon Boom Digital Pro window workspace in the current workspace.

• In the top menu, select Windows > Workspace > Save Workspace

Workspace Drop-list

Use the Workspace drop-list to select the window workspace you want to use.

Workspace Manager

Use the Workspace Manager to create, reorder and hide workspaces.

• In the top menu, select Windows > Workspace > Workspace Manager.


88

Chapter 5Commands

This chapter describes all of the commands in the Toon Boom Digital Pro menus, listed here:

• Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar on page 89• Camera View Menu on page 176

• Colour View Menu on page 195

• Drawing View Menu on page 200• Free, Side and Top View Menus on page 212

• Function View Menu on page 215

• Model View on page 216• Module Library Menu on page 218

• Network View Menu on page 219

• Pen View Menu on page 223• Playback View Menu on page 224

• Template Library Menu on page 226

• Timeline View Menu on page 229• Xsheet View Menu on page 239

• Thumbnail Panel Contextual Menu on page 250

Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar Use the Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar to access most of the software’s commands.

• Animation on page 90

• Compositing on page 103

• Drawing on page 108• Edit on page 136

• File Menu on page 142

• Help Menu on page 145• Play Menu on page 146

• Scene Menu on page 148

• View Menu on page 152• Windows Menu on page 173

89


AnimationUse the Animation Menu to access animation tools and alter animation keyframes.


Keyframe Mode Use the Keyframe Mode to select peg elements and animate them in the Camera view. To be animated, they must be hooked to a peg element.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Keyframe Mode

• In the Camera View, right-click and select Keyframe Mode.

• Press [Shift]+[K], the default keyboard shortcut.

Motion > Delete Keyframe

Use the Delete Keyframe command to remove the keyframe from the selected frame in the Camera, Timeline or Xsheet View.

• In the Xsheet and Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Motion > Delete Keyframes.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Delete Keyframes.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the frame and select Delete Keyframes from the pop-up menu.


90

Chapter 5: Commands

Element Mode Use the Element mode to select drawing elements in the Camera view.

• In the top menu, select Animation > Element Mode.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Element Mode

• In the Camera View, right-click and select Element Mode.

• Press [Shift]+[E], the default keyboard shortcut.

Flip > Flip Horizontal

Use the Flip Horizontal command to exchange the left and right parts of the selected drawing object.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Flip > Flip Horizontal.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Motion > Flip Horizontal.

• Press [4], the default keyboard shortcut.

Flip > Flip Scale X

Use the Flip Scale X command to flip a peg or elements on its horizontal axis.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Flip > Flip Scale X.

Flip > Flip Scale Y

Use the Flip Scale Y command to flip a peg or elements on its vertical axis.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Flip > Flip Scale Y.

Flip > Flip Vertical

Use the Flip Vertical command to exchange the top and bottom parts of the selected drawing object.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Flip > Flip Vertical.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Motion > Flip Vertical.



91


Inverse Kinematic Tool

Use the Inverse Kinematic Tool command to animate the pivots in an IK chain.Press [Ctrl] to select elements in the Camera View.

• Click on the Inverse Kinematic

Tool icon in the Animation Tools toolbar.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools > Inverse Kinematics Tool.

• In the Camera View, right-click and select Animation Tools > Inverse Kinematics Tool.


Motion > Insert Control Point

Use the Insert Control Point command to add a control point on your peg’s trajectory.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Insert Control Point.

• In the Camera View, on the spline, press [P], the default keyboard shortcut.

Motion > Insert Keyframe

Use the Insert Keyframe command to insert a keyframe.

• In the Xsheet and Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Motion > Insert Keyframe.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Insert Keyframe.

• In the Xsheet and Timeline View, right-click on the frame and select Insert Keyframe from the pop-up menu.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select Insert Keyframe from the pop-up menu.



92

Chapter 5: Commands

Lock > Lock Use the Lock command to lock all selected elements so they cannot be modified.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Lock > Lock.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Edit > Lock > Lock.

• In the Camera View window, right-click and select Lock > Lock.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the module and select Lock > Lock.

Lock > Lock All Use the Lock All command to lock all elements so they cannot be modified.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Lock > Lock All.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Edit > Lock > Lock All.

• In the Camera View window, right-click and select Lock > Lock All.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the module and select Lock > Lock All.

Lock > Lock All Others

Use the Lock All Others command to lock all unselected elements so they cannot be modified.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Lock > Lock All Others.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Edit > Lock > Lock All Others.

• In the Camera View window, right-click and select Lock > Lock All Others.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the module and select Lock > Lock All Others.


93


Animation Tools > Maintain Size

Use the Maintain Size tool to change the front-back position of an element in the Top or Side View while maintaining its relative size.Press [Ctrl] to select elements.

• Click on the Maintain Size

icon in the Animation Tools toolbar.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools > Maintain Size.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select Animation Tools > Maintain Size.


No Z Dragging Use the No Z Dragging command to lock an element to a specific front-back value while changing its north-south or east-west values.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > No Z Dragging.

Nudge Backward

Use the Nudge Backward command to move a selected element slightly backward on the Z axis.

• In the Camera View, hold down the [Alt] key and nudge with the [Up] arrow.

Nudge Forward Use the Nudge Forward command to move a selected element slightly forward on the Z axis.

• In the Camera View, hold down the [Alt] key and nudge with the [Down] arrow.

Animation Tools > Offset Spline

Use the Offset Spline tool to offset a peg’s visual trajectory to a better location without offsetting or modifying the animation itself. You must display the peg element’s control parameters in order to see the visual trajectory.

• Click on the Offset Spline icon in the Animation Tools toolbar.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools > Offset Spline.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select Animation Tools > Offset Spline.



94

Chapter 5: Commands

All Keyframes Mode

Use the All Keyframes Mode command to only select and reposition peg elements without animating them in the Camera View.

• Click on the All Keyframes

Mode icon in the Animation Tools toolbar.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > All Keyframes Mode.

• In the Camera View, right-click and select All Keyframes Mode.

• Press [Shift]+[A], the default keyboard shortcut.

IK Constraints > Remove All Constraints

Use the Remove All Constraints command to remove all constraints from all pegs in all IK chains.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools > IK Constraints > Remove All Constraints.

• In the Camera View window, right-click and select IK Constraints > Remove all Constraints.

Reset All Transformations

Use the Reset All Transformations command to reset position, rotation, scale, and pivot values of the current drawing element to their original values. The starting values are 0 (zero) for position (X, Y, and Z), 0 (zero) for angle, and 1 for scale (X and Y).

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Reset All Transformations.

• Press [Shift]+[R], the default keyboard shortcut.

Reset Transformation

Use the Reset Transformation command to reset the values of the selected element to the initial value of the active tool. The starting values are 0 (zero) for position (X, Y, and Z), 0 (zero) for angle, and 1 for scale (X and Y). If the Rotate tool is active, the Reset Transformation command will reset the angle to 0 (zero).

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Reset Transformations.

• Press [R], the default keyboard shortcut.


95


Animation Tools > Rotate

Use the Rotate tool to change the angle of the selected element or peg. The object that you change depends on your Selection Mode. This mode can be enabled or disabled.Press [Ctrl] to select elements in the Camera View.

• Click on the Rotate icon in the Animation Tools toolbar.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools > Rotate.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select Animation Tools > Rotate.


• If the Select tool is active, you can press [Alt]+[middle mouse button] to temporarily switch to the Rotate tool.

Animation Tools > Scale

Use the Scale tool to change the size of a selected element or peg. The object you change depends on your Selection Mode.This mode can be enabled or disabled.Press [Ctrl] so select elements in the Camera View.

• Click on the Scale icon in the Animation Tools toolbar.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools > Scale.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select Animation Tools > Scale.


• If the Select tool is active, press [Ctrl]+[middle mouse button] to temporarily switch to the Scale tool.

Animation Tools > Select

Use the Select tool to select an element, control point, keyframe, or peg. The object that you change depends on your Selection Mode.This mode can be enabled or disabled.With the Select tool, press [Alt] and hold the middle mouse button to temporarily switch to the Rotate tool. Alternatively, press [Ctrl] and hold the middle mouse button to temporarily switch to the Scale tool.

• Click on the Select icon in the Animation Tools toolbar.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools >Select.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select Animation Tools > Select.



96

Chapter 5: Commands

Motion > Select Next Keyframe/Point

Use the Select Next Keyframe/Point command to select the next keyframe or control point on a peg’s trajectory.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Select Next Keyframe/Point.

• Press [‘], the default keyboard shortcut.

Motion > Select Previous Keyframe/Point

Use the Select Previous Keyframe/Point command to select the previous keyframe or control point on a peg’s trajectory.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Select Previous Keyframe/Point.

• Press [;], the default keyboard shortcut.

IK Constraints > Set IK Hold Orientation

When the Inverse Kinematics (IK) tool is in use, the Set IK Hold Orientation command locks the bone to the same position relative to the next joint. This prevents the rotation of the joint while allowing translation of the joint’s position.

• Click on the Set IK Hold

Orientation icon in the Inverse Kinematics toolbar.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools > IK Constraints > Set IK Hold Orientation.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select IK Constraints > Set IK Hold Orientation.

• Press [Shift]+[middle mouse button] click on the pivot.

IK Constraints > Set IK Hold X

When the Inverse Kinematics (IK) tool is in use, the Set IK Hold X command preserves the position of the joint on the X axis and the orientation as joint moves on the Y axis. You can also press [Shift] to constrain the motion on the X axis.

• Click on the Set IK Hold X

icon in the Inverse Kinematics toolbar.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools > IK Constraints > Set IK Hold X.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select IK Constraints > Set IK Hold X


97


IK Constraints > Set IK Hold Y

When the Inverse Kinematics (IK) tool is in use, the Set IK Hold Y command preserves the position of the joint in the Y axis and the orientation as joint moves on the X axis. You can also press [Shift] to constrain the motion on the Y axis.

• Click on the Set IK Hold Y


• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools > IK Constraints > Set IK Hold Y.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select IK Constraints > Set IK Hold Y

IK Constraints > Set IK Max Angle

When the Inverse Kinematics (IK) tool is in use, the Set IK Max Angle command sets the maximum angle of rotation to the current value. Press [Shift] to move the control handles.

• Click on the Set IK Max Angle


• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools > IK Constraints > Set IK Max Angle.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select IK Constraints > Set IK Max Angle

IK Constraints > Set IK Min Angle

When the Inverse Kinematics (IK) tool is in use, the Set IK Min Angle command sets the minimum angle of rotation to the current value.Press [Shift] to move the control handles.

• Click on the Set IK Min Angle

icon in the Inverse Kinematics toolbar.In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools > IK Constraints > Set IK Min Angle.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select IK Constraints > Set IK Min Angle


98

Chapter 5: Commands

IK Constraints > Set IK Nail

When the Inverse Kinematics (IK) tool is in use, the Set IK Nail command constrains the movement of the joint. This prevents the joint from moving because of angular rotation

• Click on the Set IK Nail icon in the Inverse Kinematics toolbar.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools > IK Constraints > Set IK Nail.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select IK Constraints > Set IK Nail.

• [Shift]+[Click] the pivot.

Motion > Set Motion Keyframe

The Set Motion Keyframe will create a computer generated motion on selected keyframes.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Set Motion Keyframe.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the button and select Motion > Set Motion Keyframe.

• In the Camera View, right-click and select Set Motion Keyframe.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the left-side and select Set Motion Key Frame.

• Press [Ctrl]+[K], the default keyboard shortcut.

Motion > Set Stop-Motion Keyframe

Use the Set Stop-Motion Keyframe to remove any computer generated motion from selected keyframes and keep these segments constant.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Set Stop-Motion Keyframe.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the button and select Motion > Set Stop-Motion Keyframe.

• In the Camera View, right-click and select Set Stop-Motion Keyframe.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the left-side and select Set Stop-Motion Key Frame.

• Press [Ctrl]+[L], the default keyboard shortcut.


99


Animation Tools > Skew

Use the Skew tool to distort elements attached to a peg in the Camera View window. Verify that the Keyframe or All Keyframe Mode is enabled.

• Click on the Skew icon in the Animation Tools toolbar.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools >Skew.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select Animation Tools > Skew.


Substitute Drawing Next

Use the Substitute Drawing Next command to substitute a selected drawing for the next drawing available in the drawing element folder.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Substitute Drawing Next.

• In the Xsheet and Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Drawings > Substitute Drawing Next.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the right-side and select Substitute Drawing Next.

• Move the Template Library Substitution Slider to the right.

• Press [ ] ], the default keyboard shortcut.

Substitute Drawing Previous

Use the Substitute Drawing Previous command to substitute a selected drawing for the previous drawing available in the drawing element folder.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Substitute Drawing Previous.

• In the Xsheet and Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Drawings > Substitute Drawing Previous.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the right-side and select Substitute Drawing Previous.

• Move the Template Library Substitution Slider to the left.

• Press [ [ ], the default keyboard shortcut.


100

Chapter 5: Commands

Motion > Toggle Between Linear and Curve

Use the Toggle Between Linear and Curve command to switch the continuity value of the selected motion point between the values of 0 and -1. You must have a motion point selected to access this command.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Motion > Toggle Between Linear and Curve.

• Press [O], the default keyboard shortcut.

Motion > Toggle Lock in Time

Use the Toggle Lock In Time command to switch the selected motion point from a control point to a keyframe, which is locked to a specific frame number. You must have a control point selected to access this command.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Motion > Toggle Lock in Time.

• Press [L], the default keyboard shortcut.

Animation Tools > Transform

Use the Transform tool to select, move, rotate, scale and skew elements in the Camera View windows.

• Click on the Transform icon in the Animation Tools toolbar.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools >Transform.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select Animation Tools > Transform.


Animation Tools > Translate

Use the Translate tool to change the position of the selected element, keyframe, or peg. The object you move depends on the Selection Mode.This mode can be enabled or disabled.

• Click on the Translate icon in the Animation Tools toolbar.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Animation Tools >Translate.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select Animation Tools > Translate.


• If the Select tool is active, you can use the [middle mouse button] to temporarily switch to the Translate tool.


101


Lock > Unlock Use the Unlock command to unlock selected elements so they can be modified.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Lock > Unlock.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Edit > Lock > Unlock.

• In the Camera View window, right-click and select Lock > Unlock.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the module and select Lock > Unlock.

Lock > Unlock All

The Unlock All command unlocks all the elements so they can be modified.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Animation > Lock > Unlock All.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Edit > Lock > Unlock All.

• In the Camera View window, right-click and select Lock > Unlock All.

• In the Timeline View, right-click a module and select Lock > Unlock All.


102

Chapter 5: Commands

CompositingUse the Composition Menu to add effects and alter modules.


Effects > Add Effects

Use the Add Effects command to add effect modules to your network.

• In the Network View, click on the Menu button and select Add > Effects > Add Effects.

• In the Module Library, select a module and drag it to the Network View.

Auto Render Write

Use the Auto Render Write command to render a frame each time the current frame is changed. You must have a Write module in your network to use this command.

• Press [Ctrl]+[W], the default keyboard shortcut.

Column Editor Use the Column Editor command to display the Editor for the selected element’s Xsheet.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select View > Column Editor.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Modules > Column Editor.

• In the Xsheet View, double-click on the column header.

103


Disable Use the Disable command to turn off selected modules in the network. When you disable modules, Toon Boom Digital Pro refreshes the network and renders the output to any Render View windows that have been set up to display output.

• In the Network View, click on the Menu button and select Modules > Disable.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Modules > Enable/Disable.

• In the Network View, right-click on the window and select Disable from the pop-up menu.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the left side of the window and select Enable > Enable/Disable.

• In the Timeline View, click on the

Enable/Disable checkbox of the module.

• Press [D], the default keyboard shortcut.

Disable All Others

Use the Disable All Others command to turn off all unselected modules in the network. When you disable modules, Toon Boom Digital Pro refreshes the network and renders the output to any Render View windows that have been set up to display output.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Modules > Disable All Others.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the left side of the window and select Enable > Disable All Others.

• In the Timeline View, click on the

Disable All Others button.


104

Chapter 5: Commands

Editor Use the Editor command to open the Element box of the selected module.

• In the Network View, click on the Menu button and select View > Editor.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Modules > Editor.

• In the Network View, click on the small yellow box on the module for the Editor window to pop.

• In the Network view, right-click on the module and select Editor.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the left side panel of the element and select Editor.

• In the Timeline View, double-click on the module.

• In the Camera View, right-click and select Editor.

Enable Use the Enable command to turn on selected modules in the network that had been disabled.Once you enable modules that were turned off, Toon Boom Digital Pro refreshes the network and renders the output to any Render View windows set up to display output.

• In the Network View, click on the Menu button and select Modules > Enable.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Modules > Enable/Disable.

• In the Network View, right-click on the window and select Disable from the pop-up menu.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the left side of the window and select Enable > Enable/Disable.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Enable/Disable checkbox of the module.

• Press [A], the default keyboard shortcut.


105


Enable All Use the Enable All command to force the display of all elements in the Network and Timeline View.

• In the Timeline View window, click on the Menu button and select Modules > Enable All.

• Right-click on the left side of the Timeline View window and select Enable > Enable All from the pop-up menu.

• Click on the Enable/Disable All

button

Explode Selected Groups

Use the Explode Selected Groups command to remove all of the modules from the selected groups and place them at the previous level, maintaining all cable connections.

• In the Network and Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Modules > Explode Selected Groups.

• In the Network View, right-click on the window and select Group > Explode Selected Groups from the pop-up menu.

Effects > Favourites

The Favourite window lists all of the modules available in the Favourites tab of the Module Library.

To add a new module to your Favourites:

1. In the Module Library, go to the All Modules tab.

2. Select the module to add to your Favourites.

3. Drag the module over the Favourites tab.

You should now have a copy of this module in your Favourites.

• In the Network View, click on the Menu button and select Add > Effects > Favourites.


106

Chapter 5: Commands

Group Selection

Use the Group Selection command to add a Group Module to your network and add all selected modules to the group. Group Modules can help you organize your composite network.

• In the Network and Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Modules > Group Selection.

• In the Network View, right-click on the window and select Group > Group Selection from the pop-up menu.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the left side of the window and select Group Selection.

• Press [Ctrl]+[G], the default keyboard shortcut.

Hold Image Use the Hold Image command to validate selected drawings in a cache, locking them in place. In a complex network, activating this command decreases memory usage, thereby increasing the performance of your computer.

• In the Network View, click on the Menu button and select Modules > Hold Image.

Move to Parent Group

Use the Move to Parent Group command to move the selected module to the parent level, maintaining all module connections. If the operation cannot be completed in a way to maintain the cable connections, you will be notified and the operation will be terminated.

• In the Timeline and Network View, click on the Menu button and select Modules > Move to Parent Group

• In the Network View, right-click on the window and select Group > Move to Parent Group from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Ctrl]+[U], the default keyboard shortcut.

Recalculate All Use the Recalculate All command to refresh the network and re-render the display when the Camera View is in render mode.

• In the Network View, click on the Menu button and select Edit > Recalculate All.


107


DrawingUse the Drawing Menu to access drawing tools and to alter drawings and drawing modes.

Recalculate Selected

Use the Recalculate Selected command to refresh the network and re-render the display of selected elements when the Camera View is in render mode.

• In the Network View, click on the Menu button and select Edit > Recalculate Selected.

Release Image Use the Release Image command to release the selected drawings from the cache.

• In the Network View, click on the Menu button and select Modules > Release Image.


108

Chapter 5: Commands


Adjust Line Texture Opacity

Use the Adjust Line Texture Opacity command to modify the alpha values that determine how line textures in your scanned drawings will appear in your animation. This command opens the Adjust Line Texture Opacity dialog box.

• In the Camera/Drawing View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Adjust Line Texture Opacity.

Morphing > Appearing Point Hint

Use the Appearing Point Hint command to control how shapes appear during morphing. The Appearing Point Hint values are dark blue.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Morphing > Appearing Point Hint.

• If you are working with the Morphing Tool in the Drawing or Camera View, right-click and select Appearing Point Hint.

• Press [F9] (Windows), the default keyboard shortcut.

Apply Tool to All Drawings

Use the Apply Tool to All Drawings command to perform an operation on all locked drawings in a column with one action.Apply to All Drawings works with the following Drawing and Paint tools: Brush, Pencil, Ellipse, Rectangle, Line, Paint, Repaint, Unpaint, and Paint Unpainted. In addition, when Permanent Selection is enabled, you can also use the command to delete a selection.You can also paste drawing objects on all loaded drawings with this command. If you have multiple drawings displayed in the thumbnails, all drawings will be updated.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Apply Tool to All Drawings.

• Press [Alt]+[A], the default keyboard shortcut.

Apply Tool to Line and Colour Art

Use the Apply Tool to Line and Colour Art command to simultaneously perform operations on line and colour art.To affect both layers at the same time, you must switch to Preview Line Art and Colour Art and activate the Apply Tool to Line and Colour Art option.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Apply Tool to Line and Colour Art.

• Press [Shift]+[Q], the default keyboard shortcut.

109


Auto-Create Colour Art from Brush

Use the Auto-Create Colour Art on Brush option to automatically create Colour Art zones from the Line Art you draw.

• In the Drawing and Camera View window, click on the Menu

button and select Drawing > Auto-Create Colour Art on Brush.


Drawing Mode > Auto Flatten

Use the Auto Flatten command to merge the objects that you draw into a current layer as each object is created.

• In the Drawing and Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Drawing Mode > Auto Flatten.

Mark Drawing As > Breakdown Drawing

Use the Breakdown Drawing command to mark a drawing as a

breakdown type. An icon will appear in the Xsheet beside the drawing name. When working with paperless animation, this option is very useful for identifying drawings as key, breakdown and in-between.This option can be combined with the Onion Skin and the Flip toolbars.

• Select the cell you wish to mark; in the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Drawings > Mark Drawing As > Breakdown Drawing.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Mark Drawing As > Breakdown Drawing

• In the Xsheet View, right-click on the appropriate cell and select Mark Drawing As > Breakdown Drawing.

Bring Forward Use the Bring Forward command to move a selected object forward in the layering order in the Drawing View window. The drawing object remains in its colour art or line art.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Arrange > Bring Forward.

Selected > Arrange > Bring to Front

Use the Bring to Front command to move the selected object on top of all other objects in the Drawing View window. The drawing object remains in its colour art or line art.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Arrange > Bring to Front.

• Press [+], the default keyboard shortcut.


110

Chapter 5: Commands

Drawing Tools > Brush

Use the Brush tool to paint. If you are working with a graphic tablet and pen, pressure sensitivity is taken into account, allowing you to create strokes with variable thicknesses. You can adjust the size of the Brush pen using the Pen Styles dialog box. Alternatively, press [O] and move your cursor from right to left to change the Maximum Size pen width; press [Shift]+[O] and move your cursor from right to left to change the Minimum Size pen width.Brush strokes can have a variable width because they are formed by contours that surround the stroke. Reshape a brush stroke by using the Contour Editor to move the points and handles. Brush strokes can be converted using the Convert to Pencil Line command.

• Click on the Brush icon in the Drawing Tools toolbar.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Brush.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Brush from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[B], the default keyboard shortcut.

Selected > Convert > Brushes to Pencil Line

Use the Brushes to Pencil Line command to convert selected brush strokes into pencil lines.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Convert > Brushes to Pencil Line.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Convert > Brushes to Pencil Line.

• Press [Shift]+[6], the default keyboard shortcut.

Clean Up > Close Gaps

Use the Close Gaps command to automatically remove small gaps in drawings before you ink and paint them. The Close Gaps command opens the Close Gaps dialog box.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Clean Up > Close Gaps.

• Press [Shift]+[F10] (Windows), the default keyboard shortcut.


111


Drawing Tools > Close Gap

Use the Close Gap tool to remove gaps in drawings.Drag the Close Gap tool close to an area where you think there are holes in the zones that you drew. Toon Boom Digital Pro finds the holes and adds vector lines to close them, allowing you to fill the zone with colour. Press [Shift]+[Alt] to use the line ends, instead of the closest point, to close a gap.

• Click on the Close Gap icon in the Drawing Tools toolbar.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Close Gap.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Close Gap from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[C], the default keyboard shortcut.

Auto Gap Closing > Close Large Gap

Use the Close Large Gap option to automatically close large gaps as you paint. The size of a gap is relative to your zoom level. Zooming out makes large gaps appear smaller.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Auto Gap Closing > Close Large Gap.

Auto Gap Closing > Close Medium Gap

Use the Close Medium Gap option to automatically close medium gaps as you paint. The size of a gap is relative to your zoom level. Zooming out makes large gaps appear smaller.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Auto Gap Closing > Close Medium Gap.

Auto Gap Closing > Close Small Gap

Use the Close Small Gap option to automatically close small gaps as you paint. The size of a gap is relative to your zoom level. Zooming out makes large gaps appear smaller.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Auto Gap Closing > Close Small Gap.


112

Chapter 5: Commands

Drawing Tools > Contour Editor

Use the Contour Editor tool to change the shape of a pencil line or a brush stroke.To add a point to a stroke, press [Ctrl] and click on the line.To move one handle on a point independently of the other, press [Alt] and click on the handle.To select multiple points, press [Shift] and click on the points.To delete a point, select it and press [Delete]. Select multiple points using [Shift].

• Click on the Contour Editor

icon in the Drawing Tools toolbar.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tool > Contour Editor.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Contour Editor from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[Q], the default keyboard shortcut.

Morphing > Contour Hint

Use the Contour Hint command to identify points on a contour that must be identical and consistent in the source and destination drawings. Contour Hints snap to contours.Contour Hint numbers are yellow.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Morphing > Contour Hint.

• If you are working with the Morphing Tool in the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Contour Hint.


Morphing > Convert Morphing to Drawing

Use the Convert Morphing to Drawings command to convert the morphing into separate drawings and expose them in the frames.

• In the Xsheet and Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Morphing > Convert Morphing to Drawings.

• In the Xsheet and Timeline View, right-click on the selection and select Morphing > Convert Morphing to Drawings from the pop-up menu.


113


Create Empty Drawings

Use the Create Empty Drawings command to create new drawings and automatically display them in the Xsheet View. They are displayed in frames you select, replacing any drawings that may have already been in the frames.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Create Empty Drawings.

• In the Drawing View, right-click on the drawing and select Create and Replace Current Drawing in the pop-up menu.

• If you are in drawing mode in the Camera View, right-click on the drawing and select Create Empty Drawings in the pop-up menu.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the cell and select Create Empty Drawings

Selected > Convert > Create Colour Art from Line Art

Use the Create Colour Art from Line Art command to convert lines created in Line Art Mode into strokes representing the centreline of drawing lines in Colour Art Mode. You must convert your Line Art to Colour Art to fill the zones you created with colour.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Convert > Create Colour Art to Line Art.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Convert > Create Colour Art from Line Art.


Selected > Create Contour Strokes

Use the Create Contour Strokes command to convert lines created in Line Art Mode into strokes representing the centreline of drawing lines in Colour Art Mode. You must convert your Line Art to Colour Art to fill the zones you created with colour. command

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Create Contour Strokes.

Create Drawing in Empty Cell

Use the Create Drawing in Empty Cell command to create a new drawing from a selected empty cell in your Timeline.

• In the Xsheet and Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Create Drawing in Empty Cell.

• In the Timeline View window, right-click on the selected empty frame and select Create Drawing in Empty Cell.


114

Chapter 5: Commands

Morphing > Create Morphing

Use the Create Morphing command to create a morphing sequence from two vector drawings you have selected.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Morphing > Create Morphing.

• In the Timeline, right-click on the right-side of the window and select Morphing > Create Morphing.

• Press [Alt]+[M], the default keyboard shortcut.

Drawing Tools > Cutter

Use the Cutter tool to cut out strokes or shapes from objects you draw in the Drawing View window.Use the Apply Tool to Line and Colour Art option to cut both the line art and colour art simultaneously.

• Click on the Cutter icon in the Drawing Tools toolbar.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Cutter.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Cutter from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[T], the default keyboard shortcut.

Drawing Mode > Cycle Between Drawing Modes

Use the Cycle Between Drawing Modes command to switch to the next layer mode listed in the Flatten Latest menu.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Drawing Mode > Cycle Between Drawing Modes.


Drawing Mode > Default

Use the Default command to permit each drawing object to remain in its own layer.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Drawing Mode > Default.


115


Drawing Tools > Deform

Use the Deform tool to reshape brush strokes using a centreline. • Click on the Deform icon

in the Drawing Tools toolbar.• In the Drawing and Camera

View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Deform.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Deform from the pop-up menu.


Morphing > Delete Morphing

Use the Delete Morphing command to delete morphing and expose the original drawings in the frames.

• In the Xsheet and Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Morphing > Delete Morphing.

• In the Xsheet and Timeline View, right-click on the selection and select Morphing > Delete Morphing from the pop-up menu.

Delete Selected Drawings

Use the Delete Selected Drawings command to do one of the following:Delete the selected drawing from the database and file system, leaving the cell labelled with the drawing name.Delete the selected drawing and clear the cell label.

• In the Xsheet and Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Delete Selected Drawings.

• In the Xsheet View, right-click and select Drawing > Delete Selected Drawings.

• In the Timeline View, right-click and select Delete Selected Drawings.

Auto Gap Closing > Disabled

Use the Disabled option to turn off auto gap closing.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Auto Gap Closing > Disabled.


116

Chapter 5: Commands

Drawing Tools > Dropper

Use the Dropper tool to identify the colour of a painted zone or line on your drawing. When you click a colour in your drawing, Toon Boom Digital Pro selects the corresponding colour in the Colour View.

• Click on the Dropper icon in the Drawing Tools toolbar.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Dropper.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Dropper from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[D], the default keyboard shortcut.

• When the Paint tool, Brush tool, or the Pencil tool are active, press [D] to temporarily switch to the Dropper tool to select a colour. When you release the button, you will return to your original tool.

Duplicate Drawings

Use the Duplicate Drawings command to create a new drawing based on the drawing you have selected. You can then modify the new drawing without changing the original. The new drawing will automatically be exposed at the selected frame.The drawing is renamed with the next available value in the sequence of drawings in the element. For example, if the drawing is named drawing-1 and the last drawing in the element is drawing-9, then the new drawing will be named drawing-10.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Duplicate Drawings.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Drawings > Duplicate Drawings.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the cells and select Duplicate Drawings.

• Press [Alt]+[Shift]+[D], the default keyboard shortcut.


117


Drawing Tools > Edit Gradient / Texture

Use the Edit Gradient /Texture tool to change the shape, size, and orientation of gradient and bitmap fills.

• Click on the Edit Gradient/

Texture icon in the Drawing Tools toolbar.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Edit Gradient / Texture.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Edit Gradient / Texture from the pop-up menu.


Drawing Tools > Ellipse

Use the Ellipse tool to draw circles and other round shapes in the Drawing View window using your mouse or graphic tablet and pen.To constrain the proportions of the ellipse, press [Shift] and draw a perfectly round circle. To draw from the centre, press [Alt].

• Click on the Ellipse icon in the Drawing Tools toolbar.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Ellipse.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Ellipse from the pop-up menu.

Drawing Tools > Eraser

Use the Eraser tool to trim regions from a drawing object. If you create a new zone with the Eraser tool, you can fill this zone with colour.Use the Apply Tool to Line and Colour Art option to erase from the line art and colour art simultaneously.You can adjust the size of the Eraser using the Pen Styles dialog box. Alternatively, press [O] and move your cursor from the centre outward to change the Maximum Size eraser width. Or you can press [Shift]+[O] and move your cursor from centre outward to change the Minimum Size eraser width.

• Click on the Eraser icon in the Drawing Tools toolbar.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tool > Eraser.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Eraser from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[E] (Windows) or [Ctrl]+[E] (Mac OS X), the default keyboard shortcut.


118

Chapter 5: Commands

Selected > Flatten

Use the Flatten command to reduce the number of selected drawing object layers to one layer.This reduces the amount of memory required for the drawing object, but does not preserve any effects created by overlapping transparent colours.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Flatten.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Flatten.

• Press [Ctrl]+[Shift]+[F], the default, keyboard shortcut.

Selected > Flatten and Remove Extra Strokes

Use the Flatten and Remove Extra Strokes command to reduce the number of selected drawing object layers to one layer and remove any extra strokes.This reduces the amount of memory required for the drawing object, but does not preserve any effects created by overlapping transparent colours.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Flatten and Remove Extra Strokes.

Drawing Mode > Flatten Latest

Use the Flatten Latest command to merge all objects that you draw to produce a new layer.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Drawing Mode > Flatten Latest.

Selected > Transform > Flip Horizontal

Use the Flip Horizontal command to exchange the left and right part of the selected drawing object.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Transform > Flip Horizontal.


Selected > Transform > Flip Vertical

Use the Flip Vertical command to exchange the top and bottom part of the selected drawing object.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Transform > Flip Vertical.



119


Morphing > Go to First Frame

Use the Go to First Frame command to set the first frame of the morphing sequence as your current frame.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Morphing > Go to First Frame.

• If you are working with the Morphing Tool in the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Go to First Frame.

• Press [Shift]+[F9] (Windows), the default keyboard shortcut.

Morphing > Go to Last Frame

Use the Go to Last Frame command to set the last frame of the morphing sequence as your current frame.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Morphing > Go to Last Frame.

• If you are working with the Morphing Tool in the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Go to Last Frame.

Morphing > Go to Next Frame

Use the Go to Next Frame command to set the next frame in the morphing sequence as your current frame.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Morphing > Go to Next Frame.

• If you are working with the Morphing Tool in the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Go to Next Frame.

Morphing > Go to Previous Frame

Use the Go to Previous Frame command to set the previous frame in the morphing sequence as your current frame.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Morphing > Go to Previous Frame.

• If you are working with the Morphing Tool in the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Go to Previous Frame.


120

Chapter 5: Commands

Drawing Tools > Grabber

Use the Grabber tool to change your view of the Camera and Drawing View window. This tool helps you see the part of the window which is obscured while you are working on another part of your drawing or scene.

• Click on the Grabber icon in the Drawing Tools toolbar.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Grabber.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Grabber from the pop-up menu.

• Hold down [Spacebar] while you click and drag the window.

Selected > Group > Group

Use the Group command to combine all of the selected objects, allowing you to modify them simultaneously.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Group > Group.


Morphing > Hide Hints

Use the Hide Hints command to temporarily hide all of the morphing hints in the Drawing and Camera View.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Morphing > Hide Hints.

• If you are working with the Morphing Tool in the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Hide Hints.

Morphing > Insert Morphing Keyframe

Use the Insert Morphing Keyframe command to insert a drawing that can be modified while maintaining all of the morphing hints in the previous and next morphing sequence.

• In the Xsheet and Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Morphing > Insert Morphing Keyframe.

• In the Xsheet and Timeline View, right-click on the selection and select Morphing > Insert Morphing Keyframe from the pop-up menu.


121


Mark Drawing As > In-between Drawing

Use the In-between Drawing command to mark a drawing as an in-between type. An icon will not appear beside the drawing name in the Xsheet. This option is especially useful when working with paperless animation, allowing you to identify drawings as Key, Breakdown and In between.This option can also be combined with the Onion Skin and the Flip toolbars.

• Select the cell you wish to mark and in the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Drawings > Mark Drawing As > In-between Drawing.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Mark Drawing As > In-between Drawing.

• In the Xsheet View, right-click on the cell to mark and select Mark Drawing As > In-Between Drawing.

Mark Drawing As > Key Drawing

Use the Key Drawing command to mark a drawing as a key type. An icon

will appear in the Xsheet beside the drawing name. This option is especially useful when working with paperless animation, allowing you to identify drawings as Key, Breakdown and In between.This option can also be combined with the Onion Skin and the Flip toolbars.

• Select the cell you wish to mark and in the Xsheet, View, click on the Menu button and select Drawings > Mark Drawing As > Key Drawing.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Mark Drawing As > Key Drawing.

• In the Xsheet View, right-click on the cell to mark and select Mark Drawing As >Key Drawing.

Drawing Tools > Line

Use the Line tool to draw straight lines in the Drawing View, using your mouse or graphic tablet and pen.To draw lines at angles of 15 degrees, press [Shift].To draw from the previous point, press [Alt].

• Click on the Line icon in the Drawing Tools toolbar.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Line.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Line from the pop-up menu.


122

Chapter 5: Commands

Morphing > Modify Deformation Path

Use the Modify Deformation Path command to create a path that can be modified to allow rotation of a morphing object during its sequence.You can have multiple deformation paths on each element. These can be managed with the Morphing Inspector.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Morphing > Modify Deformation Path.

• If you are working with the Morphing Tool in the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Modify Deformation Path.

• Press [Shift]+[F11] (Windows) (Windows), the default keyboard shortcut.

Drawing Tools > Morphing Tool

Use the Morphing Tool to add and select hints in morphed drawings in the Drawing and Camera View windows.

• Click on the Morphing Tool


• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Morphing > Morphing Tool.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Morphing Tool from the pop-up menu.


Selected > Optimize

Use the Optimize command to reduce the number of layers in the selected drawing objects.This command will optimize the drawing objects only if the appearance of the final image will not change when objects are merged.For example, if you have selected a number of partially transparent objects layered to create an additive colour effect, the selected transparent drawing objects will not be merged as this would cause them to lose the effect of the layered transparent colours.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Optimize.


123


Drawing Tools > Paint

Use Paint tool to paint colour art in your animations. • Click on the Paint icon in

the Drawing Tools toolbar.• In the Drawing and Camera

View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Paint.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Paint from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[I] (Windows) or [Ctrl]+[I] (Mac OS X), the default keyboard shortcuts.

Paint and Remove Line Texture

Use the Paint and Remove Line Texture command to replace the texture in a line or a zone with the solid colour you have selected in the colour view.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Paint and Remove Line Texture.


Drawing Tools > Paint Unpainted

Use the Paint Unpainted tool to paint only zones that are not already filled with colour. This tool allows you to quickly paint many zones with the same colour without changing the colour of zones that have already been painted.

• Click on the Paint Unpainted


• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Paint Unpainted.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click on the Drawing View window and select Drawing Tools > Paint Unpainted from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[Y], the default keyboard shortcut.


124

Chapter 5: Commands

Drawing Tools > Pencil

Use the Pencil tool to draw centreline shapes using your mouse or graphic tablet and pen.You can adjust the size of the Pencil line using the Pen Styles dialog box. You can also press [O] and move your cursor from the centre outward to change the pen width.The points that make up a pencil line run down the centre of the line. You can change the shape of a pencil line by using the Contour Editor to move the points that make up the line and their handles.

• Click on the Pencil icon in the Drawing Tools toolbar.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Pencil.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Pencil from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[/], the default keyboard shortcut.

Morphing > Pencil Hint

Use the Pencil Hint command to match pencil lines with the same colour pot. It can also be used to match an end point on a pencil line in the source drawing to an end point on a pencil line in the destination drawing.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Morphing > Pencil Hint.

• If you are working with the Morphing Tool tn the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Pencil Hint.


Selected > Convert > Pencil Line to Brush

Use the Pencil Lines to Brush command to convert objects created with the Pencil tool into brush strokes. Brush strokes can have a variable width because they are formed by contours that surround the stroke, whereas pencil lines are a single-width and formed by centrelines.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Convert > Pencil Line to Brush.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Convert > Pencil Line to Brush.


Permanent Selection

Use the Permanent Selection command to turn on and off the permanent selection mode. In permanent selection mode, the selection you make on one drawing is maintained in all drawings. This allows you to remove dirt outside or inside the selection mark in all drawings in a column without having to reselect the area.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Permanent Selection.

• To remove dirt outside the selection mark, press [Shift]+[Delete].


125


Drawing tools > Perspective

Use the Perspective tool to change the orientation of a drawing. With this tool, you can take a 2D object and make it appear if it is stretched across 3D space.Do not use the this tool on greyscale drawings that have been scanned and vectorized to preserve the unique qualities of the line art.

• Click on the Perspective icon in the Drawing Tools toolbar.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Perspective.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Perspective from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[0] (zero), the default keyboard shortcut.

Drawing Tools > Polyline

Use the Polyline tool to draw vector shapes that consist of many continuous points that form different angles. You can draw shapes with the Polyline tool one point at a time, forming the shape as you go.

• Click on the Polyline icon in the Drawing Tools toolbar.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Polyline.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Polyline from the pop-up menu.

Drawing Tools > Rectangle

Use the Rectangle tool to draw rectangles or boxes in the Drawing View window, using your mouse or graphic tablet and pen.To constrain the proportions of the rectangle, press [Shift] and draw perfect squares. To draw from the centre, press [Alt].

• Click on the Rectangle icon in the Drawing Tools toolbar.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Rectangle.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Rectangle from the pop-up menu.

Clean-Up > Remove Art Outside Selection

Use the Remove Art Outside Selection command to remove all art outside the selected area of your drawing.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Clean up > Remove Art Outside Selection.


126

Chapter 5: Commands

Clean-Up > Remove Art Outside Selection On All Drawings

Use the Remove Art Outside Selection On All Drawings command to remove all art outside of the selected area of your drawings. To enable this command, you must first select your drawings with the Permanent Selection tool.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Clean up > Remove Art Outside Selection On All Drawings.

Selected > Remove Contour Strokes

Use the Remove Contour Strokes to remove contour strokes that are created when a drawing is vectorized, or to remove strokes created with the Create Contour Stroke tool. These contour strokes are strokes that will remain when a zone is unpainted.When applied to traditional scanned drawings, this will also remove the intersection triangles created during the vectorization process.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Remove Contour Strokes.

Clean-Up > Remove Dirt

Use the Remove Dirt command to automatically remove small pencil lines on your drawings before you ink and paint them.The Remove Dirt command opens the Remove Dirt dialog box.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Clean up > Remove Dirt.

• Press [Shift]+[D], the default keyboard shortcut.

Morphing > Remove From Morphing

Use the Remove from Morphing command to delete morphings from the selected cells in a morphing sequence. This reduces the morphing length.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Morphing > Remove From Morphing.

• In the Xsheet and Timeline View, right-click on the selection and select Morphing > Remove From Morphing from the pop-up menu.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Morphing > Remove From Morphing.

Clean-Up > Remove Hairs

Use the Remove Hairs command to automatically remove small pencil marks and smudges on your drawings before you ink and paint them. The Remove Hairs command opens the Remove Hairs dialog box.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Clean up > Remove Hair.

• Press [Shift]+[F11] (Windows) (Windows), the default keyboard shortcut.


127


Rename by Frame

Use the Rename by Frame command to rename your drawings by their frame position.This means that when you create a drawing on frame 1, the drawing will be called “1.“If you then go to frame 5, the drawing will be called “5“. This enables you to keep your drawings organized.

• In the Xsheet and Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Drawings > Rename by Frame.

• In the Xsheet View, right-click on the selected cells and select Drawings > Rename by Frame.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the selected cells and select Rename by Frame.

Rename Drawing

Use the Rename Drawing command to open a dialog box in which you will enter a new name for the drawing in the selected cell.

• In the Xsheet and Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Drawings > Rename Drawing.

• In the Xsheet View, right-click on the cell and select Drawings > Rename Drawing from the pop-up menu.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the cell and select Rename Drawing from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Ctrl]+[D], the default keyboard shortcut.

Drawing Tools > Repaint

Use the Repaint tool to change the colour values used in colour art zones and line art that has already been filled with colour. The Repaint tool only works on zones and line art that already have colour in them. You can drag the Repaint tool to repaint several colour art or line art areas in the selection.

• Click on the Repaint icon in the Drawing Tools toolbar.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Repaint.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Repaint from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[R], the default keyboard shortcut.


128

Chapter 5: Commands

Drawing Tools > Repaint Brush

The Repaint Brush tool uses the selected colour to fill only the areas of the line art that the tool touches.This tool is particularly useful in Line Art Mode: when you drag the tool beyond the area of the line art, only the areas of the line that were touched by the tool will be filled.

• Click on the Repaint Brush icon in the Drawing Tools toolbar.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Repaint Brush.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Repaint Brush from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[X], the default keyboard shortcut.

Clean-Up > Repaint Outside Selection

Use the Repaint Outside Selection command to repaint the area that is outside of the selection.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Clean up > Repaint Outside Selection.

Clean-Up > Repaint Outside Selection On All Drawings

Use the Repaint Outside Selection On All Drawings command to repaint the area that is outside of the selection for all your drawings. For this command to be enabled, you must first select your drawings with the Permanent Selection tool.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Clean up > Repaint Outside Selection On All Drawings.

Clean-Up > Repaint Selection

Use the Repaint Selection command to repaint the area inside the selection on your drawing.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Clean up > Repaint Selection.

Clean-Up > Repaint Selection On All Drawings

Use the Repaint Selection On All Drawings command to repaint the area inside the selection on all your drawings. For this command to be enabled, you must first select your drawings with the Permanent Selection tool.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Clean up > Repaint Selection On All Drawings.


129


Drawing Tools > Reposition All Drawings

Use the Reposition All Drawings command to move all of the locked drawings in a column. This command is particularly useful with scanned drawings that might have been drawn off-centre.Repositioning all drawings will have an impact on their position in all of the other Views and in the final render.

• Click on the Reposition All

Drawings icon in the Drawing Tools toolbar.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Reposition All Drawings.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Reposition All Drawings from the pop-up menu.

Colour Protection > Respect Colour Protection

Use the Respect Colour Protection option to ensure that you do not accidentally change zones and lines painted with a colour pot set with the Colour Protect option in the Colour View. When you de-select this option, you can modify a painted line without having to setting all colour pots to non sticky-colour mode. This option works with the following tools: Paint, Repaint, Paint Unpainted and Repaint Brush.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Colour Protection > Respect Colour Protection.

Selected > Transform > Rotate 90 CCW

Use the Rotate 90 degrees CCW command to turn the selected drawing object 90 degrees counter clockwise or the equivalent of 270 degrees clockwise.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Transform > Rotate 90 CCW.

Selected > Transform > Rotate 90 CW

Use the Rotate 90 degrees CW command to turn the selected drawing object 90 degrees clockwise.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Transform > Rotate 90 CW.

Selected > Transform > Rotate 180

Use the Rotate 180 degrees command to turn the selected drawing object 180 degrees clockwise.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Transform > Rotate 180.


130

Chapter 5: Commands

Drawing Tools > Select

Use the Select tool to select drawing objects in the Drawing View window using your mouse or graphic tablet and penPress [Ctrl] when using any of the following tools to temporarily switch to the Select tool: Zoom, Polyline, Line, Rectangle, Ellipse, Brush, Pencil, Eraser, Stroke, Close Gap, Paint, Repaint, Repaint Brush, Paint Unpainted, Unpaint, Dropper, Polyline, Edit Texture and Grabber.By default, your mouse pointer displays as a lasso. Press [Alt] to temporarily switch between the lasso and marquee selection tool. You can change the default tool style through the options in the Preferences dialog box.

• Click on the Select icon in the Drawing Tools toolbar.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Select.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Select from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[S], the default keyboard shortcut.

Selected > Arrange > Send Backward

Use the Send Backward command to move the Drawing View’s selected drawing back one spot in the drawing’s layering order. The drawing object remains in its colour art or line art.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Arrange > Send Backward.

