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ig:gfx:geometrymanager_howto

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Working with the IG.GFX.GeometryManager

Projects and projects view

Projects organize the most important information about a model/series of a supplier or manufacturer.

The following can be entered:

  • name (e.g. supplier model),
  • directory (repository folder),
  • optional: IG.Creator Credentials,
  • notes and
  • attachments.

The directory should always be the model/series repository managed in GIT, without the “Geometries” addition. The GM works exclusively in the “Geometries” subfolder and creates it when needed.

General notes can be stored in the notes, as in the example, supported by images as attachments. These are used in the reports and enhance them accordingly.

Tasks

In the Project view, in the lower part of the UI, you can see all existing projects, sorted by name. You can also sort the view by date by simply clicking on the header with the title Last modified. The default sorting can be restored by clicking on the title Project.

The three most recent projects are listed at the top under Last projects as information.

By clicking on the project entry in the projects list, the program changes to the geometries view. If you have an project selected after all, you can also use the View to re-open the geometries view.

With the Edit button, an selected project can be changed and attachments for the project can be added.

Add project

To add an new project, simple use the button Add project in the view. A new dialog appears for gathering all project informations. Please enter at least an project name and the project directory.

If you have an index.xlsx in the geometries subfolder, you can use the Import button to read geometries and products, else use the Save button to create the new empty project.

Import

The import reads all geometries, products and states like HiRes needs from the excel sheet. The excel sheets should be formatted like the template in the First start chapter.

Important

After importing a new project, please open the project with an klick onto the name in the project list and then in the geometries view, run an Synchronisation with the button Synch.

Attachments

Many elements of a GM project can get a number of attachments, so can the project itself.

To save an image in the form of a PNG or JPG file, select it using the “Browse…” button and then exit the window using the “Save” button.

With the help of the red cross the selected file can be removed again, of course the file itself is not deleted.

With the help of the button “Show” all attachments of the current project can be viewed.

To add more attachments, simple open the edit view (button “Edit”) and select an new file and then press “Save” again.

More settings

Other settings will be used later to communicate with the IG.Creator, at the moment you must not enter it.

Geometries and geometries view

The Geometries view displays all geometries associated with the project.

In the case of empty, new projects, these can also be created; after an import of the Index Excel, these are already recorded.

To capture the current status of all geometries, they should be synchronized. This checks whether geometries are physically present and if so, whether they have been changed since the last update.

The geometries can be sorted in the list by name and status. To do this, simply click on the header of the corresponding column in the view.

In addition, the list can be restricted by a term with the help of a filter under Filter by.

Columns and informations

The geometries list shows the following informations:

  • Geometry name,
  • Meshes requirements,
  • Meshes available,
  • State and
  • Last remark.

Each geometry can define which mesh requirements must be fulfilled, these are:

  • Meshes with standard resolution aka Std
  • Meshes with high resolution aka HiRes
  • Normal maps for standard and high resolution meshes aka Normals
  • Deformations aka Def

The column Available shows all currently existing meshes, maps and/or deformations.

Remarks can be user specified notes in the details view of an geometry or last history entry from an synchronization process.

Geometry states

The status of a geometry is the most important information for the GM. When a geometry is accepted as complete and correct, it is considered “Accepted” and should not be changed. However, this status cannot prevent geometries from being undone by external changes. Technical acceptance always includes visual testing of the meshes, which cannot be automated by the GM.

The following statuses are used in the GM:

  • New: a new geometry, either imported or found through a synchronization,
  • Imported: geometry defined by an import but not found in the geometries folder of the project directory AKA a defined but still empty geometry,
  • Modified: a geometry already captured has been modified by an external process, usually found during synchronization,
  • Deleted: a geometry already captured has been removed by an external process, usually found during synchronization,
  • Requested: the geometry has been requested and has to be created by the supplier,
  • Rejected: the geometry has been checked and returned to the supplier because it does not meet the requirements or
  • Accepted: final status of a geometry, which marks it as accepted.

Tasks

In the list of geomtries, a click can open the detailed view with all meshes and other information. By the back button another geometry can be selected. The button View shows again the details of an already selected geometry.

The Sync button compares the existing information of the geometries with current changes in the directory of the project. Changes are indicated by the statuses Modified or Deleted.

To create a new geometry by hand, the Add button can be used.

To import an set of geometries from an zip file, the Import button can be used.

The GM can create a detailed report about the project, geometries and all other information. This can be sent as a supporting file to the supplier of the geometries. The creation of the report starts with a click on the button Report.

Add a new geometry

In the new geometry window at least one name must be assigned. In this case a new, still empty geometry will be added to the project. The button Load Zip can be used to specify a ZIP file with a contained geometry, this is then automatically inserted in the project and in the geometry folder. Geometry names cannot be assigned twice. With Save the new geometry is saved and the window is closed, with Save and next another geometry etc. can be added.

Import geometries

The GM supports the import of multiple geometries from a zip archive. In the window you can specify which mode should be used for the import:

  • Variant Flat file: all geometries or meshes are available as individual files on one directory level in the zip file and are imported 1:1 into the project as new geometry. In flat mode, you can aslo select the geometries for the import.
  • Variant Structured geometries: all geometries and further information like e.g. normal maps are already available in the structure supported by IG.Creator/IG.AssetLoader, i.e. per geometry there is one folder with the corresponding files.

Reports

Excel export

Products

ig/gfx/geometrymanager_howto.1652781197.txt.gz · Last modified: 2024/04/04 08:04 (external edit)