Selected > Arrange > Send to Back

Use the Send to Back command to move the Drawing View’s selected drawing behind all other objects in the drawing. The drawing object remains in its colour art or line art.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Arrange > Send to Back.

• Press [-], the default keyboard shortcut.

Selected > Smooth

Use the Smooth command to remove unnecessary points from brush strokes, reducing the file size of the drawing object attempts to maintain the shape of the stroke.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Smooth.

• Press [Alt]+[Shift]+[S], the default keyboard shortcut.


131


Drawing Tools > Smooth Editor

Use the Smooth Editor tool is used to select a drawing object area on which you will smooth the points.Use the Smooth and Smooth Fast commands to smooth out the area and remove points.

• Click on the Smooth Editor


• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Smooth Editor.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Tools > Drawing Tools > Smooth Editor from the pop-up menu.

Selected > Smooth Fast

Use the Smooth Fast command to remove unnecessary points from brush strokes, reducing the file size of the drawing object. This leaves more points than the Smooth tool attempts to maintain the shape of the stroke.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Smooth Fast.

Snap to Contour

Use the Snap to Contour command to force vector points to connect to nearby contours, forming joined objects.This command only works when you are using the Contour Editor to reshape drawing objects.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Snap to Contour.

Drawing Tools > Stroke

Use the Stroke tool to draw vector lines and close gaps in zones. This allows you to fill the zones with paint without adding line art to your drawing. You can also use this tool to draw shapes and create zones that do not have line art.To add a stroke, drag the Stroke tool on your drawing.To create a straight stroke, press [Shift] as you drag.

• Click on the Stroke icon in the Drawing Tools toolbar.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Stroke.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Stroke from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[V], the default keyboard shortcut.


132

Chapter 5: Commands

Selected > Convert > Strokes to Pencil Line

Use the Convert Strokes to Pencil Line command to convert selected strokes into pencil lines.Strokes do not appear in your final animation, but can be used as guides during the ink and paint process.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Convert > Strokes to Pencil Line.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Convert > Strokes to Pencil Line.


Morphing > Suggest Hints

Use the Suggest Hints command if you want the software to generate hints as a suggestion for your morphing sequence.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Morphing > Vanishing Point Hint.

• If you are working with the Morphing Tool in the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Suggest Hint.

Morphing > Switch Between Morphing Key Drawings

The Switch Between Morphing Key Drawings allows you to jump from one morphing key to another.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Morphing > Switch Between Morphing Key Drawings.

• If you are working with the Morphing Tool in the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Switch Between Morphing Key Drawings.


Colour Protection > Toggle Current Colour Protection

The Toggle Current Colour Protection option turns on and off the Colour Protection option in the selected colour pot in the Colour View.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Colour Protection > Toggle Current Colour Protection.

Selected > Group > Ungroup

Use the Ungroup command to separate a grouped object into its individual parts.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Group > Ungroup.


133


Drawing Tools > Unpaint

Use the Unpaint tool to remove the colour from zones and lines you have already painted. To remove colour from a line or zone, click on the line or zone with the Unpaint tool. You can drag the tool through multiple zones to remove paint from more than one zone at a time.To remove colour from all zones except for the one you click on, press [Shift].When a paint bucket tool is selected, the middle mouse button turns into an Unpaint tool

• Click on the Unpaint icon in the Drawing Tools toolbar.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Unpaint.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Unpaint from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[U] (Windows) or [Ctrl]+[I] (Mac OS X), the default keyboard shortcuts.

Clean-Up > Unpaint Outside Selection

Use the Unpaint Outside Selection command to unpaint the area outside the selection on your drawing.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Clean up > Unpaint Outside Selection.

Clean-Up > Unpaint Outside Selection On All Drawings

Use the Unpaint Outside Selection On All Drawings command to unpaint the area outside the selection on all your drawings. For this command to be enabled, you must first select drawings with the Permanent Selection tool.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Clean up > Unpaint Outside Selection On All Drawings.

Clean-up > Unpaint Selection

Use the Unpaint Selection command to unpaint the area inside the selection on your drawing.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Clean up > Unpaint Selection.

Clean-Up > Unpaint Selection On All Drawings

Use the Unpaint Selection On All Drawings command to unpaint the area inside the selection on all your drawings. For this command to be enabled, you must first select drawings with the Permanent Selection tool.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Clean up > Unpaint Selection On All Drawings.


134

Chapter 5: Commands

Morphing > Vanishing Point Hint

Use the Vanishing Point Hint command to identify lines that need to disappear during the morphing.Vanishing Point Hint numbers are green.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Morphing > Vanishing Point Hint.

• If you are working with the Morphing Tool in the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Vanishing Point Hint.

• Press [F10] (Windows), the default keyboard shortcut.

Morphing > Zone Hint

The Zone Hint command matches zones with the same colour pot in the source and destination drawings.

Zone Hint numbers are light blue.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Morphing > Zone Hint.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, if you are using the Morphing Tool, right-click on the select Zone Hint.


Drawing Tools > Zoom

Use the Zoom tool to select the area of the Drawing View window that you want to zoom-in or zoom-out.To zoom-in, use the Zoom tool and either click an area in the window or drag the mouse pointer to draw a rectangle around the area you want to zoom-in.To zoom-out, press [Alt] and click on the window.

• Click on the Zoom icon in the Drawing Tools toolbar.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing Tools > Zoom.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Drawing Tools > Zoom from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[Z], the default keyboard shortcut.

• Press [Ctrl]+[Spacebar] to temporarily enable the Zoom tool.


135


EditUse the Edit Menu to undo or redo actions, cut, copy, paste, and delete objects and to access your preferences.

136

Chapter 5: Commands


Auto-Apply Use the Auto-Apply command to enable and disable the Auto-Apply feature. When enabled, the values you enter or options you select in module editors will automatically be applied to elements in your scene. The Apply and OK buttons will be disabled in the module editors when this feature is enabled. This setting overrides the Enable Auto Apply setting in the Preferences > General category.

• Select Edit > Auto-Apply.

Clone Selected Elements

Use the Clone Selected Elements command to create a copy of the selected column that will use the same image database. If you modify a drawing in the first column, the same changes will also be applied to the cloned version.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Columns > Clone Selected Elements.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Modules > Clone Selected Elements.

• In the Xsheet View window, right-click and select Columns > Clone Selected Elements.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the left side of the window and select Clone Selected Elements.

Copy Use the Copy command to copy selected objects and their properties.

• Click on the Menu button and select Edit > Copy.

• Right-click in any view and select Copy from the pop-up menu. (In the Timeline View, right-click on the timeline’s right- hand view.)

• Press [Ctrl]+[C], the default keyboard shortcut.

Cut Use the Cut command to remove selected objects. You can then paste the object or its properties to another object.

• Click on the Menu button and select Edit > Cut.

• Right-click in any view and select Cut from the pop-up menu. (In the Timeline View, right-click on the timeline’s right- hand view.)

• Press [Ctrl]+[X], the default keyboard shortcut.

137


Delete Use the Delete command to remove selected objects.

• Click on the Menu button and select Edit > Delete.

• Right-click any view and select Delete from the pop-up menu. (In the Timeline View, right-click on the timeline’s right- hand view.)

• Press [Delete], the default keyboard shortcut.

Deselect All Use the Deselect All command to remove the selection from the selected objects in the Drawing, Network and Camera View windows.

• Click on the Menu button and select Edit > Deselect All.

• Right-click any view and select Deselect All from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Esc], the default keyboard shortcut.

• Click outside the selection.

Duplicate Selected Element

Use the Duplicate Selected Elements command to create a copy of the selected column. This copy will have a distictive image database, meaning that if you modify a drawing in the first column, those same changes will not apply to the duplicated version.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Columns > Duplicate Selected Element.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Modules > Duplicate Selected Element.

• In the Xsheet View window, right-click and select Columns > Duplicate Selected Element.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the left side of the window and select Duplicate Selected Element.

Insert Mode Use the Insert Mode command to switch between Insert and Overwrite Modes. When you enter a value in a cell while in the Insert Mode, the exposure sheet cell labels are forced down the column, rather than overwriting the current cell value. When you enter a value in a cell while in the Overwrite Mode, it overwrites the current cell value.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Edit > Insert Mode.

• Press [Insert] or [I].


138

Chapter 5: Commands

Next Column Use the Next Column command to move from the current drawing to the next valid one in the right-side column.

• Press [J], the default keyboard shortcut.

Next Drawing Use the Next Drawing command to move from the current drawing to the next valid one in the same column.

• Press [G], the default keyboard shortcut.

Paste Use the Paste command to place the object you cut or copied into the location you have selected in the Camera, Drawing, Network and Timeline View windows.

• Click on the Menu button and select Edit > Paste.

• Right-click any view and select Paste from the pop-up menu. (In the Timeline View, right-click on the timeline’s right- hand view.)

• Press [Ctrl]+[V], the default keyboard shortcut.

Paste Special Use the Paste Special command to open the Paste Special dialog box, to select the object and properties you want to paste in the Camera, Network, Timeline or Xsheet View windows.

• Click on the Menu button and select Edit > Paste Special.

• Right-click in any view and select Paste Special from the pop-up menu. (In the Timeline View, right-click on the timeline’s right- hand view.)

• In the Timeline View, press [Alt] just before dropping a selection in a new position.

• Press [Ctrl]+[B], the default keyboard shortcut.

Paste Special Again

Use the Paste Special Again command to repeat the last Paste Special operation in the Camera, Network, Timeline or Xsheet View windows.

• Click on the Menu button and select Edit > Paste Special Again.

• Right-click in any view and select Paste Special Again from the pop-up menu. (In the Timeline View, right-click on the timeline’s right- hand view.)

• Press [Ctrl]+[Shift]+[B], the default keyboard shortcut.

Preferences Use the Preferences command to open the Preferences dialog box. Use this dialog box to change Toon Boom Digital Pro settings to suit your needs.

• Select Edit > Preferences.


139


Previous Column

Use the Previous Column command to move from the current drawing to the next valid one in the left-side column.

• Press [H], the default keyboard shortcut.

Previous Drawing

Use the Previous Drawing command to move from the current drawing to the previous valid one in the same column.

• Press [F], the default keyboard shortcut.

Redo Use the Redo command when you have undone an operation that you decide to keep. The Redo command becomes active only after you use the Undo command.

• Click on the Redo toolbar icon.

• Press [Ctrl]+|Shift|+[Z], the default keyboard shortcut.

Select All Use the Select All command to select all drawing objects in the current drawing window, even those already selected, in the Drawing, Network Timeline and Camera View. This helps you manage the objects as one body when you are moving them.

• In the Drawing, Network, Timeline and Xsheet View windows, click on the Menu

button and select Edit > Select All.

• In the Drawing and Network View windows, right-click select Select All.

• Press [Ctrl]+[A], the default keyboard shortcut.

Select Child Use the Select Child command to select the first element parented to the selected peg element in the Timeline View.

• In the Timeline and Network View, click on the Menu button and select Edit > Select Child.

Select Children

Use the Select Children command to select all elements parented to the selected peg element in the Timeline View.

• In the Timeline and Network View, click on the Menu button and select Edit > Select Children.

• Right-click on the selected peg and select Select Children from the pop-up menu.

Select Next Brother

Use the Select Next Brother command to select the next element (below current element) in the Timeline View.

• In the Timeline and Network View, click on the Menu button and select Edit > Select Next Brother.

Select Parent Use the Select Parent command to select parent of the selected element in the Timeline View.

• In the Timeline and Network View, click on the Menu button and select Edit > Select Parent.


140

Chapter 5: Commands

Select Previous Brother

Use the Select Previous Brother command to select the next element (above current element) in the Timeline View.

• In the Timeline and Network View, click on the Menu button and select Edit > Select Previous Brother.

Select Strokes With Current Colour

Use the Select Strokes With Current Colour command to select all of the strokes that match the selected colour pot in the Colour View.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Edit > Select Strokes With Current Colour.

• In the Drawing View window, right-click and select Select Strokes With Current Colour.

• If you are in drawing mode in the Camera View window, right-click and select Select Strokes With Current Colour.

• Press [Ctrl]+[Shift]+[A], the default keyboard shortcut.

Undo Use the Undo command to remove the last change made to your animation project. Toon Boom Digital Pro supports multiple undos, so you can revert changes you have made in the order you made them.

• Click on the Undo toolbar icon.

• Press [Ctrl]+[Z], the default keyboard shortcut.


141


File MenuUse the File menu to create, open, save, and import or export elements.


Open Recent > Clear

Use the Clear command to remove all shortcuts to recent documents available in the Open Recent Menu

• Select File > Open Recent > Clear.

Import > Drawings

Use the Import Drawings command to allow you to import bitmap images or image sequences in your scene, and to vectorize them when needed.

• In the Xsheet and Timeline View click on the Menu button and select File > Import > Drawings.

• In the Xsheet, right-click on the column and select Import > Drawings.

Export > Adobe Flash (SWF)

Use the Adobe Flash (SWF) command to display the Export to Adobe Flash Movie dialog box. From here you can export to an Adobe Flash Movie.

• Select File > Export > Adobe Flash (SWF).

Print > Network

Use the Print command to print the Network View.

• In the Network View, click on the Menu button and select File > Print.

New Use the New command to bring up a dialog box in which a user can enter a new scene name and location, creating a new scene.

• Click on the File toolbar icon.

• Press [Ctrl]+[N], the default keyboard shortcut.

142

Chapter 5: Commands

Open Use the Open command to bring up the Open Digital Pro Scene file dialog. Browse your file system for a Digital Pro scene file (.digital or.solo). The Open command is not disabled when a scene is opened. You can open a new scene from the current one and the previous scene will be closed.

• Click on the Open toolbar icon.

• Press [Ctrl]+[O], the default keyboard shortcut.

Open Recent Use the Open Recent command to display an Open Recent List, allowing you to quickly open recently opened scenes.

• SelectFile > Open Recent

Export > OpenGL Frames

Use the Open GL Frames command to display your animation using only the transformations created in the Camera View windows. Unlike a full composite operation, this command excludes any effects and antialiasing you have built in the Network View, which makes the rendering process faster.

• Select File > Export > Open GL Frames.

Export > QuickTime Movie

Use the Quicktime Movie command to display the Export to Quicktime Movie dialog box. From here you can export to a Quicktime Movie.

• Select File > Export > QuickTime Movie.

Quit Use the Quit command to close Toon Boom Digital Pro. If your current scene has unsaved changes, you will be asked if you want to save your work before the software shuts down.

• Select File > Quit (Windows).• Select Digital Pro > Quit (Mac

OS X).

Export > Render Network

Use the Render Network command to open the Render Network dialog box, which can be used to initiate a local composite.

• Press [Ctrl]+[Shift]+[Y], the default keyboard shortcut.

Save Use the Save command to save all changes that made to the open scene, drawings, palettes, and palette lists.

• Click on the Save toolbar icon.

• Press [Ctrl]+[S], the default keyboard shortcut.


143


Save As New Version

Use the Save As New Version command to save another version of the scene. The Save Version window will ask you to give a new name to this scene before saving it.Note that the drawings are not duplicated. If they are modified, these changes will apply to every versions.

• Select File > Save As New Version.

Import > Scans

Use the Scans command to scan images through a Twain device and to import them as vector or bitmap images.

• In the Xsheet and Timeline View, click on the Menu button, select File > Import > Scans.

• In the Xsheet, right-click on the column and select Import > Scans.

Import > Sounds

Use the Sounds command to import sound files into your scene.The supported file formats are:

• Wav• MP3• Aiff

• In the Xsheet and Timeline View Menu button, select File > Import > Sounds.

• In the Xsheet, right-click on the sound column and select Import > Sounds.

Import > SWF, Illustrator to Local Library

Use the SWF, Illustrator to Local Library command to import third party software vector images to your scene.This will add the vector images to your Template Library.The supported formats are:

• SWF• AI• PDF

• In the Template Library, click on the Menu button and select Edit > Import Files.

• In the Template Library right-click and select Import Files.

Print > Xsheet The Print command prints the Xsheet View.

• In the Xsheet View click on the Menu button and select File > Print.


144

Chapter 5: Commands

Help MenuUse the Help menu to access the Online Help and find information on the software.


About Use the About command to access general information about the software.

Debug Mode Use the Debug Mode to access the Debug window which helps to identify a problem encountered in the software.

Toon Boom Digital Pro Help

Use the Toon Boom Digital Pro Help to access the online help.

Show Welcome Screen

Use the Show Welcome Screen command to display the welcome screen from start-up.

145


Play MenuUse the Play menu to playback the scene and navigate through your drawings.


Enable Cache Use the Enable Cache command to store the frame you playback in the memory. The next time that you playback the recorded frames, they will quickly be recalled, to playback in real-time.

• Click on the Enable Cache icon in the Play toolbar.

Enable Sound Scrubbing

Use the Enable Sound Scrubbing command while you are checking the lip sync of a voice track. With this option enabled, you can use the Frame field in the Playback Controls Toolbar to review the lip sync timing in your scene.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the frame field and select Enable Sound Scrubbing.

Enable Sound Use the Enable Sound command to include the soundtrack during playback.

• Click on the Enable Sound icon in the Play toolbar.

First Frame Use the First Frame command to set the current frame as the first frame of the scene.

• Press [Shift]+[,], the default keyboard shortcut.

Go to Frame The Go to Frame command sets your current frame to any frame you input in the dial box.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the frame field and select Go to Frame.

• Change the frame number of the Frame field in the Play toolbar.

146

Chapter 5: Commands

Last Frame The Last Frame command sets your current frame to the first frame of the scene.

• Press [Shift]+[.], the default keyboard shortcut.

Loop The Loop command repeats the scene when it reaches the last frame. • Click on the Loop icon in

the Play toolbar.

Next Frame The Next Frame command sets the current frame to its following frame.

• Press [.], the default keyboard shortcut.

Play Scene Backward

The Play Scene Backward command plays the animation from the current frame to the first frame.

• Click on the Play Scene

Backward icon in the Play toolbar.

Play Scene Forward

The Play Scene Forward command plays the animation from the current frame to the last frame.

• Click on the Play Scene Forward

icon in the Play toolbar.• Press [Shift]+[Enter], the default

keyboard shortcut.

Playback Speed

The Playback Speed allows you to change the frame rate of the playback.

• Change the frame rate of the fps field in the Play toolbar.

Previous Frame

The Previous Frame command sets the current frame to its previous frame.

• Press [,], the default keyboard shortcut.

Start Frame The Start Frame command controls the starting frame of the playback range.

• Change the frame number of the Start field in the Play toolbar.

Stop Use the Stop command to stop the playback. • Click on the Stop icon in

the Play toolbar.• Press [Shift]+[Enter], the default

keyboard shortcut.

Stop Frame Use the Stop Frame command to control the end frame of the playback range.

• Change the frame number of the Stop field in the Play toolbar.


147


Scene MenuUse the Scene menu to modify scene length, adjust resolution and frame rate, and to select the active camera and display.


Add Frames After Selection

Use the Add Frames After Selection command to open the Add Frames dialog box, in which you can enter the number of frames you want to add after your selection.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Frames > Add Frames After Selection.

• Right-click on the frame and select Frames > Add Frames After Selection from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Ctrl]+[H], the default keyboard shortcut.

Add Frames At End

Use the Add Frames At End command to open the Add Frames dialog box, in which you can enter the number of frames you want to add at the end of your Xsheet.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Frames > Add Frames At End.

• Right-click on the frame and select Frames > Add Frames At End from the pop-up menu.

Add Frames At Start

Use the Add Frames At Start command to open the Add Frames dialog box, in which you can enter the number of frames you want to add at the beginning of your Xsheet.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Frames > Add Frames At Start.

• Right-click on the frame and select Frames > Add Frames At Start from the pop-up menu.

148

Chapter 5: Commands

Add > Add Elements

Use the Add Elements command to open the Add Element box, allowing you to create a new element in your Timeline and Network View.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Add > Add Elements.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the left side of the window and select Add > Add Elements.

Add Frames Before Selection

Use the Add Frames Before Selection command to open the Add Frames dialog box, in which you can enter the number of frames you want to add before your selection.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Frames > Add Frames Before Selection.

• Right-click on the frame and select Frames > Add Frames Before Selection from the pop-up menu.


Camera Use the Camera menu to change from one Camera module to another. Any active camera module will be available in this menu.

• Select Scene > Camera.

Check Files Use the Check Files command to check for missing drawings. For example, if an element requires a drawing named “rickbody-200.tvg” and there is no such file in the file system, Toon Boom Digital Pro will report the error.

• Select Scene > Check Files.

Display Use the Display menu to change from one Display module to another. Any active display module will be available in this menu.

• Select Scene > Display.


149


Add > Drawing

Use the Drawing command to add a new drawing element to your scene. Toon Boom Digital Pro automatically creates an element in the database, adds a Element Module to the Network View and adds a column in the Xsheet View.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Modules > Add > Drawing.

• Right-click on the element modules area and select Add > Drawing from the pop-up menu.

• Click on the Add Elements button in the Timeline Module Toolbar. In the Add Element box, change the type of Drawing and give this new drawing element a name.

Add > Peg Use the Peg command to add a new peg element to your scene. Toon Boom Digital Pro automatically adds a Peg Module to the Network View.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Add > Peg.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the left-side area and select Add > Peg from the pop-up menu.

• Click on the Add Peg button.

• Click on the Add Elements button in the Timeline Module Toolbar. In the Add Element box, change the type to Peg and give this new peg element a name.

• Press [Ctrl]+[P], the default keyboard shortcut.

Remove Selected Frames

Use the Remove Selected Frames command to delete selected frames from your scene. You cannot delete the last frame in a scene; a scene must contain at least one frame.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Frames > Remove Selected Frames.

• Right-click on the frame and select Frames > Remove Selected Frames from the pop-up menu.

Resolution / Frame rate

Use the Resolution / Frame Rate command to specify the scene resolution and frame-rate.

• Select Scene > Resolution / Frame Rate.


150

Chapter 5: Commands

Scene Length Use the Scene Length command to change the total number of frames in the scene. New frames are always added at the end of the scene as empty frames. If you decide to shorten your scene length, the frame at the end of your scene will be deleted.

• Select Scene > Scene Length.

Add > Sound Use the Sound command to add sound elements to your scene. To see Sound layers in the timeline, you must activate the Show Sounds command.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Add > Sound.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the left-side area and select Add > Sound from the pop-up menu.

• Click on the Add Elements button in the Timeline Module Toolbar. In the Add Element box, change the type to Peg and name the new peg element.

• Select Scene > Add > Sound.• In the Xsheet View, click on the

Menu button and select Columns > Add Columns. In the Add Columns Box, change the Column Type to Sound.

• Press [Shift]+[C], the default keyboard shortcut.


151


View MenuUse the View to modify the way that elements are displayed in the user interface.


Preview Resolution > 1/4 of Scene Resolution

Use the 1/4 of Scene Resolution command to scale down the temporary render (Playback View, Camera Render View) to a quarter of the scene’s resolution. This saves memory and allows you to work more quickly.

• Select View > Preview Resolution> 1/4 of Scene Resolution.


Use the 1/3 of Scene Resolution command to scale down the temporary render (Playback View, Camera Render View) to a third of the scene’s resolution. This saves memory and allows you to work more quickly.

• Select View > Preview Resolution > 1/3 of Scene Resolution.


Use the 1/2 of Scene Resolution command to scale down the temporary render (Playback View, Camera Render View) to half of the scene’s resolution. This saves memory and allows you to work more quickly.



Use the 3/4 of Scene Resolution command to scale down the temporary render (Playback View, Camera Render View) to the three-quarters of the scene’s resolution. This saves memory and allows you to work more quickly.


152

Chapter 5: Commands

Drawing > 12 Field Grid

Use the 12 Field Grid command to display the 12-field grid in the Drawing and Camera View window. The 12-field grid is based on a ratio of 4:3.To see the 12-field Grid, you must enable the Show Grid command.

• In the Drawing and Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select View > Drawing > Grid > 12 Field Grid.

• In the Drawing View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Grid > 12 Field Grid from the pop-up menu.

• If you are in drawing mode in the Camera View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Grid > 12 Field Grid from the pop-up menu.

Drawing > 16 Field Grid

Use the 16 Field Grid command to display the 16-field grid in the Drawing and Camera View windows. The 16-field grid is based on a ratio of 4:3.To see the 16-field Grid, you must enable the Show Grid command.

• In the Drawing and Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select View > Drawing > Grid > 16 Field Grid.

• In the Drawing View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Grid > 16 Field Grid from the pop-up menu.

• If you are in drawing mode in the Camera View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Grid > 16 Field Grid from the pop-up menu.

Onion Skin > Add All to Onion Skin

Use the Add All to Onion Skin command to add all of the drawing elements to the onion skin preview.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select View > Onion Skin > Add All to Onion Skin.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Onion Skin > Previous Drawing.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select Onion Skin > Add All to Onion Skin.

• Press [Alt]+[Shift]+[O], the default keyboard shortcut.


153


Onion Skin > Add to Onion Skin

Use the Add to Onion Skin command to add the selected elements to the onion skin preview.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, click on the Menu button and select View > Onion Skin > Add to Onion Skin.


• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select Onion Skin > Add to Onion Skin.

• Press [Shift]+[S], the default keyboard shortcut.

Xsheet > All Columns to Default Width

Use the All Columns to Default Width command to return all cells and columns to their default size.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select View > All Columns to Default Width.

Auto Render Use the Auto Render command to launch the network and render the animation in the Camera View window when it is in render mode. Once the network has been launched, toggling the Auto Render button will only re-render if the contents of the scene have been changed.

• Click on the Auto Render toolbar

icon.• In the Camera View, click and

hold the Render button and select Auto Render.

Drawing > Backlight

Use the Backlight command to identify unpainted areas and bubbles in drawings. The Backlight command imitates a light shining from behind the drawing.You can change the Backlight colour in the Preferences dialog box.


button and select View > Backlight.

• In the Drawing View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Backlight from the pop-up menu.

• If you are in drawing mode in the Camera View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Backlight from the pop-up menu.

• Press [A], the default keyboard shortcut.


154

Chapter 5: Commands

BBox Selection Style

Use the BBox Selection Style command to turn on and off the BBox Selection feature. When enabled, this feature displays a box around selected elements in the Camera View. When disabled, selected elements appear highlighted.

• In the top menu select View > BBox Selection Style.

Camera > Bitmap Image Quality

Use the Bitmap Image Quality command to open the Bitmap Image Quality dialog box, allowing you to set a higher preview resolution for the Bitmap image.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select View > Bitmap Image Quality.

• Press [Ctrl]+[Q] (Windows), the default keyboard shortcut.

Network > Bottom Left

Use the Bottom Left command to move the Navigator to the bottom left corner of the Network View window.

• In the Network View, click on the Menu button and select View > Navigator > Bottom Left.

Network > Bottom Right

Use the Bottom Right command to move the Navigator to the bottom right corner of the Network View window.

• In the Network View, click on the Menu button and select View > Navigator > Bottom Right.

Network > Cable Style: Bezier

Use the Bezier command to change the look of the cables that connect modules in the Network View to lines capable of curving.

• In the Network View, click on the Menu button and select View > Cable Style > Bezier.

Network > Cable Style: Line

Use the Line command to change the look of cables that connect modules in the Network View to lines connected at 90-degree angles.

• In the Network View, click on the Menu button and select View > Cable Style > Line.

Camera > Camera Cone

Use the Camera Cone command to show or hide the camera cone in the Camera View.

• In the Camera View bottom toolbar, click on the Camera

Cone icon.• In the Camera View window, click

on the Menu button and select View > Camera Cone.


155


Camera > Camera Mask

Use the Camera Mask command to hide the exterior of the camera frame in the Camera View.The default colour of the mask is charcoal, but this can be changed in your Preferences.

• In the Camera View bottom toolbar, click on the Camera

Mask icon.• In the Camera View window, click

on the Menu button and select View > Camera Mask.

Timeline > Centre on Selection

Use the Centre on Selection command to display the selected element in the Timeline View.Note that your Timeline elements must be expanded.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select View > Centre on Selection.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the selected element on the left-hand side of the window and select Centre on Selection from the pop-up menu.

• Press [O], the default keyboard shortcut.

Xsheet > Change Columns Colour

Use the Change Columns Colour command to select a new colour for the columns you have selected. The corresponding track in the Timeline View will also be displayed with the selected colour.

• Click on the Menu button and select View > Change Columns Colour.

• Right-click on the selection and select Colour > Change Columns Colour from the pop-up menu.

Timeline > Change Track Colour

Use the Change Track Colour command to select a new colour for the track you have selected. The corresponding column in the Xsheet View will also be displayed with the selected colour.Note that you can change the colour only on drawing elements.

• Click on the Menu button and select View > Change Track Colour.

Timelines > Collapse All

Use the Collapse All command to hide all of the layers below each peg in the Timeline View.

• In the Timeline View window, click on the Menu button and select View > Collapse All.

• Right-click on the selected peg and select Collapse/Expand > Collapse All from the pop-up menu.

• Press [0] (zero), the default keyboard shortcut.


156

Chapter 5: Commands

Timelines > Collapse/Expand

Use the Collapse/Expand command to alternately show and hide all of the layers below the selected peg.

• In the Timeline View window, click on the Menu button and select View > Collapse/Expand.

• Right-click on the selected peg and select Collapse/Expand > Collapse/Expand from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Ctrl]+[I], the default keyboard shortcut.

• Click on the arrow button next to the layer’s name.

Xsheet > Column Types Manager

Use the Column Types Manager command to open the Show Columns dialog box. Use this dialog box to select the columns you want to display in the Xsheet View.

• Select View > Xsheet > Column Types Manager.

Preview Resolution > Custom

Use the Custom command to scale the temporary render (Playback View, Camera Render View) to a custom size of the scene’s resolution. This saves memory and allows you to work more quickly.

• Select View > Preview Resolution > Custom.

Xsheet > Default Columns Colour

Use the Default Columns Colour command to restore the default colour of the selected columns.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Columns > Default Columns Colour.

• Right-click on the column and select Colour > Default Columns Colour.

Timelines > Default Track Colour

Use the Default Track Colour command to restore the default colour of the selected tracks.Note that you can change the colour only on drawing elements.

• Click on the Menu button and select View > Default Track Colour.

Xsheet > Empty Cells: Blank

Use the Blank command when you have cells in the Xsheet that have no drawings in them and you want to leave them blank.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select View > Empty Cells > Blank.

Xsheet > Empty Cells: With an "X"

Use the With an “X” command to fill empty cells in the Xsheet with the character “X”.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select View > Empty Cells > With an “X”.


157


View > Camera > Enable Playback

Use the Enable Playback command to turn on and off the ability to playback animations in the following camera views: Side, Top and Free. When this option is enabled, your animation will playback in the Camera View window when you click on the Play button in the Playback Controls Toolbar.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select View > Enable Playback.

• In the Top, Side, Free View, click on the Menu button and select Enable Playback.

• In the Camera, Top, Side and Free View, right-click and select Enable Playback.

Timelines > Expand All

Use the Expand All command to display all of the modules in the Timeline View.

• Click on the Menu button and select View > Expand All.

• Right-click on the selected peg and select Collapse/Expand > Expand All from the pop-up menu.


Drawing > Grid Outline Only

Use the Grid Outline Only command to display only the outline of the grid border in the Drawing and Camera View windows.To see the outline, you must turn on the grid with the Show Grid command.


button and select View > Grid > Outline Only.

• In the Drawing View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Grid > Grid Outline Only from the pop-up menu.

• If you are in drawing mode in the Camera View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Grid > Grid Outline Only from the pop-up menu.

Xsheet > Held Exposures: Line

Use the Line command to have the Xsheet display cell labels that have the same value as the previous cell with a line, instead of repeating the value.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select View > Held Exposures > Line.

Xsheet > Held Exposures: Value

Use the Value command to have the Xsheet repeat the value in a cell that has the same label as the previous cell, instead of displaying a line.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select View > Held Exposures > Value.


158

Chapter 5: Commands

Camera > Hide All Control Parameters

Use the Hide All Control Parameters command to hide all of the control parameters that appear in the Camera and Side View.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select View > Hide All Control Parameters.

• In the Camera View, right-click and select Hide All Control Parameters.


Drawing > Hide Line Texture

Use the Hide Line Texture command to hide the texture of the line, replacing it with a solid colour. Select the command again to deactivate it.

• In the Drawing View window, click on the Menu button and select View > Hide Line Texture.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select View > Show > Hide Line Texture.

• In the Drawing View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Hide Line Texture from the pop-up menu.

• If you are in drawing mode in the Camera View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Hide Line Texture from the pop-up menu.

• Press [W], the default keyboard shortcut.

Xsheet > Hide Selected Columns

Use the Hide Selected Columns command to hide selected columns in the Xsheet View.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select View > Hide Selected Columns.

• Right-click on the exposure sheet and select Hide Selected Columns from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Alt]+[H], the default keyboard shortcut.

Network > Hide Selected Thumbnails

Use the Hide Selected Thumbnails command to hide the thumbnails of selected modules in the Network View.

• In the Network View, click on the Menu button and select View > Hide Selected Thumbnails.

• In the Network View, right-click and select Hide Selected Thumbnails.

• Press [T], the default keyboard shortcut.


159


Drawing > Highlight Selected Colour

Use the Highlight Selected Colour command to identify zones painted with specific colours.After you activate this command, use the Palette Manager to select the colour pot you want to see in the selected drawing. When you select the colour, all zones or lines painted with that colour become highlighted, while all other colours remain washed.


button and select View > Highlight Selected Colour.

• In the Drawing View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Highlight Selected Colour from the pop-up menu.

• If you are in drawing mode in the Camera View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Hightlight Selected Colour from the pop-up menu.

Drawing > Light Table

Use the Light Table command to turn on and off the light table.The light table allows you to see all of the elements as they are layered in the frame you have selected, based on the order specified in the Xsheet View.


button and select View > Light Table.

• In the Drawing View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Light Table from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Shift]+[L], the default keyboard shortcut.

Onion Skin > Next Drawing

Use the Next Drawing command when Onion Skinning has been enabled. The drawing immediately following the current one will display in the Drawing View window.The next drawing will appear slightly lighter, helping you to identify it.

• In the Drawing and Camera View windows, click on the Menu button and select View > Onion Skin > Next Drawing.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Onion Skin > Next Drawing.

• In the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Onion Skin > Next Drawing.

• Press [Ctrl]+[1], the default keyboard shortcut.


160

Chapter 5: Commands

Onion Skin > Next Three Drawings

Use the Next Three Drawings command to display the three drawings immediately following the current one in the Drawing View window. The next drawings will appear slightly lighter, helping you to identify them.

• In the Drawing and Camera View windows, click on the Menu

button and select View > Onion Skin > Next Three Drawings.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Onion Skin > Next Three Drawings.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select Onion Skin > Next Three Drawings.


Onion Skin > Next Two Drawings

Use the Next Two Drawings command to display the two drawings immediately following the current one in the Drawing View window. The next drawings will appear slightly lighter, helping you to identify them.


button and select View > Onion Skin > Next Two Drawings.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Onion Skin > Next Two Drawing.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select Onion Skin > Next Two Drawing.


Onion Skin > No Next Drawing

Use the No Next Drawings command when Onion Skinning has been enabled. This command allows you to turn off the display of any drawings following the current one in the Drawing View window.


button and select View > Onion Skin > No Next Drawings.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Onion Skin > No Next Drawing.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select Onion Skin > No Next Drawing.

• Press [Ctrl]+[ `], the default keyboard shortcut.


161


Onion Skin > No Previous Drawing

Use the No Previous Drawings command when Onion Skinning has been enabled. This command allows you to turn off the display of any drawings preceding the current one in the Drawing View window.

• In the Drawing and Camera window, click on the Menu button and select View > Onion Skin > No Previous Drawings.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Onion Skin > No Previous Drawing.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select Onion Skin > No Previous Drawing.

• Press [~], the default keyboard shortcut.

Onion Skin Use the Onion Skin menu to see the current drawing, as well as the previous or next drawing in a drawing column sequence.

Outline Locked Drawings

Use the Outline Locked Drawings command to have drawings that have been locked from the Camera, Top, Side, Free or Timeline View, appear as an orange outline. If this option is not selected, these drawings will appear washed out.

• Select View > Outline Locked Drawings.

Drawing > Overlay

Use the Overlay command to place the grid on top of the drawings on the Drawing and Camera View windows.Use this command when you are working on images that are filled with colour and you need the grid to complete detailed work.A grid must be visible for this command to work.


button and select View > Grid > Overlay.

• In the Drawing View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Grid > Overlay from the pop-up menu.

• If you are in drawing mode in the Camera View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Grid > Overlay from the pop-up menu.


162

Chapter 5: Commands

Drawing > Preview Line Art and Colour Art

Use the Preview Line Art and Colour Art command to display both the colour art and line art simultaneously in the Drawing View window. This allows you to see how they will work together.

• In the Drawing and Camera View bottom toolbar, click on the Preview Line Art and Colour Art

icon.• In the Drawing and Camera

View window, click on the Menu button and select

View > Preview Line Art and Colour Art.

• In the Drawing View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Preview Line Art and Colour Art from the pop-up menu.

• If you are in drawing mode in the Camera View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Preview Line Art and Colour Art from the pop-up menu.

• Press [P], the default keyboard shortcut.

Preview Manager

Use the Preview Manager command to display a dialog box that you can use to select the elements you want to display in the Camera View windows. You can also use the Hide/Unhide commands to do this, but the Preview Manager provides greater control over memory management

• Click on the Camera View Menu button and select

View > Preview Manager.• Click on the Top, Side or Free

View Menu button and select Preview Manager.

Preview Options

Use the Preview Options command to open the Preview Options dialog box. This can be used to change how the animation is rendered on screen. The dialog box provides you with OpenGL and software rendering options for balancing speed and performance for the accuracy of the on-screen display of rendered images.

• Select View > Preview Options.


163


Onion Skin > Previous Drawing

Use the Previous Drawing command when Onion Skinning has been enabled. The drawing immediately preceding the current one will display in the Drawing or Camera View windows. It will appear lighter, helping you to identify it.

• In the Drawing and Camera View windows, click on the Menu button and select View > Onion Skin > Previous Drawing.


• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select Onion Skin > Previous Drawing.

• Press [!], the default keyboard shortcut.

Onion Skin > Previous Three Drawings

Use the Previous Three Drawings command to display the three drawings immediately preceding the current one in the Drawing and Camera View windows. These three drawings will appear slightly lighter, helping you to identify them.


button and select View > Onion Skin > Previous Three Drawings.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Onion Skin > Previous Three Drawing.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select Onion Skin > Previous Three Drawing.

• Press [#], the default keyboard shortcut.

Onion Skin > Previous Two Drawings

Use the Previous Two Drawings command to display the two drawings immediately preceding the current one in the Drawing and Camera View windows. These two drawings will appear slightly lighter, helping you to identify the different drawings.


button and select View > Onion Skin > Previous Two Drawings.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Onion Skin > Previous Two Drawing.

• In the Camera View, right-click and select Onion Skin > Previous Two Drawing.

• Press [@], the default keyboard shortcut.


164

Chapter 5: Commands

Onion Skin > Remove All Onion Skin

Use the Remove All Onion Skin command to remove all of the drawing elements in the onion skin preview.


button and select View > Onion Skin > Remove All Other.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Onion Skin > Remove All Onion Skin.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select Onion Skin > Remove All Onion Skin.

• Press [Ctrl]+[Shift]+[O], the default keyboard shortcut.

Onion Skin > Remove All Other

Use the Remove All Other command to remove all unselected drawing elements in the onion skin preview.


button and select View > Onion Skin > Remove All Other.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Onion Skin > Remove All Other.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select Onion Skin > Remove All Other.

• Press [Ctrl]+[Shift]+[S], the default keyboard shortcut.

Xsheet > Row Units: Feet

Use the Feet command to have the row labels display the foot number instead of the frame number. There are sixteen frames for each foot of film.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select View > Row Units > Feet.

Xsheet > Row Units: Frames

Use the Frames command to have the row labels display the frame number instead of the number of feet.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select View > Row Units > Frames.

Preview Resolution > Same as Scene Resolution

Use the Same as Scene Resolution command to display the temporary render as the same size as the scene (Playback View, Camera Render View).

• Select View > Preview Resolution > Same as Scene Resolution.


165


Xsheet > Set Column Width

Use the Set Column Width command to open the XSheet Column Width dialog box. Use this dialog box to set the width and height of cells (in pixels).

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select View > Set Columns Width.

Xsheet > Show Column List

Use the Show Columns List command to open the Show Columns dialog box. Use this dialog box to select the columns to be displayed in the Xsheet View.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select View > Show Columns List.

Drawings > Show Contour Editor Controls

Use the Show Contour Editor Controls command in order to use the Control Editor Controls to modify a group of contour points simultaneously. With this tool, you can:

• Rotate• Scale• Translate

• In the Drawing View, click on the Menu button and select View > Show Contour Editor Controls.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select View > Show> Show Contour Editor Controls.

• If you are using the Contour Editor in the Drawing and Camera View, right-click and select Show Contour Editor Controls.

Camera > Show Control Parameters

The Show Control Parameters command displays the control parameters of specific effects in the Camera View:

• a peg’s trajectory• the contour control of a

quadmap• the two control points of the

gradient effect.• the focus function curve in the

Side View window.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select View > Show Control Parameters.

• In the Camera View window, right-click and select Show Control Parameters.

• Press [C], the default keyboard shortcut.

Show Current Drawing on Top

Use the Show Current Drawing on Top command to bring the selected drawing on top of all elements in the scene without changing the order in the Xsheet.This function helps you to draft a drawing without having other elements covering it.

• Select View > Show Current Drawing on Top.


166

Chapter 5: Commands

Timelines > Show Effects

Use the Show Effects command to show layers in the timeline. You can select Effects, Groups or Sounds from the Show Layers dialog box.

• In the Timeline View window, click on the Menu button and select View > Show > Show Effects.

• Right-click on the layer area and select Show > Show Effects from the pop-up menu.

Timelines > Show Functions

Use the Show Function command to unfold the peg function layers under the peg in the Timeline View.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select View > Show Functions.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Show Functions button on the peg.

• Press [Alt]+[F], the default keyboard shortcut.

Drawing > Show Grid

Use the Show Grid command to display the active grid. Select this command again to deactivate it.When you activate the Show Grid command, the Normal, 12-field or 16-field grid appears in the Drawing and Camera View windows.


button and select View > Grid > Show Grid.

• In the Drawing View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Grid > Show Grid from the pop-up menu.

• If you are in drawing mode in the Camera View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Grid > Show Grid from the pop-up menu.

• Press [Ctrl]+[‘], the default keyboard shortcut.

Timelines > Show Groups

Use the Show Groups command to display layers in the timeline. You can select Effects, Groups or Sounds from the Show Groups dialog box.

• In the Timeline View window, click on the Menu button and select View > Show > Show Groups.

• Right-click on the layer area and select Show > Show Groups from the pop-up menu.


167


Xsheet > Show Hidden Columns

Use the Show Hidden Columns command to open the Show Hidden Columns dialog box. Use the dialog box to select which hidden columns you want to display.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select View > Show Hidden Columns.

• In the Xsheet View window, right-click and select Collapse/Hide > Show Hidden Columns

• In the Xsheet view, press [Alt]+[Shift]+[H], the default keyboard shortcut.

Timelines > Show Manager

Use the Show Manager command to open the Show Manager dialog box. Use this dialog box to select which type of layer you want the Timeline View to show or hide.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select View > Show > Show Manager.

• In the Timeline View window, right-click in the left window and select Show > Show Manager.

Drawing > Show Morphing Key Drawing Thumbnail

Use the Show Morphing Key Drawing Thumbnail command to display a thumbnail of the next morphing keyframe in your sequence. The thumbnail will display in the bottom right of your Drawing and Camera View windows.

• In the Drawing View, click on the Menu button and select View > Show Morphing Key Drawing Thumbnail.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select View > Show > Show Morphing Key Drawing Thumbnail.

• Press [=], the default keyboard shortcut.

Navigator > Show Navigator

Use the Show Navigator command to turn on and off the display of the Navigator. This is used to pan the Network View window.

• In the Network View, click on the Menu button and select View > Navigator > Show Navigator.


168

Chapter 5: Commands

Onion Skin > Show Onion Skin

Use the Show Onion Skin command to activate and deactivate the onion skin. The type of display used when the onion skin is activated is dependent on your Onion Skin settings.


button and select View > Onion Skin > Show Onion Skin.

• Click on the Timeline View Menu button and select Onion Skin > Show Onion Skin.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the frame field and select Show Onion Skin.

• If you are in animation mode in the Camera View, right-click and select Onion Skin > Show Onion Skin.

• Press [Alt]+[O], the default keyboard shortcut.

Drawing > Show Scan Information

Use the Show Scan Information command to display a status bar at the bottom of the Drawing and Camera View. This status bar displays scanning information.

• In the Drawing View window, click on the Menu button and select View > Show Scan Information.

• In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select View > Show > Show Scan Information.

Timelines > Show Sounds

Use the Show Sounds command to show sound layers in the Timeline View.

• In the Timeline View window, click on the Menu button and select View > Show > Show Groups.

• Right-click on the layer area and select Show > Show Sounds from the pop-up menu.

Timelines > Show Sound Waveform

Use the Show Sound Waveform command to show the sound waveform layer in your Timeline View.

• In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select View > Show > Show Sound Waveform.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the frame field and select Show Sound Waveform.


169


Drawing > Show Strokes

Use the Show Strokes command to turn on and off the display of strokes and contours that make up the drawn shapes.This command is useful when you want to locate the gaps to close with the Close Gap or the Stroke tools.

• In the Drawing and Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select View > Show Strokes.

• In the Drawing View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Show Strokes from the pop-up menu.

• If you are in drawing mode in the Camera View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Show Strokes from the pop-up menu.

• Press [K], the default keyboard shortcut.

Drawing > Show Stroke With Colour Wash

Use the Show Strokes with Colour Wash command to identify the strokes that make up lines in a drawing. This command shows the strokes and washes the colour that fills the strokes.


button and select View > Show Strokes with Colour Wash.

Network > Show Selected Thumbnails

Use the Show Selected Thumbnails command to display the thumbnail of a selected module in the Network View.

• In the Network View, click on the Menu button and select View > Show Selected Thumbnails.

• In the Network View, right-click and select Show Selected Thumbnails.

• Press [T], the default keyboard shortcut.

Xsheet > Show Thumbnails

Use the Show Thumbnails command to show a thumbnail over each column in the Xsheet view.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select View > Show Thumbnails.

Drawing > Square Grid

Use the Square Grid command to display a uniform grid in the Drawing and Camera View windows with a ratio 1:1. This grid is unlike the 12-field (4:3) and 16-field (4:3) grids.To see the grid, you must turn it on with the Show Grid command.


button and select View > Grid >Square Grid.

• In the Drawing View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Grid > Square Grid from the pop-up menu.

• If you are in drawing mode in the Camera View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Grid > Square Grid from the pop-up menu.


170

Chapter 5: Commands

Drawing > Switch To Colour Art / Line Art

Use the Switch to Colour Art / Line Art command to alternately change to Colour Art or Line Art modes. In Colour Art Mode, Toon Boom Digital Pro surrounds the regions that you can paint with thin lines, called strokes. If you have Preview Mode turned off, Toon Boom Digital Pro also hides the line art so that you do not accidentally change it as you paint colour art.In Line Art Mode, you can ink the lines that will appear in your final animation.

• In the Drawing and Camera View bottom toolbar, click on the Switch to Colour Art / Line Art

icons.• In the Drawing and Camera

View window, click on the Menu button and select

View > Switch to Colour Art / Line Art.

• Right-click on the drawing and select Switch to Colour Art / Line Art from the pop-up menu.

• If you are in drawing mode in the Camera View, right-click on the drawing and select Switch to Colour Art / Line Art from the pop-up menu.

• Press [L], the default keyboard shortcut.

Toggle Full Screen

Use the Toggle Full Screen command to maximize your current window to its fullest size.

• Press [Ctrl]+[F], the default keyboard shortcut.

Toolbars Use the Toolbars menu to view all of the user interface toolbars. Select the necessary toolbar and it will appear on the software interface.

• Select View > Toolbars and select the toolbar you need.

Network > Top Left

Use the Top Left command to move the Navigator to the top left corner of the Network View window.

• In the Network View, click on the Menu button and select View > Navigator >Top Left.

Network > Top Right

Use the Top Right command to move the Navigator to the top right corner of the Network View window.

• In the Network View, click on the Menu button and select View > Navigator > Top Right.


171


Drawing > Underlay

Use the Underlay command to place the grid behind the drawings in the Drawing View window.A grid must be visible for this command to work.The Underlay command is useful when you are drawing line art (that is not filled with colour) and you want to see the shape of your drawings and the grid at the same time.


button and select View > Grid > Underlay.

• In the Drawing View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Grid > Underlay from the pop-up menu.

• If you are in drawing mode in the Camera View, right-click on the drawing and select View > Grid > Underlay from the pop-up menu.

Xsheet > Unhide All Columns

Use the Unhide All Columns command to reveal all hidden columns in the Xsheet View.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select View > Unhide All Columns.


172

Chapter 5: Commands

Windows MenuUse the Windows menu to add a new floating window and to manage workspaces.


Camera Use the Camera option to create a new Camera View window.

• Click on the Create View Menu

button and select Camera.

Colour Use the Colour option to create a new Colour View window.


button and select Colour.

Coordinates and Control Points

Use the Coordinates and Control Points to edit keyframes and control point parameters, such as the position, continuity, bias and lock in time.


button and select Coordinates and Control Points.

Drawing Use the Drawing option to create a new Drawing View window.


button and select Drawing.

173


Free Use the Free option to create a new Free View window.


button and select Free.

Function Use the Function option to create a new Function View window.


button and select Function.

Message Log Use the Message Log option to create a new Message Log View window.


button and select Message Log.

Model Use the Model option to create a new Model View window.


button and select Model.

Module Library

Use the Module Library option to create a new Module Library window.


button and select Module Library.

Modules Properties

Use the Module Properties option to create a new Module Properties window.


button and select Module Properties.

Morphing Use the Morphing option to create a new Morphing window.


button and select Morphing.

Network Use the Network option to create a new Network window.


button and select Network.

Pen Use the Pen option to create a new Pen window.


button and select Pen.


174

Chapter 5: Commands

Playback Use the Playback option to create a new Playback window.


button and select Playback.

Workspace > Restore Factory Default Workspace

Use the Restore to Factory Default Workspace command to restore the workspace to its default settings.

• Select Windows > Workspace > Restore to Factory Default Workspace.

Workspace > Save Workspace

Use the Save Workspace command to save the newly created workspace as a template in the Workspace Manager.

• Click on the Save Workspace

icon in the Workspace toolbar.

Workspace > Save Workspace As

Use the Save Workspace As command to save a new workspace

• SelectWindows > Workspace > Save Workspace As.

Side Use the Side option to create a new Side window.


button and select Side.

Template Library

Use the Template Library option to create a new Template Library window.


button and select Template Library.

Timeline Use the Timeline option to create a new Timeline window.



Top Use the Top option to create a new Top window.




175


Camera View MenuUse the Camera View Menu to alter objects and elements in the Camera View.

Workspace > Workspace Manager

Use the Workspace Manager to create, reorder and hide workspaces.

• Click on the Workspace Manager

icon on the Workspace toolbar.

Xsheet Use the Xsheet option to create a new Xsheet window.




View > Drawing > 12 Field Grid

Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: View.

View > Drawing > 16 Field Grid


View > Onion Skin > Add All to Onion Skin


View > Onion > Add to Onion Skin


Drawing > Adjust Line Texture Opacity

Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Drawing.


176

Chapter 5: Commands

Animation > Keyframe Mode

Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Animation.



Drawing > Apply Tool to All Drawings


Drawing > Apply Tool to Line and Colour Art


Drawing > Drawing Mode > Auto Flatten


View > Auto Render


Drawing > Auto-Create Colour Art from Brush


View > Backlight


View > Bitmap Image Quality

Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: View

Drawing > Mark Drawing As > Breakdown Drawing


Drawing > Arrange > Bring Forward


Drawing > Arrange > Bring To Front


Animation > Element Mode



177




Drawing > Convert > Brushes to Pencil Line


View > Camera Cone

Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: View

View > Camera Mask


Drawing Tools > Close Gap


Drawing > Clean up > Close Gaps


Drawing > Auto Gap Closing > Close Large Gap


Drawing > Auto Gap Closing > Close Medium Gap


Drawing > Auto Gap Closing > Close Small Gap







178

Chapter 5: Commands

Morphing > Convert Morphing to Drawing


Edit > Copy Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Edit.

Drawing > Create Empty Drawings


Drawing > Convert > Create Colour Art from Line Art


Drawing > Create Contour Stoke


Drawing > Create Drawing in Empty Cell


Edit > Cut Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Edit.



Drawing > Drawing Mode > Cycle Between Drawing Modes


Drawing > Drawing Mode > Default





179


Animation > Delete Keyframe


Drawing > Delete Selected Drawings


Drawing > Auto Gap Closing > Disabled




Drawing > Duplicate Drawings


Drawing Tools > Edit Texture


View > Editor Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Compositing.





Drawing > Flatten


Drawing > Flatten and Remove Extra Strokes


Drawing > Drawing Mode > Flatten Latest


Animation > Flip > Flip Horizontal



180

Chapter 5: Commands

Drawing > Transform > Flip Horizontal


Animation > Flip > Flip Scale X


Animation > Flip > Flip Scale Y


Drawing > Transform > Flip Vertical


Animation > Flip > Flip Vertical












View > Grid > Grid Outline Only


Drawing > Group > Group


View > Hide All Control Parameters



181


Morphing > Hide Hints


View > Show > Hide Line Texture


View > Highlight Selected Colour


Drawing > Mark Drawing As > In-between Drawing


Animation > Insert Control Point


Animation > Insert Keyframe


Animation > Inverse Kinematic Tool


Drawing > Mark Drawing As > Key Drawing


View > Light Table




Animation > Lock > Lock


Animation > Lock > Lock All


Animation > Lock > Lock All Others



182

Chapter 5: Commands

Animation Tools > Maintain Size


View > Matte View

The Matte View command switches the Camera View mode to display the scene’s element mattes only.

• In the Camera View, click on the

Matte View button.



Morphing > Morphing Tool


View > Onion Skin > Next Drawing


View > Onion Skin > Next Three Drawings


View > Onion Skin > Next Two Drawings


View > Onion Skin > No Next Drawing


View > Onion Skin > No Previous Drawing


Animation > No Z Dragging


Animation > Nudge Backward


Animation > Nudge Forward



183


Animation Tools > Offset Spline


View > OpenGL View

Use the OpenGL View command to have the Camera View mode display the scene’s element in OpenGL Mode. This is a quick display which allows you to work more quickly and to playback the scene in real time.


OpenGL View button.

Drawing > Optimize


View > Grid > Overlay




Drawing > Paint and Remove Line Texture




Edit > Paste Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Edit.

Edit > Paste Special

Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Edit.

Edit > Paste Special Again







184

Chapter 5: Commands

Drawing > Convert> Pencil Lines to Brush


Drawing > Permanent Selection


Drawing Tools > Perspective




Edit > Prevent From Drawing

Use the Prevent From Drawing command to prevent the user from accidentally drawing in the Camera View.

• In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Edit > Prevent From Drawing.

View > Preview Line Art and Colour Art


View > Preview Manager


View > Onion Skin > Previous Drawing


View > Onion Skin > Previous Three Drawings


View > Onion Skin > Previous Two Drawings





185


Animation Tools > IK Constraints > Remove All Constraints


View > Onion Skin > Remove All Onion Skin


View > Onion Skin > Remove All Other


Drawing > Clean up > Remove Art Outside Selection


Drawing > Clean up > Remove Art Outside Selection On All Drawings


Drawing > Remove Contour Strokes


Drawing > Clean up > Remove Dirt


Drawing > Clean up > Remove Hairs


Drawing > Rename by Frame


Drawing > Rename Drawing


View > Render Use the Render command to render the current frame.


Render button.


186

Chapter 5: Commands

View > Render View

Use the Render View command to have the Camera View mode display the current frame’s final image.


Render View button.





Drawing > Clean up > Repaint Outside Selection


Drawing > Clean up > Repaint Outside Selection On All Drawings


Drawing > Clean up > Repaint Selection


Drawing > Clean up > Repaint Selection On All Drawings




Animation > Reset All Transformations


View > Navigation > Reset Pan

Use the Reset Pan command to reset the panning.

• Press [Shift]+[N], the default keyboard shortcut.


187


View > Navigation > Reset Rotation

Use the Reset Rotation command to reset the rotation.

• In the Camera View’s bottom toolbar, click on the Reset

Rotation icon.• Press [Shift]+[X], the default

keyboard shortcut.

Animation > Reset Transformation


View > Navigation > Reset View

Use the Reset View command to reset the panning, rotation and zoom.

• In the Camera View’s bottom toolbar, click on the Reset

View icon.• Press [Shift]+[M], the default

keyboard shortcut.

View > Reset Zoom

Use the Reset Zoom command to reset the zoom.

Drawing > Colour Protection > Respect Colour Protection


Animation Tools > Rotate


Drawing > Transform > Rotate 180


Drawing > Transform > Rotate 90 CCW


Drawing > Transform > Rotate 90 CW



188

Chapter 5: Commands

View > Navigation > Rotate CClockwise

Use the Rotate CClockwise command to rotate the view’s workspace counter-clockwise.

• In the Camera View, click on

the Menu button and select View > Navigation > Rotate CClockwise.

View > Navigation > Rotate Clockwise

Use the Rotate Clockwise command to rotate the view’s workspace clockwise.

• In the Camera View, click on

the Menu button and select View > Navigation > Rotate Clockwise.

Animation Tools > Scale


Animation Tools > Select


Edit > Select All


Edit > Select Child


Edit > Select Children


Edit > Select Next Brother


Animation > Select Next Keyframe/Point


Edit > Select Parent


Edit > Select Previous Brother



189


Animation > Select Previous Keyframe/Point


Edit > Select Stokes With Current Colour


Drawing > Arrange > Send Backward


Drawing > Arrange > Send to Back


Animation Tools > IK Constraints > Set IK Hold Orientation


Animation Tools > IK Constraints > Set IK Hold X


Animation Tools > IK Constraints > Set IK Hold Y


Animation Tools > IK Constraints > Set IK Max Angle


Animation Tools > IK Constraints > Set IK Min Angle


Animation Tools > IK Constraints > Set IK Nail



190

Chapter 5: Commands

Animation > Set Motion Keyframe


Animation > Set Stop-Motion Keyframe


View > Show > Show Contour Editor Controls


View > Show Control Parameters


View > Show > Show Current Drawing On Top


View > Grid > Show Grid


View > Show > Show Morphing Key Drawing Thumbnail


View > Onion Skin > Show Onion Skin


View > Show > Show Scan Information


View > Show Stroke With Colour Wash


View > Show Strokes


Animation Tools > Skew



191


Drawing > Smooth




Drawing > Smooth Fast


Drawing > Snap to Contour


View > Grid > Square Grid




Drawing > Convert > Strokes to Pencil Line


Animation > Substitute Drawing Next


Animation > Substitute Drawing Previous


Morphing > Suggest Hints




View > Switch To Colour Art / Line Art



192

Chapter 5: Commands

Animation > Toggle Between Linear and Curve


Drawing > Colour Protection > Toggle Current Colour Protection


Animation > Toggle Lock in Time


Animation Tools > Transform


Animation Tools > Translate


View > Grid > Underlay


Drawing > Group > Ungroup


Animation > Lock > Unlock


Animation > Lock > Unlock All




Drawing > Clean up > Unpaint Outside Selection



193


y

Drawing > Clean up > Unpaint Outside Selection On All Drawings


Drawing > Clean up > Unpaint Selection


Drawing > Clean up > Unpaint Selection On All Drawings








View > Navigation > Zoom In

Use the Zoom In command to zoom in on the view’s workspace.

• Press [Spacebar]+[middle mouse button] and move down.


View > Navigation > Zoom Out

Use the Zoom Out command to zoom out of the view’s workspace.

• Press [Spacebar]+[middle mouse button] and move up.



194

Chapter 5: Commands

Colour View MenuUse the Colour View to edit colours and palettes.


Palettes > Clone

Use the Clone command to copy the selected palette. The colours maintain the same properties in the clone: the same identification numbers point to the same colour zones; but they may have different names and RGBA values. Depending on the active palette (night or day), the painted drawing will be updated. There is no need to repaint the animation, but simply to load the cloned palette (palette style).

• Right-click on the palette list in the Colour View and select Clone.

Palettes > Colour Editor

Use the Colour Editor command to modify the selected colour’s RGBA.

• Right-click on the palette list in the Colour View and select Colour Editor.

Colours > Copy

Use the Copy command to copy the selected colour.

• Right-click on the colour list in the Colour View and select Copy.

• Press [Ctrl]+[C], the default keyboard shortcut.

Colours > Copy Colour From

Use the Copy Colour From command to copy and paste a colour coming from another palette.

• Right-click on the colour list in the Colour View and select Copy Colour From.

195


Palettes > Current Palette Overrides

Use the Current Palette Overrides option to override the order of colour palettes in the palette list. This allows Toon Boom Digital Pro to use the colour values of the selected colour palette to paint the drawing.Each pot in a colour palette has a unique colour ID. When you paint a line or zone with a colour pot, the ID is linked to the painted area.To display colours in a drawing, Toon Boom Digital Pro searches the palette list and selects colour pot values based on the order of palettes in the list. The Current Palette Overrides option causes Toon Boom Digital Pro to first look in the selected palette for matching colour IDs and their values.

• Right-click on the palette list in the Colour View and select Current Palette Overrides.

Colours > Cut Use the Cut command to cut the selected colour.

• Right-click on the colour list in the Colour View and select Cut.

Colours > Delete

Use the Delete command to delete the selected colour.

• Right-click on the colour list in the Colour View and select Delete.


Palettes > Display Colour Values

Use the Display Colour Values command to display the RGBA values next to each colour pot in the palette.

• Right-click on the palette list in the Colour View and select Display Colour Values.

Palettes > Duplicate

Use the Duplicate command to create a new colour palette with new colour pots. The new colour pots will have the same colour values as the original palette, but they will have unique colour IDs. The colour pots in the duplicate palette will not be linked to lines and zones painted with the original palette. This command can be useful when you want to build a colour palette using colour pots from another palette.

• Right-click on the palette list in the Colour View and select Duplicate.

Colours > Edit Use the Edit command to open the Colour Picker window to modify the colour’s RGBA value.

• Right-click on the colour list in the Colour View and select Edit.


196

Chapter 5: Commands

Colours > Edit Texture

Use the Edit Texture command to open a file browser dialog box that you can use to change the bitmap file linked to the texture colour pot. Changing a texture will overwrite the texture file in the palette-library\Default_textures directory.

• Right-click on the colour list in the Colour View and select Edit Texture.

Palettes > Load

Use the Load command to load an existing palette in an element’s palette list.

• Right-click on the palette list in the Colour View and select Load.

Palettes > Move Down

Use the Move Palette Down command to move the selected colour palette lower in the palette list order. When selecting a colour value to display in a line or zone, Toon Boom Digital Pro searches for the colour ID in the listed palettes, beginning with the top palette. As soon as it finds a matching colour ID in a colour pot, Toon Boom Digital Pro takes the colour values from that colour pot and applies them to the painted zones.

• Right-click on the palette list in the Colour View and select Move Down.

Palettes > Move Up

Use the Move Palette Up command to move the selected colour palette higher in the palette list order. When selecting a colour value to display in a line or zone, Toon Boom Digital Pro searches for the colour ID in the listed palettes, starting from the top palette. As soon as it finds a matching colour ID in a colour pot, Toon Boom Digital Pro takes the colour values from that colour pot and applies them to the painted zones.

• Right-click on the palette list in the Colour View and select Move Up.

Colours > New

Use the New (colour) command to add a colour pot to the selected colour palette.

• Right-click on the colour list in the Colour View and select New.


197


Palettes > New

Use the New (palette) command, to add a new colour palette in the location of your choice.When you select this command, the Palette Browser window opens so that you can select a location for the new palette. Select the Save Palette command to save the palette file to disk. Until you activate this command, the palette only exists in temporary memory.

• Right-click on the palette list in the Colour View and select New.

Colours > New Default Colour

Use the New Default Colour command to create a new colour from the RGBA default value.

• Right-click on the colour list in the Colour View and select New Default Colour.

Colours > New Texture

Use the Add Texture command to open a file browser that can be used to select a bitmap (either TGA or PSD) that you will use to paint zones and lines in your drawings.When you save the palette, the texture file is copied into the palette-library\Default_textures directory and named by colour ID.

• Right-click on the colour list in the Colour View and select New Texture.

Colours > Paste As Clones

Use the Paste As Clones command to create a new colour pot with the same colour ID name and colour values as the original. Since duplicate colour IDs are not allowed in the same colour palette, you must “paste as clones” into another palette. When you switch palettes that include colour pots with the same IDs, the colour values in the colour pots with the cloned IDs are applied to your drawings. When you render your animation, the colour values used are based on the order of colour pots in the Palette Manager.

• Right-click on the colour list in the Colour View and select Paste As Clowns.

Colours > Paste As New Colours

Use the Paste As New Colours command to create new colour pots from the colour values stored in the temporary memory (from a cut or copied colour pot). The new colours will have their own unique colour IDs.

• Right-click on the colour list in the Colour View and select Paste As New Colours.

• Press [Ctrl]+[V], the default keyboard shortcut.


198

Chapter 5: Commands

Colours > Paste Colour Values

Use the Paste Colour Values command to replace the colour values in the selected colour pot with those stored in temporary memory (from a cut or copy of another colour pot).

• Right-click on the colour list in the Colour View and select Paste Colour Values.

Colours > Protect Colour

Use the Protect Colour command to protect areas you paint with a colour pot from being changed to another colour. This command blocks the Paint, Repaint, and Unpaint tools.

• Right-click on the colour list in the Colour View and select Protect Colour.

Palettes > Remove

Use the Remove Palette command to remove the selected palette from the palette list.

• Right-click on the palette list in the Colour View and select Remove.

Palettes > Rename

Use the Rename Palette command to change the name of the selected colour palette.

• Right-click on the palette list in the Colour View and select Rename.

Palettes > Revert

Use the Revert Palette command to remove all unsaved changes in the current colour palette.

• Right-click on the palette list in the Colour View and select Revert.

Palettes > Save

Use the Save Palette command to save changes you made to the current colour palette. This command is available only when the selected palette has unsaved changes.

• Right-click on the palette list in the Colour View and select Save.

Palettes > Save As

Use the Save As command to save a new version of the palette. This new version is a clone, maintaining all Colour ID information of the original palette.

• Right-click on the palette list in the Colour View and select Save As.

Palettes > Save Palette List

Use the Save Palette List command saves changes you made to the current palette list. This command is available only when the selected palette list has unsaved changes.

• In the Colour View, click on the Menu button and select Palettes > Save Palette List.

Palettes > Tint Panel

Use the Show Tint Panel command to open the Tint Offset/Blend dialog box and mix a selected colour value into all or some of the colour pots in a colour palette.

• Right-click on the palette list in the Colour View and select Tint Panel.


199


Drawing View MenuUse the Drawing View Menu to alter objects in the Drawing View.


View > Grid > 12 Field Grid


View > Grid > 16 Field Grid


Drawing > Adjust Line Texture Opacity




Drawing > Apply Tool to All Drawings


Drawing > Apply Tool to Line and Colour Art


Drawing > Drawing Mode > Auto Flatten


Drawing > Auto-Create Colour Art from Brush


View > Backlight


200

Chapter 5: Commands

Drawing > Mark Drawing As > Breakdown Drawing


Drawing > Arrange > Bring Forward


Drawing > Arrange > Bring to Front




Drawing > Convert > Brushes to Pencil Line


Drawing > Close Gap


Drawing > Clean up > Close Gaps


Drawing > Auto Gap Closing > Close Large Gap


Drawing > Auto Gap Closing > Close Medium Gap


Drawing > Auto Gap Closing > Close Small Gap





201





Drawing > Create Empty Drawings


Drawing > Convert > Create Colour Art from Line Art


Drawing > Create Contour Strokes


Drawing > Create Drawing in Empty Cell





Drawing > Drawing Mode > Cycle Between Drawing Modes


Drawing > Drawing Mode > Default





202

Chapter 5: Commands

Edit > Delete Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Edit.

Edit > Deselect All


Drawing > Auto Gap Closing > Disabled




Drawing > Duplicate Drawings


Drawing Tools > Edit Texture






Drawing > Flatten


Drawing > Flatten and Remove Extra Strokes


Drawing > Drawing Mode > Flatten Latest


Drawing > Transform > Flip Horizontal


Drawing > Transform > Flip Vertical



203












View > Grid > Grid Outline Only


Drawing > Group > Group


Morphing > Hide Hint


View > Hide Line Texture


View > Highlight Selected Colour


Drawing > Mark Drawing As > In-between Drawing


Drawing > Mark Drawing As > Key Drawing



204

Chapter 5: Commands

View > Light Table






Morphing > Morphing Tool


View > Onion Skin > Next Drawing


View > Onion Skin > Next Three Drawings


View > Onion Skin > Next Two Drawings


View > Onion Skin > No Next Drawing


View > Onion Skin > No Previous Drawing


Drawing> Optimize


View > Grid > Overlay




Drawing > Paint and Remove Line Texture



205









Drawing > Convert > Pencil Lines to Brush


Drawing > Permanent Selection


Drawing Tools > Perspective




View > Preview Line and Colour Art


View > Onion Skin > Previous Drawing


View > Onion Skin > Previous Three Drawings


View > Onion Skin > Previous Two Drawings



206

Chapter 5: Commands



Drawing > Clean up > Remove Art Outside Selection


Drawing > Clean up > Remove Art Outside Selection On All Drawings


Drawing > Remove Contour Strokes


Drawing > Clean up > Remove Dirt


Drawing > Clean up > Remove Hairs






Drawing > Clean up > Repaint Outside Selection


Drawing > Clean up > Repaint Outside Selection On All Drawings



207


Drawing > Clean up > Repaint Selection


Drawing > Clean up > Repaint Selection On All Drawings




View > Reset Pan



View > Reset Rotation


• Press [Shift]+[X], the default keyboard shortcut.

View > Reset View


• Press [Shift]+[M], the default keyboard shortcut.

View > Reset Zoom


• Press [Shift]+[Z], the default keyboard shortcut.

Drawing > Colour Protection > Respect Colour Protection


Drawing > Transform> Rotate 180


Drawing > Transform> Rotate 90 CCW


Drawing > Transform> Rotate 90 CW



208

Chapter 5: Commands

View > Rotate Cclockwise

Use the Rotate CClockwise command to rotate the view’s workspace counter clockwise.

• In the Drawing View, click on the Menu button and select View > Rotate Clockwise.

View > Rotate Clockwise


• In the Drawing View, click on the Menu button and select View > Rotate Clockwise.

Drawing Tools > Select


Edit > Select All


Edit > Select Strokes With Current Colour


Drawing > Arrange > Send Backward


Drawing > Arrange > Send to Back


View > Show Contour Editor Controls


View > Grid > Show Grid


View > Show Morphing Key Drawing Thumbnail


View > Onion Skin > Show Onion Skin


View > Show Scan Information



209


View > Show Strokes


View > Show Strokes with Colour Wash


View > Show Thumbnails Panel

Use the Show Thumbnail Panel to display the thumbnail panel in the Drawing View. This panel also appears when the Send to Drawing / Camera View option is activated.

• In the Drawing View, click on the Menu button and select View > Show Thumbnail Panel.

• Press [Alt]+[Click] on the selected cells in the Xsheet or Timeline View.

• Click on the Show Thumbnails Panel arrow button.

Drawing > Smooth




Drawing > Smooth Fast


Drawing > Snap to Contour


View > Grid > Square Grid




Drawing > Convert > Strokes to Pencil Line


Morphing > Suggest Hint



210

Chapter 5: Commands



View > Switch To Colour/Line Art


Drawing > Colour Protection > Toggle Current Colour Protection


View > Grid > Underlay


Drawing > Group > Ungroup




Drawing Tools > Clean up > Unpaint Outside Selection


Drawing Tools > Clean up > Unpaint Outside Selection On All Drawings


Drawing Tools > Clean up > Unpaint Selection



211


Free, Side and Top View MenusUse the Free, Side and Top View menus to alter elements in the Free, Side or Top views.

Drawing Tools > Clean up > Unpaint Selection On All Drawings








View > Zoom In




View > Zoom Out





Copy Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Edit.

Cut Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Edit.


212

Chapter 5: Commands

Delete Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Edit.

Deselect All Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Edit.

Editor Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Compositing.

Enable Playback


Insert Keyframe


Lock > Lock Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Animation.

Lock > Lock All


Lock > Lock All Others


Tools > Maintain Size


Tools > Offset Spline


Paste Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Edit.

Paste Special Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Edit.

Preview Manager


Reset Pan Use the Reset Pan command to reset the panning.


Reset View Use the Reset View command to reset the panning, rotation and zoom.



213


Reset Zoom Use the Reset Zoom command to reset the zoom.


Tools > Rotate Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Animation.

Tools > Scale Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Animation.

Tools > Select Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Animation.

Select All Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Edit.

Select Next Keyframe/Point


Select Previous Keyframe/Point


Set Motion Keyframe


Set Stop-Motion Keyframe


Show Control Parameters


Tools > Skew Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Animation.

Tools > Transform


Tools > Translate


Lock > Unlock Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Animation.


214

Chapter 5: Commands

Function View MenuUse the Function View Menu to display and manage functions in the Function View.

Lock > Unlock All


Zoom In Use the Zoom In command to zoom in on the view’s workspace.



Zoom Out Use the Zoom Out command to zoom out of the view’s workspace.




View > Add Selection

Use the Add Selection command to add functions to the Function View selection drop-list.

• In the Function View, right-click and select Add Selection.

View > Clear Use the Clear command to remove all functions from the Function View selection drop-list.

• In the Function View, right-click and select Clear.

Edit > Next Function

Use the Next Function command to display the next function listed in the Function View window selection drop-list.

• In the Function View, right-click and select Next Function.

• Press [PageDown], the default keyboard shortcut.

Edit > Previous Function

Use the Previous Function command to display the previous function listed in the Function View window selection drop-list.

• In the Function View, right-click and select Previous Function.

• Press [PageUp], the default keyboard shortcut.

View > Remove Selection

Use the Remove Selection command to remove functions from the Function View selection drop-list.

• In the Function View, right-click and select Remove Selection.


215


Model ViewUse the Model View Menu to display and manage colour models in the Model View.

View > Set Vertical Layout

Use the Vertical Layout command to display the panels of function values above the function curve. When the command is disabled, the panels are displayed beside the function curve.

• In the Function View, right-click and select Set Vertical Layout.

View > Show Current Frame

Use the Show Current Frame command to update the blue line in the graph of the function to indicate the current frame. This blue line will be repositioned, when you select a different frame using the Playback Controls Toolbar Frame field, Xsheet View, or Timeline View.

• In the Function View, click on the Menu button and select View > Show Current Frame.


Tools > Dropper


Model > Load Current Drawing as Model

Use the Load Current Drawing command to send the drawing that is currently displayed in the Drawing View window to the Model View window.

• In the Model View, click on the Menu button and select Model > Load Current Drawing as Model.

Model > Load Default Models

Use the Load Default Models command to display all of the Toonboom Vector Graphic (TVG) files in the “models” folder of your scene directory. Drawing files must be copied manually in order to load in the Model View.

• In the Model View, click on the Menu button and select Model > Load Default Models.

Model > Load From Folder

Use the Load From Folder command to open a file browser that will allow you to open images you want to use as colour models.

• In the Model View, click on the Menu button and select Model > Load From Folder.


216

Chapter 5: Commands

View > Next Drawing

Use the Next Drawing command to display the colour model that was loaded directly after the current colour model.

• Press [G], the default keyboard shortcut.

View > Previous Drawing

Use the Previous Drawing command to display the colour model that was loaded directly before the current colour model.


View > Reset Pan



View > Reset Rotation


• Press [Shift]+[X], the default keyboard shortcut.

View > Reset View



View > Reset Zoom



View > Rotate Cclockwise

Use the Rotate CClockwise command to rotate the view’s workspace counterclockwise.

• In the Model View, click on the Menu button and select View > Rotate Clockwise.

View > Rotate Clockwise


• In the Model View, click on the Menu button and select View > Rotate Clockwise.

Model > Unload

Use the Unload command to remove the current drawing from the Model View window.


Tools > Zoom Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Drawing.

View > Zoom In




View > Zoom Out





217


Module Library MenuUse the Module Library Menu to manage module categories in the Module Library.


New Category Use the New Category command to add a new module category.

• In the Module Library, right-click and select New Category.

Refresh Use the Refresh command to update the display of the Module Library View window.

• In the Module Library, right-click and select Refresh.

Remove Category

Use the Remove Category command to remove a module category from the Module Library View window.

• In the Module Library, right-click and select Remove Category.

Remove Module

Use the Remove Module command to remove a module from a category. Note that you cannot remove modules in the default categories of Toon Boom Digital Pro, with the exception of the Favourites. You can only remove modules from categories created by the user.

• In the Module Library, right-click and select Remove Module.


Rename Category

Use the Rename Category command to modify the name of a module category.

• In the Module Library, right-click and select Rename Category.

218

Chapter 5: Commands

Network View MenuUse the Network View Menu to alter the network’s modules.


Add > Effects > Add Effects

Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Compositing.

View > Cable Style > Bezier


View > Navigator > Bottom Left


View > Navigator > Bottom Right


Modules > Clone Selected Elements


Add > Composite

Use the Composite command to add a new composite module to the Network View.

• Press [Ctrl]+[H], the default keyboard shortcut.




Edit > Deselect All


Modules > Disable


219


Add > Display Use the Display command to add a new display module to the Network View.

• Press [Ctrl]+[Y], the default keyboard shortcut.

Modules > Duplicate Selected Elements


View > Editor Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Compositing.

Add > Element

Use the Element command to add a new element module to the Network View.These modules are not connected to any columns unless the user does so manually.

• Press [Ctrl]+[R], the default keyboard shortcut.

Modules > Enable


Modules > Exit Group

Use the Exit Group command to exit the group and return to the previous level.

• Press [Backspace], the default keyboard shortcut.

Modules > Explode Selected Group


Add > Effects > Favourites


Edit > Find Use the Find command to locate a selected module in the Network View and centre it in the view.


Add > Group Use the Group command to add a new group module to the Network View.

• Press [Shift]+[G], the default keyboard shortcut.

Modules > Group Selection


View > Hide All Thumbnails



220

Chapter 5: Commands

View > Navigator > Hide Navigator


Modules > Hold Image


View > Cable Style > Line


Modules > Move to Parent Group







Add > Peg Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Edit.

File > Print Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: File.

Edit > Recalculate All


Edit > Recalculate Selected


Modules > Release Image


View > Reset Pan



View > Reset View




221


View > Reset Zoom



Edit > Select All


Edit > Select Child








View > Show / Hide Selected Thumbnails


View > Navigator > Top Left


View > Navigator > Top Right


View > Zoom In




View > Zoom Out





222

Chapter 5: Commands

Pen View MenuUse the Pen View Menu to manage pen styles.


Delete Pen Use the Delete Pen command to delete the selected pen from the pen list.

• In the Pen View, click on the

Delete Pen button.

New Pen Use the New Pen command to create a new pen in the pen list.

• In the Pen View, click on the New

Pen button.

New Texture Pen

Use the New Texture Pen command to create a new texture pen from the texture you select in the Load Texture File box.

• In the Pen View, click on the

New Texture Pen button.

Rename Pen Use the Rename Pen command to rename the selected pen.

• In the Pen View, double-click on the pen name and input a new one.

Save Pen Styles

Use the Save Pen Styles command to save all of the changes in the pen list. This allows you to access those same pens the next time that you use Toon Boom Digital Pro.

• Click on the Pen View Menu button and select

Save Pen Styles.

223


Playback View MenuUse the Playback View Menu to load frames and renders in the Playback View.


Play > Enable Cache

Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Play.

Play > Enable Sound


Play > Enable Sound Scrubbing


Play > First Frame


Play > Go to Frame


View > Image Use the Image command to display the colour image of a render.

• In the Playback View, right-click and select Image.

Play > Last Frame


Source > Load From Display Module

Use the Load From Display Module command to create a temporary render from a display module in your network.

• In the Playback View, right-click and select Load From Display Module.

Source > Load From Folder

Use the Load From Folder command to load an image sequence from a folder on your hard drive.

• In the Playback View, right-click and select Load From Folder.

Play > Loop Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Play.

224

Chapter 5: Commands

View > Matte Use the Matte command to display the matte shape of the elements in the render.

• In the Playback View, right-click and select Matte.

Play > Next Frame


Play > Play Scene Backward


Play > Play Scene Forward


View > Playback Resolution

Use the Playback Resolution command to set the resolution of the render. This is independent of the scene resolution.

• In the Playback View, click on the Menu button and select View > Playback Resolution.

Play > Playback Speed


Play > Previous Frame


Source > Reload Frames

Use the Reload Frames command to reload updated frames in an image sequence that is already loaded in the Playback View.

• In the Playback View, right-click and select Reload Frames.

View > Reset Zoom


• In the Playback View, right-click and select Reset Zoom.


Play > Start Frame


Play > Stop Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Play.

Play > Stop Frame


Source > Unload Frames

Use the Unload Frames command to unload some frames that were loaded in the Playback View.

• In the Playback View, right-click and select Unload Frames.


225


Template Library MenuUse the Template Library Menu to manage library folders and templates.

View > Zoom In



• In the Playback View, right-click and select Zoom In.


View > Zoom Out

Use the Zoom Out command to zooms out of the view’s workspace.


• In the Playback View, right-click and select Zoom Out.



Folders > Close Library

Use the Close Library command to remove library folders from the Template Library.

• In the Template Library, right-click on the library list and select Close Library.





226

Chapter 5: Commands

Folders > Delete Folder

Use the Delete Folder command to remove folders from the Template Library. This command removes the folder from the hard drive‘You must select Right to Modify from the Template Folder’s drop down menu to activate this.

• In the Template Library, right-click on the library window and select Delete Folder.

Edit > Delete Thumbnails

Use the Delete Thumbnails command to delete the preview thumbnail of the selected template and replace it with the generic thumbnail.

• In the Template Library, right-click on the library list and select Delete Thumbnails.

View > Details Use the Details command to list the names and file types of the templates in the library.

• In the Template Library, right-click on the template list and select View > Details.

Edit > Edit Template

Use the Edit Template command to make changes to the selected template. Toon Boom Digital Pro will open a new workspace for the editing.

• In the Template Library, right-click on the selected template in the template list and select Edit Template.

Edit > Generate Thumbnails

The Generate Thumbnails command generates a preview thumbnail for each template found in the library.

• In the Template Library, right-click on the template or library list and select Generate Thumbnails.

Edit > Import Files

Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: File > Import > SWF, Illustrator to Local Library.

View > List Use the List command to display the templates in the library as a list of names beside small, generic icons.

• In the Template Library, right-click on the template list and select View > List.

Folders > New Folder

Use the New Folder command to add folders to the Template Library. You can use folders to organize reusable items in your productions.

• In the Template Library, right-click on the library list and select New Folder.

Folders > Templates > Open As Folder

Use the Open As Folder command to create a folder for the selected template in your library. This allows you to access all of its files.

• In the Template Library, right-click on the selected template in the template list and select Open As Folder.


227


Folders > Open Library

Use the Open Library command to add library folders to the Template Library View. The libraries you open are stored in a preference file based on your user name. The next time you launch Toon Boom Digital Pro, the libraries you opened will appear in the Template Library.

• In the Template Library, right-click on the library list and select Open Library.


Edit > Paste No Files

Use the Paste No Files command to paste copied a element in the Timeline View without its accompanying drawings.

• In the Template Library, right-click on the template list and select Paste No Files.

Folders > Refresh

Use the Refresh command to reload all folders and templates in the Template Library View. This ensures that the content displayed is current.

• In the Template Library, right-click both the template and library list and select Refresh.

Folders > Templates > Rename

Use the Rename command to change the name of the template in the Rename box.

• In the Template Library, right-click on the selected template and select Rename.

Folders > Rename Folder

Use the Rename Folder command to change the name of a folder in the Template Library.You must select Right to Modify from the Template Folder’s drop down menu to activate this option.

• In the Template Library, right-click on the selected folder and select Rename Folder.

Edit > Right To Modify

Use the Right To Modify command to allow yourself permission to modify the content of a library.

• In the Template Library, right-click on the selected library folder and select Right To Modify.

View > Thumbnails

Use the Thumbnail command to display the templates in the library as a list of names beside a large preview icon.

• In the Template Library, right-click on the template list and select View > Thumbnails.


228

Chapter 5: Commands

Timeline View MenuUse the Timeline View Menu to alter elements’ keyframes and exposures in the Timeline.


Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > A

Use the A command to apply an A mouth shape during lip syncing.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > A.

Add > Add Elements

Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Scene.

Drawings > Add to Drawing/Camera View

Use the Add to Drawing/Camera View command to add the selected drawings into the open Thumbnail Side Panel, found in both the Drawing and Camera View.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, right-click on the selected frames and select Add to Drawing/Camera View.

• Press [Alt]+[Shift]+[Click], the default keyboard shortcut.

Lip Sync > Auto Lip Sync Detection

Use the Auto Lip Sync Detection command to compute and modify the lip sync assignment of a voice track.The Sound Element Editor also has a Lip Sync panel that appears to the right of the Sound Element panel.Once you compute the lip sync of a voice track, the top image in the panel (the Lip Sync Preview Image) displays the lip position and letter of the sound at the selected frame.The smaller images that appear below the Lip Sync Preview image are the lip sync assignment options.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Lip Sync > Auto Lip Sync Detection.

229


Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > B

Use the B command to apply a B mouth shape during lip syncing.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > B.

Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > C

Use the C command to apply a C mouth shape during lip syncing.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > C.

Add > Camera


View > Centre on Selection


View > Change Track Colour


Exposure > Clear Exposure

Use the Clear Exposure command to remove a cell’s label and move the values up in the column to fill the cleared cell when you are working in the Insert Mode.An empty cell will appear at the end of the column. When you are working in Overwrite Mode, this command leaves the cell empty once the value has been removed.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, right-click on the selected frame and select Exposure > Clear Exposure.

Exposure > Clear Exposure and Pull

Use the Clear Exposure and Pull command to remove a cell’s label and move the values up in the column to fill the cleared cell. An empty cell will appear at the end of the column.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, right-click on the selected frame and select Exposure > Clear Exposure and Pull.

• Press [Z], the default keyboard shortcut.

Modules > Clone Selected Elements


View > Collapse All


View > Collapse/Expand



230

Chapter 5: Commands

Modules > Column Editor


Drawings > Morphing > Convert Morphing to Drawings



Drawings > Create Empty Drawings


Exposure > Create Cycle

Use the Create Cycle command to create a cycle from the selected drawings. Enter the number of times that you want the cycle to repeat in the Create Cycle box. The selected drawings are one full cycle. Use the E command to apply an E mouth shape during lip syncing.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, right-click on the selected frames and select Create Cycle.

Drawings > Create Drawing in Empty Cell





Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > D

Use the D command to apply a D mouth shape during lip syncing.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > D.

Exposure > Decrease Exposure

Use the Decrease Exposure command to remove the label from the current frame and move all labels up the column.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, right-click selected frame and select Exposure > Decrease Exposure.



231


View > Default Track Colour



Modules > Delete

Use the Delete command to delete the selected module from the Timeline and the Network View.

• In the Network View, select the module, then click on the Menu

button and select Edit > Delete.

• In the Timeline and Network View, right-click on the module and select Delete.


Motion > Delete Keyframe




Drawings > Delete Selected Drawings


Edit > Deselect All


Modules > Disable All Others


Add > Drawing


Modules > Duplicate Drawings


Modules > Duplicate Selected Elements



232

Chapter 5: Commands

Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > E

Use the E command to apply an E mouth shape during lip syncing.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > E.

Modules > Editor


Modules > Enable All


Modules > Enable/Disable


View > Expand All


Modules > Explode Selected Group


Exposure > Extend Exposure

Use the Extend Exposure command to extend the current exposure of a selected frame. The Overwrite option will clear any following frames. The Insert option will simply push the following frame to make space for the new exposure frames.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the selected frame and select Extend Exposure.

Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > F

Use the F command to apply a F mouth shape during lip syncing.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > F.

Exposure > Fill Cells Randomly

Use the Random Fill Selection command to open the Random Fill dialog box. Use this dialog box to randomly fill a selection of cells. The random values have a maximum of four decimal points. This fill operation is useful for function columns.

• In the Xsheet View, right-click on the cells to fill and select Exposure > Fill Cells Randomly.


Exposure > Fill Selection

Use the Fill Selection command to open the Fill dialog box. Use this dialog box to label selected frames that have the same value.

• In the Xsheet View, right-click on the selected frames and select Exposure > Fill Selection.

• Press [Ctrl]+[T], the default keyboard shortcut.


233


Motion > Flip Horizontal


Motion > Flip Vertical


Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > G

Use the G command to apply a G mouth shape during lip syncing.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > G.

Add > Group Use the Group command to add a group module to the Timeline and Network View.

• In the Timeline View right-click on the left-side and select Add > Group.

• Press [Shift]+[G], the default keyboard shortcut.

Modules > Group Selection


Exposure > Increase Exposure

Use the Increase Exposure command to copy the label in the current frame and paste it in the next cell. All labels are then pushed down the column. The last value might be forced out of the column.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, right-click on the selected frame and select Exposure > Increase Exposure.


Exposure > Insert Blank Cell

Use the Insert Blank Cell command to insert an unlabeled cell and push down all subsequent labels in the column. The last value might be forced out of the column.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, right-click on the selected frame and select Exposure > Insert Blank Cell.

• Press [X], the default keyboard shortcut.



Morphing > Insert Morphing Key Drawing


Edit > Lock Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Animation.

Edit > Lock All Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Animation.


234

Chapter 5: Commands

Edit > Lock All Others


Lip Sync > Map Lip Sync

Use the Map Lip Sync command to automatically match a drawing column’s exposure with the lip sync detection.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Lip Sync > Map Lip Sync.

Modules > Move to Parent Group


Add > Parent Peg

Use the Parent Peg command to add a parent peg module to the Timeline and Network View.

• In the Timeline View right-click on the left-side are and select Parent Peg.

• Press [Shift]+[P], the default keyboard shortcut.






Add > Peg Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Scene.

Add > Quadmap

Use the Quadmap command to add a new quadmap layer to the scene. Toon Boom Digital Pro automatically adds a Quadmap Module to the Network View.

• In the Timeline View right-click on the left-side are and select Add > Quadmap.



Modules > Rename

Use the Rename command to rename the selected module from the Element box.

• In the Timeline View, double-click on the module. The Element box appears.

• Right-click on the module and select Editor.

Drawings > Rename by Frame



235


Drawings > Rename Drawings


Modules > Reset All Values

Use the Reset All Values command to clear all keyframes and reset all transformation values to 0 on the selected peg.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the peg and select Reset All Values.

Edit > Select All


Edit > Select Child


Edit > Select Children








Drawings > Send to Drawing/Camera View

Use the Send to Drawing/Camera View command to open the selected drawings in the Thumbnail Side Panel, found in both the Drawing and Camera View.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, right-click on the selected drawing and select Send to Drawing/Camera View.

• In the Xsheet View, right-click on the column’s header and select Send to Drawing/Camera View.

• Press [Alt]+[Click], the default keyboard shortcut.

Motion > Send to Function View

Use the Send to Function View command to send the function curve of the selected peg to the Function View.

• In the Xsheet View, right-click on the peg’s column header and select Send to Function View.

• In the Xsheet View, press [Alt]+[click] the column header.

• In the Timeline and Network View, press [Alt]+[click] on the module.


236

Chapter 5: Commands

Exposure > Sequence Fill

Use the Sequence Fill command to open the Sequence Fill dialog box. This is used to label selected frames for cycles or to add a padding number to frame labels.

• In the Xsheet View, right-click on the selected frames and select Exposure > Sequence Fill.

• Press [Ctrl]+[M], the default keyboard shortcut.

Exposure > Set Exposure

Use the Set Exposure command to apply a customized exposure to a selected frame.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the selected frame and select Exposure > Set Exposure.

Exposure > Set Exposure to 1

Use the Set Exposure 1 command sets the exposure of a selected frame to 1.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the selected frame and select Exposure > Set Exposure 1.


Use the Set Exposure 2 command to set the exposure of a selected frame to 2.









View > Show > Show Effects


View > Show Functions


View > Show > Show Groups


View > Show > Show Manager


View > Show Onion Skin


View > Show > Show Sound Waveform



237


View > Show > Show Sounds


Modules > Add > Sound


Drawings > Substitute Drawing Next


Drawings > Substitute Drawing Previous


Edit > Unlock Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Animation.

Edit > Unlock All


Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > X

Use the X command to apply a X mouth shape during lip syncing.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > X.


238

Chapter 5: Commands

Xsheet View MenuUse the Xsheet View Menu to alter columns, drawings and exposures.


Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > A

Use the A command to apply an A mouth shape during lip syncing.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > A.

Columns > Add Columns

Use the Add Columns command to add columns to the Xsheet View.


Frames > Add Frames After Selection


Frames > Add Frames At End


Frames > Add Frames At Start


Frames > Add Frames Before Selection


Drawings > Add to Drawing/Camera View

Use the Add to Drawing/Camera View command to add selected drawings into the already opened Thumbnail Side Panel, found in both the Drawing and Camera Views.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, right-click on the selected frames and select Add to Drawing/Camera View.

• Press [Alt]+[Shift]+[Click], the default keyboard shortcut.

View > All Columns to Default Width


239


Lip Sync > Auto Lip Sync Detection

Use the Auto Lip Sync Detection command to compute and modify the lip sync assignment of a voice track.After you compute the lip sync, the top image in the panel (the Lip Sync Preview Image) displays the lip position and letter of the sound at the selected frame.The smaller images that appear below the Lip Sync Preview image are all of the lip sync assignment options.The Sound Element Editor also has a Lip Sync panel that appears to the right of the Sound Element panel.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Lip Sync > Auto Lip Sync Detection.

Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > B

Use the B command to apply a B mouth shape during lip syncing.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > B.

View > Empty Cells > Blank

Refer to Toon Boom Digital ProToon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: View.

Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > C

Use the C command to apply a C mouth shape during lip syncing.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > C.

View > Change Columns Colour


Exposure > Clear Exposure

Use the Clear Exposure command when in Insert Mode to remove the label from the selected cell and pull up the values in the column, filling the cleared cell. An empty cell will appear at the end of the column. In Overwrite Mode, this command removes the value from the cell and leaves the cell empty.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, right-click on the selected frame and select Exposure > Clear Exposure.

Exposure > Clear Exposure And Pull

Use the Clear and Pull command to remove the label from the selected cell and pull up the values in the column, filling the cleared cell. An empty cell will appear at the end of the column.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, right-click on the selected frame and select Exposure > Clear Exposure and Pull.

• Press [Z], the default keyboard shortcut.


240

Chapter 5: Commands

Columns > Clone Element Columns


View > Expand/Collapse > Collapse All


View > Expand/Collapse > Collapse Selection


View > Column Editor


View > Column Types Manager


Morphing > Convert Morphing to Drawings


Edit > Copy Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: View.

Drawings > Create Empty Drawings


Exposure > Create Cycle

Use the Create Cycle command to create a cycle from the selected drawings. Enter the number of times that you want the cycle to repeat in the Create Cycle box. The selected drawings are one full cycle.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, right-click on the selected frames and select Create Cycle.

Create Drawing in Empty Cell





241


Exposure > Hold Exposure > Custom

Use the Hold Value commands to speed up data entry when working with the Xsheet. Use the Custom command to open the Hold Value Editor dialog box. After entering the value in one cell, enter the number of cells in which you want the same label to show. This is good for cycles of drawings where each drawing is held for more than four frames.

• In the Xsheet, click on the Menu button and select

Exposures > Hold Exposure > Custom.


Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > D

Use the D command to apply a D mouth shape during lip syncing.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > D.

Exposures > Decrease Exposure

Use the Decrease Exposure command to remove the label from the current frame and move all labels up the column.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, right-click on the selected frame and select Exposure > Decrease Exposure.


View > Default Columns Colour



Columns > Delete Columns

Use the Delete Columns command to delete the selected column from the Xsheet View.

• In the Xsheet View, right-click on the selected column and select Delete Column.

Motion > Delete Keyframes





242

Chapter 5: Commands

Drawings > Delete Selected Drawings


Edit > Deselect All


File > Import > Drawings

Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: File.

Columns > Duplicate Drawings


Columns > Duplicate Element Columns

Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: Edit > Duplicate Selected Elements.

Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > E

Use the E command to apply an E mouth shape during lip syncing.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > E.

View > Expand/Collapse > Expand All


View > Expand/Collapse > Expand Selection


Exposure > Extend Exposure

Use the Extend Exposure command to extend the current exposure of a selected frame.The Overwrite option will clear any following frames. The Insert option will simply push the following frame to make space for the new exposure frames.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the selected frame and select Extend Exposure.

Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > F

Use the F command to apply a F mouth shape during lip syncing.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > F.


243


View > Row Units > Feet


Exposures > Fill Cells Randomly

Use the Fill Cells Randomly command to open the Random Fill dialog box. Use this dialog box to randomly fill a selection of cells. The random values have a maximum of four decimal points. This fill operation is useful for function columns.

• In the Xsheet View, right-click on the cells to fill and select Exposure > Fill Cells Randomly.


Exposure > Fill Selection

Use the Fill Selection command to open the Fill dialog box. Use this dialog box to label selected frames with the same value.

• In the Xsheet View, right-click on the selected frames and select Exposure > Fill Selection.

• Press [Ctrl]+[T], the default keyboard shortcut.

View > Row Units > Frames


Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > G

Use the G command to apply a G mouth shape during lip syncing.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > G.

View > Hide Selected Columns


Exposure > Hold Exposure > Hold 1 Cell

Use the Hold Value commands to speed up data entry when working with the Xsheet. Use the Hold 1 Cell command to enter a value ion the current cell. This value does not repeat in the following cells, it only fills the current cell with the value you enter.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Exposure > Hold Exposure > Hold 1 Cell.

Exposure > Hold Exposure > Hold 2 Cells

Use the Hold Value commands to speed data entry when working with the Xsheet. Use the Hold 2 Cells command to repeat each value you enter into the following cell. This is useful for cycles in which each drawing is held for two frames.



244

Chapter 5: Commands

Exposures > Hold Exposure > Hold 3 Cells

Use the Hold Value commands to speed data entry when working with the Xsheet. Use the Hold 3 Cells command to repeat each value you enter into the following two cells. This is useful for cycles in which each drawing is held for three frames.


Exposure > Hold Exposure > Hold 4 Cells

Use the Hold Value commands to speed data entry when working with the Xsheet. Use the Hold 4 Cells command to repeat each value you enter into the following three cells. This is useful for cycles of drawings where each drawing is held for four frames.


Exposure > Increase Exposure

Use the Increase Exposure command to add the label to the current frame and move all labels down the column.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, right-click on the selected frame and select Exposure > Increase Exposure.


Exposure > Insert Blank Cell

Use the Insert Blank Frame command to insert an unlabeled cell. This pushes down all subsequent labels in the column; the last value might be forced out of the column.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, right-click on the selected frame and select Exposure > Insert Blank Frame.

• Press [X], the default keyboard shortcut.



Edit > Insert Mode

Use the Insert Mode command to switch between Insert and Overwrite Modes.

• Press [I], the default keyboard shortcut.

Morphing > Insert Morphing Key Drawing


View > Held Exposures > Line



245


Lip Sync > Map Lip Sync

Use the Map Lip Sync command to automatically match a drawing column’s exposure with the lip sync detection.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Lip Sync > Map Lip Sync.

Lip Sync > Sound Display > Mouth Codes

Use the Mouth Codes command to display the mouth codes (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, X) instead of the frame names in a selected column.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Lip Sync > Sound Display > Mouth Codes.






View > Preview Selected Drawings

Use the Preview Selected Drawings command to open a Play window in which you can view the animation of the selected frames in real time.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select View > Preview Selected Drawings.

File > Print Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: File.



Frames > Remove Selected Frames


Columns > Rename

Use the Rename command to rename the selected column from the Element box.

• In the Xsheet View, double-click on the column header to access the Element box.

• Right-click on the column and select Column Editor.

Drawings > Rename by Frame



246

Chapter 5: Commands

Drawings > Rename Drawing


View > Reset Pan



View > Reset View



View > Reset Zoom



File > Import > Scans


Edit > Select All


Drawings > Send to Drawing/Camera View

Use the Send to Drawing/Camera View command to open the selected drawings into the Thumbnail Side Panel, found in both the Drawing and Camera View.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, right-click on the selected drawing and select Send to Drawing/Camera View.

• In the Xsheet View, right-click on the column’s header and select Send to Drawing/Camera View.

• Press [Alt]+[Click], the default keyboard shortcut.

Edit > Send to Function View

Use the Send to Function View command to send the function curve of the selected peg to the Function View.

• In the Xsheet View, right-click on the peg’s column header and select Send to Function View.

• In the Xsheet View, press [Alt]+[click] on the column header.

• In the Timeline and Network View, press [Alt]+[click] on the module.

Exposure > Sequence Fill

Use the Sequence Fill command to open the Sequence Fill dialog box. This can be used to label selected frames for cycles or add a padding number to frame labels.

• In the Xsheet View, right-click on the selected frames and select Exposure > Sequence fill.

• Press [Ctrl]+[M], the default keyboard shortcut.


247


View > Set Columns Width


Exposure > Set Exposure to > Set Exposure

Use the Set Exposure command user to set a customized exposure to a selected frame.

• In the Timeline View, right-click on the selected frame and select Exposure > Set Exposure.

Exposure > Set Exposure to > Set Exposure to 1













View > Show Column List


View > Show Hidden Columns

Refer to Toon Boom Digital Pro UI Menu Bar: View.‘

View > Show Thumbnails


Lip Sync > Sound Display > Sound File

Use the Sound File command to display the name of the soundwave in the Xsheet.

• In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Lip Sync > Sound Display > Sound Files.

File > Import > Sounds



248

Chapter 5: Commands

Drawings > Substitute Drawing Next


Drawings > Substitute Drawing Previous


View > Unhide All Columns


View > Row Units > Value


View > Empty Cells > With an “X”


Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > X

Use the X command to apply a X mouth shape during lip syncing.

• In the Timeline and Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Lip Sync > Mouth Shapes > X.

View > Zoom In

Use the Zoom In to zoom in on the view’s workspace.



View > Zoom Out





249


Thumbnail Panel Contextual MenuThe Thumbnail Panel appears in the Drawing and Camera View when the Send To Drawing / Camera View option is activated.


Large Thumbnails

Use the Large Thumbnails command to preview selected files as large-sized thumbnails.

Medium Thumbnails

Use the Medium Thumbnails command to preview selected files as medium-sized thumbnails.

Small Thumbnails

Use the Small Thumbnails command to preview selected files as small-sized thumbnails.

No Thumbnails

Use the No Thumbnails command to display a list of the drawings’ names without thumbnails.

Remove All Drawings

Use the Remove All Drawings command to remove all drawings listed in the Thumbnail Panel.

Remove Selected Drawings

Use the Remove Selected Drawings command to remove all selected drawings from the Thumbnail Panel.

250

Chapter 6Dialog Boxes

This chapter describes the following Toon Boom Digital Pro dialog boxes.

• Buttons on page 253

• 3D Path Editor on page 254• Add Columns on page 257

• Add Frames on page 258

• Adjust Line Texture Opacity on page 258• Alignment on page 259

• Apply Velocity on Editor on page 260

• Bezier Editor on page 262• Bitmap Image Quality on page 264

• Close Gaps on page 265

• Colour Picker on page 265• Colour Recovery on page 268

• Column Editor (Drawing) on page 269

• Column Types on page 270• Convert Morphing to Drawings on page 270

• Create Cycle on page 271

• Ease Editor on page 272• Export to Flash Movie (Swf) on page 274

• Export to QuickTime Movie on page 276

• Expression on page 278• Extend Exposure on page 281

• Fill Selection on page 282

• Fill Cells Randomly on page 283• Go to Frame on page 283

• Hold Value Editor on page 284

• Import Drawings on page 285• Load Playback on page 287

• Morphing Inspector on page 288

• New Scene on page 289• OpenGL Frames on page 290

• Palette Browser on page 291

• Paste Special on page 293

251


• Playback Start/Stop Frame on page 297

• Preferences on page 298• Preview Manager on page 316

• Preview Options on page 321

• Remove Dirt on page 325• Remove Hair on page 325

• Rename Palette on page 326

• Render Network on page 327• Resolution/Frame Rate on page 328

• Saving a Scene on page 329

• Select Colour on page 330• Sequence Fill on page 331

• Set Exposure on page 332

• Show Hidden Columns on page 332• Sound Element Editor on page 333

• Tint Offset/Blend on page 335

• Toolbar Manager on page 337• Vectorization Parameters on page 338

• Velobased Editor on page 343

• Velocity Editor - Bezier on page 345• Workspace Manager on page 347

• Xsheet Column Width on page 349

252

Chapter 6: Dialog Boxes

ButtonsThe main buttons encountered in the dialog boxes are:

• Apply

• Back

• Cancel• Close

• Finish

• Next• Save

• OK

Apply

Executes changes and leaves the dialog box open.

Back

Returns to the previous page.

Cancel

Closes the dialog box without applying changes.

Close

Closes the dialog box without applying changes.

Finish

Completes the selected operation.

253


Next

Moves to the next page.

Save

Implements changes.

OK

Applies changes and closes the dialog box.

3D Path EditorIn the 3D Path Editor dialog box, you can edit the path (direction) of a peg in three-dimensions (X, Y, Z), focusing on one dimension at a time.

254


Point

• Frame: Displays the frame number of the selected motion point.

• Value: Displays the value of the motion point at the selected frame number.

Parameters

• Tension: Indicates how sharply the path bends as it pass through a motion point. Enter a value between -1 and 1. A Tension of -1 increases the curve on either side of the control point; a Tension of +1 sharpens the curve on either side of the control point

• Continuity: Indicates the smoothness of a transition between the segments joined by a motion point. A Continuity of -1 sharpens the transition on either side of the motion point; a Continuity of +1 rounds out the transition, creating two gentle curves on either side of the motion point. A value of zero creates a smooth transition.

• Bias: Indicates which direction the slope is leaning toward. A Bias of -1 favours the left side of the motion point; a Bias of +1 favours the right side of the motion point. When the Bias is set to 0 (zero), neither side is favoured.

255


Other 3D Path Editor Commands• Stop Motion Keyframe: Sets a constant value for the keyframe and all frames

until the next keyframe.• Constant Z: Sets a constant front-back value for the keyframe and all frames until

the next keyframe.The Z-axis does not have to be displayed to change this.• Show Current Frame: Displays a blue line to indicate the current scene frame

number and synchronizes dialog box data to that frame.

• Grid button: Displays a grid in the Editor.

• Add/Remove button: Adds or removes motion points on the path at the selected frame.

• Lock/Unlock button: Locks motion points to a frame or unlocks a keyframe.

• Projection button: selects the dimension of the path you want to edit. Choose between X (left-right), Y (up-down) and Z (front-back).

• Apply Velocity button: Opens the Apply Velocity on Editor box so that you can select the projection of the motion path on which you want to apply the velocity curve.

To open the Path Editor:

1. Do one of the following:

In the Xsheet View, select your column, click on the Menu button and select: View > Column Editor.In the Xsheet View, double-click a peg column header.Right-click on the peg column header and select Column Editor from the pop-up menu.

256


Add ColumnsUse the Add Columns dialog box to add columns to the Xsheet View. You can also use this dialog box to add an element to your scene, linking it to a column at the same time.

Enter a name and select a column type from the dialog box. The following types are available to chose from:

• 3D Path column• Bezier Curve column

• Drawing column

• Ease Curve column• Expression column

• Sound column

Drawing and Sound columns are always available from the Column Type drop-list.

To open the Add Columns dialog box:

In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button, select Columns > Add Columns.Right-click a column header in the Xsheet View and select Add Columns. Press [Shift]+[C], the default keyboard shortcut.

257


Add FramesIn the Add Frames dialog box, select the number of frames to add to your scene.

To open the Add Frames dialog box:

In the top menu select Scene > Add Frames After Selection or Add Frames Before Selection or Add Frames at Start or Add Frames at End.

In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Frames > Add Frames After Selection or Add Frames Before Selection or Add Frames at Start or Add Frames at End.Right-click a cell in the Xsheet View, select Frames > Add Frames After Selection or Add Frames Before Selection or Add Frames at Start or Add Frames at End.Press [Ctrl]+[H], the default keyboard shortcut for adding frames after the selection.Press [Ctrl]+[G], the default keyboard shortcut for adding frames before the selection.

Adjust Line Texture OpacityTo preserve the quality of hand-drawn lines in vectorized drawings, Toon Boom Digital Pro creates an alpha screen from the variations in the density of the hand-drawn lines. This screen is then applied over the vector lines. This feature is called line texture.

Use the Adjust Line Texture Opacity dialog box to modify the values of the original alpha screen. This effect can only be applied to drawings that have been locked.

258


• White Slider: Use the top white slider to determine the texture’s transparency at the line’s border. The distance between the two sliders determines the amount of transition between the transparent and opaque values.

• Black Slider: Use the bottom black slider to determine the texture’s opacity at the line’s centre.The distance between the two sliders determines the amount of transition between the two values.

• Apply to all drawings: Use this command to apply the opacity setting to all locked drawings in the element.

To open the Adjust Line Texture Opacity dialog box:

In the Drawing View or Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Adjust Line Texture Opacity.

AlignmentThe size and aspect ratio of the scene’s alignment rectangle (Field Chart) is defined in the Alignment dialog box. Toon Boom Digital Pro uses the alignment rectangle to position elements in the scene, transform them in the Camera, Top and Side views, and clip them before they are composited.

If there are images in your scene that have a different size or aspect ratio, they are positioned in the alignment rectangle based on the Alignment Rule setting. This is accessible in the Position tab of the Element (Drawing) Module.

• In the Units Aspect Ratio fields, enter the aspect ratio of the grid you will use. If the aspect ratio you want to use is 1:1, enter 1 in the Left/Right field (X-axis) and 1 in the Up/Down field (Y-axis).

259


If the aspect ratio you want is 4:3, enter 4 in the Left/Right field and 3 in the Up/Down field.

• In the Number of Units fields, enter the total number units on the Left/Right (Y), Up/Down (X), and Front/Back (Z) axes.

• In the Coordinates at Centre fields, enter the values for the coordinates at the centre of your grid.

To open the Alignment box:

Select Scene > Alignment.

Apply Velocity on EditorUse the Apply Velocity on Editor dialog box to select the axes on which you want to apply the velocity function. You might want to apply the velocity to only one axis, for example, to have the Left/Right motion progress steadily while the Up/Down motion changes dramatically.

• Apply Velocity on X: Applies the velocity curve on the X (Left-Right) axis.

• Apply Velocity on Y: Applies the velocity curve on the Y (Up-Down) axis.

• Apply Velocity on Z: Applies the velocity curve on the Z (front-back) axis.

260


To open the Apply Velocity on Editor dialog box:

In the Velocity Editor - Bezier or Velocity Editor - Ease dialog box, click on the Apply Velocity button.In the Camera View, select a Peg (3D Path) and press [V].In the Timeline View, double-click on the Function Module.In the Xsheet View, double-click on the Velocity column’s header.

Apply Velocity button

261


Bezier EditorIn the Bezier Editor, modify the values of the function curve using Bezier controls. Reshape the curve by adding points and changing their values. You can also change the slope of the curve with the Bezier handles.

Point

• Frame: the selected frame number

• Value: the value at the selected frame number

262


Left/Right Handle

• Length: The distance between the handle and the function point

• Angle: The slope of the curve before the selected function point (left handle) or after the selected function point (right handle).

Other Bezier Editor Commands• Stop-Motion Keyframe: Sets a constant value for the keyframe and all frames

until the next keyframe.• Show Current Frame: Displays a blue line to indicate the current scene frame

number and synchronize dialog box data to that frame.

• Add/Remove button: Adds or removes function points to the path at the selected frame.


• Step button: Opens the Hold Value Editor, allowing you to edit the curve for animations edited on twos, threes, etc.

• Continuity drop-list: Becomes active once you have selected a motion point. The options in this menu control the functioning of the handles on either side of the selected point.

Corner moves the handles independently.Smooth moves the handles together, maintaining the same distance from the point.Straight moves the handles together, maintaining the same angle to the point.

• Reshape buttons: Provide options for modifying the path to the right of the point, including maintaining a constant (Stop-Motion) value or changing the value linearly (Linear).

263


To open the Bezier Editor:

Double-click on the header of a Bezier Curve column in the Xsheet View.Right-click on the header of the Bezier Curve column, and select Column Editor from the pop-up menu.In the Timeline View, double-click on the Function Module.

See Also: Velocity Editor - Bezier on page 345

Bitmap Image QualityThe Bitmap Image Quality dialog box allows you to adjust the preview resolution for bitmap images in the Camera view.

To open the Bitmap Image Quality dialog box:

In the top menu, select View > Camera > Bitmap Image Quality.

In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select View > Bitmap Image Quality.Press [Ctrl]+[Q], the default keyboard shortcut.

Double-clicking the column header opens the Bezier Editor.

264


Close GapsUse the Close Gaps dialog box to remove multiple gaps in a drawing.

As you adjust the threshold, the gaps that the command will remove are highlighted in red in the edited drawing. By selecting Apply to all drawings, you can apply the operation to all of drawings that you have edit rights for.

To open the Close Gaps dialog box:

In the Drawing View or Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Clean Up > Close Gaps.Press [Shift]+[F10] (Windows), the default keyboard shortcut.In the top menu, select Drawing > Clean Up > Close Gaps.

Colour PickerUse the Colour Picker to change the colour values of a Colour Pot.

In the Colour Picker, you can:

• Create gradients

• Create transparent or opaque colours (using the alpha slider)• Rename a colour pot

• Brightness Swatches: let you select a shade slightly lighter or darker than the colour you have created.

• Colour Storage Swatches: let you save intermediate colour values. Click on the

Add button to store a colour.

• New/Old Colour Swatches: Use the New/Old Colour Swatches to revert to the original value of the colour swatch.

265


To open the Colour Picker:

Double-click a colour pot in the Colour View.Right-click a colour pot and select Edit from the pop-up menu.

You can leave the Colour Picker open as you select the colour pots that you want to edit in the Colour View.

If you want to set the Multi Wheel Colour Picker as the default view, select Default Multi Wheel Colour Picker in the Drawing Mode tab of the Preferences dialog box.

Note

The Colour Picker also opens from various modules that have editable colour values.

266


Colour Picker in Single Wheel Mode

Colour Picker in Multi Wheel Mode

Colour Storage Swatches

Hue, Saturation and (HSV) Wheels

Click here to open the Colour Picker in Multi Wheel Mode

Brightness Swatches

Undo List

Red, Green and Blue (RGB) Wheels

267


Colour RecoveryThe Colour Recovery dialog box appears when the system cannot find some colours. This generally occurs when a drawing, scene or template does not accompany the original palette.

• Yes: Click on the Yes button if you want the system to recover the colours and use them to create a local palette.

• No: Click on the No button if you do not want the system to recover the colours. The missing colours will be displayed as the bright red default colour.

• Do not ask again for this session: Check this box if you do not want the system to ask you again during the session, and to automatically recover or not recover the colours following your choice.

268


Column Editor (Drawing) In the Drawing Column Editor, you can change the name of the column as well as connect it to a specific element on your file system. The Drawing Column Editor can also be used to create and edit elements.

• Name: The name of the exposure sheet column.

• Vector Drawing: Determines if the drawing is to be vectorized or not. Selecting this disallows the Bitmap File Format option.

• Field Chart: Choose from 12, 16 or 24.

To open the Drawing Column Editor:

Double-click a drawing column header in the Xsheet View.Right-click on the drawing column header in the Xsheet View and select Column Editor.

269


Column TypesThe Columns Types dialog box allows you to select which types of columns to display in the Xsheet View.

To open the Column Types dialog box:

In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select View > Column Types Manager.

Convert Morphing to Drawings Use the Convert Morphing to Drawings dialog box to enter a prefix for the separate drawings that you will create from the morphing and expose in the selected frames.

To open the Convert Morphing to Drawings dialog box:

1. Select any cell in the morphing.


In the Xsheet or Timeline views, click on the Menu button and select Morphing > Convert Morphing to DrawingsIn the Xsheet or Timeline views, right-click on the selection and select Morphing > Convert Morphing to Drawings from the pop-up menu.

270


Create Cycle Use the Create Cycle dialog box to create cycles automatically and to simplify the process of labelling cells.

• Number of Cycles: enter the number of cycles that you want to create. The initial cycle that you have selected is included in this count.When the cycles are created, the rest of the cells in the element are pushed forward.

To open the Create Cycle dialog box:

In the Timeline View, right-click on the cells that you selected as the basis for your cycle and select Create Cycle.

271


Ease EditorUse the Ease Editor to modify the values of the function curve using Ease controls. Reshape the curve by adding points and changing their values. The Ease curve handles can also be used to affect the smoothness at the beginning and end of the curve.

Point

• Frame: The selected frame number• Value: The value at the selected frame number

In/Out

• Ease in/out: The maximum number of frames after the selected ease point (left handle) or before the selected ease point (right handle), in which the ease curve

Select a motion point to display its ease controls to adjust the function curve.

Ease point

Angle: click and drag to change the range of tension.

272


function is curved to represent a gradual change. These fields are active when the Tension is greater than 1.

• Angle: Enter a value to set the maximum range of motion.

Other Ease Editor Commands• Stop-Motion Keyframe option: Sets a constant value for the keyframe and all

frames until the next keyframe.

• Show Current Frame option: Displays a blue line to indicate the current scene frame number and synchronizes dialog box data to that frame.


• Add/Remove button: Adds or removes ease points to the path at the selected frame.

• Step button: Opens the Hold Value Editor, which allows you to edit the curve for animations edited on twos, threes, etc.

• When you select a motion point, the Continuity drop-list becomes active. The options in this menu control the functioning of the handles on either side of the selected point.

Corner moves the handles independently.Straight moves the handles together, maintaining their same angle to the point.

• The Reshape buttons provide options for modifying the path to the right of the point, including maintaining a constant (Stop-Motion) value or changing the value linearly (Linear).

• Tension: Enter a value or use the spin control to change the value of the curve’s tension. Tension can be a value from 1 (for a straight line, maximum tension) to 10 (minimum tension).

273


To open the Ease Editor:

Double-click on the header of a Ease Curve column in the Xsheet View.In the Timeline View, double-click on the Function Module.

Export to Flash Movie (Swf)Use the Export to Flash Movie (Swf) dialog box to edit the parameters when you want to render all or part of your scene as an Adobe Flash movie.

Export to• Export to: Select the location and name for the final frames.

Double-clicking the column header

274


Export from Display module• Display drop-list: Select the Display Module whose output you want to convert

to a QuickTime movie.

Export Range• Export Range: Select the frames that you want to render. To render the entire

scene, click on the All radio button.

Options

• Frame Rate: Use the Frame Rate drop-list to select the movie speed in frames per second.

• JPEG Quality: Use the JPEG quality drop-list to select the image resolution.• Protect from Import: Activate the Protect from Import option to prevent the

movie from being imported for reuse and modification in other applications.• Compress Movie: Activate the Compress Movie option to save the output as a

lossless, compressed SWF file. This will generally reduce the file size by 5-10% compared to an uncompressed SWF file.

Your output will be saved as a SWF file that can be played back in Flash and Flash-compatible applications.

To open the Export to QuickTime Movie dialog box:

Select File > Export > Adobe Flash (SWF).

275


Export to QuickTime MovieUse the Export to QuickTime Movie dialog box to edit the parameters when you want to render all or a part of your scene as a QuickTime movie

Export to• Export to: select the location and name for the final frames.

Export from Display module• Display drop-list: select the Display Module whose output you want to convert

to QuickTime.

Export Range• Export Range: select the frames to render. To render the entire scene, select the

All radio button.

276


The output will be saved as a QuickTime movie in the specified location. This movie can be played back in the QuickTime application.

Video OptionsClick on the Video Options button to open the Compression Settings dialog box.

The options available are based on the QuickTime codec installed on your computer.

Sound OptionsClick on the Sound Options button to open the Sound Options dialog box.

277


The options available are based on the QuickTime codec installed on your computer.

To open the Export to QuickTime Movie dialog box:

Select File > Export > QuickTime Movie.

ExpressionUse the Expression dialog box to create an expression that generates values from a function column in order to determine the values for the properties of another function.

• Column Name field: enter the name of the Expression column.

• Expression field: enter the appropriate column name. Current frame is assumed, unless you indicate previous (previous frame), Nframe (total number of frames in the scene), or a specific [frame number]. Operators include: * (multiplication), / (division), + (addition), and - (subtraction).

To open the Expression dialog box:

In the Xsheet View, double-click on the header of an Expression column.In the Xsheet View, right-click on the header of an Expression column and select Column Editor.

Using the Expression ColumnAn Expression is a mathematical formula that includes operators and operands.

• Operators are symbols that represent an action, like “+” for addition.

• Operands are values that are manipulated by the operators.

278


In the expression (10+5), 10 and 5 are the operands and + is the operator.

In Toon Boom Digital Pro, you can use expressions to automate the calculation of effect values based on the values in another column. Repeat the same image one frame behind the previous one. Without expressions, you will have to manually enter the position of the element’s peg so that it is one frame behind the original element.

Save time by creating an Expression column and building an expression that does this process for you. If you change the position of the element in the original column, Toon Boom Digital Pro will automatically update the Expression columns that are linked to it.

In Toon Boom Digital Pro, you build expressions with following operators:

• + (addition)

• - (subtraction). You must include spaces around the minus sign when it is part of a mathematical expression because “-” is also a valid character in element names. Further, you can also use “-” as a unary minus sign, meaning that you can negate entire operations with the minus sign. For example, - (5-3) would result in the value -2.

• * (multiplication)

• / (division)Multiplication and division are always performed before addition and subtraction. Use parentheses ( ) to enclose discreet operations.

To refer to the values in a column, use the column name and the frame number. If you do not give the frame number, Toon Boom Digital Pro assumes that you want the value of the current frame. You can refer to the frame numbers in the following ways:

• frame refers to the current frame number.• previous refers to the frame before the current one.

• Nframe refers to the total number of frames in a scene.

• [ ] can be used to refer to specific frame numbers.

Consider the expression: previous(peg_x)

• This expression says that the current frame value will be the same as the previous frame value of the element “peg_x”.

Now consider this expression: peg_angle[frame - 2] * 3

• In this expression, we are instructing Toon Boom Digital Pro to look two frames before the current frame in the column “peg_angle” and multiply the value by 3 to derive the value for the current frame of the Expression column.

279


There are also a number of predefined functions that you can use:

• Sum: Adds all previous frames to create the value at the current frame)• Tan (tangent), cos (cosine), sin (sine), atan (arc tangent), acos (arc cosine) and

asin (arc sine): These functions are useful in calculating camera angles and angles of rotation.

• Atan2 (y, x): Unlike the other arc tangent function (atan), this function allows a value between -180 and 180. In the atan function, you would loose the positive and negative signs that indicate which quadrant the value should be in. With the atan2 function, the quadrant identification is preserved. Use this function when the direction of a directional blur needs to be preserved.

• Ceil: Rounds the value up to the next integer. For example:@@If the value is 3.7, the ceil value is 4.If the value is 3, then the ceil value is 3.

• Floor: Rounds the value to the lower integer. For example:If the value is 3.7, the floor value is 3.If the value is 3, then the floor value is 3.

• Int: removes the values after the decimal point to make a whole number• Abs: Absolute value of the number. For example:

If the number is -2, then the result of this function would be 2.If the number is 2, the result of the function would be 2.

• Round: Rounds a number with digits after the decimal to the nearest whole number.

• Sqrt: Square root of the value.• Comparison functions (=, ==, !=, <, <=, >, >=): These functions compare

arguments. When the function is true, the result is 1. When the function is false,

280


the result of the function is 0 (zero). You can use these functions with the conditional (if) function.

• =, == : Compares two arguments to find out if they are equal.

• !=: Compares two arguments to find out if they are NOT equal.• < : Less than

• <= : Less than or equal to

• > : Greater than• >= : Greater than or equal to

• exp: Indicates that the argument is an exponent of e (2.71828). For example,exp(5) = 2.718285

• ln: Logarithm of a value• Conditional function (if, then, else): Use to execute calculations conditionally.

You can use conditional expressions with the comparison functions. A value of 0 (zero) is considered false, whereas any other value is considered true.For example:if (peg_x >= pegant_x) then (peg_x * 2) else pegant_x * 2This conditional expression says that if the peg_x column is greater than or equal to the value in the pegant_x column, then the value of the function is peg_x multiplied by 2. If the peg_x column is not greater than or equal to the value in the pegant_x column, the value of the function is pegant_x multiplied by 2.

To build an expression:

1. Add an Expression column to your exposure sheet.

2. Double-click on the title of the column to open the Expression dialog box.

Extend ExposureUse the Extend Exposure dialog box to add a selected number of cells to the exposure time.

• Extend to Frame: Enter the frame that you want to extend the exposure to.

• Overwrite: Expose the drawing in the frames and replace the original drawings.

281


• Insert: Expose the drawing in the frames and move subsequent frames forward on the timeline.

To open the Extend Exposure dialog box:

1. Select the cell that contains the drawing on which you want to change the exposure.

2. Right-click on the Timeline View and select Extend Exposure.

Fill SelectionIn the Value field of the Fill Selection dialog box, enter the value that you want to fill in the selected cells of the Xsheet View.

To open the Fill Selection dialog box:

1. In a column of the Xsheet, select the cells that you want to fill.

2. In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button or right-click your selection and select Exposure > Fill Selection from the pop-up menu. You can also use the default keyboard shortcut, [Ctrl]+[T].

282


Fill Cells RandomlyUse the Fill Cells Randomly dialog box to set the values and behavior of the random filling option.

• Minimum Value: Enter the minimum value of the random filling.

• Maximum Value: Enter the maximum value of the random filling• Hold: Enter the number of frames you want each value to be exposed.

• Whole numbers: Select this if you want the random filling to generate only whole numbers.

To open the Fill Cells Randomly dialog box:

1. In a column of the exposure sheet, select the cells you want to fill randomly.

2. In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button or right-click your selection and select Exposure > Fill Cells Randomly Selection from the pop-up menu. You can also use the default keyboard shortcut, [Ctrl]+[R].

Go to FrameUse the Go to Frame dialog box to move the current frame marker to a selected frame.

• Enter the New Current Frame: enter the frame number you want to see and click OK. The red frame marker will appear on the frame you selected and the elements at that frame appear in the Camera View.

To open the Go to Frame dialog box:

In the Timeline View, right-click on the frame bar and select Go to Frame.

283


Hold Value EditorIn the Hold Value Editor, you can build values into a function curve you are editing to suit the timing pattern of your drawings in the Xsheet View.

For example, if you are working on drawings that are exposed for two frames, you want the velocity curve to apply the same value to those two drawings. Rather than manually entering these values for each frame and adjusting the slope of the curve, you can use the Hold Value Editor to automate the process.

• Start: Enter the start frame for the step effect you are creating.• Stop: Enter the end frame of the step effect.

• Step: Enter the number of frames you want to hold a value for. For example, if your animation is on twos, you would enter “2” in the Step field.

To open the Hold Value Editor:

Click on the Step button in a Velocity Editor - Bezier or a Bezier Editor.

Note

You must have a curve in the function editor for the steps to appear on your curve.

See AlsoVelocity Editor - Bezier on page 345

The step value is displayed in the Function Editor as soon as you click on Apply.

284


Import DrawingsYou can import drawings from any location that your computer can access. A new column will appear in the Xsheet View to display all of the drawings that you import.

You can select an unlimited number of drawings in this process. Toon Boom Digital Pro creates folders on the file system and column names based on the prefix of the drawing file. If you select files monster-1.tvg up to and including monster-20.tvg, and alien-1.tvg through alien-50.tvg, Toon Boom Digital Pro will create two folders (timing or element), two columns, and elements with the names “monster” and “alien.”

Consider the following when you select drawings to import.

• If you create an element for imported drawings, you cannot import other drawings that have the same name as an existing element.

• You cannot import drawings with different file extensions.

• All of the drawings that you import must have a dash in them (ie,“monster-1.tvg”).

• File(s): Enter the name of the drawing files to import. Click on the File Folder button to browse for drawings.

285


• Create Element: Create a folder for the selected drawings in the Elements directory. This option also labels the cells in the column with the drawing’s number values.

• Add to Existing Element: Add drawings to an existing Elements directory. Select the directory from the drop-down list and specify which column to add the drawing to.

• Vectorize: Select if you want your Bitmap file to be vectorized, and click on the Edit Vectorization Parameters button to open the Edit Vectorization Parameters dialog box.

To open the Import Drawings dialog box:

In the top menu, select File > Import > Drawings.

In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select File > Import > Drawings. In the Xsheet View, right-click a drawing column and select Import > Drawings.In the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select File > Import > Drawings.

286


Load PlaybackUse the Load Playback dialog box to refine the selection of files to load in the Playback View window.

To open the Load Playback dialog box:

1. In the Playback View window, click on the Menu button and select Source > Load from Folder.

A dialog box appears.

2. Select the directory of images you want to load.

287


Morphing Inspector Use the Morphing Inspector dialog box to add new layers and manage morphing hints.

In the Layers section, you create all of the different layers in your drawing. The order of the layers indicates how they are stacked: layers at the top of the list appear on top of layers at the bottom of the list.

• Name: The name of the layer.• Drawing From: The first drawing in the layer.

• Drawing To: The last drawing in the layer.

• From Frame: The first frame that the layer appears in.• To Frame: The last frame that the layer appears in.

To open the Morphing Inspector dialog box:

• Double-click any Xsheet View cell or Timeline View frame in the morphing sequence.

Note

When you create a drawing that starts or finishes during the morphing sequence, Toon Boom Digital Pro inserts a green (representing the start) or red (representing the end) square in the Xsheet View cell where a layer starts or ends.

Layers section: use to create all of the different layers in your drawing.

Hints section: use to modify the hint type for all hints in a layer.

Deformation Path section.

Velocity section.

288


New SceneUse the New Scene dialog box to create a new scene.

• Project Directory: Click on the Choose button to in which directory the scene will be stored.

• Project Name: Enter the scene name.• Resolution Profiles: Select a Resolution Profile from the list for your new scene.

• Add button: Click on the Add button to add a new scene resolution, frame rate and aspect ratio.

• Remove button: Click on the Remove button to delete a resolution profile from the list.

To open the New Scene dialog box:

In the File toolbar, click on the New button.

In the top menu, select File > New.

289


OpenGL Frames Use the OpenGL dialog box to select the frames you want to render from the OpenGL Camera view, then save the rendered frames as image files or as a QuickTime movie.

Note

Frames saved from OpenGL Views have neither anti-aliasing nor network special effects. To render final frames with effects, use the Composite dialog box.

To open the Save Frames dialog box:

1. Select File > Export > OpenGL Frames.

2. Select the frames to render.

3. Select the location and name for the final frames.In the Location field, click on the Browse button to select a folder for the frames.In the File Name field, type the starting sequence of the file name.In the Suffix field, select the numbering format for the file name.

4. From the Drawing Type drop-list, select the type of files you want to create, such as TGA or SGI.

290


5. From the Display drop-list, select the Display Module whose output you want to save.

6. Enter the size of the final frames in the Width and Height fields.

7. If you want to create a movie, select the Save as Movie option and click on the Video Options button to select the compression settings.


Digital Pro writes the frames to your file system. You can playback these frames in the Playback View window, or transfer them to video or to another software.

To open the Save Frames dialog box:

Select File > Save OpenGL Frames.

Palette BrowserToon Boom Digital Pro provides a Palette Browser and an Advanced Palette Browser.

Palette BrowserThe Palette Browser lets you create, duplicate, clone and save palettes.

To open the Palette Browser:

1. In the Colour View, click on the Create Palette button.

OR

Click on the Menu button and select Palette.

2. From the Palettes menu, select one of the following commands:• New• Clone• Duplicate• Save As

291


Advanced Palette BrowserThe Advanced Palette Browser displays all of the colour palettes in your file system. Use it to create new palettes (originals, duplicates or clones) or to load existing ones into the palette list of an element.

To open the Palette Browser: first set your preferences under the Advanced tab, selecting Advanced Palette List.

1. In the Colour View, click on the Create Palette or the Load Palette button.

OR

Click on the Menu button and select Palette.

2. From the Palettes menu, select one of the following commands:• New• Load• Duplicate• Clone• Save As

292


Paste SpecialUse the Paste Special dialog box to apply advanced features when copying and pasting keyframes, drawings, exposures and templates. The Paste Special feature can be used

• in the Timeline View• in the Network View• in the Xsheet View

Modules

• Create New Columns: When pasting modules, select Create New Columns to copy the content from the original column to a new column (and element) with a new name.

Pegs and Functions

• Add/Remove Motion Keyframes: Copies the properties of the selected motion keyframe to the new frame.

293


• Add/Remove Velocity Keyframes: Copies the properties of the selected velocity keyframe to the new frame.

• Add/Remove Rotation Keyframes: Copies the properties of the selected rotation keyframe to the new frame.

• Add/Remove Skew Keyframes: Copies the properties of the selected skew keyframe to the new frame.

• Add/Remove Scaling Keyframes: Copies the properties of the selected scale keyframe to the new frame.

• Force Keyframes at function’s beginning and end: Adds a keyframe to the beginning and end of the pasted function, reproducing the source function.

• Offset Keyframes: When pasting functions, this option offsets the keyframes from the function’s last value by the values in the pasted function. This will continue the progression of a function rather than repeat the values.

• Replace Expression Columns: Replaces the destination function with the formula from the source column.

Drawings

• Do Nothing: Do not create or overwrite drawings.

• Add/Remove Exposure: Creates/deletes exposure values in the selected element. You have the following choices as to how to treat drawings that will be created when adding an exposure:

Drawing Files

294


Never create drawing files: When adding exposures to a drawing element, drawing files will not be created.

Only create when it does not exist: When adding exposures to a drawing element, new drawings will be created only when drawings with the same name do not already exist in the destination.

Always create drawings: When adding exposures to a drawing element, new drawings will always be created. If drawing files with the same name already exist, Toon Boom Digital Pro will create a new name for the drawing.

• Automatically Extend Exposure: Extends the exposure of drawings to fill the range of cells to the destination frame.

Keyframe mode substitution: Pasting an exposure value replaces the cell value in the current frame and in all frames following in sequence with the original cell value.

• Colour PalettesDo nothing: Does not create, overwrite, merge or link palettes.Reuse existing palettes: Palettes in the destination drawings are left as they are.Overwrite existing palettes: Overwrites destination palettes with the palettes from the source drawings.Create new palette files: Creates new palette files, placing them at the same relative environment and scene level as the source. If the palettes in the templates were stored at the environment level of the source scene, the paste operation will place the palettes in the environment level of the destination scene.Create new palette files in element folder: Creates new palette files in the element folders of the destination scene, rather than in the same relative job or environment.Merge palettes. Add new colours only: Adds new colours to the destination palettes and ignores colours that are the same in the two palettes.Merge palettes. Update existing colours: Adds new colours to the destination palette and updates duplicate colours in the destination with colour values from the source.

295


Link to original palette (colour Model): Links the colour palettes in the destination to the palettes in the source. Use this to link drawings to the palettes in a colour model.Merge palettes at scene level. Add new colours only: Adds new colours to the destination scene palettes and ignores colours that are the same in the two palettes.Merge palettes at scene. Add new colours and update existing colours: Adds new colours to the destination scene palette and updates duplicate colours in the destination with the colour values from the source.

• Update drawing pivot: Revises the drawing pivot in the destination to use the same drawing pivot as the first drawing in the template. When you have a range of drawings selected in the destination, the pivot points of all selected drawings will be updated.

To open the Paste Special dialog box:

In the Xsheet View, Network View, or Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select Edit > Paste Special. In the Xsheet View, Timeline View or Network View, press [Alt] and drag an object within the window or to another View window.

296


Playback Start/Stop FrameUse the Playback Start Frame and Playback Stop Frame dialog boxes to change the lower and upper limits of the playback frame range.

• Enter the New Start/Stop Frame: Enter the frame number where you want to start or end playback and click on OK. The playback frame marker will appear on the frame you selected.

To open the Playback Start Frame or Playback Stop Frame dialog box:

In the Timeline View, right-click on the frame bar and select Playback Start Frame or Playback Stop Frame.

Start frame dialog box.

End frame dialog box.

297

PreferencesIn the Preferences dialog box, you can set a number of options for working with Toon Boom Digital Pro

Preferences are organized by category, including:

• Shortcuts

• General• Camera

• Network

• Exposure Sheet• Drawing

• Template

• Timeline• OpenGL

• Advanced


ShortcutsUse the Shortcuts tab to customize existing shortcuts and to add new ones.

To set a shortcut:

1. In the left window, select the command to modify.Click on the shortcut rectangle (above the right window).

2. On your keyboard, click on the desired shortcut.


299


GeneralUse the General tab to set general software behaviour.

Save• Offer to Save Workspace: Before exiting the application, the system will ask if

you want to save modifications that have been made to your Workspace.

Colour Management• Interactive Colour Recovery: If there are colours that are lost, the system will ask

if you want to recover them.• Colour Recovery: If there are colours that are lost, the system will automatically

recover them.• Replacement Colours: If there are colours that are lost, the system will display

them using the colour indicated in the replacement swatch.

300


Colours• Current View Border: Using the colour specified, the system displays a frame

around the view currently in use.• Current View Border in Template Edit: Using the colour specified, the system

displays a frame around the view currently in use in the Template Edit mode.• Edit Colours: Click to modify the colours of the user interface.

Playback View• Frame Height: Sets the resolution height for the Playback View render.

• Frame Width: Sets the resolution width for the Playback View render.

301


Options• Auto-Apply: When enabled, values entered or options selected in module

editors will automatically be applied to elements in your scene. The Apply and OK buttons will be disabled in the module editors when this feature is enabled.

• Native Windows Playback: Use Windows functions for playback in Enable Cache mode. This may improve playback performance, depending on your video card.

• Use Menu Bars in Detached Views: When opening a floating window, a menu will be displayed as a menu bar instead of as a drop-menu.

• Editors Always on Top: Module and Function Editors are on top of the main window.

• Close Previous Editors: When the user opens a new editor, the previously opened one will be closed.

• Focus on Mouse Enter: The current view will automatically change when the mouse cursor enters a new view.

• Auto-Render: Will automatically enable the Auto-Render option.• Cycle Exposure: Make navigation in the Xsheet view wrap-around from the last

cell or column to the first.• Display Cardinal Coordinates: Display coordinates as either scalar (i.e., +1 / -1)

or cardinal (i.e.,. 1N / 1S).

Settings• Stop-Motion Keyframes: New keyframes will be created as Stop-Motion

keyframes.• Default Separate Positions: New pegs will be created with separate positions

functions.• Default Separate Scale: New pegs will be created with separate scale functions.• Default Bezier: New functions curves will be created as Bezier Curves.

• Default Bezier Velocity: New velocity curves will be created as Bezier Curves.

• Read Use Drawing Pivot: The Use Drawing Pivot will be enabled in new drawing element modules.

• Minimum FOV: The minimum field-of-view for cameras.

• Maximum FOV: The maximum field-of-view for cameras.

• Field Chart: Default value for the number of units on the X (left/right), Y (up/down) and Z (front/back) axes of the field chart used for a new scene.

• Levels Of Undo: The number of actions in the undo list.

• HTML Browser for Unix: Used to view the online help on Linux machines. Enter the command to launch the browser, including the path if necessary.

302


Snap Keyframe• Snap Keyframe: If two keyframes have the same value, they will both update to

the same new position when the first of the two keyframes is modified. The previous keyframe has to be a Stop-Motion keyframe.

• Snap Last Keyframe Only: If the layer’s last keyframe has the same value as the previous, they will both update to the same new position when the previous keyframe is modified. The previous keyframe has to be a Stop-Motion keyframe.

CameraUse the Camera tab to set your Camera View behaviour.

303


Tools• Initial Animation Mode: Determines which animation mode will be enabled

when the scene is opened.• Bounding Box Selection Style: In the Camera View, an outline box will appear

around the selected element.• Show Locked Drawings As Outlines: In the Camera View, locked elements will

be displayed as outlines only.• Nudging Factor: The nudging increment value.

Zoom Settings • Camera View Default Zoom: The default zoom value for the Camera View.• Top/Side View Default Zoom: The default zoom value for the Top/Side views.

Settings• Thumbnail Size: The thumbnail size, in pixels, that appears in the Top and Side

views.• Border Size: The size, in pixels, of the small border around the Camera View.• Small Bitmap Resolution: The size, in pixels, of the smaller bitmap version of

your image. When you import a bitmap image into a scene, a smaller version of it is created by the system in order to accelerate the compositing and playback processes.

• TV Safety: The ratio value for the TV Safety frame in proportion to the regular camera frame.

Control Size• Rotation: The Rotation Bounding Box size.

• Skew: The Skew Bounding Box size.

• Scale: The Scale Bounding Box size.• Min Max: The Bezier handle size.

• Pivots and Control Points: The Pivots and Control Points size.

Wash Background• Enable in Camera: Dulls background bitmaps in Camera View windows. This

allows you to see other elements, such as ones that have not yet been painted, more clearly. The Preview Option Wash Background must be enabled

• Wash Background Percentage: The Wash percentage value.

304


Control Points• Control Point Tension: The default Tension value for new keyframes and Control

Points.• Control Point Continuity: The default Continuity value for new keyframes and

Control Points.• Control Point Bias: The default Bias value for new keyframes and Control Points.

NetworkUse the Network tab to affect your Network View behaviour.

Navigator• Navigator Starting State: If enabled, the Navigator will appear when opening a

scene.• Navigator Starting Corner: Indicates the default Navigator’s position.

305


Port Options• Cable Type: Displays Network connections as default or Beziers.

• Image Caching: Selects which module’s image will be cached.• Port Output Ordering: Orders the Output Port Top Leftmost or Top Rightmost.

• Port Input Ordering: Orders the Input Port Top Leftmost or Top Rightmost.

Element Module Drawing Options• Antialiasing Quality: The Antialiasing Quality level.

• Antialiasing Exponent: The blur fall-of-rate value of the antialiasing. • Enable External Read If Image Is Bigger Than:

• Read Colour: If selected, the Read Colour option will automatically be enabled in element modules created afterward. This option controls the production of colour information from bitmap images. If this module reads 3- or 4-channel bitmaps, this selection determines whether the colour should be read or ignored. If this module reads 1-channel bitmaps, this selection determines if the channel should be read as colour. When you select this option with 1-channel images, a greyscale image will result.

• Read Transparency: If selected, the Read Transparency option will automatically be enabled in element modules created afterward.This option controls the production of alpha information from bitmap images. If this module reads a 1- or 3-channel image, this option will create a matte from the colour values in the image. If the module reads a 4-channel image and this option is unselected, the alpha information in the image will be ignored.

• Alignment Rule: The Alignment position for the element module. The new element module will be created following this default rule of alignment.

• Transparency Type: The new element module will be created following this default transparency type.

Premultiplied with Black: Select this option if your bitmap alpha channel was multiplied with a black background.Straight: Select this option if your bitmap alpha channel was multiplied with a transparent background.Premultiplied with White: Select this option if your bitmap alpha channel was multiplied with a white background.Clamp Colour to Alpha:

306


Exposure SheetUse the Exposure Sheet tab to affect Xsheet behaviours.

Filtering• Show Drawing Columns: If enabled, the Xsheet View will display the Drawing

columns.• Show Function Columns: If enabled, the Xsheet View will display the Function

columns.• Show 3D Path Columns: If enabled, the Xsheet View will display the 3D Path

columns.• Show Sound Columns: If enabled, the Xsheet View will display the Sound

columns.

307


Options• Default Add Columns: The default position where the new column will be

added.• Default Column Width: The default width value for the new column being

created.

New Element• Vector Type: The vector type version.

• Bitmap Format: The default bitmap format that will be used (if not changed during the scan process) for scanned-in drawings.

Function Editors• Show Grid: If selected, the grid will be displayed by default when opening the

Function Editor.• Use Constant Z by Default: If selected, the Constant Z option will be enabled by

default in the Function Editor.

Drawing Creation• Use Current Frame as Drawing Name: This option is used to automatically

name the drawing by the frame position.

Apply/Next• From Left to Right: When clicking on the Apply/Next button in the Xsheet View

Column Editor, the next column to be displayed in the Column Editor will be the one on the right.

• From Right to Left: When clicking on the Apply/Next button in the Xsheet View Column Editor, the next column to be displayed in the Column Editor will be the one on the left.

308


DrawingUse the Drawing tab to affect the Drawing View and Camera Drawing mode.

Light Table• OnionSkin Render Style:

Normal: The onion skinned drawings will be displayed in washed out colours.Enable Shade: The previous onion skinned drawings will be displayed in washed out red shades and the next onion skinned drawings will be displayed in washed out green shades.Outlines Only: The onion skinned drawings will be displayed as outlines only.

• Light Table: Enable Shade: When enabled, the drawings appearing in the Light Table will be displayed in washed out colours in the Drawing View. When this

309


option is disabled, the drawings appearing in the Light Table will be displayed with normal colours.

• Light Table: Shade in Camera View: When using a drawing tool in the Camera View, the elements you are not working on will be displayed in washed out colours.

• Enhanced Onion Skin: When both Onion Skin and Light Table options are enabled, the drawings appearing in the Light Table will also display their previous and next onion skinned drawings.

• Onion Skin: Maximum Wash Value (0,0-1,0): The maximum washed out value for onion skinned drawings.

• Onion Skin: Minimum Wash Value (0,0-1,0): The minimum washed out value for onion skinned drawings.

• Onion Skin: Maximum Opacity (0,0-1,0): The maximum opacity value for onion skinned drawings. (0 = transparent)

• Onion Skin: Minimum Opacity (0,0-1,0): The minimum opacity value for onion skinned drawings. (0 = transparent)

Options• Grid On By Default: When opening the Drawing View, the grid will display

automatically.• Select Tool is Lasso: When this option is enabled, the Select tool will behave as

a lasso selector. When this option is disabled, the Select tool will behave as a rectangle selector.

• Brush Size Cursor: When this option is enabled, the brush tool will display the brush size as a circle around the cursor.

• Default Multiwheel Colour Picker: When this option is enabled, the Mutliwheel Colour Picker window will be displayed instead of the regular Colour Picker.

• Auto Save Pen Styles: When this option is enabled, new pens and pen styles will automatically be saved.

• Sticky Eye Dropper: When this option is enabled, the Colour Picker’s Dropper tool will stay active until the user releases it by clicking on the Dropper icon again.

• Thumbnail View Location: The location of drawing thumbnails in the Drawing or Camera View when sending multiple drawings. You must restart the application in order to see the change.

New Colour Pots• Create New Colour Pots Using Default Colour: Set the default colour for

creating a new colour pot.

310


Settings• Auto Gap Closing: The value for the automatic gap closing while painting

drawings. 0 = Disabled, 1 = Small, 2 = Medium and 3 = Big.• Initial Drawing Tool: The tool initially selected when the Drawing View is

opened.

TemplateUse the Template tab to affect drag and drop behaviours.

311


Paste/Drag and Drop• Always Create New Drawings: Default preference when pasting or dragging

and dropping from the library to the Timeline, Network or Xsheet views.• Palettes:

Ask User: When dropping a template into a scene, the system will ask if you want to link the palette to the original or create a local copy in the scene.Use Original Palette: The system will automatically link drawing elements to the original palette file. If the original palette is not encountered a local copy will be created.Use Copy of Palettes: The system will automatically create a local copy of the palette in the scene.

Editing a Template• Behaviour of palettes when editing a template:

Ask User: When opening the Edit Template mode, the system asks if you want to keep the link to the original palette or use the palette copy stored in the template.Use Original Palette: The system will automatically maintain the link to the original palette file. If the original palette is not found, a local copy will be created.Use Copy of Palettes: The system will automatically use the palette copy stored in the template.

• Generate Thumbnails Automatically: When this option is enabled, the system will automatically create thumbnails for the template when the user wants to see the thumbnails in the Template Library or when saving a template modification.

312


TimelineUse the Timeline tab to affect the Timeline View behaviours.

Default• Show Groups: If enabled, the Timeline View will display the Group modules.

• Show Effects: If enabled, the Timeline View will display the Effect modules.

• Show Sounds: If enabled, the Timeline View will display the Sound layers.

313


OpenGLUse the OpenGL tab to affect your OpenGL display settings.

Settings• Conservative Texture Management: Turns on and off conservative memory

management for bitmap textures files. Performance will improve when this is enabled. If disabled, you will have a better on-screen rendering of bitmap files at the expense of improved performance.

• Smooth Textures: Smooths out the pixels of bitmap images when zooming; this improves bitmap image quality.

• Alternate Gradient and Cutter: This is an alternative way to disable write in the OpenGL Backbuffer, required for some video cards (i.e. GeForce FX5200). Do

314


not enable this option unless you are experiencing problems with gradients and cutters in OpenGL (Drawing and Camera views).

• Destroy Context when Application is Inactive: When using an application other than Toon Boom Digital Pro, the system will dump the OpenGL content to free up the memory.

• Maximum Texture Size: The size that the bitmap file will be reduced to when using the Conservative Texture Management.

• Texture Memory: The amount of temporary memory used to store bitmap texture files.

AdvancedUse the Advanced tab to switch to diverse advanced modes.

315


Advanced Options• Advanced Display: Once enabled, a display drop-down menu appears in each

view, allowing you to activate a different Display module in each. All View Display menus set on Global Display will follow the Display toolbar selection.

• Advanced Palette Lists: Once enabled, the Create Palette dialog box switches to Advanced mode, allowing you to save a palette as a scene palette list or an element palette list.A palette saved as a scene palette list will automatically appear in every scene’s layers. A palette saved as an element palette list will appear only in the layer it is loaded in.

• Restore Current Selected Drawing On Undo: If a drawing other than the current one is being affected by an Undo command, the system will display the affected drawing when this is enabled.

To open the Preferences dialog box:

Select Edit > Preferences.

In the Playback view window, click on the Menu button and select View > Playback Resolution to display the Preferences dialog box’s General tab.

Preview ManagerUse the Preview Manager to select which elements to display in the Drawing, Camera, Top and Side views. By displaying only the necessary elements, you reduce the amount of memory required by the system to process the images, improving its performance.

To open this the Preview Manager:

In the top menu, select View > Camera > Preview Manager.

In the Camera View, click on the Menu button and select View > Preview Manager.

There are three tabs in this dialog box:

• Elements Tab

• Frames Tab• Memory Tab

316


Elements TabUse the Elements tab to select which elements to display in the Camera, Top and Side views. All elements are displayed in the Camera Render View, regardless of selections made in this dialog box

• Enable Line Colour Override: Overrides the line art colour display of drawings in the Camera View, as well as the line representing them in the Top and Side view windows. Click a row’s colour column to open the Colour Picker and select a new colour. This does not affect the rendered drawings.

317


Frames TabUse the Frames tab to select which frames to load in the Camera view. During playback, if a drawing assigned to a frame is not loaded, Toon Boom Digital Pro will still display a drawing, but it might not be the one assigned.

Loading selected drawings in memory can help accelerate the performance of your playback. To load these frames immediately into memory, click on the Load Now button.

• Load Now: loads all of the frames selected in the Frames tab. Use this to playback drawings and display them at full speed.

318


Memory TabUse the Memory tab to minimize the amount of memory and processing power required to work in your scene. If you are working on rough drawings or a pencil test, select the options that suit your tasks by using lower vector quality settings to display your scene in the Camera, Top and Side views.

Quality

• Lines and Colours: Displays both Line and Colour Art in the Camera, Top and Side views.

• Strokes and colours: Displays the strokes that define lines and colours.

• Lines Only: Displays only Line Art.

• Colours Only: Displays only Colour Art.

319


TVG Options

• Optimize Memory and Rendering Time: stores one version of each drawing at a fixed resolution in memory (RAM). When this option is enabled, Toon Boom Digital Pro erases all other versions from memory, freeing memory for other uses and improving the performance of your computer.

Vector Quality

• High: maintains the quality of the vector drawings when displayed in the Camera, Top and Side views.

• Medium: removes some points from the vector drawings so that they display faster in the Camera, Top and Side views. Some artifacts may appear in the display as a result.

• Low: removes more points from your vector drawings so that they display more quickly in the Camera, Top and Side views. Some artifacts may appear in the display as a result of this selection. The actual drawings are unchanged.

Memory

• Free Memory: Displays the amount of available memory on your system.

• Total Memory: Displays the total amount of memory on your system.

• Update: Refreshes the memory displays.• Clear Cache: Deletes unused drawings in memory, creating more free memory.

320


Preview OptionsUse the Preview Options dialog box to control how Toon Boom Digital Pro displays your animation in the Render, Camera, Top and Side views. The options you choose are regulated by the power of your system and video card, and the tasks you perform.

To open the Preview Options dialog box:

Select Scene > Preview Options.

There are two tabs in the dialog box:

• Render View Tab • Other Views Tab

321


Render View TabIn the Render View tab, you can disable the rendering of effects displayed in the Camera Render View. The blur, texture and focus effects built with modules in the Network View require a lot of time to render. You can disable the rendering of these effects and still benefit from seeing your animation antialiased.

• Enable Blur: Renders blur effects derived from the Blur-Directional Module, Blur-Radial Module, and the Blur-Variable Module in the Render View window.

• Enable Line Texture: Renders line texture in the Render View.

• Enable Focus: Renders focus effects from the Focus-Apply and Focus-Set modules.

• BBox TVG Increase: Increases the size of the TVG bounding box.

• By holding images, you can decrease memory usage, thereby increasing the performance of your computer. Use the drop-list to select which images to re-render.

Hold All Network Images: Validates all drawings in a cache, locking them in place. This command increases available memory.Release All Network Images: Releases selected drawings from the cache.

322


Hold Flagged Module’s Images: validates selected drawings in a cache, thereby locking them in place. To flag a module, select it and activate the Hold Image command. This selection will increase performance by avoiding the re-rendering an image.

Other Views TabUse the Other Views tab to make it easier to see elements in the Camera, Top and Side views.

• Wash Backgrounds: Dulls background pixmaps in the Camera, Top and Side views. this allows you to see other elements, like those that have not yet been painted, more clearly.

•Enable Wash Background: Activate this feature in all Camera, Top and Side views.Enable Wash Background in Drawing Mode: activate this feature in the Frame View window, Edit Drawing mode.

• Enable Line Texture: Renders line texture in the Drawing, Camera, Top and Side views. Displaying line textures can slow the performance of Toon Boom Digital Pro.

• Enable Tone and Highlight: Turns on and off the Tone Module and Highlight Module effects in the Camera, Top and Side views. These effect modules can slow the performance of Toon Boom Digital Pro.

323


• Enable Cutter: Turns on and off the rendering of Cutter Module effects in the Camera, Top and Side views. This effect module can slow the performance of Toon Boom Digital Pro.

• Enable Textures and Gradients in Drawings: Shows zones and lines painted with texture or gradient colour pots. When disabled, zones and lines painted with textures and gradients will be filled with solid colours. Textures and gradients require more time and memory to display, so enabling this effect module can slow the performance of Toon Boom Digital Pro.

• Enable Stencil Buffer on Pencil Lines: When the option is enabled, the pencil lines are displayed normally. The lines will be opaque (unless there are tansparencies).Disabling this option will reduce rendering times, but will display additive opacities for overlapping pencil lines and unevenly filled curved pencil lines.

• Enable Colour Override: Turns on and off the rendering of the Colour-Override Module in the Camera, Top and Side views.

• Enable Variable Line Thickness: Turns on and off the rendering of the variable line thickness option of the Element Module.

• Enable Glue Module: turns on and off the Glue module feature.

324


Remove DirtUse the Remove Dirt dialog box to remove any stray marks and smudges from your drawing.

As you adjust the threshold, the marks and smudges that will be removed by the command are highlighted in the open drawing. Apply the operation to all drawings by selecting Apply to all drawings.

To open the Remove Dirt dialog box:

In the Drawing View or Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Clean Up > Remove Dirt. Press [Shift]+[D], the default keyboard shortcut.

Remove HairUse the Remove Hair dialog box to remove any stray hairs and lines from your drawing.

As you adjust the threshold, the hairs and lines that will be removed by the command are highlighted in the open drawing. Apply the operation to all drawings by selecting Apply to all drawings.

To open the Remove Hair dialog box:

In the Drawing View or Camera View, click on the Menu button and select Drawing > Clean Up > Remove Hair. Press [Shift]+[F11] (Windows), the default keyboard shortcut.In the top menu, select Drawing > Clean Up > Remove Hair.

325


Rename PaletteThe Rename Palette dialog box opens when you rename a colour palette.

• In the Name field, enter the new palette name.• Consider the Rename file immediately option carefully before you make a

selection. Consider whether “other palette lists” refers to the colour palette you are about to rename.

If you select this option, the palette will immediately be saved in the palette library and the original palette file will be lost. Any palette lists that point to the original palette file will be invalid. You will have to edit those palette lists to point to the new renamed palette.If you do not select this option, the renamed palette will be stored in temporary memory until you save it, while the original palette will remain in the palette library. Since the original remains in the palette library, other palette lists will continue to point to this file. However, the original palette will no longer be updated with changes you might make.

To open the Rename Palette dialog box:

In the Colour View, click on the Menu button and select Palette > RenameIn the Colour View, select the palette you want to rename, right-click and select Rename.

If the palette has been saved to disk, you will get a warning message asking you to confirm the rename. Click Yes to continue.

326


Render NetworkUse the Render Network dialog box to set the parameters of your composite operations. You can use this dialog box to composite locally or to set up batch composite operations. When you send your scene to batch composite, you must select the resolution of the rendered frames.

To render final frames, you must set up a Write Module in the Network View. Toon Boom Digital Pro will composite your scene based on the settings in the Write Module Editor, as well as in the Rendering Network dialog box. Before you send your scene to batch composite, ensure that the Write Module you want to render is set to render at the resolution you select in this dialog box.

Range

• All Frames: Composite all frames in the scene.

• Selected Frames: Composite only the range of frames entered in the From and To fields.

Other Render Network Options• Field Composite: Select this if you want Toon Boom Digital Pro to render the

final images as fields for display on interlaced monitors. You must select NTSC or PAL to control how the 3/2 pull-down is performed to create the field frames.

327


Field Composite Options

• Add Pulldown: Select this to automatically convert the frame rate from 24 fps to 30 fps.

• Automatic Combine: Combines even and odd fields during the render process, includes information about each field in each frame.

• Second Field First: Combines even and odd fields, starting with the second field. This is particularly useful for later video editing.

To open the Render Network dialog box:

Select File > Export > Render Network.Press [Ctrl]+[Shift]+[Y], the default keyboard shortcut.

Resolution/Frame RateUse the Resolution/Frame Rate dialog box to specify the width and height values of your scene, as well as the frame rate. You must specify the frame rate of your scene before you import sound.

The name and resolutions that appear in this dialog box are derived from the resolution.conf file, stored in either of these directories:

When using Windows, the path is:

• \Toon Boom Animation\Digital Pro\etc\

When using Mac OS X, the path is:

• \Digital Pro\etc\

328


All scenes found under the environment or job have access to the resolutions stored in that file. There is a sample of the resolution.conf file in the /usa/resources/samples directory.

To open this dialog box:

Select Scene > Resolution/Frame Rate

Saving a SceneOnce you have finished working in a scene for the current session, do not forget to save your work. You have a number of options when saving a scene.

Save the scene in the following ways:

• Save the current scene• Save a different version of a scene

Saving the current version of a sceneThe most direct method is to update the current scene information.

To save the current scene:

Select File > Save.

Saving a different version of a sceneTo save a different version of the current scene:

Enter a name for the new version and click on OK.

A different version of the scene is saved under this name. The file is saved in the same directory as the current scene.

Note

Drawing data is not duplicated; if you modify the drawings, the change will occur in all versions.

To open the Save Version dialog box:

Select File > Save As New Version.

329


Select ColourUse the Select Colour dialog box to choose the colour of the cells of the selected Xsheet columns or Timeline tracks. The colour changes will also be displayed in the Xsheet and Timeline Views.

To open the Select Colour dialog box:

1. Do one of the following:In the Xsheet View, select one or more column headers.In the Timeline View, select one or more tracks.


If you are working in the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select View > Change Column Colour.If you are working in the Xsheet View, right-click a column header and select Colour > Change Column Colour from the pop-up menu.

If you are working in the Timeline View, click on the Menu button and select View > Change Track Colour from the pop-up menu.

330


Sequence FillUse the Sequence Fill dialog box to label cells in a column in the Xsheet View. This dialog box can help you automate labelling repetitive timing effects, such as cycles.

• Starting Value: the first number in the sequence you are adding.

• Increment: the value to increase each frame number by.

• Hold: the number of frames you want each label to repeat.

• Cycle: the number of frames in each cycle.

• End Frame: the last frame in the entire sequence.

• Padding: the number to add to the first digit in the sequence.

To open the Sequence Fill dialog box:

1. In the Xsheet View, select the cells you want to label.


In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select Exposure > Sequence Fill.In the Xsheet View, right-click on the frame and select Exposure > Sequence Fill from the pop-up menu.Press [Ctrl]+[M], the default keyboard shortcut.

331


Set Exposure The Set Exposure dialog box allows you to change the exposure of a drawing, increasing or decreasing the amount of time that it spends on screen.

Set Exposure to: enter the number of cells in which you want the drawing to appear.

To open the Set Exposure dialog box:

1. In the Xsheet View, select the cell that contains the drawing whose exposure you want to change.

2. Right-click on the Timeline View and select Exposure > Set Exposure.

Show Hidden ColumnsThe Show Hidden Columns dialog box allows you to select hidden columns to display in the Xsheet View.

To open the Show Hidden Columns dialog box:

In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select View > Show Hidden Columns.Right-click on the exposure sheet and select Collapse/Hide > Show Hidden Columns from the pop-up menu.Right-click a column header and select Show Hidden Columns.Press [Alt]+[Shift]+[H], the default keyboard shortcut.

Select a row and press Check to show a hidden

Select a row and click Uncheck to keep hidden a column you selected for

332


Sound Element EditorUse the Sound Element Editor to modify sound elements in your animation.

With the Sound Element Editor, you can:

• Import/delete a sound.• Change the start and end frames of the sound element.

• Trim sections from the beginning and end of a sound by changing the start or end time.

• Create a fade-in/out effect on a sound.• Compute and modify the lip sync assignment of a voice track.

Sound Element panel

Current Sound panel

Lip Sync panel preview image Lip Sync panel assignment options

333


The Sound Element Editor has two panels that display wave forms:

• The Sound Element panel’s waveform represents the contents of the entire sound element. The start and end frames of different sound files within the element are marked with their frame number.

• The Current Sound panel’s waveform is the selection you made in the Sound Element panel. It displays the duration of the sound in seconds.This differs from the Sound Element panel, which displays the duration of the sound in frames.

The Sound Element Editor also has a Lip Sync panel that appears to the right of the Sound Element panel.

After you compute the lip sync of a voice track, the top image in the panel (the Lip Sync Preview Image) displays the lip position and letter of the current frame’s sound.

The smaller images that appear below the Lip Sync Preview image are all of the lip sync assignment options.

To open the Sound Element Editor dialog box:

In the Xsheet View, double-click on the sound column header.In the Timeline View, double-click on the sound element name in the left window.

334


Tint Offset/BlendUse the Tint Offset/Blend dialog box to modify all of the colour pots in a palette using the same colour value.

• In Blend mode, create a colour that can be mixed into each colour in the active palette. The Amount slider allows you to adjust the amount of the blend colour you want to mix into all of the colours in the palette. The closer the blend value is to 100%, the greater the amount of the selected colour you will blend into each colour.

• In Offset mode, add or remove a specific colour value from all colours in the active palette.The Amount slider allows you to adjust the percentage of blending to add or remove from the palette. At 100%, you are adding or removing the full value of each setting. When you change the percentage, you change the value of each setting by that percentage.If you add a Value (the V of HSV) of 50 and you change the blending percentage to 50%, this is the equivalent of simply changing the Value to 25. While tinting a palette, it is best to leave the blending at 100% and adjust the value settings appropriately.

• Alpha controls: Use to adjust the transparency of the colour you are blending in or using to tint your colour palette.

• Blending% slider: In Blend mode, use the Blending % slider to select the amount of the blend colour to mix into all of the colours in the palette. The closer the blend value is to 100%, the greater the amount of the selected colour

Select the colour pots you want to offset or blend.

335


you will blend into each colour. In Tint mode, use the Blending% slider to adjust the amount of each value you want to add or remove from the palette. In Tint mode, it is best to leave the blending percentage at 100% and adjust the value settings appropriately.

• Palette List drop-list: Select the palette to tint or blend from the drop-down Palette List. To ensure that you are seeing the colour palettes with the active drawing, click on the Use Palette List button.

• RGB/HSV options: Select the colour model (RBG or HSV) to use for the tint or blend operation.

• Tint/Blend options: Select the type of operation to perform: tint or blend.

To open the Tint Offset/Blend dialog box:

In the Colour View, click on the Menu button, and select Palettes > Tint Panel from the pop-up menu.In the Colour View, right-click on the palette list section and select Tint Panel from the pop-up menu.

336


Toolbar ManagerUse the Toolbar Manager to configure the tools specific to each View toolbar.

To open the Toolbar Manager:

Click on the Toolbar Manager button.

The icons that appear in the toolbar are stored in the \Toon Boom Animation\Digital Pro\resources\icons folder. They are PNG files named to match the command they represent.

To change the icons, replace the command’s existing PNG file with a PNG file of the same name.

337


Vectorization ParametersUse the Vectorization Parameters dialog box to edit the parameters if you want to vectorize the bitmap drawings you are importing.

• Click on the Vectorize Arrow button to vectorize the drawing and see the results in the Vectorized Image panel.

• Select Vectorize automatically when options change to automatically regenerate the Vectorized Image.

The Vectorized Image is just a preview. The actual vectorization occurs when you click on the OK button in the Import Drawings dialog box.

338


Options Tab

There are a number of options to experiment with in the Vectorization Options dialog box.These are applied during the vectorization process.

Input

The input filters are applied to the bitmap image before it is vectorized.

• One Pass and Two Passes: If you select one pass, one threshold value will be applied to both the Line and Colour Art. If you select two passes, you can apply a different threshold value to each layer. For drawings with distinct vector-style lines or mattes, you only need one pass. For greyscale drawings, you may want to pass through the vectorization process twice to apply different threshold values to the Line and Colour Art.

• Threshold: Determines which values in the scanned image are considered to be a part of the Line or Colour Art and what will be eliminated from the vectorized

339


drawing. 0% (zero) is white and 100% is black. The threshold is between these two values.

• Expand Bitmap: Enter a value to scale the bitmap to detect small variations in the line. Use this option if you scanned a greyscale image and you want to preserve small variations in the texture that will be applied to the line art.

• Jag Filter: Enter a value to scale back the bitmap to remove some of the line’s roughness. If you have a drawing that appears quite rough, use the jag filter to eliminate excess strokes in the final drawing.

Output

The output filters are applied during the vectorization process.

• No Colour Art: Does not generate Colour Art in the final images. Select this option if you will not paint the image.

• No Texture: Does not generate texture in the Line Art in the final images. Select this option to create solid lines in the final Line Art.

• Colour as Texture: Converts colour values into a texture layer.

Optical Registration

The optical registration options are used to automatically align drawings based on the position of peg holes on the animation paper. The peg holes must appear in the scanned drawings for the optical registration to work.

• Optical Registration: Use peg holes to align drawings optically.

• DPI: Type the dots-per-inch value of your image.• Peg Side: Select the position of the peg holes on your drawings. Identify

whether they are they on the top, bottom, left or right.

• Strictness: Determine how exact the location of the peg holes must be for the software to recognize them. You have two values to choose from:

340


Strict: The peg holes must be in a tightly defined area to be recognized.Loose: The peg holes can be recognized somewhere in a larger area. This is the recommended setting.

• Field Chart: select 12 or 16 to indicate the size of your animation paper.

Post Processing

The Post Processing filters are applied to the final vector images.

• Remove Holes: Removes holes of a specified value that might make painting difficult.

• Remove Dirt: Removes stray marks and dirt of a specified size. Try a value around 500.

• Remove Hair: Removes small strokes that have no line art. Try a value around 50.

• Remove Hair: Number of Passes: The number of times the drawing will be analyzed to identify hair marks.

Miscellaneous

• Close gaps: Closes gaps in the Colour Art so that you can paint it.

• Smooth passes for Line Art before breaking triangles: The number of times the smoothing operation runs before creating the triangles that break lines in your drawing. If unnecessary triangles are appearing in your drawing, increase this value.

• Smooth passes for Line Art: The number of times the smoothing operation is performed after the triangles have been created. This further smooths the Line Art.

Preview

• Show strokes: Shows the strokes in the Vectorized Image panel.

• Stroke thickness: Shows the size of the strokes.

341


Help Tab

To open the Vectorization Parameters:

Click on the Edit Vectorization Parameters button from the Import Drawings dialog box.

342


Velobased EditorUse the Velobased (Velocity-based) Editor to modify the values of a time-based rotation or scale effect. When you link the velocity of a scale or rotation effect to the velocity of a position change for a peg, you can use the Velobased Editor to modify the rotation or scale values at the keyframes already established for the peg’s velocity.

• Frame: The selected frame number

• Value: The value at the selected frame number• Show Current Frame: Displays a blue line to indicate the current scene frame

number and synchronize dialog box data to that frame.

• Grid button: displays a grid in the Editor.

• Add/Remove button: adds or removes keyframes to the path at the selected frame.

343


To open the Velobased Editor:

1. Click on the Peg Module Editor’s Transformation tab, as appropriate.

2. Click on the Drop-list button.

If the velocity uses a velocity-based editor, the Velobased Editor will appear.If a velocity editor is not assigned, a menu appears. Select Create Velobased.

Click here to view the drop-down menu.

344


Velocity Editor - Bezier In the Velocity Editor - Bezier dialog box, modify the speed of change by editing the slope of the curve. The Velocity Bezier Editor provides tools that make it possible to edit the shape of the velocity curve using Bezier handles. The velocity curve represents the percentage of distance covered by each frame.

Reshape the curve by:

• Adding keyframes and modifying the shape of the curve with the Bezier handles.

• Adding control points and changing their value or changing the slope of the curve with the Bezier handles.

Note

You must unlock keyframes in order to change their values.

These fields are on the top of the Velocity Bezier Editor.

Point

• Frame: The selected frame number

• Value: The value at the selected frame number

345


Left, Right Handle

• Length: Distance between the handle and the motion point• Angle: Slope of the curve before the selected motion point (left handle) or after

the selected motion point (right handle).

Other Velocity - Bezier Editor Commands

• Stop-Motion Keyframe option: Sets a constant value for the keyframe and all frames until the next keyframe.

• Show Current Frame option: Displays a blue line to indicate the current scene’s frame number; synchronizes dialog box data to that frame.

• Add/Remove button: Adds or removes velocity points to the curve at the selected frame.


• Step button: Opens the Hold Value Editor so that you can edit the curve for animations edited on twos, threes, etc.

• Apply Velocity button: Opens the Apply Velocity on Editor so that you can select the projection of the motion path that you want to apply the velocity curve to.

• When you select a point, the Continuity drop-list becomes active. The options in this menu control the functioning of the handles on either side of the selected point.

Smooth: Moves the handles concurrently, maintaining the same distance and angle to the point.Straight: Moves the handles concurrently, maintaining the same angle to the point.

346


Corner: Moves the handles independently.

• The Reshape buttons provide options for modifying the path to the right of the point, including maintaining a constant (Stop-Motion) value or changing the value linearly (Linear).

To open the Velocity Bezier Editor:

Double-click on the header of a Bezier velocity column in the Xsheet View.

You can convert a Velocity Ease Curve column to a Velocity Bezier Curve column.

To convert to a Velocity Bezier curve column:

1. Select the Velocity Bezier curve column to convert.

2. Click on the Menu button, select Columns > Convert Velocity to Bezier, and one of the following commands:

Convert the ColumnCreate a New Column and Update LinksCreate a new unused column

Workspace ManagerUse the Workspace Manager dialog box to create, delete, hide, show, rename and reorder workspaces.

347


To open the Workspace Manager dialog box, do one of the following:

Select Workspace > Workspace Manager.

Click on the Workspace Manager button on the Workspace Toolbar.

To show a workspace:


2. In the Available Workspaces list, select the workspace to be displayed and click on

the right arrow button to send it to the Workspace Toolbar.

To hide a workspace:



arrow button to send it to the Available Workspaces List.

If you want to create a new workspace and not only modify the current one, you need to create a new workspace first using the Workspace Manager.

To create a new workspace:


2. In the Available Workspace List, select one existing workspace.

3. At the bottom of the Available Workspace list, click on the Add button to add a new workspace.

4. Double-click on the new workspace and rename it.

5. Select the new workspace and click on the right arrow button to send it to the Workspace Toolbar.


To delete a workspace:



arrow button to send it to the Available Workspace List.

3. At the bottom of the Workspace list, click on the Delete button to delete the workspace.


348


To rename a workspace:


2. Select the workspace to be renamed, click on the Rename button and rename it.


To reorder workspaces:


2. In the Workspace Toolbar, select the workspace to be reordered and click on the Up

or down arrow buttons to move it up or down.


Xsheet Column WidthIn the Xsheet Column Width dialog box, you can set the width of the Xsheet View cells in pixels.

To open the Xsheet Column Width dialog box:

In the Xsheet View, click on the Menu button and select View > Set Columns Width

349


350

Chapter 7Effect Modules

As outlined in previous chapters, a network is essential to compositing images, adding effects, rendering and playing back your scene.

Modules are the building blocks used to create your network. Modules process drawings, apply effects and output the results to the network. Each module has its own editor that can be used to control its output.

351


This chapter describes the following effects and compositing network modules, as well as the attributes in each module editor:

• Anti-Flicker Module on page 354

• Blur-Directional Module on page 355

• Blur-Radial Module on page 357• Blur-Variable Module on page 358

• Brightness-Contrast Module on page 359

• Camera Module on page 360• Colour Art Module on page 362

• Colour-Card Module on page 363

• Colour-Override Module on page 365• Colour-Scale Module on page 368

• Colour-Screen Module on page 370

• Composite Module on page 371• Composite-Generic Module on page 374

• Contrast Module on page 378

• Crop Module on page 379• Cutter Module on page 383

• Display Module on page 385

• Dither Module on page 386• Element Module on page 387

• External Module on page 394

• Field-Chart Module on page 395• Focus-Multiplier Module on page 399

• Focus Module on page 400

• Glow Module on page 402• Glue Module on page 405

• Gradient Module on page 407

• Grain Module on page 408• Greyscale Module on page 410

• Group Module on page 411

• Highlight Module on page 412• Line Art Module on page 414

• Matte-Blur Module on page 415

• Matte-Resize Module on page 417

• Motion-Blur Module on page 418• Multi-Port-In Module on page 420

352

Chapter 7: Effect Modules

• Multi-Port-Out Module on page 422

• Negate Module on page 423• Note Module on page 424

• Offset-Position Module on page 424

• Offset-Position-Legacy Module on page 425• Peg Module on page 426

• Peg Module on page 426

• Placeholder Module on page 431• Quadmap Module on page 432

• Refract Module on page 435

• Remove-Transparency Module on page 436• Scale-Output Module on page 437

• Shadow Module on page 438

• Sparkle Module on page 441• Tone Module on page 444

• Transparency Module on page 446

• Write Module on page 447

353


Anti-Flicker ModuleUse the Anti-Flicker Module to compensate for flickering in your output to TV formats. The Anti-Flicker Module applies a vertical blur to the rendered output. You should place the Anti-Flicker Module before a Write Module in the Network View.

Anti-Flicker Module EditorUse the Anti-Flicker Module Editor to control the amount of blur that is applied to rendered output. In the Radius field, enter a value for the number of pixels to be considered in the blur. Try values ranging from 0.5 to 1.0.

354


Blur-Directional ModuleUse the Blur-Directional Module to create a specific directional blur on an image.

For example, if a character is running in one direction, you can apply a directional blur to the area behind the character.

The following example is a network of a directional blur effect that goes towards the west, or left.

Blur-Directional Module EditorUse the Blur-Directional Module Editor to control the settings of the directional blur effect.

• Truck Factor: activated by default, this option readjusts the blur when the elements undergo a change of depth or scale. When this option is disabled, the module’s values will remain unchanged regardless of any depth or scale changes.

You can attach these values to function curves to change them over time.

355


We recommend that this option be disabled when multiple drawings are composited and attached this module.

• Radius: enter a value for the size of the blur. The larger the value, the greater the blur effect. The blur radius is affected by the drawing scale and camera position.

• Falloff Rate: the distance where the blur fades from the edge of the image. Select a value between 0 and 1.

A falloff rate of 0 causes the blur to fade out slowly, distributing the blur evenly from the edge of the character to the farthest edge of the blur.A falloff rate of 1 causes the blur to fade out quickly so that the blur is heaviest closer to the edge of the image.

• Angle: the direction of the blur. Enter a value from 0 to 360.0: blurs the image to the west.90: blurs the image to the south.180: blurs the image to the east.270: blurs the image to the north.

• Direction of trail: if you do not set an Angle for the direction of the blur, you can select a direction (north, south, east, or west) from this menu. The calculations for this feature are faster than the calculations for the Angle setting.

• Ignore Alpha: this option controls the leading edge of the blur. Deselect this option for a solid or hard leading edge on the blur.

• Extra Final Blur: this option causes Toon Boom Digital Pro to apply a second blur after the directional blur is created. If you have a directional blur that begins at 0 and gradually gets stronger, disable this option to ensure a smooth progression.

356


Blur-Radial ModuleUse the Blur-Radial module to create an effect that blurs evenly in all directions.

The following example is a network of a radial blur effect. Compare the resulting image to that of the Blur-Directional Module.

Blur-Radial Module EditorUse the Blur-Radial Module Editor to change the values of the radial blur effect.

• Truck Factor: activated by default, this option readjusts the blur when the elements undergo a change of depth or scale. When this option is disabled, the module’s values will remain unchanged regardless of any depth or scale changes. We recommend that this option be disabled when multiple drawings are composited and attached this module.


• Quality: select High for a slow and accurate operation, or Low for a faster operation with a more raw look.

357


Blur-Variable ModuleUse the Blur-Variable Module to create a radial blur that varies within a single image based on the white and black values in the matte you supply.

You can set one blur value for the black regions in the matte, and another blur value for the white regions. The blur value for each grey region is interpolated between your black and white blur settings.

The following example is a network for a variable blur effect. We used a black and white copy of the character to create the effect you see.

Blur-Variable Module EditorUse the Blur-Variable Module Editor to control the blur value for the white and black radii.

• Black radius: the amount of blur to apply to the black (transparent) values in the matte. Higher values create more blur in the colour image’s regions that correspond to the black matte region.

• White radius: the amount of blur to apply to the white (opaque) values in the matte. Higher values create more blur in the colour image’s regions that correspond to the white matte region.

• Quality: select High for a slow and accurate operation, or Low for a faster operation with a more raw look.

358


• Keep inside source image: select this option to confine the blur to the source image.

Brightness-Contrast ModuleAdd a Brightness-Contrast Module to your network to modify the contrast or brightness of an image. You can also apply this module to simultaneously control the brightness and contrast of an image.

Brightness-Contrast Module EditorUse the Brightness-Contrast Module Editor to control the amount of brightness and contrast to apply to an image.

• Brightness: enter a value between -127 and +127. A value that is less than 0 will darken the image; a value greater than 0 will brighten it. Attach a Bezier or Ease function to change the brightness over time.

• Contrast: enter a value between -127 and +127. A value that is less than 0 will reduce contrast; a value greater than 0 will increase contrast. Attach a Bezier or Ease function to change the contrast over time.

359


Camera Module Add a Camera Module to the Network View of your scene when you want to:

• Change the static position of the camera

• Change the position of the pivot point on which the camera rotates

• Change the angle of rotation of the camera• Change the field-of-view of the camera (zoom level)

• Attach the camera to a peg to change its position or rotation over time

Use the Camera Module Editor to edit the properties of the camera.

Note:

Unlike other modules in your effects network, you do not attach the Camera Module to a Composite module. However, to activate the Camera Module in your scene, you must select it from the Scene > Camera menu.

360


Camera Module EditorUse the Camera Module Editor to set the positions of the camera and the pivot point, and to set the angle of rotation and the field-of-view (zoom).

• Position: set the X (east/west), Y (north/south), and Z (front/back) positions of the camera.

• Angle: enter the angle of rotation. The camera will rotate on the pivot point indicated in the Pivot fields.

• Pivot fields: set the X and Y variables of the pivot point, on which the camera rotates.

• Override Scene FOV: select to override the scene’s field-of-view, set in the Resolution/Frame Rate window.

• FOV: enter the field-of-view (zoom level) of the camera. You can attach the FOV value to a function column to gradually change the zoom level. If your camera will remain at one zoom level throughout the scene, enter a single value in the FOV field. To calculate the FOV for the aspect ratio of your production so that the camera sees the entire 12-field grid, use the following formula: FOV = 2*ARCTAN [1/(2*AR)], where AR is the aspect ratio.

• Set Default FOV: Click on this button to automatically find the proper field-of-view in relation to the output image ratio.

361


Colour Art ModuleUse the Colour Art Module to read only the Colour Art in an element. Place a Colour Art Module after an Element Module in the Network View to display only the Colour Art output.

Colour Art Module EditorUse the Colour Art Module Editor to control how the Colour Art is rendered by the module.

• Antialiasing Quality: smoothness setting applied to Colour Art. Choose from Low (no antialiasing), Medium Low, Medium and High (extensive antialiasing). The higher the quality of the chosen setting, the greater the amount of antialiasing that is applied. Higher quality images require more time to render and more memory from your system. Choose a lower quality if you are rendering a pencil test.

362


• Antialiasing Exponent: controls the amount of area around the Colour Art edges that is used in the antialiasing process. A higher value uses less area, resulting in sharper edges, while a lower value uses more area, resulting in softer edges. If the Antialiasing Quality value is set to Low (no antialiasing), this value is ignored.

See AlsoLine Art Module on page 414

Colour-Card ModuleIn your Network View, use the Colour-Card Module to add a solid colour to a region in your scene.

Notice the green port at the top of the module. You can attach a Peg Module to a Colour-Card Module to gradually move it on the Z-axis (front-back position).

Use the Colour-Card Module Editor to modify the colour and Z-axis of the Colour-Card Module.

363


Colour-Card Module EditorUse the Colour-Card Module Editor to modify the Z-axis (front-back position) and the colour produced by the Colour-Card Module.

When compositing modules in the network, Toon Boom Digital Pro follows the composition order rule. Values entered in the Depth and Offset Z fields, as well as the port that you connect the module to, influence how the Colour-Card Module is composited.

• Depth: Toon Boom Digital Pro uses the Depth value to determine composition order when the Z value of two elements is the same.

• Offset Z: enter the front-back position of the module in 3D space.

• Red/Green/Blue/Alpha: in these fields you can enter a static value for a colour value, or you can attach these values to function columns that change their values over time.

This bar indicates the card colour.

Click on the bar to change colour.

364


Colour-Override ModuleUse the Colour-Override Module to process the colours in an element’s drawings. The drawings must be TVG (Toonboom Vector Graphic) files.

You can use a Colour-Override Module to:

• Change the colour values in the drawings during the compositing process.• Use the colour values from a specific colour palette in the palette list.

• Establish the priority of override palettes in the palette list.For example, you may have different clones of the same palette, like a day and night version. Use a Colour-Override Module to switch the priority of the palettes so that the night palette is used instead of the default day palette.

• Isolate certain areas of drawing by selecting certain colours. For example, you may want to use specific colours to generate a matte for a glow effect. Use the Colour-Override Module to select which colours to use.

Perhaps you want to add a blur to the hair of a character. Use the Colour-Override Module to render only the swatch used in the hair of the character, and then apply a blur effect to the output of the module. Here is an example of a network producing this effect:

365


Colour-Override Module EditorUse the Colour-Override Module Editor to set the colour override operations for TVG elements and their drawings.

• Element: this column displays the colour palette loaded into the element and the swatches in each element. This information is retrieved from the Element Module.

Palettes: this section displays the palettes in the palette list of the selected element. Drag these palettes into the Palette Override section to re-order them. You can load additional palettes in the palette list.

Colours: use this section to display the colours in each palette. Drag a swatch into the Colour Overrides section to change the values of specific swatches, or drag it into the Selected Colours section to render only that colour.

• Palette Overrides: use this section to force the use of a particular palette, or palette list order, during the composition process. You must drag palettes from the Palettes section to change their order.Toon Boom Digital Pro searches the palettes in the order that they appear in the palette list to find the colour values associated with the colour IDs of each image.

Load a colour palette from anywhere on your file system

Load a colour palette stored in the scene.

366


To apply a different version of a colour palette, for example to switch from a day to a night palette, use the override section to change the order of colour palettes (you must be working with cloned palettes).

• Colour Overrides: once you drag a swatch from the colours section to this section, you can override the values of specific swatches in the colour palette. You can also override a colour with a texture. Right-click a row’s override option to select a new override option from a pop-up menu.

Override colour: override the swatch with the colour displayed in this row.New alpha only: override the swatch’s alpha channel with the colour displayed in this row.New RGBA: override the swatch’s colour and alpha values and then use the dropper tool to modify this colour.New Texture: override the swatch’s colour and browse for the texture to use as an override.Texture – original matrix: override the colour with the default matrix of the radial gradient on the overridden contour.Texture – global bbox matrix: override the colour with a texture that is scaled non-proportionally to the size of the bounding box encompassing all the contours using the colour to override.Texture – global bbox centred: override the colour with a texture that is scaled proportionally to the size of the bounding box encompassing all of the contours using that colour to override.Texture – contour bbox matrix: override the colour with a disproportionally-scaled colour for each contour using the target colour.Texture – scale to screen: disproportionally scales the texture to the output resolution before applying it as an override.

• Selected colours: use this section to select swatches to render. Render selected only: use this option to render only the colours you select in this section.

367


Colour-Scale ModuleUse the Colour-Scale Module to adjust the colours in an image, including their RGB, HSV or Alpha levels. Adjust the colour and alpha channels by multiplying the values by a factor that you set in the Colour-Scale Module Editor.

For example, if you set the Red Scale value to 2, the module doubles the red channel value in every pixel.

368


Colour-Scale Module EditorIn the Colour-Scale Module Editor, set the colour scale effect by entering a value in the scale fields. The actual colour values of the image are not changed; instead, the channels are multiplied by a selected amount. For example:

• If you enter a value of 1, the colour values do not change.• If you enter a value greater than 1, you increase the colour channel value closer

to 255 (or white).• If you enter a value less than 1, you decrease the colour channel value closer to

zero (0, or black).

You can set the colour scale value by entering a value in the field. You can also change the values of the colour scale effect over time by attaching it to a Bezier or Ease function curve.

369


Colour-Screen ModuleYou can filter out specific colours from a bitmap image using the Colour-Screen Module. This module is usually used to matte out a particular colour from a three-channel image.

For example, use the module to make a blue screen background transparent behind a live-action element, or to create transparency around an overlay. You will not use the Colour- Screen Module to screen out colours in vector images. The colours can be screened out based on their colour palette values by using the Colour-Override Module.

In this example, the Colour-Screen Module has been used with a Cutter Module to create alpha information in the matte channel that eliminates some areas of the bitmap image.

370


Colour-Screen Module EditorIn the Colour-Screen Module Editor, set the minimum and maximum values that will be screened out of each channel in a colour image. The minimum and maximum values range from 0 to 1.

For values ranging from 0 to 255, divide the value by 255 to convert it to a value between 0 and 1. For example, to screen out the colour value 160, divide this by 255, resulting in a value of 0.6274.

Composite ModuleThe Composite Module combines multiple source images, including all transformations and effects, into a single bitmap or vector image for each frame.

The Composite Module layers the images based on the composition order rule. First, the Z-value of the elements is analyzed to determine depth. The Z-value is taken from offsets to elements in the Sceneplanning View windows. When multiple elements have the same “Z-value”, the Depth values in the Element Modules are consulted. If the Depth values are also the same between elements, the composition order is determined by the cable ordering of modules on the Composite Module. By default, elements with cables attached

371


to the right are rendered below those attached with cables to the left. You can override this default in the Composite Module Editor.

Composite Module EditorUse the Composite Module Editor to set the options for the composition process that is controlled by the Composite Module.

You must connect the final Composite Module to a Write Module in the Network View in order to render final frames to your file system.

372


Composite• As Bitmap: when selected, composites all of the images into a single, flat bitmap

image. The Z value of the final image will be based on the Output Z selection.• As Vector: when selected, composites all of the images as a single vector image.

The Z value of the final image will be based on the Output Z selection. • Pass Through: when selected, the output from the Composite Module will be

separate images. Images excluded from this composite operation can be inserted between the layers of the composited image.You may want to select this option for Composite Modules that are inside of Group Modules, where the individual images in the composite will be layered with images outside the group. In this case, you may have used Group Modules to organize your Network View, not to composite flat images.

Ordering• Output Z: use this selection to identify which element’s front-back value from

the current composition will be applied to the entire composited image in the next operation. If you select Portnumber, identify the appropriate port by its position using the Port For Output Z menu. The port used appears in a darker green the other ports on the Composite Module.

• 2D: when selected, changes in depth from Sceneplanning are ignored during compositing and only the Depth and Cable Order are considered.

Bitmap Options

This option is active when you select the As Bitmap Composite option.

• Apply Focus: activates the Focus effect for this module in the composite operation.

• Focus Multiplier: the Composite Module multiplies the radius value of the Focus-Multiplier Module or Focus Module by the value entered in this field.

Vector Options

This option is active when you select the As Vector Composite option.

• Palette Name: when you render files, you can use this field to set the name of the palette files that Toon Boom Digital Pro will create for them.

• Flatten: flattens the vector drawings into one vector drawing file. Any transparency will be lost in the process. This creates smaller vector files, but might increase the time required to composite the drawings. This can be useful when reusing drawings. Because they will be vector files, you will still be able to apply vector-based transformations and effects.

373


Composite-Generic ModuleDuring the composition of images, colour and alpha values of an input image are combined with the image underneath to produce the output image.

Effects modules, like the Tone Module and Highlight Module can control the colour and alpha composite operations for you. In addition, we have created a Composite Module, in which the colour and alpha composite operation are pre-set to the standard, and more frequently used, composite operations.

You might, however, still want to control the colour and alpha composite operation between two images using the Composite-Generic Module.

The Composite-Generic Module combines two images into one output image. The image linked to the left port of the module is layered on top of the image in the right port based on the selected colour and alpha composite operation.

See AlsoApplying the Composition Order Rule on page 9

Right ImageLeft Image

Output Image

COMPOSITE

374


Composite-Generic Module EditorUse the Composite-Generic Module Editor to control the calculation of colour and alpha values during the composition process.

In the descriptions of composite operations below, the following abbreviations are used:

• ORGB: RGB values of the Output Image The Output Image is the resulting image from a composite operation. In the formulas for the composite operations, this image is also processed through a composite operation, representing the bottom layer in the composited image.

• LRGB: RGB values of the Left Image

• RRGB: RGB values of the Right Image • LA: Alpha of the Left Image

• RA: Alpha of the Right Image

• OA: Alpha of the Output Image Colour Operation: During this operation, the colour values of the output image are determined based on the alpha and colour values of the left and right image.

• Left: the colour values in the output image are derived from the image in the left port. Colour values in the right port are ignored.

• Right: the colour values in the output image are derived from the image in the right port. Colour values in the left port are ignored.

• Apply Add: ORGB=RRGB+LRGB. This operation uses the transparency and colour value of the left image to determine the output values. Effects such as shadows and glows are calculated in this manner. Unlike the Apply Tone Highlight operation, the result is not clipped to the matte (RA) of the output image.

• Apply Matte For Overlay: ORGB=RRGB*(1-LA).This operation prepares the output image using the overlay’s matte; the matte’s RGB values are ignored. This operation prepares the output image to receive the colour portion of the overlay. It is typically used when an overlay and its matte are stored in separate images.

• Apply Multiplicative Tone: ORGB=RRGB*(LRGB+1-LA). This operation multiplies the left and right images (see the Multiply colours selection), to be combined with the right image colour, creating a darker output colour. This effect created

375


by this operation is identical to the Multiply Colour Blending effect in Photoshop.

• Apply Overlay Into Matte: ORGB=RRGB+(LRGB*RA). This operation maps an overlay into an area prepared by a matte. It is typically used when an overlay and its matte are stored in separate images, and Apply Matte For Overlay has been used to prepare the output image to receive the RGB portion of the overlay.

• Apply Tone Highlight: ORGB=RRGB+(LRGB*RA). This operation restricts the output of the tone to the region of the matte (RA), and uses the transparency and colour value of the input image to determine the colour values of the output. This is used to lighten or darken the output image. Darkening occurs when RRGB contains negative values.

• Apply Transparency: ORGB=RRGB*(1-LA). This operation is used for a cutter matte to prepare the output image to receive the colour values of another image. It has the effect of increasing the transparency of ORGB (but not OA), based on the LA. This function is the equivalent to Apply Matte for Overlay. It is almost always used with Apply Transparency Matte, an Alpha Composite Operation.

• Apply With Alpha: ORGB=[RRGB*(1-LA)]+LRGB. This is a standard composite operation called “alpha blending.” During this operation, colour values of the left and right images are combined based on the alpha value of the left image. Where the left image is completely opaque (LA=1), the ORGB will be replaced completely with LRGB. Where the left image is completely transparent (LA=0), the ORGB is unaffected. Where the left image is partially transparent, you get a blend of the RRGB and the LRGB, where the values are added together and clipped to 255. The LA is the opacity of the left image. This operation (1-LA) calculates the amount of opacity to retain in the output image. The operation [RRGB*(1-LA)] removes as much of the output image as we are about to add from the left image. Remember that LRGB has been pre-multiplied by the LA, so the equation is really ORGB=[RRGB*(1-LA)]+(LRGB*LA), which is simply the weighted average of L and R, with LA supplying the weight.

• Divide colours: ORGB=RRGB/LRGB. This operation divides the right image colour values by the left colour values. The left image colour values are inverted, creating a negative image (1/LRGB). The negative’s colour values are then multiplied by the right image colour values.

• Multiply colours: ORGB=RRGB*LRGB. This operation multiplies the left and right image colours. Multiplying colours filters the colour values of the right image from the output image. For instance, to make the left image less blue, you can add a right image to this module with a blue colour value and select this option.

376


Alpha Operation

• Right: the transparency of the output image is derived from the alpha values of the image in the right port. The values in the left port are ignored.

• Left: the transparency of the output image is derived from the alpha values of the image in the left port. The values in the right port are ignored.

• Apply: OA=[RA*(1-LA)]+LA. This operation computes the output alpha of the output image based on the alpha values of the left and right images. This is the standard method of combining alpha channels. Notice its similarity to the Apply With Alpha colour Composite Operation.

• Add: OA=RA+LA. This operation adds the alpha values of the two images to produce the alpha value of the output image.

• Subtract: OA=RA-LA. This operation subtracts the alpha values of the input image from the alpha values of the output image. It is useful in situations where two tone levels have been drawn with overlap, but a double-darkening in the overlap is not wanted. This operation will reduce the opacity of overlapping regions.

• Apply Transparent Matte: OA=RA*(1-LA). This operation is used to increase the transparency of the output alpha in the final composited image.

• Black: OA=0. Sets the matte of the entire output image to black, so that it is transparent.

• White: OA=1. Sets the matte of the entire output image to white, so that it is opaque.

Output Z

• Leftmost: indicates that the Z value for the output image will be taken from the module in the left port.

• Rightmost: indicates that the Z value for the output image will be taken from the module in the right port.

• Backmost: indicates that the Z value for the output image will be taken from the image that is the farthest back in the scene.

• Frontmost: indicates that the Z value for the output image will be taken from the image that is closest to the front of the scene.

• Portnumber: indicates that the Z value for the output image will be taken from the module in the selected port. Enter the appropriate port in the Port For Output Z field.

377


Contrast ModuleUse a Contrast Module to increase or decrease the level of contrast in an image. This is done by changing the contrast in the dark and bright pixels and setting the transition point between dark and bright.

378


Contrast Module EditorUse the Contrast Module Editor to control the output of the module.

• Mid Point: the value that separates dark from bright colours. The midpoint is a value between 0 and 1 that represents the percentage of the 0 to 255 RGB channel range.

Pixels with colour values lower than the midpoint are considered dark pixels. Pixels with colour values higher than the midpoint are considered bright pixels.

• Dark Pixel Adjustment and Bright Pixel Adjustment: the amount of contrast to be applied to pixels that fall on the either side of the Mid Point value.

A value equal to 1: no changeA value less than 1: the module makes the pixel colours brighterA value greater than 1: the module makes the pixel colours darker

You can enter static values in the fields of the dialog box, or you can attach these values to function curves to change over time.

Crop ModuleUse Crop Modules to set up scenes for different output resolutions.

For example, you may want to output HDTV and NTSC TV frames. With the Crop Module, you can set up the framing for each output resolution. You can then preview the cropping in the Frame View window and adjust its offset.

In the following example, we’ve set up our scene for HDTV resolution and we set up a Display Module to show that output. We then added a Crop Module after the composite

379


operation to crop the output for NTSC TV and set up another Display Module to display the results of the crop in another Camera View.

Here is a comparison of the HDTV and NTSC TV outputs that were derived from a Crop Module.

Crop Module EditorUse the Crop Module Editor to determine the size and position of the crop, as well as to determine when it is enabled.

The Crop Module Editor has two tabs:

• Cropping tab on page 381• Enabling tab on page 382

380


Cropping tabUse the Cropping tab to determine the size of the cropping operation, as well as the position and qualities of the cropping frame.

Note:

If you plan to start with a higher resolution and change to lower resolution while cropping, you will need to add a Scale Module to your network.

• X Resolution: the width of the cropping frame.

• Y Resolution: the height of the cropping frame.

• X Offset: the starting position for the width of the cropping frame.

• Y Offset: the starting position for the height of the cropping frame.• Draw Frame: select this option when you want Toon Boom Digital Pro to draw

the cropping frame on the output, rather than actually cut the output to match the resolution. If you select this option, you can determine the RGBA values of the cropping frame.

• Red/Green/Blue/Alpha: when you select the Draw Frame option, you can use the RGBA fields to determine the colour values of the cropping frame, which will appear on your rendered output.

381


Enabling tabUse the Enabling tab to determine when the Crop Module should be activated.

• Always Enabled: select this to have the Crop Module always produce output.

• Enabled when resolution name is: select this to activate the Crop Module only when the resolution of the scene matches the value selected from the Filter Name menu. These listed resolutions come from the Resolution/Frame Rate dialog box.

• Enabled when resolution is: select this to activate the Crop Module whenever the scene’s resolution matches the values entered in the X resolution and Y resolution fields.

382


Cutter ModuleUse a Cutter Module to cut out a part of an image using a matte (“cutter”).

In the Network View, attach the Element Module of the matte to the left port. Attach the Element Module of the image you are cutting out to the right port of the Cutter Module.

You can use any image that contains a matte as the shape for a Cutter Module. The Cutter Module reads only the matte (alpha) information from the left port to cut out the area from the image in the right port. The white area of the cutter’s source matte defines the shape that is cut out of the image.

383


Cutter Module EditorUse the Cutter Module Editor to invert the effect of the matte on a cut out image.

384


Display ModuleUse the Display Module to display the results of a network. You must have a Display Module in your Network View to preview final frames in the Camera View.

You can add any number of Display Modules to your network and rename them in the Display Module Editor. Simply select the Display Module output that you want to view from the drop-list at the top of the Camera View window.

Display Module EditorUse the Display Module Editor to change the name of the Display Module in the Network View.

385


Dither ModuleDithering is the process of approximating a higher number of colours in a low bit-depth colour system. Use the Dither Module to give the appearance of greater colour variability in 8-bit per channel colour images.

The Dither Module is useful in the case of a gradient that varies between 100 and 105 in the blue channel, for example. Since the difference in the colour values is not great, banding might appear in the image. In this case, use the Dither Module to give the impression of greater values of blue, decreasing the unwanted banding effect.

The results of the dither operation may be imperceptible in Toon Boom Digital Pro.

Dither Module EditorUse the Dither Module Editor to control the dithering effect.

• Magnitude: a magnitude of 1 performs a normal dithering operation, using all bands of colour. A magnitude greater than 1, introduces a bias towards brighter colours. A magnitude of less than 1 creates a faster transition between bands of colour, lessening the bias towards brighter colours.

• Correlate: when selected, the three colour channels (RGB) are changed simultaneously, for better colour accuracy. When this option is not selected, the three channels are dithered separately, resulting in smoother transitions.

• Random: the standard algorithm for the dithering operation.

386


Element ModuleUse an Element Module for each Drawing element, vector or bitmap, that you want to display in your rendered animation. The Element Module brings your images into the compositing network so that the system can render them.

Use the Element Module Editor to change the column that is linked to the module and the position of the element during composition.

Element Module EditorUse the Element Module Editor to modify the properties of the Element Module. This editor has three tabs:

• Drawing tab on page 388• Transformation tab on page 390• Advanced Thickness tab on page 391

387


Drawing tabUse the Drawing tab to enable or modify Element Module options.

• Full Name: select which element to connect to the module from the drop-list of elements that already exist in your scene.

• Drawing Path: displays the full path to the current drawing.

Vector Options• Read Line Art: select this option to have Toon Boom Digital Pro render the Line

Art from the vector drawings brought in by this module.• Read Colour Art: select this option to have Toon Boom Digital Pro render the

Colour Art from the vector drawings brought in by this module.• Antialiasing Quality: smoothness setting applied to Colour Art. Choose from

Low (no antialiasing), Medium Low, Medium and High (extensive antialiasing). The higher the quality of the chosen setting, the greater the amount of antialiasing that is applied. Higher quality images require more time to render and more memory from your system. Choose a lower quality if you are rendering a pencil test.

• Antialiasing Exponent: controls the amount of area around the Line and Colour Art edges that is used in the antialiasing process. A higher value uses less area, resulting in sharper edges, while a lower value uses more area, resulting in softer edges. If the Antialiasing Quality value is set to Low (no antialiasing), this value is ignored.

• Texture Filter: the way that texture colour filling will be filtered.• Read Colour: controls the production of colour information from bitmap images.

If this module reads 3 or 4-channel bitmaps, this selection determines whether

388


the colour should be read or ignored. If this module reads 1-channel bitmaps, this selection determines whether the channel should be read as colour. When this option is selected with 1-channel images, a greyscale image will result.

• Read Transparency: controls the production of alpha information from bitmap images. If this module reads a 1 or 3-channel image, this option will create a matte from the colour values in the image. If the module reads a 4-channel image and this option is not selected, the alpha information in the image will be ignored.

• Transparency Type: this option is used to undo the multiplication of the alpha channel.

Premultiplied with Black: Select this option if your bitmap alpha channel was multiplied with a black background.Straight: Select this option if your bitmap alpha channel was multiplied with a transparent background.Premultiplied with White: Select this option if your bitmap alpha channel was multiplied with a white background.Clamp Colour to Alpha: @@

• Depth: use this value to override the order of cables in the network to determine how this element is rendered.

• Morphing Velocity: attach a function curve to interpolate the morphing velocity between two frames. The velocity of morphing at a specific frame is the ratio of the difference between the value at the current frame and first frame of the morphing and the difference between the final frame of the morphing and the current frame.

389


Transformation tabUse the Transformation tab to set permanent offset values for the element.

If you change the position, rotation, or scaling of an element in any of the Camera View windows, you will see the modified values in this tab. The modification of those values can also be done here.

If you attach this element to a peg and make other transformations, they will be added to the offset values set in this tab.

• Use Drawing Pivot: select this to have the Peg Module that is linked immediately before the Element Module to use the drawing’s pivot point for rotation, scaling and skewing changes.

Position

• X: the position of the element on the east-west axis.

• Y: the position of the element on the up-down (north-south) axis.

• Z: the position of the element on the front-back axis.

Scale• Locked: the element will be scaled at a 1:1 ratio.• Separate: the element’s X and Y scales will be independent. This allows you to

squash, stretch and skew.

• X: the horizontal scale value.

• Y: the vertical scale value.

• Scale in Fields: will display the scaling values in fields.

Angle• the angle of rotation for the element.

Pivot

• X: the position of the pivot point on the X axis.

• Y: the position of the pivot point on the Y axis.

390


Advanced Thickness tabUse the Advanced Thickness tab to control the alignment, clipping and thickness of the element’s line.

To modify the Line Art thickness:

• The Line Art must be created with a brush stroke (in the Drawing View Menu, select Drawing > Convert > Convert Pencil Lines to Brush).

• The Line Art must be converted to Colour Art (in the Drawing View Menu, select Drawing > Convert > Line Art to Colour Art).

• To view this feature in the Camera View windows, you must first activate the Enable Variable Line Thickness option, found in the Other Views tab of the Preview Options dialog box (Select Scene > Preview Options).

Alignment• Alignment Rule: the alignment rule selections are intended to deal with

drawings that were created on paper of a different size or orientation from the default alignment rule (set up in the Alignment dialog box). If you select Turn Before Alignment, the drawings are rotated and then scaled, based on the option selected from the drop-list. The drawings are then scaled to match Toon Boom Digital Pro alignment rectangle.

391


Left: the default alignment for drawings; aligns the drawings on the left side of the scene’s alignment rectangle. Toon Boom Digital Pro scales the drawings to match their height to the alignment rectangle of the scene.Right: aligns the drawings on the right side of the alignment rectangle. Toon Boom Digital Pro scales the drawings to match their height to the height of the alignment rectangle of the scene.Top: aligns the drawings on the top of the alignment rectangle. Toon Boom Digital Pro scales the drawings to match their widths to the width of the alignment rectangle of the scene.Bottom: aligns the drawings on the bottom of the alignment rectangle. Toon Boom Digital Pro scales the drawings to match their widths to the width of the alignment rectangle of the scene.Centre Fit: centres the drawings.Centre Fill: centres the drawings and then scales them so that the width or height fills the available space.Centre LR: aligns the drawings in the left-right centre of the alignment rectangle. Toon Boom Digital Pro scales the drawings to match their height to the height of the alignment rectangle of the scene.Centre TB: aligns the drawings in the top-bottom centre of the alignment rectangle. Toon Boom Digital Pro scales the drawings to match their widths to the width of the alignment rectangle of the scene.Stretch: scales the drawings so that they fit within the alignment rectangle of the scene. This is particularly useful for images that you will manipulate with a Quadmap Module. If the drawings in the Quadmap Module do not have the same aspect ratio as the alignment rectangle of the scene (from the Alignment dialog box), the handles on the quadmap will not appear on the corners of the image, making it difficult to manipulate the quadmap. In this case, you would set the Element Module of the quadmap images to “Stretch” so that the handles appear on the corner of the image. This can have the effect of distorting the images, but this is not an issue with images that will be distorted through the Quadmap Module anyway.As Is: leaves the drawings aligned as they are.Centre First Page: aligns the centre of the first part of a standard pan cel with the centre of the field chart.

• Turn Before Alignment: this option rotates the drawings in the selected element 90 degrees to the left before scaling and aligning them according to the alignment rule, and before performing any offset, rotation or scaling for the element or the peg. This and the Alignment Rule are intended for drawings that were created on paper of a different size or orientation than the other paper in the scene, and requires alignment so as to be able to accurately treat them.

• Flip Horizontal: flips the drawing on the X axis.

• Flip Vertical: flips the drawing on the Y axis.

392


Clipping• No Clipping: select this option if you do not want to clip the images in this

module before an effect is applied to it.• Clipping Factor (X)/(Y): this is an option for rendering images that are larger

than the final frame. With this option enabled, images can be moved by a Peg-Apply Module without black entering into the composite as a result of early clipping. In addition, this option is useful for images that have a blur that should appear in the frame even though the image itself is not in frame.

Line Thickness• Normal Line Art Thickness: disables all overrides on the Line Art thickness.• Zoom Independent Line Art Thickness: select this if you do not want to display

Line Art thickness in proportion the amount of zoom in the view window. Everything else will increase in size, but the Line Art thickness will stay the same.

• Proportional: enter a multiple by which you want to increase the Line Art thickness. Entering 1 will result in no change; entering 0 (zero) will hide Line Art.

• Constant: enter a value in pixels (based on a 740 x 540 screen resolution) at which to maintain the Line Art thickness.

• Minimum: enter a value in pixels (based on a 740 x 540 screen resolution) for the minimum Line Art thickness allowed.

• Maximum: enter a value in pixels (based on a 740 x 540 screen resolution) for the maximum Line Art thickness allowed.

393


External ModuleUse the External Module to process images through external programs and input the resulting images back into the network.

The External Module writes input files to temporary files on the system. It then calls the external program, which will process the input images. If two images are input into the module, the program must composite them together to produce one output image. Finally, the file produced by the external program is read back into the network.

The command is sent to the external program in the following format:

program_name file_1 file_2 output_file numerical_param extension

External Module EditorUse the External Module Editor to control the program that is launched by the module, the files that it reads, and the file that it outputs into the network.

• External Program: the name of the program launched by the External Module. This field can include a full or relative path to the executable file. If no path is entered, the user’s path is searched to locate the program.Enter the command directly into this field. For example:mogrify -spread $NUM $IN1

where mogrify is the name of the program, spread is the option to be applied, and $NUM and $IN1 are the numerical parameter and first input file variable declared in the External Module.

• Program First Input File ($IN1): the name and location of the temporary file that Toon Boom Digital Pro will write to the file system for the external program to read. It must not include the dot or the extension; the External Module will add these based on the Extension field.

• Program Second Input File ($IN2): when processing two files through this module (such as an image and a matte), this is the name and location of the second temporary file that Toon Boom Digital Pro writes to the file system for

394


the external program to read. It must not include the dot or the extension; the External Module will add these based on the Extension field.

• Program Output File ($OUT): the name and location of the temporary file that the external program will write to the file system so that Toon Boom Digital Pro can read it back into the network.

• Extension ($EXT): the file type that will be processed by the external program.

• Numerical Parameter ($NUM): a value passed to the external program as a file processing option. It can be attached to a function curve to change over time.

Note:The program files are temporary files that are overwritten at each frame as the module is executed. They are only meant to temporarily store the image that is being processed at each frame.

Field-Chart Module This module displays a field chart which allows you to position elements in the Camera View windows.

395


Field Chart Module EditorUse the Field Chart Module Editor to control the qualities of the field charts that appear in the Camera View windows.

Drawing

• Size: the size of the field chart. You can choose either 12 or 16 fields.

• Opaque: when selected, the field chart is not transparent. When not selected, the field chart is transparent.

• Antialiasing Quality: smoothness of the field chart image. Choose from Low (no antialiasing), Medium Low, Medium and High (extensive antialiasing).

• Antialiasing Exponent: controls the amount of area used in the antialiasing process. If the Antialiasing Quality is set to Low, this value is ignored.

• Alignment Rule: the alignment rule selections determine how the field chart is positioned. If you select Turn Before Alignment, the field chart is first rotated, then scaled based on the option selected from the drop-list. The field chart is then scaled to match the Toon Boom Digital Pro alignment rectangle.

Left: aligns the field chart on the left side of the scene’s alignment rectangle. Toon Boom Digital Pro scales the field chart’s height to match the height of the alignment rectangle of the scene.Right: aligns the field chart on the right side of the alignment rectangle. Toon Boom Digital Pro scales the field chart’s height to match the height of the alignment rectangle of the scene.Top: aligns the field chart on the top of the alignment rectangle. Toon Boom Digital Pro scales the field chart’s width to match the width of the alignment rectangle of the scene.Bottom: aligns the field chart on the bottom of the alignment rectangle. Toon Boom Digital Pro scales the field chart’s width to match the width of the alignment rectangle of the scene.Centre Fit: centres the field chart.

396


Centre Fill: centres the field chart and then scales it so that the width or height fills the available space.Centre LR: aligns the field chart in the left-right centre of the alignment rectangle. Toon Boom Digital Pro scales the field chart’s height to match the height of the alignment rectangle of the scene.Centre TB: aligns the drawings in the top-bottom centre of the alignment rectangle. Toon Boom Digital Pro scales the field chart’s width to match the width of the alignment rectangle of the scene.Stretch: scales the field chart so that it fits within the alignment rectangle of the scene. This setting may distort the field chart.As Is: leaves the field chart aligned as it is.Centre First Page: scales the field chart to match the centre of the first part of a standard pan cel with the centre of the field chart.

• Turn Before Alignment: rotates the field chart 90 degrees to the left before scaling and aligning it according to the alignment rule, and before performing any offset, rotation or scaling on the field chart or the peg.

• Depth: use this value to override the order of cables in the network to determine how this element is rendered.

397


Position

• X: the position of the field chart on the left-right (east-west) axis.

• Y: the position of the field chart on the up-down (north-south) axis.

• Z: the position of the field chart on the front-back axis.

Scale

• X: the horizontal scale value.

• Y: the vertical scale value.

Angle

• The angle of rotation for the field chart.Pivot

• X: the position of the pivot point on the X axis.

• Y: the position of the pivot point on the Y axis.

See AlsoApplying the Composition Order Rule on page 9

398


Focus-Multiplier ModuleThe Focus-Multiplier Module works with the Focus Module. This module applies a blur to the selected element, based on the blur radius in the Focus Module.

Use the Focus-Multiplier Module when you want to apply the focus to selected elements, or when you need to apply the focus before doing more effects in a composite operation.

Note:

You must disable the Apply Focus option in the Composite Module in order to apply the focus effect to the selected module only. If you do not disable that option, the focus effect will be calculated twice on the selected module.

Focus-Multiplier Module EditorUse the Focus-Multiplier Module Editor to multiply the Focus Radius by a selected value. You can enter a static value in the Multiplier field or attach it to a function curve.

399


Focus ModuleUse the Focus Module to set up depth-of-field effects for your scene. The Focus Module is used to determine how much blur will be applied to images, based on their distance from the focal point.

The focal point can be the zero value of your scene, or you can link the Focus Module to another module, such as an Element or Peg Module, to retrieve the focal point from the module’s Z-axis position.

In the following example, the Focus Module receives position data from the “Read_me” Element Module. Thus, “Read_me” will always be in focus and the blur applied to the other elements will be based on their distance from “Read_me” and the radius values in the Focus Module.

Focus Module EditorUse the Focus Module Editor to determine how the focus will change as objects move farther from the focal point.

• Mirror: select this option to also blur images in front of the focal point.

• Mirror Front/Back Ratio: when the Mirror option is selected, this ratio is applied to the calculation of the blur on images in front of the focal point. The default

400


ratio of 1:2 produces realistic results. Experiment with different values to create unusual effects.

• Radius: controls the amount of blur applied to an element based on its distance from the focal point. Click on the Edit Curve button to change these values.

• Quality: controls the quality of the blur. A higher quality will achieve better results at the expense of speed.

In the Side View window, you can see how the blur values change based on their distance from the focal point. Select the Focus Module in the Network View, then right-click on the Side View window and select Control from the pop-up menu.

401


Glow ModuleThe Glow Module adds a bright, soft-edged light or diffuses a light region around an image.

Link the element that you want to act as the matte to the Glow Module; this determines the shape of the glow.

The glow effect is created by blurring the edge of the matte and applying a colour to the blur. You can control the glow effect with the Glow Module Editor.

To add this effect to an image, you have to composite the element above or below the glow matte.

402


You can use either bitmaps or TVG files as source images for a glow effect. The source file must contain a matte (alpha channel) to create the glow.

Use the Colour-Override Module to focus a glow effect on specific colour values in an element. For example, you can combine colour override and glow modules to create a glow effect on the cheek of a character.

Glow Module EditorUse the Glow Module Editor to control the direction of the blur that creates the glow, as well as its colour.

• Truck Factor: activated by default, this option readjusts the blur when the elements undergo a change of depth or scale. When this option is disabled, the module values remain unchanged regardless of any depth or scale changes. We recommend that this option be disabled when multiple drawings are composited and attached to this module.

• Blur Type (Directional or Radial): If Directional is selected, Toon Boom Digital Pro will blur the matte in the direction you select. For example, if a character is walking to the east, the blur may fall to the west. If Radial is selected, Toon Boom Digital Pro will blur the edges of the matte evenly around points that make up the edge of it.


403


• Directional Angle: if you select a Directional Blur Type, you can select the direction of the blur by entering a value from 0 to 360 in this field.

0: blurs the image to the west.90: blurs the image to the south.180: blurs the image to the east.270: blurs the image to the north.

• Directional Falloff Rate: the distance where the blur fades from the edge of the image. Select a value between 0 and 1.


• Invert Matte: activate this option to invert the matte used to create the glow.

• Use Matte colour: select this option to use the colour(s) painted in the matte for the glow effect. If you deselect it, use the Colour section to select colour and alpha values.

• Multiplicative: select this option to create a more diffused glow.

• Colour: the colour and alpha values of the glow effect.

404


Glue ModuleUse the Glue Module to repair the cracks that appear between joints during animation.

The Glue Module has three ports:

• Left port (Matte): receives the matte.

• Middle port (Port A): receives the element that will not be used to fill the joint.• Right port (Port B): receives the element that will be used to fill the joint.

Matte A B

405


Glue Module EditorFor most effects with the Glue Module, the default options are sufficient. However, you can modify these options using the Glue Module Editor.

The Glue Module Editor includes the following options:

• Bias: indicates the tendency to favour the static or moving element. Set to 0, it favours element A; set to 1 it favours element B; set to 0.5 it is in between A and B.

• Tension: indicates how tight the joint will be. Set to 1, the tension has no effect; set less than 1, the tension decreases; set greater than 1, the tension increases.

• Type: from this menu, select the type of joint to create. You can choose from among Curve (default), Line and Corner.

• Use Z for Composition Order: you can use this option to choose the drawing with the higher front-back value to create the joint.

• A Over B: indicates which image is rendered on top in the final image. By default, A is rendered on top of B, which indicates that the image in the middle port (A) is rendered on top of the image in the right port (B).

• Spread A: by default, the image in port B is spread to fill the joint. You can use this option to choose the image in the A port to create the joint. If you select this option, the Element Module must receive position information from the “B” element. Thus, you must connect the Element Module of the “B” element to the Element Module of the matte.

• Invert Matte: activate this option to invert the matte used to fill the joint. If you want to use the “B” element as the matte, you must select this element.

406


Gradient ModuleUse a Gradient Module to create a transition of colour or alpha values between two areas of colours. Use two points to indicate where those two coloured areas are. You can then move these points to create the transition.

Gradient Module EditorUse the Gradient Module Editor to control the values of the gradient and the position of its output.

• Point 0, Point 1: these sections control the values of the first point (point 0) and the second point (point 1) in the gradient.

2D Path: change the position of the point by attaching it to a 2D path, which can also be used to affect how quickly the position of the point changes.

407


Separate: change the X and Y values of the point on independent function curves.

• Red/Green/Blue/Alpha: the colour and alpha values of the selected point.

• Depth: enter a value to control the composition order of the output.• Offset Z: enter a value to control the relative front/back position of the output.

This value would be used in a composite 3D operation. If its value is the same as another image, the depth value will be used to determine the composition order.

Grain ModuleUse the Grain Module to add a film grain to an image; the film grain looks like video noise.

The Grain Module has two input ports.

• On the left port, attach the element that will act as the matte that defines the area of the grain.

• On the right port, attach the element on which you want to apply the grain effect.

Use the Grain Module Editor to adjust the amount of grain to add to an image; you can also use it to adjust the sharpness or softness of the grain.

408


Grain Module EditorUse the Grain Module Editor to control the grain effect.

• Noise: the amount of grain to add to the image based on the percentage of pixels to alter. The larger the value, the more grainy the image will appear. The closer the value is to 0 (zero), the less grainy the image will appear.

• Smooth: the amount of blending to apply to the grain effect, based on the blur radius, to make the effect appear less pixelated. The larger the value, the greater the smoothing.

• Random At Each Frame: computes the colour shift in the grain using a different value at each composite. This means that your images will look different each time you render them. Deselect this option and select a Seed Value to ensure the same result every time you composite the grain effect.

• Seed Value: this value corresponds to a unique pattern in the grain. If you want to retain this pattern in other frames, you can reuse this value.

409


Greyscale ModuleUse the Greyscale Module to convert a colour image to greyscale.

The following examples demonstrate what happens when you set the greyscale to 100% using the Greyscale Module.

The Contrast Module can also be used to adjust the darkness and lightness of the pixels in your element.

Greyscale Module EditorUse the Greyscale Module Editor to enter the percentage of black and white to apply to the image. You can enter a static value in the Percentage field, or attach the value to a function curve to change over time.

• Matte Output: when this option is activated, the colour values do not change. However, alpha values are read from the colours, creating a greyscale image when converting to black and white.

Use these menus to create a function curve and attach the Greyscale values to a function curve.

410


Group ModuleUse Group Modules to organize your effects and compositing network in the Network View. These modules can help keep your workspace neat and organize effects modules as you build your network.

To add a Group Module to the Network View:

Drag the module from the Module Library View.Press default shortcuts [Shift]+[G] in Windows/Linux or [Command]+[G] in Mac OS X.

To see the contents of a Group Module:

Click on the arrow on the Group Module.

To add a module to a group:

Press [Alt]+[Shift] and drag the module on top of the group.

To go back to the level of the Group Module, do one of the following:

In Windows/Linux, press [Backspace].Use the buttons on the Status Bar, at the bottom of the window.

Click on the Menu button and select Modules > Exit Group.

[Shift]-click a Multi-Port-In Module or a Multi-Port-Out Module.

You can create groups by:

• Selecting the modules to group in the Network View and applying the Create Group command.

• Selecting the modules to group in the Network View and pressing [Shift]+[Alt] while dragging the modules into an existing group.

• Selecting the modules to group in the Network View and pressing [Ctrl]+[G] to create a group containing the selected modules.

411


Group Module EditorUse the Group Module Editor to change the name that appears on the module.

Highlight ModuleUse a Highlight Module in your Network View to add a highlight to the drawings in an element.

To produce the highlight effect, you must create drawings to control where the highlight will appear (the matte).

• To the right input port on the Highlight Module, attach the Element Module for the drawings that you want the highlight to appear on top of (for example, a character).

• To the left input port, attach the matte, which contains the drawings for the shape of the highlight.

The Highlight Module controls the highlight effect so that it appears only in the selected drawings.

Like the Tone Module and Shadow Module, the Highlight Module performs a blur on the matte so that the edges of the effect appear softer. You can edit the properties of the highlight effect in the Highlight Module Editor.

412


Highlight Module EditorUse the Highlight Module Editor to modify how the Highlight Module creates the highlight effect.

The Highlight Module uses a matte to determine the shape and position of the highlight on another element and can blur the edges to create a softer effect. Use this dialog box to control the type and amount of blur, as well as the colour of the highlight effect.

• Truck Factor: activated by default, this option readjusts the blur when the element undergoes a change of depth or scale. When this option is disabled, the module’s values remain unchanged regardless of depth or scale changes. We recommend that this option be disabled when multiple drawings are composited and attached this module.

• Blur Type (Directional or Radial): If Directional is selected, Toon Boom Digital Pro will blur the matte in the direction you select. If Radial is selected, Toon Boom Digital Pro will blur the edges of the matte evenly around points that make up the edge of it.




• Directional Falloff Rate: the distance where the directional blur fades from the edge of the image. Select a value between 0 and 1.

413



• Invert Matte: activate this option to invert the matte used to create the highlight.

• Use Matte colour: select this option to use the colour(s) in the matte for the highlight effect. If you deselect it, use the Colour section to select colour and alpha values.

• Multiplicative: select this option to create a more diffused highlight.

• Red/Green/Blue/Alpha: in the RGBA fields, enter the value that you want added to or subtracted from the colour channels in the drawings. Alternatively, you can attach these values to function columns.

Line Art ModuleUse the Line Art Module to read only the Line Art in an element. Place a Line Art Module after an Element Module in the Network View to display only the module’s Line Art output.

414


Line Art Module EditorUse the Line Art Module Editor to control how the Line Art is rendered by the module.

• Antialiasing Quality: smoothness setting applied to Line Art. Choose from Low (no antialiasing), Medium Low, Medium and High (extensive antialiasing). The higher the quality of the chosen setting, the greater the amount of antialiasing that is applied. Higher quality images require more time to render and more memory from your system.

• Antialiasing Exponent: controls the amount of area around the Line Art edges that is used in the antialiasing process. A higher value uses less area, resulting in sharper edges, while a lower value uses more area, resulting in softer edges. If the Antialiasing Quality value is set to Low (no antialiasing), this value is ignored.

See AlsoColour Art Module on page 362

Matte-Blur ModuleUse the Matte-Blur Module to blur a matte or change its colour. Here is an example of a network with the result of a Matte-Blur Module.

415


Matte-Blur Module EditorUse the Matte-Blur Module Editor to control the output of the module.

• Truck Factor: activated by default, this option readjusts the blur when the element undergoes a change of depth or scale. When this option is disabled, the module’s values remain unchanged regardless of depth or scale changes. We recommend that this option be disabled when multiple drawings are composited and attached this module.

• Blur Type (Directional or Radial): If Directional is selected, Toon Boom Digital Pro will blur the matte in the direction you select. If Radial is selected, Toon Boom Digital Pro will blur the edges of the matte evenly around points that make up the edge of the matte.





A falloff rate of 0 causes the blur to fade out slowly, distributing the blur evenly from the edge of the character to the farthest edge of the blur.

416


A falloff rate of 1 causes the blur to fade out quickly so that the blur is heaviest closer to the edge of the image.

• Invert Matte: activate this option to invert the matte used to create the blur.

• Red/Green/Blue/Alpha: in the RGBA fields, you can enter the value you want added to or subtracted from the colour channels in the drawings. Alternatively, you can attach these values to function columns.

Matte-Resize ModuleUse the Matte-Resize Module to evenly expand a matte outward in all directions. The Matte-Resize Module increases the size of a matte from its centre.

Here is an example of a network with the result of a Matte-Resize Module.

You can use the Matte-Resize Module to do a pulsating glow. If you use the Blur-Radial Module, the effect might be softer than you intend. Using the Matte-Resize Module, you can enlarge the region without softening the edges.

The Matte-Resize Module produces a limited antialiased matte, which can have slightly jagged edges. You should only use this module for mattes that you must blur. You could use this module in combination with other modules, such as:

• Tones• Highlights

• Glows

• Shadows• Matte-Blurs

417


Matte-Resize Module EditorIn the Matte-Resize Module Editor, you can enter a static value for the Radius of the resize operation. You can also attach the Radius value to a function column to change the value over time.

Motion-Blur ModuleUse the Motion-Blur Module to create three types of effects:

• Motion blur

• Blur with a matte• Particle effect

To create a motion blur, you must also create a motion path for the element using a Peg Module. Here is an example of a network with the result of a Motion-Blur Module.

418


Motion-Blur Module EditorUse the Motion-Blur Module Editor to modify the motion blur effect.

• Number of Frames in Trail: the number of frames before the current frame that will be used in the trail.

• Number of Samples: number of copies of each drawing used in the trail. The higher the number, the more continuous the trail appears.

• Falloff Rate: the distance where the blur fades from the edge of the image. Select a value between 0 and 1.

A falloff rate of 0 causes the trail to fade out slowly, distributing the colour evenly from the edge of the character to the farthest edge of the trail.A falloff rate of 1 causes the trail to fade out quickly so that the trail is more opaque closer to the edge of the image and transparent at the end of the trail.

• Intensity: select a value to define the opacity of the trail.

• Use Mirror on Edges: enable this option when you use a matte to create the blur and the image is close to the edge of the drawing. This option forces Toon Boom Digital Pro to use a mirror of the image to calculate the blur, rather than the “black” on the other side of the edge.

For blurs with a matte and a particle effect, you need a matte. The matte is used as a filter that is applied to the motion blur and must be drawn at the centre. In addition, the matte

419


must be linked to the left port on the Motion Blur Module. For particle effects, use a matte that is spotted with colour.

Multi-Port-In ModuleA Multi-Port-In Module is added by default in a new Group Module. Use it to add one or more input ports to the Group Module so that you can process an image through the modules in the Group Module. Use the Multi-Port-Out Module Editor to change the name of the module.

420


When you plug an element to a Multi-Port-In Module, an input port appears at the top of the Group Module. You can add additional ports to the modules as needed.

Pass your cursor over the Group Module input port to see the name of the Port-Image-In Module that it connects to.

You will notice that the Group Module in these examples has no output port. It requires a Multi-Port-Out Module to output data from its network.

Multi-Port-In Module EditorUse the Multi-Port-In Module Editor to change the name of the module.

421


Multi-Port-Out ModuleBy default, a Multi-Port-Out Module is added in a new Group Module. Use it to add one or more output ports to the Group Module so that you can output the result of the group operation to the rest of the network. Use the Multi-Port-Out Module Editor to change the name of the module.

After you plug an element to a Multi-Port-Out Module, an output port appears on the bottom of your Group Module. You can add additional output ports as needed.

Multi-Port-Out Module EditorUse the Multi-Port-Out Module Editor to change the name of the module in the network.

422


Negate ModuleUse the Negate Module to invert the colour and/or alpha values in the Colour Art and Line Art of an image. The Negate Module subtracts the original value of each channel (RGB or A) from the maximum value of that channel (255 for 8-bit channels) to produce the negative image.

Here is an example of a network with the result of a Negate Module:

Negate Module EditorUse the Negate Module Editor to select which colour values to negate, and to negate mattes.

Use the following to select the values to invert:

• Negate Colour: inverts the values of the colour channels.

• Negate Alpha: inverts the transparency value (alpha channel).• Negate Colour Clamp to Alpha: limits the negated area to the alpha channel.

423


Note Module The Note Module allows you to record any textual information that is relevant to your project. Use its editor to enter comments, suggestions or reminders. Note Modules can be added anywhere in the network, including in groups.

Note Module Editor Use the Note Module Editor to add or update relevant notes with any textual information.

Offset-Position Module Use the Offset-Position Module to apply a different position, scale, rotation or movement to one or more existing elements without having to duplicate them. The module applies the translations in a peg after compositing, so that read modules outside of the camera frame or images larger than the resolution of the scene are not clipped.

The Offset-Position Module applies the Flip and Alignment options from the Element Module to prepare the image before composition. Here is an example of this network:

424


Offset-Position Module Editor Use the Offset-Position Module Editor to change the name of the module.

Offset-Position-Legacy Module The Offset-Position-Legacy Module is only used for backward compatibility purposes.

The Offset-Position-Legacy Module applies the Flip and Alignment options from the Element Module to prepare the image before composition. Here is an example of this network:

425


Offset-Position-Legacy Module EditorUse the Offset-Position-legacy Module Editor to change the name of the module.

Peg ModulePeg Modules control the transformation of elements (position, scale, skewing and rotation) over time. The green ports at the top and bottom of the module indicate that it accepts position data information (from another peg, element or quadmap) and outputs position information.

You can edit the effects of the Peg Module in the Camera View windows or in the Peg Module Editor.

426


Peg Module EditorUse the Peg Module Editor to control how a peg affects the position, scale, skew and rotation of elements attached to it over time.

The Peg Module Editor has four tabs:

• Position tab on page 427• Transformation tab on page 428• Pivot tab on page 429• Advanced tab on page 429

Position tabUse the Position tab to set up how your peg will receive position data. You must select between using 3D Path columns or Separate X (east-west), Y (north-south) and Z (front-back) columns.

• 3D Path: select an existing set of 3D Path columns or create a new set. When you create a 3D path for your peg, Toon Boom Digital Pro creates columns for the X, Y and Z values for the position of your peg, as well as a column for the velocity of the peg in the Xsheet View.

• Separate: use the Separate option to use a peg to offset several elements by a fixed amount throughout the scene. You can also connect the X, Y or Z values of an element to separate Bezier Curve columns or Ease Curve columns. When you create separate columns for the position of the peg, the Bezier or Ease functions build values for each frame, so there is no separate control for velocity when you choose Separate columns.

427


Transformation tabUse the Transformation tab to choose between Locked horizontal and vertical scaling or Separate horizontal and vertical scaling. You can also change the angle and skew settings.

Scale• In the Locked panel, you can enter a static scale value for the scaling or connect

the scale value to a Bezier Curve column, Ease Curve column, or velocity-based column. Select a velocity-based column to link the speed of your scaling changes to the speed of the peg changing positions and specify values for the scale of the peg.

• In the Separate panel, you can set a static value for the horizontal (X) and vertical (Y) scaling or create separate columns for the X and Y scaling.

• Scale In Fields: Select this option to use fields for scaling measurements.

• Ignore Parent Scaling: if the peg is parented to another peg, any scaling changes to the parent will not affect the current peg.

• Angle: enter the angle of rotation of the peg. All of the Element Modules connected to the peg will rotate on the pivot point indicated in the Pivot fields.

• Enable Min. Max Angle: enables the minimum and maximum angle constraints.• Skew: this is the skew value.

428


Pivot tabUse the Pivot tab to set the position of the pivot point for rotation or scaling on the peg spline. The values that appear in this tab are updated when you move the pivot point with the Rotate or Scale tool in the Camera View window.

Advanced tabUse the Advanced tab to set the position of the peg spline. You can offset the position of the spline to enable you to work with the peg in the Camera View window; this do not affect the position values of the motion path. The values that appear in this tab are updated when you move the peg with the Translate tool in the Peg - Spline Position element mode.

429


Network BuildingIn the Advanced tab, you can select options that work in conjunction with the buildNetworkfromUnconnected script, which will attach all unconnected modules to a Composite Module, which is in turn linked to a Display Module.

• Group at Network Building: place all of the modules attached to the current peg in a group module.

• Add Composite to Group: attach all of the modules to a Composite Module before outputting the information from the group to the rest of the network.

Rendering• Disable Field Rendering: When rendering with the Field Rendering option, pegs

using this option will be excluded from the Field Rendering.

IK• Nail for Children: sets an IK Nail on the selected peg.

Pixelate ModuleUse the Pixelate Module to apply a mosaic effect to an image (and its matte) based on the matte you supply. Pixelation makes the image look like it is made up of square tiles.

There are two input ports on the Pixelate Module: the left port receives the matte and the right port receives the image. Use the Pixelate Module Editor to control the amount of pixelation in the image.

430


Pixelate Module EditorUse the Pixelate Module Editor to control the amount (Factor) of pixelation in the image. You can attach the Factor value to a function curve to change the value over time.

Placeholder ModuleUse the Placeholder Module in a network when you are either unsure of which module you will put in its place or if you want to lay out a custom network for future use.

Placeholder Module EditorUse the Placeholder Module Editor to change the name of the module.

431


Quadmap ModuleUse the Quadmap Module to deform the shape of an element. For example, you can use it to create a drop-shadow effect on an element.

You can edit the Quadmap Module visually in the Camera View window.

To edit the Quadmap Module in the Camera View window:

1. Drag a Quadmap Module from the Module Library View window to the Network View window.

2. Connect the Quadmap Module to a Element Module you want to modify.

3. Connect a display to the output of the Element Module to a Display Module.

4. From the Animation Tools Toolbar, disable the Animate Mode to change the value for the quadmap over the entire duration of the element.

5. In the Network View, click on the Quadmap Module to select it. The element should appear red in your Camera View window.

432


6. In the Camera View window, click on the Menu button and select View > Show Control Parameters.

The quadmap handles appear around the element in the window. There is also a pivot point at the centre of the quadmap frame that can be repositioned.

Note:

If the handles on the quadmap image do not appear on the corners, set the Alignment Rule on the Element Module of the image to “Stretch”.

7. In the Camera View window, use the Select tool to move the points on the quadmap. [Shift]-click to select multiple points.

The value of each point on the quadmap can be changed gradually. To do this, use the Quadmap Module Editor to attach the points to function curves. Toon Boom Digital Pro will add keyframes to the function curve as you change their values.

433


Quadmap Module EditorUse the Quadmap Module Editor to enter specific static values for the points of the quadmap, or to attach those values to function curves so that their values will change over time.

Only the X and Y values of each point in the quadmap can be changed.

• 2D Path: change the X and Y values simultaneously and control the velocity of the change.

• Separate: change the X and Y values separately. Each of these can be attached to separate function curves.

434


Refract ModuleUse the Refract Module to create effects such as ripples, rustling leaves, and heat waves. This effect is based on the principle of light refraction, which happens when a beam of light passes through media of different density, causing the light to refract, or change angles. This effect makes objects appear distorted or offset from their actual positions. Think of an object in a pool of water. Objects beneath the surface of the water appear offset from their true positions.

To create the effect of refraction, you need a matte with alpha values. This matte will create the effect of a volume passing over an image, refracting the “light” that would be bouncing off of the contents below. For the effect of a ripple that moves across an image, you must move the matte with a Peg Module.

Refract Module EditorUse the Refract Module Editor to control the effect.

• Intensity: the amount of refraction to apply to the image.

• Height: the amount of depth to add to the refraction effect. Coupled with the Intensity effect, this value can create the effect of bending the objects below the refraction matte.You can attach the Intensity and Height values to function curves to change their values over time.

Following is an example of two different applications of the Intensity and Height parameters.

435


In the network, we added a Blur-Radial Module to blur the solid matte. The variations in the alpha levels in the blurred matte will contribute to the refraction effect.

Remove-Transparency ModuleThe Remove-Transparency Module negates transparent values in an image.

You can use the Remove-Transparency Module to remove the result of antialiasing around an image.

Remove-Transparency Module EditorUse the Remove-Transparency Module Editor to control the effects of the module.

• Threshold: all values above the Threshold represent a transparent value. In this field, you must identify the value above which all alpha values are considered transparent. Alpha is measured from 0 to 255.

436


• Remove Colour Transparency: when selected, the Threshold value is used to determine which pixels in the Colour Art (RGB channels) to make fully opaque or fully transparent.

• Remove Alpha Transparency: when selected, the Threshold value is used to determine which pixels in the Alpha channel to make fully opaque or fully transparent.

Scale-Output ModuleThe Scale-Output Module scales the output of an operation to the desired resolution. You can use this module to scale the resolution of a composite operation for output to anamorphic projection systems. You can also use this module to scale down the output to a lower resolution, enabling a quicker composition.

This is different than the Crop Module, which cuts images to match an output resolution.

Here is an example of a network using the Scale-Output Module to “write” files in two different output resolutions:

437


Scale-Output Module EditorUse the Scale-Output Module Editor to scale the output to the desired resolution.

• Resolution Name: enable this option to scale the output to the resolution in one of the scene’s “Resolution Names” and select the resolution from the drop-list. The names of the scene resolution appear in the Resolution/Frame Rate dialog box.

• Custom Resolution: enables you to input a customized resolution in the Width and Height boxes.

Shadow ModuleWith the Shadow Module, you can turn a vector drawing element into a shadow. You can set up the options for the shadow effect in the Shadow Module Editor.

You can attach only one element to a Shadow Module. The Shadow Module reads the Line Art and Colour Art of the element attached to it, depending on the selection made in the Element Module for the element.

In the Network View, attach the Element Module, which will be the shape of the shadow, to the Shadow Module.

438


Like the Tone Module and Highlight Module, the Shadow Module can perform a blur on the matte so that the edges of the effect appear softer. You can edit the properties of the shadow effect in the Shadow Module Editor.

Shadow Module EditorUse the Shadow Module Editor to modify how the Shadow Module creates the shadow effect.

The Shadow Module uses a matte to determine the shape and position of the shadow behind another element and can blur the edges to create a softer effect. You can control the type and amount of blur, as well as the colour of the shadow, in this dialog box.

• Truck Factor: activated by default, this option readjusts the blur when the elements undergo a change of depth or scale. When this option is disabled, the

439


module’s values remain unchanged regardless of any depth or scale changes. We recommend that this option be disabled when multiple drawings are composited and attached this module.

• Blur Type (Directional or Radial): If Directional is selected, Toon Boom Digital Pro will blur the matte in the direction you select. If Radial is selected, Toon Boom Digital Pro will blur the edges of the matte evenly around points that make up the edge of it.






• Invert Matte: activate this option to invert the matte used to create the shadow.

• Use Matte Colour: create the shadow using the matte shape colour.

• Multiplicative: multiplies the shadow colours with the background.• Red/Green/Blue/Alpha: in the RGBA fields, you can enter the value to add or

subtract from the colour channels in the drawings, or you can attach these values to function columns.

440


Sparkle ModuleAdd a Sparkle Module to your network to add a sparkle effect to your scene. You have a high degree of control over the appearance of the sparkles.

-

441


Note:

The sparkle effect can only be used with vector drawings. If the sparkle effect module is attached to a composite, verify that the Composite Module Editor is set to Vector Flatten Output.

442


Sparkle Module EditorUse the Sparkle Module Editor to modify how the Sparkle Module creates the sparkle effect. You can also use Bezier and Ease function curves to change the values of factors over time.

• Start Angle: enter a value between -360 and 360 to indicate the angle of rotation of each sparkle.

• Scale: sparkles are determined by the size of the bounding box of the coloured areas in the drawing. Enter the multiple to use to scale the sparkle size.

• Factor: enter a value between 0.1 and 1 to determine how pointy the sparkle is. A value closer to 0 will result in a more pointed sparkle. A value closer to 1 will result in a more rounded sparkle.

• Density: adjusts the density level.

• Number of Points: enter the number of points you want each sparkle to have.• Probability of Appearing: enter the percentage of possibility that sparkles will

be displayed. Enter 100 to always show sparkles. Enter 0 to always hide sparkles.• Point Noise: enter a value between 0.1 and 1 to indicate the amount by which

points in a sparkle will distort.• Centre Noise: enter a value between 0.1 and 1 to indicate the amount by which

the angles between each point in a sparkle will distort.• Angle Noise: enter a value between 0.1 and 1 to indicate the amount by which

the Start Angle in a sparkle will distort.• Random Seed: enter a positive integer value that will be used to determine the

443


sparkle pattern.• Use Drawing Colours: select this option to use the colour attributes of the

drawing for the sparkle colour. When this selection is disabled (default setting), the colour values will be used as they are entered in the editor.

• Flatten Sparkles of Same colour: flatten all drawings of the same colour into a single layer.

• Red/Green/Blue/Alpha: in the RGBA fields, enter the values to use for the sparkle colour.

Tone ModuleUse a Tone Module in your Network View to add a dark coloured region to the top of drawings in an element.

To produce the tone effect, you must create drawings to control where the tone will appear (the matte).

• Attach the Element Module for the drawings that you want the tone to appear on top of to the right input port on the Tone Module

• Attach the matte, which contains the drawings for the shape of the tone, to the left input port.

The Tone Module controls the tone effect so that the tone appears only in the element.

You can edit the properties of the tone effect in the Tone Module Editor.

444


Tone Module EditorUse the Tone Module Editor to modify how the Tone Module creates the tone effect.

The Tone Module uses a matte to determine the shape and position of the tone on top of another element and can blur the edges to create a softer effect. Use this dialog box to control the type and amount of blur, as well as the colour of the tone.

• Truck Factor: activated by default, this option readjusts the blur when the elements undergo a change of depth or scale. When this option is disabled, the module’s values will remain unchanged regardless of depth or scale changes. We recommend that this option be disabled when multiple drawings are composited and attached this module.

• Blur Type (Directional or Radial): If Directional is selected, Toon Boom Digital Pro will blur the matte in the direction you select. If Radial is selected, Toon Boom Digital Pro will blur the edges of the matte evenly around points that make up the edge of the matte.





A falloff rate of 0 causes the blur to fade out slowly, distributing the blur evenly from the edge of the character to the farthest edge of the blur.

445


A falloff rate of 1 causes the blur to fade out quickly so that the blur is heaviest closer to the edge of the image.

• Invert Matte: activate this option to invert the matte used to create the tone.

• Use Matte Colour: Uses the matte shape colour to create the tone.• Multiplicative: multiplies the tone colours with the background.

• Red/Green/Blue/Alpha: in the RGBA fields, you can enter the value you want added to or subtracted from the colour channels in the drawings, or you can attach these values to function columns.

Transparency ModuleUse a Transparency Module to make an image partially transparent. The Transparency Module fades the alpha channel of the image by the amount selected.

446


Transparency Module EditorUse the Transparency Module Editor to control the amount of transparency that will be applied to the element.

You can enter a value in the Transparency field, or change the transparency value over time by linking it to a function curve.

Write ModuleYou must add a Write Module to the Network View in order to render individual image files or a QuickTime movie on your file system. You can add multiple Write Modules at any point in your network.

In the Write Module Editor, you can set up the type, name and location of the final frames. You can also set up the Write Module to conditionally execute based on the resolution of the scene.

447


Write Module EditorThe Write Module Editor controls how the Write Module creates files on your file system for your final, rendered frames.

The Write Module Editor has two tabs:

• Output tab• Enabling tab

Output tabUse the Output tab to set the options for the name, location, and type of file to render. Use this tab if you will render a QuickTime movie or individual image files for each frame in your scene.

• Folder: you can manually type or use the Choose button to select the path for the final frames.

• Filename: Enter a prefix for the files rendered from this Write Module in the field below the path.

• Drawings: Select this radio button to create final frames.

• Movie: Select this radio button to create a QuickTime movie.

Drawing• Start: enter the starting value for frames rendered with this module.• Leading Zeros: select from the drop-down menu the number of leading zeros

you would like your rendered files in their filename.• Drawing type: select the type of final frames to render from the drop-list. When

rendering TVG files from the Write Module, you can use this option in combination with the Vector Flatten Output and TVG Palette options in the Composite Module.

448


Movie• Video Options: click on this button to open a dialog box in which you can set

the video compression format, depth and quality of your movie.• Audio Options: click on this button to open a dialog box in which you can set

the sound compression format and quality for your movie.

Enabling tab

• Always Enabled: selecting this option forces Toon Boom Digital Pro to execute this module whenever a composite operation is performed.

• Enabled when resolution name is: select this option to execute this module only when the resolution name matches the selected resolution in the Filter name drop-list. The resolutions in this list are the same as those found in the Resolution/Frame Rate dialog box.

Filter name: the resolution name that must be active for the Write Module to be enabled.

• Enabled when resolution is: select this option to execute this module only when the resolution matches the selected X resolution and Y resolution.

X resolution: the width of the output resolution for the scene, which must be set for this Write Module to be executed.Y resolution: the height of the output resolution, which must be set for this Write Module to be executed.

449


450

Chapter 8Scripting Overview

This chapter provides an overview of Qt, the scripting language supported by Toon Boom Digital Pro. It addresses the following topics:

• Using Qt Script to Automate Toon Boom Digital Pro Functions on page 451• Creating a Qt Script on page 452

• Exporting and Importing Scripts on page 454

• Linking a Script to a Toolbar Button on page 455

Using Qt Script to Automate Toon Boom Digital Pro Functions

Qt Script provides access to many of the functionalities supported in the Toon Boom Digital Pro interface. With Qt Script, you can automate a number of Toon Boom Digital Pro functions to speed the completion of various repetitive tasks.

Qt Script is an object-oriented scripting language based on the ECMAScript standard, like JavaScript and JScript. However, there are some differences that distinguish it from these scripting languages, which are familiar to Web programmers.

451


Creating a Qt ScriptUse QSA Workbench to create Qt scripts for Toon Boom Digital Pro.

Scripts are stored in the /Digital Pro/nt/bin directory.

To create a script:

1. Click on the Edit Script button in the Scripting Tools toolbar.

The QSA Workbench dialog box opens.

2. Select File > New Script . The Input Script Name dialog box appears.

3. Enter a name in the Script Name field and click on OK.

452

Chapter 8: Scripting Overview

The name of your script appears in the Project Scripts panel.

4. Double-click on the script name in the Project Scripts list panel. A tab with a text box appears to the right of the Projects Scripts panel.

5. Write your script in the tabbed text box. Try the following script:

function addDrawCol()

{

column.add(“ColumnName”, “DRAWING”);

}

6. To test your script, click on the green Play button.

• The Call Function dialog box appears with the script selected in the Function drop-list by default.

If you select the script and click on OK, a new drawing column will appear in your Xsheet View with the name ColumnName. • If a syntax error occurs, it will be displayed in the Output text box.

453


Exporting and Importing ScriptsTo use scripts prepared by other users or for other scenes, you must first export the scripts from the originating scene and then import the scripts into a target scene.

To export a script:

1. In Toon Boom Digital Pro, open the scene that you want to export the scripts from.

2. Click on the Edit Script button to open QSA Workbench.

3. Select the script that you want to export from the Project Scripts list.

4. Select File > Export Script . The Export Script dialog box opens.

5. Use the Export Script dialog box to select a name and location for the exported script, and then click OK. The script is saved. It is now ready to be imported into other scenes.

To import a script:

1. In Toon Boom Digital , open the scene that you want to import the scripts into.

2. Click on the Edit Script button to open QSA Workbench.

3. Select File > Import Script .

4. Use the Import Script dialog box to locate the script file that you want to import. Select a script and click on Open.

The script is imported and appears in the Project Scripts list.

454

Chapter 8: Scripting Overview

Linking a Script to a Toolbar ButtonYou can add buttons to the Scripting Tools toolbar so that you can access them easily. They will appear to the right of the default Scripting Toolbar buttons.

To link a script to a toolbar button:

1. Click on the Manage Scripts button on the Scripting Tools toolbar. A dialog box containing all of the available scripts opens.

2. In the Available Scripts list, select the script you want to link to a toolbar button.

3. Click on the Right Arrow button to add the script to the In Toolbar list.

4. Click on OK to add the button and close the dialog box.

Customizing a Scripting Toolbar ButtonThere is one default button for your scripts. This default button will be applied to all scripts you create. You can customize the look of your script icons before or after they have been placed in the Scripting Toolbar.

To customize a Scripting Toolbar button:

1. In the Available Scripts list, select the script you want to link to a toolbar button.

2. Click on the Customize Icon button to open a dialog box. Use it to locate the image you want to use for the toolbar button’s icon.

455


3. Select the image and click on Open.

The dialog box closes, and the old icon image is replaced with the newly selected one.

456

Chapter 9Scripting Introduction

In the scripting section you will find information which will allow you to understand how to use the Qt, the scripting language supported by Toon Boom Digital Pro.

The following topics are addressed:

• Using Qt Script to Automate Toon Boom Digital Pro Functions on page 451

• Creating a Qt Script on page 452

• Exporting and Importing Scripts on page 454• Linking a Script to a Toolbar Button on page 455

Qt Script provides access to many of the functions supported in the Toon Boom Digital Pro interface. With Qt Script, you can automate a number of Toon Boom Digital Pro functions to speed the completion of various repetitive tasks.

You can use the QSA Workbench to create Qt scripts for Toon Boom Digital Pro.

To use scripts prepared by other users or for other scenes, you must first export the scripts from the originating scene and then import the scripts into a target scene.

To use scripts prepared by other users or for other scenes, you must first export the scripts from the originating scene and then import the scripts into a target scene.

You can add buttons to the Scripting Tools toolbar so that you can access them easily. They will appear to the right of the default Scripting Toolbar buttons.

457


458

Chapter 10Script Reference

With Qt Script, you can access the following built-in Toon Boom Digital Pro objects.

• “Scene” on page 471

• “Frame” on page 476• “Element” on page 479

• “Column” on page 481

• “Node” on page 488• “Selection” on page 500

• “Function Curve” on page 503

• “Timeline” on page 519• “View” on page 525

Each object has its own set of functions that can manipulate the attributes of the object.

All functions can receive the following data types as arguments. All functions return the same data types.

• An integer (numerical value). On failure, the function returns -1.

• A string. When used as arguments, strings must be enclosed in quotes. On failure the function returns the null string “”.

• A boolean value (true or false). The function returns false on failure.

As arguments, these data types can be supplied in the function or can be generated by other functions.

For more information on the Qt scripting language, see the following:

• Language: http://doc.trolltech.com/qsa-1.1.3/language.html

• Creating Qt Scripts, including building dialog boxes:http://doc.trolltech.com/qsa-1.1.3/qsa-5.html

459

http://doc.trolltech.com/qsa/language.html

http://doc.trolltech.com/qsa/qsa-5.html

http://doc.trolltech.com/qsa/qsa-5.html


Function SummaryFollowing are tables of all the supported functions, their arguments and a description.

Scene Function Description

scene.beginUndoRedoAccum(“commandname”);

Starts the accumulation of all of the functions between it and the endUndoRedoAccum function as one command that will appear in the undo/redo list. If you do not use this function with endUndoRedoAccum, each function in the script generates a separate undo/redo entry. For details, see “beginUndoRedoAccum” on page 472.

scene.coordAtCenterX(); Returns the X value of the centre coordinate of the scene grid. For details, see “coordAtCentreX” on page 472.

scene.coordAtCenterY(); Returns the Y value of centre coordinate of the scene grid. For details, see “coordAtCentreY” on page 472.

scene.currentScene(); Returns the name of the current scene. For details, see “currentScene” on page 473.

scene.endUndoRedoAccum(); Ends the accumulation all of the functions between it and the beginUndoRedoAccum function as one command that will appear in the undo/redo list. If you do not use this function with beginUndoRedoAccum, each function in the script generates a separate undo/redo entry. For details, see “endUndoRedoAccum” on page 473.

scene.numberOfUnitsX(); Returns the number of units in the X axis of the scene grid. For details, see “numberOfUnitsX” on page 473.

scene.numberOfUnitsY(); Returns the number of units in the Y axis of the scene grid. For details, see “numberOfUnitsY” on page 474.

scene.numberOfUnitsZ(); Returns the number of units in the Z axis of the scene grid. For details, see “numberOfUnitsZ” on page 474.

scene.setUnitsAspectRatio(x, y);

Sets the aspect ratio of the scene. For details, see “setUnitsAspectRatio” on page 475.

460

Chapter 10: Script Reference

scene.setNumberOfUnits(x, y, z); Sets the number of X, Y, and Z units in the scene grid. For details, see “setNumberofUnits” on page 475.

scene.setCoordAtCenter(x, y); Sets the value of the centre (X, Y) coordinates. For details, see “setCoordAtCentre” on page 474.

scene.unitsAspectRatioX(); Returns the X value of the aspect ratio of the cells in the scene grid. For details, see “unitsAspectRatioX” on page 475.

scene.unitsAspectRatioY(); Returns the Y value of the aspect ratio of the cells in the scene grid. For details, see “unitsAspectRatioY” on page 476.

Frame Function Description

frame.current(); Returns the number of the current frame. For details, see “current” on page 477.

frame.insert(atFrame, nbFrame); Inserts frames at the specified frame number. For details, see “insert” on page 477.

frame.numberOf(); Returns the number of frames in the scene. For details, see “numberOf” on page 478.

frame.remove(startFrame, nbFrame);

Removes frames from the specified frame. For details, see “remove” on page 478.

Element Function Description

element.add(“name”, “scanType”, “fieldChart”, “fileFormat”, “Vectorize”);

Adds an element to the scene. For details, see “add” on page 479.

element.getName(index); Returns the name of the element. For details, see “getName” on page 480.

element.id(index); Returns the id (key) of the element. For details, see “id” on page 480.

element.numberOf(); Returns the number of elements in the scene. For details, see “numberOf” on page 480.

Scene Function Description

461


Column Function Description

column.add(“columnName”, “columnType”);

Adds a column with the specified name and type. For details, see “add” on page 482.

column.clearKeyFrame(“columnName”, atFrame );

Removes a keyframe from a cell in a column. For details, see “clearKeyFrame” on page 482.

column.getElementOfDrawing(“columnName”);

Returns the name the element linked to the specified drawing column. For details, see “getElementOfDrawing” on page 483.

column.getEntry(“columnName”, subColumn, atFrame);

Returns the value of a cell in a column. For details, see “getEntry” on page 483.

column.getName(columnNumber); Returns the name of the column. For details, see “getName” on page 483.

column.getTextOfExpr(“columnName”);

Returns the expression text in the identified column. For details, see “getTextOfExpr” on page 484.

column.isKeyFrame(“columnName”, subColumn, atFrame);

Returns true or false indicating if a cell in a column is a keyframe. For details, see “isKeyFrame” on page 484.

column.numberOf(); Returns the number of columns in the scene. For details, see “numberOf” on page 485.

column.rename(“oldName”, “newName”);

Renames the specified column. For details, see “rename” on page 485.

column.setElementOfDrawing(“columnName”, “elementName”);

Links a Drawing column to an element. For details, see “setElementOfDrawing” on page 485.

column.setEntry(“columnName”, subColumn, atFrame, “value” );

Set the value of a cell in a column. For details, see “setEntry” on page 486.

column.setKeyFrame(“columnName”, atFrame );

Makes a cell in a column a keyframe. For details, see “setKeyFrame” on page 486.

462


column.setTextOfExpr(“columnName”, “text”);

Sets the value in the Expression column to the specified text. For details, see “setTextOfExpr” on page 487.

column.type(“columnName”); This function returns the column type. There are seven column types: drawing (DRAWING), sound (SOUND), 3D Path (3DPATH), Bezier Curve (BEZIER), Ease Curve (EASE) and Expression (EXPR). For details, see “type” on page 487.

Node Function Description

node.add(“parent_group_path”, “name”, “type”, X, Y, Z);

Adds a module to the network. For details, see “add” on page 490.

node.coordX(“node_path”); Returns an integer indicating the X position of a module in the network. For details, see “coordX” on page 490.

node.coordY(“node_path”); Returns an integer indicating the Y position of a module in the network. For details, see “coordY” on page 491.

node.dstNode(“node_path”, iPort, iLink);

Returns the path of the destination module linked to by the output port on the source module. For details, see “dstNode” on page 491.

node.equals(“node_path”, “node_path”);

Returns true or false to indicate if a node path is equal to another. For details, see “equals” on page 491.

node.flatDstNode(“node_path”, iPort, iLink);

If the dstNode is a Group Module, this returns the path of the module inside the Group Module that is the destination. For details, see “flatDstNode” on page 492.

node.flatSrcNode(“node_path”, iPort);

If the srcNode is a Group Module, this returns the path of the module inside the Group Module that is the source. For details, see “flatSrcNode” on page 492.

node.getTextAttr(“node_path”, atFrame, “attrName”);

Returns the value(s) of the module’s selected attribute. For details, see “getTextAttr” on page 493.

Column Function Description

463


node.getName(“node_path”); Returns the name of a module. For details, see “getName” on page 492.

node.isGroup(“node_path”); Returns a true or false value indicating if the module is a Group Module. For details, see “isGroup” on page 493.

node.isLinked(“node_path”, iPort);

Returns true or false to indicate if a port is connected to another module. For details, see “isLinked” on page 493.

node.link(“srcNode_path”, srcPort, “dstNode_path”, dstPort);

Links a port on a module to a port on another module. For details, see “link” on page 494.

node.linkAttr(“node_path”, “attrName”, “columnName”);

Links an attribute to a function column in the Xsheet View. For details, see “linkAttr” on page 494.

node.linkedColumn(“node_path”, “attrName”);

Returns the name of the column that an attribute is linked to. If the attribute is not linked to a column, the function returns the null string. For details, see “linkedColumn” on page 495.

node.noNode(); Returns the null string that is returned by other functions when there is an error. For details, see “noNode” on page 495.

node.numberOfInputPorts(“node_path”);

Returns an integer indicating the number of input ports on the module. For details, see “numberOfInputPorts” on page 495.

node.numberOfOutputLinks(“node_path”, iPort);

Returns an integer indicating the number of modules actually linked from the output ports. For details, see “numberOfOutputLinks” on page 496.

node.numberOfOutputPorts(“node_path”);

Returns an integer indicating the number of output ports on a module. For details, see “numberOfOutputPorts” on page 496.

node.numberOfSubNodes(“node_path”);

Returns an integer that indicates the number of modules contained in a group. For details, see “numberOfSubNodes” on page 496.

node.parentNode(“node_path”); Returns the path of the parent level of a module contained in a group. For details, see “parentNode” on page 497.


464


node.rename(“node_path”, “newName”);

Changes the name of a module. For details, see “rename” on page 497.

node.root(); Returns the name of the Top level in the network, which is “Top”. For details, see “root” on page 497.

node.setCoord(“node_path”, X, Y);

Sets the position of a module in the network. For details, see “setCoord” on page 498.

node.setTextAttr(“node_path”, “attrName”, atFrame, “attrValue”);

Changes the value of an attribute in a module. For details, see “setTextAttr” on page 498.

node.srcNode(“node_path”, iPort);

Returns the path for the module that the port is linked to. For details, see “srcNode” on page 498.

node.subNode(“node_path_parent”, iSubNode);

Returns the path of a module in a group. For details, see “subNode” on page 499.

node.type(“node_path”); Returns the module type. For details, see “type” on page 499.

node.unlink(“dstNode_path”, inPort);

Unlinks a port on one module from the port on another module. For details, see “unlink” on page 499.

node.unlinkAttr(“node_path”, “attrName”);

Unlinks an attribute from a function column. For details, see “unlinkAttr” on page 500.

Selection Function Description

selection.numberOfColumnsSelected();

Returns a value for the number of selected columns. For details, see “numberOfColumnsSelected” on page 501.

selection.numberOfNodesSelected();

Returns the number of modules that are selected. For details, see “numberOfNodesSelected” on page 501.

selection.selectedColumn(int i);

Returns the name of the selected column. For details, see “selectedColumn” on page 502.

selection.selectedNode(int i); Returns the path of the selected node. For details, see “selectedNode” on page 502.


465


Function Curve Function Description

func.holdStartFrame(“columnName”);

Returns the Start value from the Hold Value Editor dialog box, for Bezier, Ease and Velo-based Function Editors. For details, see “holdStartFrame” on page 507.

func.holdStep(“columnName”); Returns the Step value from the Hold Value Editor dialog box, for Bezier, Ease and Velo-based Function Editors. For details, see “holdStep” on page 508.

func.holdStopFrame(“columnName”);

Returns the Stop value from the Hold Value Editor dialog box, for Bezier, Ease and Velo-based Function Editors. For details, see “holdStopFrame” on page 508.

Functions common to Bezier, Ease and Velocity-Based Function Curves

func.numberOfPoints(“columnName”);

Returns the number of keyframes and control points on a curve. For details, see “numberOfPoints” on page 508.

func.pointConstSeg(“columnName”, point);

Returns a 1 to indicate that the point is on a constant segment, or a 0 to indicate that the point is not on a constant segment. For details, see “pointConstSeg” on page 509.

func.pointContinuity(“columnName”, point);

Returns the continuity of the curve that follows the point. One of the following values will be returned, in upper-case: SMOOTH, CORNER or STRAIGHT. For details, see “pointContinuity” on page 510.

func.pointX(“columnName”, point);

Returns the X value (frame number) of a point on a function curve. For details, see “pointX” on page 513.

func.pointY(“columnName”, point);

Returns the Y value of a point on a function curve. For details, see “pointY” on page 514.

Bezier Functions

func.pointHandleLeftX(“columnName”, point);

Returns the X value of the left handle of a point on a curve. For details, see “pointHandleLeftX” on page 511.

func.pointHandleLeftY(“columnName”, point);

Returns the Y value of the left handle of a point on a curve. For details, see “pointHandleLeftY” on page 512.

466


func.pointHandleRightX(“columnName”, point);

Returns the X value of the right handle of a point on a curve. For details, see “pointHandleRightX” on page 512.

func.pointHandleRightY(“columnName”, point);

Returns the Y value of the right handle of a point on a curve. For details, see “pointHandleRightY” on page 512.

Ease Functions

func.angleEaseIn(“columnName”, point);

Returns the angle of the ease-in handle. For details, see “angleEaseIn” on page 507.

func.angleEaseOut(“columnName”, point);

Returns the angle of the ease-out handle. For details, see “angleEaseOut” on page 507.

func.pointEaseIn(“columnName”, point);

Returns the number of frames in the ease-in. For details, see “pointEaseIn” on page 510.

func.pointEaseOut(“columnName”, point);

Returns the number of frames in the ease-out. For details, see “pointEaseOut” on page 511.

3D Path Functions

func.numberOfPoints3DPath(“columnName”);

Returns the number of keyframes and control points on the 3D path. For details, see “numberOfPoints3DPath” on page 509.

func.pointBias3DPath(“columnName”, point);

Returns the bias value for the specified point on the 3D path. For details, see “pointBias3DPath” on page 509.

func.pointContinuity3DPath(“columnName”, point);

Returns the continuity value (STRAIGHT, SMOOTH or CORNER) for the specified point on the 3D path. For details, see “pointContinuity3DPath” on page 510.

func.pointLockedAtFrame(“columnName”, point);

Returns the frame the point is locked at, or 0 if the point is not locked. For details, see “pointLockedAtFrame” on page 513.

func.pointTension3DPath(“columnName”, point);

Returns the tension value for the specified point on the 3D path. For details, see “pointTension3DPath” on page 513.

func.pointX3DPath(“columnName”, point);

Returns the value of the specified point on the X path. For details, see “pointX3DPath” on page 514.


467


func.pointY3DPath(“columnName”, point);

Returns the value of the specified point on the Y path. For details, see “pointY3DPath” on page 514.

func.pointZ3DPath(“columnName”, point);

Returns the value of the specified point on the Z path. For details, see “pointZ3DPath” on page 515.

Editing Functions

func.addCtrlPointAfter3DPath(“columnName”, point, X, Y, Z, tension, continuity, bias);

Adds a keyframe after a point on a 3D path and sets the X, Y and Z values, as well as the tension, continuity and bias. For details, see “addCtrlPointAfter3DPath” on page 505.

func.addKeyFrame3DPath(“columnName”, frame, X, Y, Z, tension, continuity, bias);

Adds a keyframe to a 3D path and sets the X, Y and Z value, as well as the tension, continuity and bias. For details, see “addKeyFrame3DPath” on page 506.

func.removePoint3DPath(“columnName”, point);

Removes either a control point or a keyframe from the 3D path. For details, see “removePoint3DPath” on page 515.

func.setPoint3DPath(“columnName”, point, X, Y, Z, tension, continuity, bias);

Sets the properties of a point on a 3D path, including X, Y, and Z values, and tension, continuity and bias values. For details, see “setPoint3DPath” on page 518.

func.setBezierPoint(“columnName”, frame, Y, handleLeftX, handleLeftY, handleRightX, handleRightY, constSeg, “continuity”);

Sets the values of a point on a Bezier function curve. For details, see “setBezierPoint” on page 515.

func.setEasePoint(“columnName”, frame, Y, easeIn, angleEaseIn, easeOut, angleEaseOut, constSeg, “continuity”);

Sets the values of a point on an Ease function curve. For details, see “setEasePoint” on page 516.

func.setHoldStartFrame(“columnName”, startFrame);

Sets the Start value in the Hold Value Editor dialog box, for Bezier, Ease and Velo-based Function Editors. For details, see “setHoldStartFrame” on page 517.

func.setHoldStep(“columnName”, stepNumber);

Sets the Hold value in the Hold Value Editor dialog box, for Bezier, Ease and Velo-based Function Editors. For details, see “setHoldStep” on page 517.


468


func.setHoldStopFrame(“columnName”, stopFrame);

Sets the Stop value in the Hold Value Editor dialog box, for Bezier, Ease and Velo-based Function Editors. For details, see “setHoldStopFrame” on page 517.

func.setVeloBasedPoint(“columnName”, frame, Y);

Sets the values of a point on a Velocity-Based function curve. For details, see “setVeloBasedPoint” on page 518.

Timeline Function Description

Timeline.firstFrameSel Returns the number of the first frame in the Timeline selection or the current frame, if only one frame is selected. For details, see “firstFrameSel” on page 520.

Timeline.isAncestorOf(parentLayerIdx, layerIdx);

Returns true or false to identify if a layer is the parent of another layer. For details, see “isAncestorOf” on page 520.

Timeline.layerIsColumn(layerIdx);

Returns true or false to identify if the Timeline layer is linked to a column in the Xsheet. For details, see “layerIsColumn” on page 520.

Timeline.layerIsNode(layerIdx); Returns true or false to identify if the Timeline layer is linked to a module (node) in the Network. For details, see “layerIsNode” on page 521.

Timeline.layerToColumn(layerIdx);

Returns the column name for the Timeline layer. It returns an empty string if the layer is not a column. For details, see “layerToColumn” on page 521.

Timeline.layerToNode(layerIdx); Returns the node (module) index from the Network for the Timeline layer. It returns an empty string if the layer is not a node. For details, see “layerToNode” on page 521.

Timeline.numFrameSel Returns the number of the selected frame in the Timeline, if only one frame is selected. For details, see “numFrameSel” on page 522.

Timeline.numLayers Returns the number of layers in the Timeline. For details, see “numLayers” on page 522.


469


Timeline.numLayersSel Returns the number of layers that are selected in the Timeline. For details, see “numLayerSel” on page 522.

Timeline.parentNodeIndex(layerIdx)

Returns a layer identifier (layerIdx) for the parent of the layer (layerIdx). For details, see “parentNodeIndex” on page 523.

Timeline.selIsColumn(selIdx) Returns true or false to indicate if the Timeline selection has a column in the Xsheet. For details, see “selIsColumn” on page 523.

Timeline.selIsNode(selIdx) Returns true or false to identify if the Timeline selection is linked to a module (node) in the Network. For details, see “selIsNode” on page 523.

Timeline.selToColumn(selIdx) Returns the column name for the Timeline selection. For details, see “selToColumn” on page 524.

Timeline.selToLayer(selIdx) Returns the layer identifier (layerIdx) for the selection (selIdx) in the Timeline. For details, see “selToLayer” on page 524.

Timeline.selToNode(selIdx) Returns the node name from the module in the Network for the Timeline selection. For details, see “selToNode” on page 524.

View Function Description

view.column(currentView); Returns the name of the column for the currently displayed function in the Function View. For details, see “column” on page 525.

view.currentView(); Returns a unique identifier for the current, active View. For details, see “currentView” on page 526.

view.group(currentView); Returns the name of the current Group Module in the active Network View. For details, see “group” on page 526.

view.type(currentView); Returns a string that indicates what type of View the currentView is. For details, see “type” on page 526.

Timeline Function Description

470


SceneWith the Scene functions, you can retrieve and set global scene attributes, like the aspect ratio of the cells in the scene grid.

Following are the Scene functions:

• “beginUndoRedoAccum” on page 472• “coordAtCentreX” on page 472

• “coordAtCentreY” on page 472

• “currentScene” on page 473• “endUndoRedoAccum” on page 473

• “numberOfUnitsZ” on page 474

• “setCoordAtCentre” on page 474• “setNumberofUnits” on page 475

• “setUnitsAspectRatio” on page 475

• “unitsAspectRatioX” on page 475• “unitsAspectRatioY” on page 476

Example

This script uses an undo/redo wrapper to enclose several functions in one command called “Set Scene”. The Set Scene command sets the aspect ratio of the scene, sets the number of units of the scene and sets the centre coordinates.

function setScene()

{

// Sets the beginning of the undo/redo command wrapper

scene.beginUndoRedoAccum("Set Scene");

// Sets the aspect ratio of the scene to 4, 3

scene.setUnitsAspectRatio(4, 3);

// Sets the number of units in the scene

scene.setNumberOfUnits(1200, 900, 12);

// Sets the value of the center coordinate

scene.setCoordAtCenter(5000, 5000);

// Terminates the undo/redo command wrapper

scene.endUndoRedoAccum();

}

471


beginUndoRedoAccumDescription

This function starts the accumulation of all of the functions between it and the endUndoRedoAccum function as one command that will appear in the undo/redo list. If you do not use this function with endUndoRedoAccum, each function in the script generates a separate undo/redo entry.

Syntax

scene.beginUndoRedoAccum(“commandname”);

Arguments

“commandname”

• “commandname”: the name of the command to be added to the undo/redo list.

coordAtCentreXDescription

This function returns the X value of the centre coordinate of the scene grid.

Syntax

scene.coordAtCenterX();

Arguments

None.

coordAtCentreYDescription

This function returns the Y value of the centre coordinate of the scene grid.

Syntax

scene.coordAtCenterY();

Arguments

None.

472


currentSceneDescription

This function returns the name of the current scene.

Syntax

scene.currentJob();

Arguments

None.

endUndoRedoAccumDescription

This function ends the accumulation all of the functions between it and the beginUndoRedoAccum function as one command that will appear in the undo/redo list. If you do not use this function with beginUndoRedoAccum, each function in the script generates a separate undo/redo entry.

Syntax

scene.endUndoRedoAccum();

Arguments

None.

numberOfUnitsXDescription

This function returns the number of units in the X axis of the scene grid.

Syntax

scene.numberOfUnitsX();

Arguments

None.

473


numberOfUnitsYDescription

This function returns the number of units in the Y axis of the scene grid.

Syntax

scene.numberOfUnitsY();

Arguments

None.

numberOfUnitsZDescription

This function returns the number of units in the Z axis of the scene grid.

Syntax

scene.numberOfUnitsZ();

Arguments

None.

setCoordAtCentreDescription

This functions sets the value of the centre (X, Y) coordinates.

Syntax

scene.setCoordAtCenter(x, y);

Arguments

X, Y

• X, Y: The value of the X and Y coordinate at the centre of the grid.

474


setNumberofUnitsDescription

This function sets the number of X, Y, and Z units in the scene grid.

Syntax

scene.setNumberofUnits(x, y, z);

Arguments

X, Y, Z

• X, Y, Z: the X, Y and Z values of the scene grid.

setUnitsAspectRatioDescription

This function sets the aspect ratio of the scene. The scene’s final aspect ratio will be:

X * numberOfUnitsX()/Y * numberOfUnitsY()

Syntax

scene.setUnitsAspectRatio(x, y);

Arguments

X, Y

• X, Y: the X, Y value of the new aspect ratio.

unitsAspectRatioXDescription

This function returns the X value of the aspect ratio of the cells in the scene grid.

Syntax

scene.unitsAspectRatioX();

Arguments

None.

475


unitsAspectRatioYDescription

This function returns the Y value of the aspect ratio of the cells in the scene grid.

Syntax

scene.unitsAspectRatioY();

Arguments

None.

FrameWith the Frame functions, you can retrieve values from frames and you can add and remove frames in your scene.

Following are the Frame functions:

• “current” on page 477• “insert” on page 477

• “numberOf” on page 478

• “remove” on page 478

Example

This example is called as soon as a scene is opened.

function sceneOpened()

{

// this part of the function launches the newScene function if

// the scene has only one frame

if (frame.numberOf() == 1)

newScene();

}

function newScene()

{

// this function opens a dialog box named Create New Scene, which

// allows users to enter the number of frames to add to the scene

var d = new Dialog;

d.title = "Create New Scene";

var nbFrames = new SpinBox;

476


nbFrames.label = "Number of Frames";

nbFrames.minimum = 1;

nbFrames.maximum = 300;

nbFrames.value = 60;

d.add(nbFrames);

if (d.exec())

{

var oldNbFrames = frame.numberOf();

frame.insert(0, nbFrames.value - oldNbFrames);

}

}

currentDescription

This function returns the number of the current frame.

Syntax

frame.current();

Arguments

None.

insertDescription

This function inserts frames at the selected frame number.

Syntax

frame.insert(atFrame, nbFrames);

Arguments

atFrame, nbFrames

• atFrame: integer for the frame number at which the frames will be inserted.Frames are inserted after the frame indicated. Use 0 to insert frames before the first frame.

• nbFrames: integer for the number of frames to insert.

477


numberOfDescription

This function returns the number of frames in the scene.

Syntax

frame.numberOf();

Arguments

None.

removeDescription

This function deletes frames starting from the selected frame number.

Syntax

frame.remove(startFrame, nbFrames);

Arguments

startFrame, nbFrames

• startFrame: integer indicating at which frame to start removing frames.Use 0 to delete frames from the beginning.

• nbFrames: integer for the number of frames to remove.

478


ElementWith the Element functions, you can retrieve information about the elements in your scene and you can add and remove them.

Following are the Element functions:

• “add” on page 479• “getName” on page 480

• “id” on page 480

• “numberOf” on page 480

Example

This script adds an element named “newDrawing” to your scene.

function addElement

{

element.add(“newDrawing”, “BW”, 12, “TVG”, “SCAN”);

}

addDescription

This function adds an element to the scene.

Syntax

element.add(“name”, scanType, fieldChart, fileFormat, Vectorize);

Arguments

“name”, scanType, fieldChart, fileFormat, Vectorize

• name: any string for the name.

• scanType: “Colour”, “Gray_Scale”, “BW” (for black and white) or “None”.

• fieldChart: 12, 16 or 24.• fileFormat: “SCAN”, “OPT”, “PAL”, “SGI”, “TGA”, “YUV”, “OMF” or “PSD”.

• Vectorize: “TVG” or “None”.

479


getNameDescription

This function returns the name of the element.

Syntax

element.getName(index);

Arguments

index

• index: an integer from 0 to the value returned by the function element.numberOf, representing the index number of the element.

idDescription

This function returns the id (key) of the element.

Syntax

element.id(index);

Arguments

index

• index: an integer from 0 to the value returned by the function element.numberOf, representing the index number of the element. The id and the index are not always the same value.

numberOfDescription

This function returns the number of elements in the scene.

Syntax

element.numberOf();

Arguments

None.

480


ColumnWith the Column function, you can retrieve values from columns in your scene and you can add and remove them.

The following are the Column functions:

• “add” on page 482• “clearKeyFrame” on page 482

• “getElementOfDrawing” on page 483

• “getEntry” on page 483• “getName” on page 483

• “getTextOfExpr” on page 484

• “isKeyFrame” on page 484• “rename” on page 485

• “setElementOfDrawing” on page 485

• “setEntry” on page 486• “setKeyFrame” on page 486

• “setTextOfExpr” on page 487

• “type” on page 487

Example

In this script, a loop is run on each column to retrieve the name and type of each column. If a column is a Drawing column, the element is also printed retrieved. All this information is printed to the shell that started Toon Boom Digital Pro.

function printColumnInfo()

{

n = column.numberOf();

System.println("Columns");

for (i = 0; i < n; ++i)

{

var line;

name = column.getName(i);

type = column.type(name);

line = i + " " + name + "(" + type + ")";

if (type == "DRAWING")

line += " element = "

+ column.getElementOfDrawing(name);

System.println(line);

481


}

}

addDescription

This function adds a column with the specified name and type.

Syntax

column.add(“columnName”, “columnType”);

Arguments

“columnName”, “columnType”

• columnName: the name of the column you want to add.

• columnType: the type of column you want to add. You can add any of the following: DRAWING, SOUND, 3DPATH, BEZIER, EASE OR EXPR (for expression).

clearKeyFrameDescription

This function removes a keyframe from a cell in a column.

Syntax

column.clearKeyFrame(“columnName”, atFrame);

Arguments

“columnName”, atFrame

• columnName: the name of the column. If the column is a 3D Path with multiple columns, the keyframe in each column will be removed.

• atFrame: the frame number where you want to clear the keyframe.

482


getElementOfDrawingDescription

This function returns the name the element linked to the specified drawing column.

Syntax

column.getElementOfDrawing(“columnName”);

Arguments

“columnName”

• columnName: name of the column.

getEntryDescription

This function returns the value of a cell in a column.

Syntax

column.getEntry(“columnName”, subColumn, atFrame);

Arguments

“columnName”, subColumn, atFrame

• columnName: the name of the column, enclosed in quotes

• subColumn: the number value of the sub-column. This only exists in the case of 3D Path columns, which include a group of sub-columns for the X, Y, Z and velocity values on the 3D path. Each sub-column has a number:

X = 1Y = 2Z = 3Velocity = 4

• atFrame: the frame number that you want to retrieve the value from.

getNameDescription

This function returns the name of the column.

Syntax

column.getName(columnNumber);

483


Arguments

columnNumber

• columnNumber: this is an integer that represents the numerical value of the column. This integer is between 0 and column.numberOf.

getTextOfExprDescription

This function returns the expression text in the identified column.

Syntax

column.getTextOfExpr(“columnName”);

Arguments

“columnName”

• columnName: the name of the Expression column that contains the text you want to return. The columnName is must be enclosed in quotes.

isKeyFrameDescription

This function returns true or false indicating if a cell in a column is a keyframe.

Syntax

column.isKeyFrame(“columnName”, subColumn, atFrame);

Arguments

“columnName”, subColumn, atFrame

• columnName: the name of the column.



• atFrame: the frame number that you want to retrieve the value from.

484


numberOfDescription

This function returns the number of columns in the scene.

Syntax

column.numberOf();

Arguments

None.

renameDescription

This function renames the specified column.

Syntax

column.rename(“oldName”, “newName”);

Arguments

“oldName”, “newName”

• oldName: the original name of the column you want to change.

• newName: the new name of the column.

setElementOfDrawingDescription

This function links a Drawing column to an element.

Syntax

column.setElementOfDrawing(“columnName”, “elementName”);

Arguments

“columnName”, “elementName”


• elementName: the name of the element you want to link to the column.

485


setEntryDescription

This function sets the value of a cell in a column.

Syntax

column.setEntry(“columnName”, subColumn, atFrame, “value”);

Arguments

“columnName”, subColumn, atFrame, “value”

• columnName: the name of the column, enclosed in quotes



• atFrame: the frame number.

• value: the value you want to set the cell to.

setKeyFrameDescription

This function makes a cell in a column a keyframe.

Syntax

column.setKeyFrame(“columnName”, atFrame);

Arguments

“columnName”, atFrame

• columnName: the name of the column. If the column is a 3D Path with multiple columns, the frame in each column will be made a keyframe.

• atFrame: the frame number where you want to set the keyframe.

486


setTextOfExprDescription

This function sets the value in the Expression column to the specified text.

Syntax

column.setTextOfExpr(“columnName”, “text”);

Arguments

“columnName”, “text”


• text: the expression text.

typeDescription

This function returns the column type. There are seven column types: drawing (DRAWING), sound (SOUND), 3D Path (3DPATH), Bezier Curve (BEZIER), Ease Curve (EASE) and Expression (EXPR).

Syntax

column.type(“columnName”);

Arguments

“columnName”

• columnName: a string for the name of the column.

487


NodeNodes are synonymous with Filter, IO, Move and Group Modules in the Network View.

With Node functions, you can retrieve values from modules in your effects and compositing network. You can also use these functions to add and link modules in your network, and set their attributes.

Because there can be identical module names in the effects network, you must use the full path to identify a module. Similarly, when functions return module names, they often use the full path.

The syntax for module paths is:

Top/Group_Name/Module_Name

Note:

To find the proper syntax for modules and their attributes, create a scene, add the modules you want to check, save the scene and then check the *.stage file.

The following is a list of the Node functions:

• “add” on page 490

• “coordX” on page 490• “coordY” on page 491

• “dstNode” on page 491

• “equals” on page 491• “flatDstNode” on page 492

• “flatSrcNode” on page 492

• “getName” on page 492• “getTextAttr” on page 493

• “isGroup” on page 493

• “isLinked” on page 493• “link” on page 494

• “linkAttr” on page 494

• “linkedColumn” on page 495• “noNode” on page 495

• “numberOfInputPorts” on page 495

• “numberOfOutputLinks” on page 496

• “numberOfOutputPorts” on page 496• “numberOfSubNodes” on page 496

• “parentNode” on page 497

• “rename” on page 497• “root” on page 497

488


• “setTextAttr” on page 498

• “srcNode” on page 498• “subNode” on page 499


• “unlink” on page 499• “unlinkAttr” on page 500

• “setCoord” on page 498

Example

This script automates the process of compositing several modules together using a Composite Module. This script takes all of the selected modules in the Network View and links them to a new Composite Module, named “comp”.

{

/* The parentNode function in this script adds the Composite Module in the parent group of the selected modules.

The link function, in a loop, connects all selected modules to the new Composite Module.

The setCoord function positions the new module in the network.

function compose()*/

var n = selection.numberOfNodesSelected();

var i, posx, posy;

if (n > 0)

{

var comp = node.add(

node.parentNode(selection.selectedNode(0)), "comp",

"COMPOSITE", 0, 0, 0);

posx = 0; posy = -10000;

for (i = 0; i < n; ++i)

{

var selNode = selection.selectedNode(i);

node.link(selNode, 0, comp, i);

posx += node.coordX(selNode);

if (node.coordY(selNode) > posy)

posy = node.coordY(selNode);

}

489


posx /= n;

posy += 50;

node.setCoord(comp, posx, posy)

}

}

addDescription

This function adds a module to the network.

Syntax

node.add(“parent_group_path”, “name”, “type”, X, Y, Z);

Arguments

“parent_group_path”, “name”, “type”, X, Y, Z

• parent_group_path: the path of the parent node into which you want to add this module.

• name: the name of the module you will add.• type: the type of module you will add. The module types are like: READ,

COMPOSITE, PEG, QUADMAP, SHADOW, etc.• X: the X position of the module in the Network View.• Y: the Y position of the module in the Network View.

• Z: the Z position of the module in the Network View. This property is important when two modules overlap.

coordXDescription

This function returns an integer indicating the X position of a module in the network.

Syntax

node.coordX(“node_path”);

Arguments

“node_path”

• node_path: the path of the node whose X position you want to identify.

490


coordYDescription

This function returns an integer indicating the Y position of a module in the network.

Syntax

node.coordY(“node_path”);

Arguments

“node_path”

• node_path: the path of the node whose Y position you want to identify.

dstNodeDescription

This function returns the path of the destination module linked to by the output port on the source module.

Syntax

node.dstNode(“node_path”, iPort, iLink);

Arguments

“node_path”, iPort, iLink

• node_path: the path of the module whose output you want to get. • iPort: the port number on which you want to find the connected module. This

value is between 0 and the results of the numberOfInputPorts function.• iLink: the link number whose destination module you want to find. This value is

between 0 and the results of the numberOfInputLinks function.

equalsDescription

This function returns true or false to indicate if a node path is equal to another. Used to compare node paths.

Syntax

node.equals(“node_path”, “node_path”);

Arguments

“node_path”, “node_path”

• node_path : the path of the modules you want to compare.

491


flatDstNodeDescription

If the dstNode is a Group Module, this function returns the path of the module inside the Group Module that is the destination. This function behaves like the dstNode function when the module is not in a group.

Syntax

node.flatDstNode(“node_path”, iPort, iLink);

Arguments

“node_path”, iPort, iLink

• node_path: the path of the module whose output you want to get.• iPort: the port number on which you want to find the connected module. This

value is between 0 and the results of the numberOfInputPorts function.• iLink: the number of the link whose destination module you want to find. This

value is between 0 and the results of the numberOfInputLinks function.

flatSrcNodeDescription

If the srcNode is a Group Module, this function returns the path of the module inside the Group Module that is the source. If the source is not inside a group, the flatSrcNode function behaves like the srcNode function.

Syntax

node.flatSrcNode(“node_path”, iPort);

Arguments

“node_path”, iPort

• node_path: the path of the module whose input ports you want to get.

• iPort: the port number on which you want to find the module that is connected to it. This value is between 0 and the results of the numberOfInputPorts function.

getNameDescription

This function returns the name of a module.

Syntax

node.getName(“node_path”);

492


Arguments

“node_path”

• node_path: the path of the node that you want to get the name of.

getTextAttrDescription

This function returns the value(s) of the module’s selected attribute(s).

Syntax

node.getTextAttr(“node_path”, atFrame, “attrName”);

Arguments

“node_path”, atFrame, “attrName”

• node_path: the path of the module whose attributes you want.• atFrame: the frame number from which you want to extract the attribute value.

If the value is static, you must still pass a value. You can, for example, pass 1 to take the value at the first frame.

• attrName: the attribute whose value you want.

isGroupDescription

This function returns a true or false value indicating if the module is a Group Module.

Syntax

node.isGroup(“node_path”);

Arguments

“node_path”

• node_path: the path of the node that you want to test to see if it is a Group Module.

isLinkedDescription

This function returns true or false to indicate if a port is connected to another module.

Syntax

node.isLinked(“node_path”, iPort);

493


Arguments


• node_path: the path of the module whose ports you want to check.

• iPort: the number of the port whose link status you want to check. This value is between 0 and the results of the numberOfInputPorts function.

linkDescription

This function links a port on a module to a port on another module.

Syntax

node.link(“srcNode_path”, srcPort, “dstNode_path”, dstPort);

Arguments

“srcNode_path”, srcPort, “dstNode_path”, dstPort

• srcNode_path: the path of the module whose output port you want to link to a destination module.

• srcPort: the port that you want to link to the input port on the destination module. This value is between 0 and the results of the numberOfOutputPorts function.

• dstNode_path: the path of the module whose input port you want to link to the source module.

• dstPort: the port on the destination module that you want to link to the output port from the source module. This value is between 0 and the results of the numberOfInputPorts function.

linkAttrDescription

This function links an attribute to a function column in the Xsheet View.

Syntax

node.linkAttr(“node_path”, “attrName”, “columnName”);

Arguments

“node_path”, “attrName”, “columnName”

• node_path: the path of the module whose attribute you want to link to a function column.

• attrName: the name of the attribute that you want to link.

• columnName: the name of the column that you want to link to the attribute.

494


linkedColumnDescription

This function returns the name of the column that an attribute is linked to. If the attribute is not linked to a column, the function returns the null string.

Syntax

node.linkedColumn(“node_path”, “attrName”);

Arguments

“node_path”, “attrName”

• node_path: the path of the module you want to check.

• attrName: the attribute you want to check to see if it is linked to a column.

noNodeDescription

This function returns the null string that is returned by other functions when there is an error.

Syntax

node.noNode();

Arguments

None.

numberOfInputPortsDescription

This function returns an integer indicating the number of input ports on the module.

Syntax

node.numberOfInputPorts(“node_path”);

Arguments

“node_path”

• “node_path”: the path of the module whose input ports you want to count.

495


numberOfOutputLinksDescription

This function returns an integer indicating the number of modules actually linked from the output ports.

Syntax

node.numberOfOutputLinks(“node_path”, iPort);

Arguments


• node_path: the path of the module whose output ports you want to check.

• iPort: the port number on which you want to locate the module that is connected to it. This value is between 0 and the results of the numberOfInputPorts function.

numberOfOutputPortsDescription

This function returns an integer indicating the number of output ports on a module.

Syntax

node.numberOfOutputPorts(“node_path”);

Arguments

“node_path”

• node_path: the path of the module whose output ports you want to check.

numberOfSubNodesDescription

This function returns an integer that indicates the number of modules contained in a group.

Syntax

node.numberOfSubNodes(“node_path”);

Arguments

“node_path”

• node_path: the path of the Group Module that you want to query to count the modules it contains.

496


parentNodeDescription

This function returns the path of the parent level of a module contained in a group.

Syntax

node.parentNode(“node_path”);

Arguments

“node_path”

• “node_path” : the path of the module whose parent you want to locate.

renameDescription

This function changes the name of a module.

Syntax

node.rename(“node_path”, “newName”);

Arguments

“node_path”, “newName”

• node_path: the path of the module whose name you want to change.• newName: the new name for the module.

• atFrame: the frame number at which you want to change the value. If the value is static, you must still pass a value.

• attrValue: the new value for the attribute.

rootDescription

This function returns the name of the Top level in the network, which is “Top”.

Syntax

node.root();

Arguments

None.

497


setCoordDescription

This function sets the position of a module in the network.

Syntax

node.setCoord(“node_path”, X, Y);

Arguments

“node_path”, X, Y

• node_path: the path of the module you want to reposition in the Network View.

• X: the X position of the module in the Network View.• Y: the Y position of the module in the Network View.

setTextAttrDescription

This function changes the value of an attribute in a module.

Syntax

node.setTextAttr(“node_path”, “attrName”, atFrame, “attrValue”);

Arguments

“node_path”, “attrName”, atFrame, “attrValue”

• node_path: the path of the module whose attribute you want to change.

• attrName: the name of the attribute whose value you want to change.

srcNodeDescription

This function returns the path for the module that the port is linked to.

Syntax

node.srcNode(“node_path”, iPort);

Arguments


• node_path: the path of the module whose input ports you want to get. • iPort: the port number on the destination module whose source module you

want to find. This value is between 0 and the results of the numberOfInputPorts function.

498


subNodeDescription

This function returns the path of a module in a group. Modules are counted starting with zero.

Syntax

node.subNode(“node_path_parent”, iSubNode);

Arguments

“node_path_parent”, iSubNode

• node_path_parent: the path of the parent group that contains the module you want to identify.

• iSubNode: an integer representing the numerical value of the module. This value must be between 0 and the numberOfSubNodes function for that point.

typeDescription

This function returns the module type. These are all of the built-in module types available from the Stage Module like: READ, COMPOSITE, PEG, QUADMAP, SHADOW, etc.

Syntax

node.type(“node_path”);

Arguments

“node_path”

• node_path: the path of the node whose type you want to know.

unlinkDescription

This function unlinks a port on one module from the port on another module.

Syntax

node.unlink(“dstNode_path”, inPort);

Arguments

499


“dstNode_path”, inPort

• dstNode_path: the path of the module whose input port you want to unlink from the source module.

• inPort: the input port that you want to unlink. This value is between 0 and the results of the numberOfInputPorts function.

unlinkAttrDescription

This function unlinks an attribute from a function column.

Syntax

node.unlinkAttr(“node_path”, “attrName”);

Arguments

“node_path”, “attrName”

• node_path: the path of the module whose attribute you want to unlink from a function column.

• attrName: the name of the attribute that you want to unlink.

SelectionWith the Selection functions, you can retrieve information about the modules or columns you have selected.

Following are the Selection functions:

• “numberOfColumnsSelected” on page 501

• “numberOfNodesSelected” on page 501

• “selectedColumn” on page 502• “selectedNode” on page 502

Example

This script prints the name of the selected columns and their frame values to the shell.

function dumpSelectedColumn()

{

/* The numberOfColumnsSelected function loops to check all of the selected columns and determine their frame values.

The selectedColumn function prints the name of the selected column to the shell and then loops through the values in the column to print them as well. */

500


var ncol = selection.numberOfColumnsSelected();

var nframe = frame.numberOf();

var i;

for (i = 0; i < ncol; ++i)

{

var f;

var c = selection.selectedColumn(i);

System.println("Column " + c);

for (f = 1; f <= nframe; ++f)

{

var value = column.getEntry(c, 1, f);

var keyframe = column.isKeyFrame(c, 1, f);

if (keyframe) value += " (keyframe)";

System.println(" " + f + ": " + value);

}

}

}

numberOfColumnsSelectedDescription

This function returns a value for the number of selected columns.

Syntax

selection.numberOfColumnsSelected();

Arguments

None.

numberOfNodesSelectedDescription

This function returns the number of modules that are selected.

Syntax

selection.numberOfNodesSelected();

Arguments

None.

501


selectedColumnDescription

This function returns the name of the selected column

Syntax

selection.selectedColumn(int i);

Arguments

int i

• int i: the index value of each selected column. The value must be between 0 and the numberOfColumnsSelected function.

selectedNodeDescription

This function returns the path of the selected node.

Syntax

selection.selectedNode(int i);

Arguments

int i

• int i: the index value of each selected node. The value must be between 0 and the numberOfNodesSelected function.

502


Function CurveWith the Function Curve functions, you can retrieve and modify values in the function curves.

Following are the Function Curve functions:

• “addCtrlPointAfter3DPath” on page 505• “addKeyFrame3DPath” on page 506

• “angleEaseIn” on page 507

• “angleEaseOut” on page 507• “holdStartFrame” on page 507

• “holdStep” on page 508

• “holdStopFrame” on page 508• “numberOfPoints” on page 508

• “numberOfPoints3DPath” on page 509

• “pointBias3DPath” on page 509• “pointConstSeg” on page 509

• “pointContinuity” on page 510

• “pointContinuity3DPath” on page 510• “pointEaseIn” on page 510

• “pointEaseOut” on page 511

• “pointHandleLeftX” on page 511• “pointHandleLeftY” on page 512

• “pointHandleRightX” on page 512

• “pointHandleRightY” on page 512• “pointLockedAtFrame” on page 513

• “pointTension3DPath” on page 513

• “pointX” on page 513• “pointX3DPath” on page 514

• “pointY” on page 514

• “pointY3DPath” on page 514• “pointZ3DPath” on page 515

• “removePoint3DPath” on page 515

• “setHoldStartFrame” on page 517• “setHoldStopFrame” on page 517

• “setHoldStep” on page 517

• “setBezierPoint” on page 515• “setEasePoint” on page 516

503


• “setPoint3DPath” on page 518

• “setVeloBasedPoint” on page 518

Example

The following script adds three function columns and sets the values for various points on the function curves.

function addSetFunctions()

{

/* creates the function columns if needed*/

if ( !column.add("3DPATH_FUNC", "3DPATH") )

System.println( "Error creating 3dpath column" );

if ( !column.add("BEZIER_FUNC", "BEZIER") )

System.println( "Error creating bezier column" );

if ( !column.add("EASE_FUNC", "EASE") )

System.println( "Error creating ease column" );

// adds 2 keyframes on a 3DPATH at frame 6 and 12

// with values x=2, y=2, z=1, tension=3, continuity=-1, bias=1

func.addKeyFrame3DPath( "3DPATH_FUNC", 6, 2, 2, 1, 3, -1, 1 );

func.addKeyFrame3DPath( "3DPATH_FUNC", 12, 2, 2, 1, 3, -1, 1

);

// removes a keyframe on 3DPATH at frame 12

func.removePoint3DPath( "3DPATH_FUNC", 12 );

// prints the number of points on a 3DPath column

var pathPoints = func.numberOfPoints3DPath("3DPATH_FUNC");

System.println( "3DPATH_FUNC column has " + pathPoints + "

points" );

// adds a keyframe on a BEZIER at frame 10 with values y=5,

// handle_leftx=9, handle_lefty=5, handle_rightx=12,

// handle_righty=-0.5, constant seg=false, continuity=smooth

if ( ! func.setBezierPoint( "BEZIER_FUNC", 10, 5, 9, 5, 12, -

504


0.5, false, "SMOOTH" ) )

System.println( "Error creating point on bezier" );

// sets the step value for a function column staring at frame

// 1 upto frame 15 hold 2

func.setHoldStartFrame("BEZIER_FUNC", 1);

func.setHoldStopFrame("BEZIER_FUNC", 15);

func.setHoldStep("BEZIER_FUNC", 2);

// prints the number of points on a function column

var bezPoints = func.numberOfPoints("BEZIER_FUNC");

System.println( "BEZIER_FUNC column has " + bezPoints + "

points" );

// adds a keyframe on an EASE at frame 10 with values y=5,

// ease_inx=0, ease_iny=0, ease_outx=0, ease_outy=180

// constant seg=true, continuity=straight

if ( ! func.setEasePoint( "EASE_FUNC", 10, 6, 0, 0, 0, 180,

true, "STRAIGHT" ) )

System.println( "Error creating point on ease" );

}

addCtrlPointAfter3DPathDescription

This function adds a keyframe after a point on a 3D path and sets the X, Y and Z values, as well as the tension, continuity and bias.

Syntax

func.addCtrlPointAfter3DPath(“columnName”, point, X, Y, Z, tension, continuity, bias);

505


Arguments

“columnName”, point, X, Y, Z, tension, continuity, bias


• point: the number of the point on the curve, from 0 to n, where n is the total number of points. The last point on the curve is n-1.

• X: X value for the point on the 3D path.

• Y: Y value for the point.• Z: Z value for the point.

• tension: the tension value of the keyframe.

• continuity: the continuity value of the keyframe.• bias: the bias value of the keyframe.

addKeyFrame3DPathDescription

This function adds a keyframe to a 3D path and sets the X, Y and Z value, as well as the tension, continuity and bias.

Syntax

func.addKeyFrame3DPath(“columnName”, frame, X, Y, Z, tension, continuity, bias);

Arguments

“columnName”, frame, X, Y, Z, tension, continuity, bias

• columnName: the name of the column.• frame: frame number for the point.

• X: X value for the point on the 3D path.

• Y: Y value for the point.• Z: Z value for the point.

• tension: the tension value of the keyframe.

• continuity: the continuity value of the keyframe.• bias: the bias value of the keyframe.

506


angleEaseInDescription

This function returns the angle of the ease-in handle.

Syntax

func.angleEaseIn(“columnName”, point);

Arguments

“columnName”, point



angleEaseOutDescription

This function returns the angle of the ease-out handle.

Syntax

func.angleEaseOut(“columnName”, point);

Arguments




holdStartFrameDescription

This function returns the Start value from the Hold Value Editor dialog box, for Bezier, Ease and Velo-based Function Editors.

Syntax

func.holdStartFrame(“columnName”);

Arguments

“columnName”


507


holdStepDescription

This function returns the Step value from the Hold Value Editor dialog box, for Bezier, Ease and Velo-based Function Editors.

Syntax

func.holdStep(“columnName”);

Arguments

“columnName”


holdStopFrameDescription

This function returns the Stop value from the Hold Value Editor dialog box, for Bezier, Ease and Velo-based Function Editors.

Syntax

func.holdStopFrame(“columnName”);

Arguments

“columnName”


numberOfPointsDescription

This function returns the number of keyframes and control points on a curve.

Syntax

func.numberOfPoints(“columnName”);

Arguments

“columnName”


508


numberOfPoints3DPathDescription

This function returns the number of keyframes and control points on the 3D path.

Syntax

func.numberOfPoints3DPath(“columnName”);

Arguments

“columnName”


pointBias3DPathDescription

This function returns the bias value for the specified point on the 3D path.

Syntax

func.pointBias3DPath(“columnName”, point);

Arguments


• columnName: the name of the column.• point: the number of the point on the curve, from 0 to n, where n is the total

number of points. The last point on the curve is n-1.

pointConstSegDescription

This function returns a 1 to indicate that the point is on a constant segment, or a 0 to indicate that the point is not on a constant segment.

Syntax

func.pointConstSeg(“columnName”, point);

Arguments




509


pointContinuityDescription

This function returns the continuity of the curve that follows the point. One of the following values will be returned, in upper-case: SMOOTH, CORNER or STRAIGHT.

Syntax

func.pointContinuity(“columnName”, point);

Arguments




pointContinuity3DPathDescription

This function returns the continuity value (STRAIGHT, SMOOTH or CORNER) for the specified point on the 3D path.

Syntax

func.pointContinuity3DPath(“columnName”, point);

Arguments




pointEaseInDescription

This function returns the number of frames in the ease-in.

Syntax

func.pointEaseIn(“columnName”, point);

510


Arguments




pointEaseOutDescription

This function returns the number of frames in the ease-out.

Syntax

func.pointEaseOut(“columnName”, point);

Arguments




pointHandleLeftXDescription

This function returns the X value of the left handle of a point on a curve.

Syntax

func.pointHandleLeftX(“columnName”, point);

Arguments




511


pointHandleLeftYDescription

This function returns the Y value of the left handle of a point on a curve.

Syntax

func.pointHandleLeftY(“columnName”, point);

Arguments




pointHandleRightXDescription

This function returns the X value of the right handle of a point on a curve.

Syntax

func.pointHandleRightX(“columnName”, point);

Arguments




pointHandleRightYDescription

This function returns the Y value of the right handle of a point on a curve.

Syntax

func.pointHandleRightY(“columnName”, point);

Arguments




512


pointLockedAtFrameDescription

This function returns the frame the point is locked at or 0 if the point is not locked.

Syntax

func.pointLockedAtFrame(“columnName”, point);

Arguments




pointTension3DPathDescription

This function returns the tension value for the specified point on the 3D path.

Syntax

func.pointTension3DPath(“columnName”, point);

Arguments




pointXDescription

This function returns the X value (frame number) of a point on a function curve.

Syntax

func.pointX(“columnName”, point);

Arguments




513


pointX3DPathDescription

This function returns the value of the specified point on the X path.

Syntax

func.pointX3DPath(“columnName”, point);

Arguments




pointYDescription

This function returns the Y value of a point on a function curve.

Syntax

func.pointY(“columnName”, point);

Arguments




pointY3DPathDescription

This function returns the value of the specified point on the Y path.

Syntax

func.pointY3DPath(“columnName”, point);

Arguments




514


pointZ3DPathDescription

This function returns the value of the specified point on the Z path.

Syntax

func.pointZ3DPath(“columnName”, point);

Arguments




removePoint3DPathDescription

This function removes either a control point or a keyframe from the 3D path.

Syntax

func.removePoint3DPath(“columnName”, point);

Arguments




setBezierPointDescription

This function sets the values of a point on a Bezier function curve.

Syntax

func.setBezierPoint(“columnName”, frame, Y, handleLeftX, handleLeftY, handleRightX, handleRightY, constSeg, “continuity”);

515


Arguments

“columnName”, frame, Y, handleLeftX, handleLeftY, handleRightX, handleRightY, constSeg, “continuity”


• Y: Y value for the point.

• handleLeftX: X value for the left handle of the point.• handleLeftY: Y value for the left handle.

• handleRightX: X value for the right handle.

• handleRightY: Y value for the right handle.• constSeg: boolean expression (with a true or false value) to indicate whether the

segment is constant or interpolated.• “continuity”: string value for the continuity of the point. The string must be in

all upper-case. The following are the acceptable values: STRAIGHT, SMOOTH and CORNER.

setEasePointDescription

This function sets the values of a point on an Ease function curve.

Syntax

func.setEasePoint(“columnName”, frame, Y, easeIn, angleEaseIn, easeOut, angleEaseOut, constSeg, “continuity”);

Arguments

“columnName”, frame, Y, easeIn, angleEaseIn, easeOut, angleEaseOut, constSeg, “continuity”


• frame: frame number for the point.

• Y: Y value for the point.• easeIn: the number of frames in the ease-in.

• angleEaseIn: the angle of the ease-in handle.

• easeOut: the number of frames in the ease-out.• angleEaseOut: the angle of the ease-out handle.

• constSeg: boolean expression (with a true or false value) to indicate whether the segment is constant or interpolated.

• “continuity”: string value for the continuity of the point. The string must be in all upper-case. The following are the acceptable values: STRAIGHT, SMOOTH and CORNER.

516


setHoldStartFrameDescription

This function sets the Start value in the Hold Value Editor dialog box, for Bezier, Ease and Velo-based Function Editors.

Syntax

func.setHoldStartFrame(“columnName”, startFrame);

Arguments

“columnName”, startFrame


• startFrame: integer for the start frame of the hold.

setHoldStepDescription

This function sets the Hold value in the Hold Value Editor dialog box, for Bezier, Ease and Velo-based Function Editors.

Syntax

func.setHoldStep(“columnName”, step);

Arguments

“columnName”, stepNumber


• stepNumber: integer for the value of the steps in the hold.

setHoldStopFrameDescription

This function sets the Stop value in the Hold Value Editor dialog box, for Bezier, Ease and Velo-based Function Editors.

Syntax

func.setHoldStopFrame(“columnName”, stopFrame);

Arguments

“columnName”, stop


• stopFrame: integer for the stop frame of the hold.

517


setPoint3DPathDescription

This function sets the properties of a point on a 3D path, including X, Y, and Z values, and tension, continuity and bias.

Syntax

func.setPoint3DPath(“columnName”, point, X, Y, Z, tension, continuity, bias);

Arguments

“columnName”, point, X, Y, Z, tension, continuity, bias


number of points. The last point on the curve is n-1.• X: X value for the point on the 3D path.• Y: Y value for the point.

• Z: Z value for the point.

• tension: the tension value of the keyframe.• continuity: the continuity value of the keyframe.

• bias: the bias value of the keyframe.

setVeloBasedPointDescription

This function sets the values of a point on a Velocity-Based function curve.

Syntax

func.setVeloBasedPoint(“columnName”, frame, Y);

Arguments

“columnName”, frame, Y


• Y: Y value for the point.

518


TimelineWith the Timeline functions, you can return values for layers and frames in the Timeline window.

There are two main groups of Timeline functions:

• selToXX: the selection functions work with a selection using the selIdx parameter.• layerToXX: the layer functions work with Timeline layers using the layerIdx

parameter.

The layerIdx and selIdx parameters are used in many of the functions:

layerIdx: this is an integer that represents the layer in the Timeline. The first layer in the Timeline is considered 0 (zero).selIdx: this is an integer that represents the selection in the Timeline. It is a number from 0 to the number of layers selected minus 1.

Following are the Timeline functions:

• “firstFrameSel” on page 520

• “isAncestorOf” on page 520

• “layerIsColumn” on page 520• “layerIsNode” on page 521

• “layerToColumn” on page 521

• “layerToNode” on page 521• “numFrameSel” on page 522

• “numLayers” on page 522

• “numLayerSel” on page 522• “parentNodeIndex” on page 523

• “selIsColumn” on page 523

• “selIsNode” on page 523• “selToColumn” on page 524

• “selToLayer” on page 524

• “selToNode” on page 524• “setDisplayToUnconnected” on page 525

519


firstFrameSelDescription

This function returns the number of the first frame in the Timeline selection or the current frame, if only one frame is selected.

Syntax

Timeline.firstFrameSel;

Arguments

None.

isAncestorOfDescription

This function returns true or false to identify if a layer is the parent of another layer.

Syntax

Timeline.isAncestorOf(parentLayerIdx, layerIdx);

Arguments

parentLayerIdx, layerIdx

• parentLayerIdx: this is an integer that represents a layer that has nested sub-layers (children) in the Timeline.

• layerIdx: this is an integer that represents a layer in the Timeline.

layerIsColumnDescription

This function returns true or false to identify if the Timeline layer is linked to a column in the Xsheet.

Syntax

Timeline.layerIsColumn(layerIdx);

Arguments

layerIdx

• layerIdx: this is an integer that represents the layer in the Timeline.

520


layerIsNodeDescription

This function returns true or false to identify if the Timeline layer is linked to a module (node) in the Network.

Syntax

Timeline.layerIsNode(layerIdx);

Arguments

layerIdx


layerToColumnDescription

This function returns the column name for the Timeline layer. It returns an empty string if the layer is not a column.

Syntax

Timeline.layerToColumn(layerIdx);

Arguments

layerIdx


layerToNodeDescription

This function returns the node (module) index from the Network for the Timeline layer. It returns an empty string if the layer is not a node.

Syntax

Timeline.layerToNode(layerIdx);

Arguments

layerIdx


521


numFrameSelDescription

This function returns the number of the selected frame in the Timeline, if only one frame is selected. It will return zero (0) if no frames are selected.

Syntax

Timeline.numFrameSel;

Arguments

None.

numLayersDescription

This function returns the number of layers in the Timeline.

Syntax

Timeline.numLayers;

Arguments

None.

numLayerSelDescription

This function returns the number of layers that are selected in the Timeline.

A peg layer counts for six layers, seven if the Scale properties are set to separate functions in the Peg Module Editor.

Syntax

Timeline.numLayerSel;

Arguments

None.

522


parentNodeIndexDescription

This function returns a layer identifier (layerIdx) for the parent of the layer (layerIdx). Peg Modules are often used to create parent-child hierarchies that control the animation of several related modules.

Syntax

Timeline.parentNodeIndex(layerIdx);

Arguments

layerIdx


selIsColumnDescription

This function returns true or false to indicate if the Timeline selection has a column in the Xsheet.

SyntaxTimeline.selIsColumn(selIdx);

ArgumentsselIdx

• selIdx: this is an integer that represents the selection in the Timeline. It is a number from 0 to the numLayerSel -1.

selIsNodeDescription

This function returns true or false to identify if the Timeline selection is linked to a module (node) in the Network.

SyntaxTimeline.selIsNode(selIdx);

Arguments

selIdx


523


selToColumnDescription

This function returns the column name for the Timeline selection.

Syntax

Timeline.selToColumn(selIdx);

Arguments

selIdx


selToLayerDescription

This function returns the layer identifier (layerIdx) for the selection (selIdx) in the Timeline.

Syntax

Timeline.selToLayer(selIdx);

Arguments

selIdx


selToNodeDescription

This function returns the node name from the module in the Network for the Timeline selection.

Syntax

Timeline.selToNode(selIdx);

Arguments

selIdx


524


setDisplayToUnconnectedDescription

This function sets the Display to Unconnected in the Timeline. It returns false if it was unable to set the Display.

Syntax

Timeline.setDisplayToUnconnected();

Arguments

None

ViewWith the View functions, you can retrieve information about the contents of selected View windows.

Following are the View functions:

• “column” on page 525• “currentView” on page 526

• “group” on page 526


Example

This script prints the name of the name of the View type in the Shell that started the Stage Module.

function viewScript()

{

var myView = view.currentView();

System.println(view.type(myView));

}

columnDescription

This function returns the name of the column for the currently displayed function in the Function View.

Syntax

view.column(currentView);

525


Arguments

currentView

• currentView: the current view value, as returned by the currentView function

currentViewDescription

This function returns a unique identifier for the current, active View.

Syntax

view.currentView();

Arguments

None.

groupDescription

This function returns the name of the current Group Module in the active Network View.

Syntax

view.group(currentView);

Arguments

currentView

• currentView: the current view value, as returned by the currentView function.

typeDescription

This function returns a string that indicates what type of View the currentView is.

Syntax

view.type(currentView);

Arguments

currentView

• currentView: the current view value, as returned by the currentView function.

526

Index

Index

Numerics3D Path Editor 254

AAccess

support 25tutorials 25

accessinghow to 25

access tutorialshow to 25

add 479, 482, 490Add Columns 257addCtrlPointAfter3DPath 505Add Frames 258addKeyFrame3DPath 506Adjust Line Texture Opacity 258Advanced 315Advanced Palette Browser 292Advanced tab

peg module editor 429Alignment 259alpha

bitmaps 389alpha blending

Composite Generic Module 376anamorphic projection systems 437angleEaseIn 507angleEaseOut 507Animation

menu 90Animation Tools

toolbar 67anti-aliasing

Playback View 53Anti-Flicker Module Editor 354Apply 253

Apply Tool to All Drawings command 109Apply Velocity on Editor 260arrow

pegs in Timeline 60

BBack 253backgrounds

Maintain Size command 94beginUndoRedoAccum 472Bezier Editor 262Bitmap Image Quality 264bitmaps

alpha 389Blur-Directional Module 355Blur-Directional Module Editor 355Blur-Radial Module 357Blur-Radial Module Editor 357Blur-Variable Module 358Blur-Variable Module Editor 358Buttons 253

CCamera 303Camera Module 360Camera Module Editor 361Camera View 31

playback 31Camera View Menu 176Cancel 253cells

Xsheet Cells Size dialog box 349Xsheet View 63

Changetrack colour of layers in Timeline 62

child pegstiming 60

clearKeyFrame 482Close 253Close Gaps 265

527


Collapse child layersin timeline 60

Collapse pegsin timeline 60

Color2BW Module 362Color2BW Module Editor 410Color-Art Module 362Color-Art Module Editor 362Color-Card Module 363Color Override Modules 365Color-Scale Module 368Color-Scale Module Editor 369Color-Screen Module 370Color-Screen Module Editor 371colour art

Apply Tool to All Layers command 109Create Colour Art from Line Art command

114Create Contour Strokes 114

Colour-Card Module Editor 364colour modelling

Model View 45Colour-Override Module 365Colour-Override Module Editor 366colour palettes

Palette Manager 34Colour Picker 265Colour Recovery 268colours

overriding rendering 365colour styling

Model View 45Colour View 34

menu 195Column 481column 525Column Editor (Drawing) 269columns

Xsheet View 63Column Types 270Commands

animation menu 90camera view menu 176

colour view menu 195, 229, 250compositing menu 103drawing menu 108drawing view menu 200edit menu 136function view menu 215help menu 145introduction to 17model view menu 216Module library menu 218network view menu 219pen view menu 223playback view menu 224play menu 146scene menu 148template library menu 226view menu 152windows menu 173Xsheet view menu 239

communicationbetween applications 394

Composite-Generic Module 374Composite-Generic Module Editor 375Composite Module 371Composite Module Editor 372Compositing

menu 103compositing

colour overrides 365Network View 50

continuityToggle Continuity command 101

Contrast Module 378Contrast Module Editor 379Control Point and Keyframes

types of 36control points

Toggle Lock in Time command 101Convert Morphing to Drawings 270coordAtCenterX 472coordAtCenterY 472Coordinates and Control Points View 35coordX 490coordY 491

528

Index

Copying and Pasting Keyframes in the Timeline 56

Createnew scene 25

create a new scenehow to 25

Create Contour Strokes 37Create Cycle 271Creating

Qt scripts 452Crop Module 379Crop Module Editor 380Cropping tab 381current 477currentScene 473currentView 526cut-out animation

timing parent and child elements 60cut-outs

animating 60Cutter Module 383Cutter Module Editor 384

DDialog Boxes

introduction to 18Display All

filtering views 57Displaying Functions in the Timeline 61Displaying Groups, Sounds and Effects in the

Timeline 61Display Module 57, 385Display Module Editor 385Display Toolbar

toolbar 80Dither Module 386Dither Module Editor 386drag and drop

Timeline 56Drawing 309

menu 108

drawingBrush command 111

Drawing elementslocking 59

drawing elementslocking 59

drawingsalignment 392loading in Drawing View 38Remove Dirt command 111, 127

Drawing tab 388Drawing Tools

toolbar 71Drawing View 37

loading drawings 38Toonboom Vector Graphic (TVG) files 37

Drawing View Menu 200dstNode 491

EEase Editor 272Easy Flipping

toolbar 80Edit

menu 136toolbar 81

Effect Modulesintroduction to 20

effect valuesattaching to function curves 355

Element 479Element Module Editor 387elements

locking 59offset 390Reset Transformation command 95

Elements Tab 317Enable or Disable Modules from the

Timeline 58Enabling tab 382, 449endUndoRedoAccum 473equals 491

529


Exporting and Importing Scripts 454Export to Flash Movie (Swf) 274Export to QuickTime Movie 276Exposure Sheet 307exposure sheet 63Expression 278Extend Exposure 281External Module 394External Module Editor 394

FFade Module 446Fade Module Editor 447Field-Chart Module 395Field Chart Module Editor 396File

toolbar 81File Menu 142Fill Cells Randomly 283Fill Selection 282Filtering Layers in Timeline View 57filtering views 57Finish 253flatDstNode 492flatSrcNode 492flickering

Anti-Flicker Module 354Flip

toolbar 82Focus-Apply Module 399Focus-Apply Module Editor 399Focus-Set Module 400Focus-Set Module Editor 400Frame 476frames

add frames after 149copying and moving in Timeline 56

Frames Tab 318Free, Side and Top View Menus 212Free View 39Function Curve 503

displaying in Function View 40

function curvescontrolling effect values 355

functionsdisplaying in Timeline 61

Function Summary 460Function View 40Function View Menu 215

Ggap closing

Close Gap command 112Close Large Gap command 112Close Medium Gap command 112Close Small Gap command 112Disable command 116

General 300getElementOfDrawing 483getEntry 483getName 480, 483, 492getTextAttr 493getTextOfExpr 484Glow Module 402Glow Module Editor 403Go to Frame 283Gradient Module 407Gradient Module Editor 407Grain Module 408Grain Module Editor 409group 526Group Module 411Group Module Editor 412Group Modules

Create Group command 107Explode Selected Group(s) command 106Move to parent group command 107

HHelp Menu 145Help Tab 342Highlight Module 412Highlight Module Editor 413

530

Index

holdStartFrame 507holdStep 508holdStopFrame 508Hold Value Editor 284How to

access support 25access tutorials from the Welcome Screen

25create a new scene from the Welcome

Screen 25display a function curve in the function

view 40open a new scene from the Welcome

Screen 25open recent scene from the Welcome

Screen 25open workspace manager 28set stop-motion keyframes 42

IIcons

welcome screen 25id 480IK toolbarl 83Import Drawings 285ink & paint

Paint Unpainted command 124Respect Sticky Colour command 130Unpaint command 134

insert 477inserting values

Xsheet View 64Interface

introduction to 15Introduction to

commands 17dialog boxes 18effect modules 20Interface 15toolbars 16

Inverse Kinematicstoolbar 83

isGroup 493

isKeyFrame 484isLinked 493

Kkey frames

Clear Key Frames command 90Toggle Lock in Time command 101

keyframescopying and moving in Timeline 56

LLayers

filtering in Timeline View 57layers

changing colour in Timeline 62Left/Right Handle 263line art

Create Colour Art from Line Art command 114

Create Contour Strokes command 114Line Art Module 414

Line Art Module 414Line Art Module Editor 415line styles

Adjust Line Texture Opacity command 109

Brush command 111Pen Styles dialog box 51

line texturesAdjust Line Texture Opacity command

109Pen Styles dialog box 51

link 494linkAttr 494linkedColumn 495Linking a Script to a Toolbar Button 455lip sync

sound scrubbing 146Load Playback 287Locking

Drawing Elements 59

531


Pegs 59

MManaging Workspaces

creating 28hiding 28showing 28

Matte-Blur Module 415Matte-Blur Module Editor 416Matte-Resize Module 417Matte-Resize Module Editor 418Memory Tab 319Menu

animation 90camera view 176colour view 195, 229compositing 103drawing 108drawing view 200edit 136Free 212function view 215help 145model view 216Module library 218network view 219pen view 223play 146playback view 224scene 148Side 212Template library 226thumbnail panel contextual 250TopCommands

Free menu 212view 152windows 173Xsheet view 239

Message Log View 44Model View 45

menu 216Module Library Menu 218Module Library View 47

Module Properties View 48modules

Color Override Modules 365Disable command 104Enable command 105enabling and disabling 58

Morphing Inspector 288Morphing View 49Motion-Blur Module 418Motion-Blur Module Editor 419motion points

Toggle Lock in Time command 101Multi-Port-In Module 420Multi-Port-In Module Editor 421Multi-Port-Out Module Editor 422Muti-Port-Out Module 422

Nnavigating

panning 29zooming 29

Negate Module 423Negate Module Editor 423Network 305network

fire 32network cables

Bezier command 155Network View 50

panning 50Network View Menu 219New Scene 289Next 254Node 488noNode 495Note Module 424Note Module Editor 424numberOf 478, 480, 485numberOfColumnsSelected 501numberOfInputPorts 495numberOfNodesSelected 501numberOfOutputLinks 496

532

Index

numberOfOutputPorts 496numberOfPoints 508numberOfPoints3DPath 509numberOfSubNodes 496numberOfUnitsX 473numberOfUnitsY 474numberOfUnitsZ 474

OOffset-Position-Legacy Module 425Offset-Position-Legacy Module Editor 426Offset-position Module 424Offset-position Module Editior 425OK 254Onion Skin

toolbar 85Open

new scene 25recent scene 25

open a new scenehow to 25

open a recent scenehow to 25

OpenGL 314OpenGL Frames 290Options Tab 339Other Views Tab 323Output tab 448overwriting values

Xsheet View 64

PPalette Browser 291Palette Manager 293palettes

Palette Browser 292Palette Manager 34

palette tintingShow Tint Palette command 199

Panning and Zooming Windows 29

parentNode 497parent pegs

timing 60Paste Special 293Peg Module 426Peg Module Editor 427Pegs

locking 59pegs

locking 59Pen styles

adjusting texture characteristics 51pen styles

Brush command 111Pen Styles dialog box 51

Pen View 51Pen View Menu 223pipeline

integrating other applications 394Pivot tab

peg module editor 429Pixelate Module 430Pixelate Module Editor 431Placeholder Module 431Placeholder Module Editor 431Playback

toolbar 86playback

Camera View 31Playback Start/Stop Frame 297Playback View 53Playback View Menu 224Play Menu 146pointBias3DPath 509pointConstSeg 509pointContinuity 510pointContinuity3DPath 510pointEaseIn 510pointEaseOut 511pointHandleLeftX 511pointHandleLeftY 512pointHandleRightX 512

533


pointHandleRightY 512pointLockedAtFrame 513pointTension3DPath 513pointX 513pointX3DPath 514pointY 514pointY3DPath 514pointZ3DPath 515Position tab 390

peg module editor 427Preferences 298Preview Manager 316Preview Options 321programs

External Module 394

QQuadmap Module 432Quadmap Module Editor 434

RReference Introduction 15Refract Module 435Refract Module Editor 435remove 478Remove Dirt 325Remove Hair 325removePoint3DPath 515Remove-Transparency Module 436Remove-Transparency Module Editor 436rename 485, 497Rename Palette 326Rendering

toolbar 87rendering

anamorphic 437colour overrides 365Network View 50

Render Network 327Render View Tab 322Resolution/Frame Rate 328

root 497rows

Xsheet View 63

SSave 254Saving a different version of a scene 329Saving a Scene 329Saving the current version of a scene 329Scale- Output Module 437Scale-Output Module Editor 438Scene 471

create, new 25open, new 25open, recent 25

Scene Menu 148Sceneplanning View

Camera View 31Side View 54Top View 62

Script buttons 455Scripting

toolbar 87scrubbing sound

Scrubbing command 146Select Colour 330selectedColumn 502selectedNode 502Selection 500Selection Coordinates

types of 35Sequence Fill 331setBezierPoint 515setCoord 498setCoordAtCenter 474setEasePoint 516setElementOfDrawing 485setEntry 486Set Exposure 332setHoldStartFrame 517setHoldStep 517setHoldStopFrame 517

534

Index

setKeyFrame 486setNumberofUnits 475setPoint3DPath 518setTextAttr 498setTextOfExpr 487setUnitsAspectRatio 475setVeloBasedPoint 518Shadow Module 438Shadow Module Editor 439Shortcuts 299Show Hidden Columns 332Side menu 212Side View 54Sound Element Editor 333Sound Options 277sound scrubbing

Scrubbing command 146srcNode 498Stage Module window

tabs 27Stop-Motion Keyframes

setting 42subNode 499Support

acessing 25support 25

Ttab

Enabling 449tabs

Stage Module window 27Template 311Template Library Menu 226Template Library View 55Texture

adjust characteristics of pen styles 51Thumbnail Panel Contextual Menu 250Timeline 313

collapsing child layers in 60collapsing pegs in 60

Timeline View 56changing track colour of layerss 62copying/moving frames 56displaying functions 61displaying layers 57enabling and disabling modules 58operations 56show/hide 60

Timeline viewfiltering layers 57module display 58

Timeline View Menu 229timing

Columnate Selection command 237cut-out animation 60insert/overwrite Xsheet values 64

Tint Offset/Blend 335Tone Module 441Tone Module Editor 445Toolbar Manager 337Toolbars

animation tools 67display 80drawing tools 71easy flipping 80edit 81file 81flip 82introduction to 16inverse kinematics 83onion skin 85playback 86rendering 87scripting 87workspace 88

TopicsUser Interface 16View Windows 16Welcome screen 16

Top menu 212Top View 62Transformation tab

peg module editor 428troubleshooting

535


Recompute All command 107Tutorials

open 25TV

flicker 354TVG

Toonboom Vector Graphics 37TVG files

overriding colours 366type 487, 499, 526

UUI Menu Bar 89unitsAspectRatioX 475unitsAspectRatioY 476unlink 499unlinkAttr 500User Interface 26Using

Qt Script to Automate Stage Module Functions 451

Using the Expression Column 278

VVectorization Parameters 338Velobased Editor 343velocity

Velocity Bezier Editor 345Velocity Editor - Bezier 345Versions 349Video Options 277View 525

menu 152View Tabs 27View windows

Camera view 31Colour view 34Coordinates and Control Points View 35Drawing view 37Free view 39Function view 40

list of 30Message log view 44Model library view 47Model view 45Module Properties view 48Morphing view 49Network view 50Pen view 51Playback view 53Side view 54tabs 27Template library view 55Timeline View 56Top view 62Xsheet view 63

WWelcome Screen 24Welcome screen icons 25window layouts

panning 29tabs 27zooming 29

windowspanning 29zooming 29

Windows Menu 173Window workspace 28Workspace

toolbar 88Workspace Manager 347Workspace manager

how to open 28Write Module 447Write Module Editor 448

XXSheet Cells Size 349XSheet Column Width 349Xsheet Column Width 349Xsheet View 63

cells 63

536

Index

columns 63inserting values 64overwriting values 64rows 63

Xsheet View Menu 239

537


538

reference and scripting guide

Documents