EnSight 6.x Advanced Training Part 2

1. EnSight 6.xAdvanced TrainingPart 2 Instructors: Mike Krogh, Anders Grimsrud

2. Agenda • Frames • Cut & Split operations • Keyframe Animation vs. Flipbook Animation • Additional Animation topics • Batch • EnSight Gold • Future Development • Animation Problem

3. Frames • Used for: • moving parts relative to each other • specifying a reference point for tools • creating periodic reference frames • A frame MUST be defined (origin and orientation) before it is transformed • consider turning off perspective during this step • most common mistake: transform then define

4. Frames (cont.) • Transformations are about a frame’s origin and orientation. • Parts are assigned to one, and only one, frame. • While extremely powerful, perhaps the most difficult operation in EnSight (hang in there).

5. Y Y X X Frame Definition

6. Y Y X X Frame Definition (cont.)

7. Frame Mode Computation symmetry Coordinate system Frame location Global triad visibility Transform / Definition Delete selected frame Create a new frame Assign parts to a frame Frame visibility Triad color Triad line thickness Triad labeling

8. Frame Dialogs

9. Cut and Split • Only parts defined on the EnSight server can be split. Parts not defined on the server: • particles, profiles, vector arrows, and contours. • Split operations create two new parts: • one part for “inside” the cutting tool • one part for “outside” the cutting tool

10. Cut and Split (cont.) • Plane, cylinder, cone, sphere, and revolution tools can all be used as the cutting surface. • If you cut and split a part composed of 3D elements, you will get new parts composed of 3D elements. • May wish to use combination of ‘3D border/2D full’, extract part, then ‘cut and split’….

12. Animation • Flipbook • easy to use for simple animations • transient problems, animated cutting planes and isosurfaces, mode shapes • Keyframe • feature rich mode • can be combined with flipbook • EnSight was designed for engineering animations!

13. Transient Data Independent Viewports Can play flipbooks Can view animated particle traces Can output directly to animation controllers Can output to disk files Can issue command language at keyframes for “storyboarding” Primitive compared to professional animation systems No spline movement or acceleration control No control over light source No realism features: complex lighting, models, shadows, reflective maps, textures, etc. Keyframe Animation

14. Keyframe (cont.) • EnSight uses a modified keyframe approach to animation • why • limitations • Global transforms • Local transforms • Look At/From • Transforms are per viewport • Transient data will play over specified range • Clips and isosurfaces can move via a delta value • Rate is controlled by specifying the number of “in-between” frames

15. Typical Animation Sequence • Pre video stuff • Introduction Title Slides • tell them what they’ll see • Intro animation piece to show model • Analysis pieces - possibly title slides in between to explain different pieces • Conclusions / Credits

16. Please repeat... • Murphy’s law applies to every single animation! • Only 30 minutes ‘til the deadline and 1000 frames to go. The computer crashed plus the boss wants different colors and titles…and I don’t have a blank tape. x x

19. Frame Rate Control • Most difficult part to get right. • Must know the target frame rate • NTSC, PAL, MPEG, etc.

20. Define all of the keyframes Set up the animation to play only from the first to the second keyframes Set the number of sub frames between keyframes 1 and 2 to 300 Eliminate some of the parts, turn on feature angle, use bounding box, etc. Time how long it takes to play (T). Calculate F = T/10. (F is the number of ‘times’ slower the screen is compared to tape) Adjust sub frames from keyframe 1 to 2 until you like the rate on the screen Multiply the sub frames by the factor you found (F) to get proper number of frames for tape Frame Rate Control(assuming 30 fps)

21. Color and Anti-aliasing • Eliminate aliasing problems if possible • there is no anti-aliasing built into EnSight • use a scan converter • save images in large format and scale them down • If recording to video, avoid fully saturated colors, especially red and blue. • adjust colors manually • use EnSight de-saturate function • record to disk files, and de-saturate with other software • 85% saturation usually works well

22. Color and AA (cont.) • If recording to video: • avoid single width lines • avoid horizontal lines • make text large • black backgrounds seem to work best

23. Note!

24. Transient Data • Combining transient data together with moving transformations can be confusing for the viewer. Try not to do this. • You will seldom have enough simulated time steps. EnSight will interpolate linearly (except for geometry that changes over time). • Total number of frames produced: • total frames = key frames + total # of sub frames • common mistake not to account for all frames when try to synchronize to number of simulated time steps

25. When recording to video tape, use “holds” for transition points Animation is expensive! If you can, replay sequences, reverse them, etc. Title slides should hold for a minimum of 5-10 seconds Use large fonts If you use color legends, make sure font is large (consider using ‘Max’ and ‘Min’ for legend values) Don’t be afraid to zoom in The edges of frames are usually lost on video(.06 < x|y < .94) If your animation is short, consider doubling the frames Ramblings...

26. Recording • Real time off the screen • The “good enough” method • Frame rate will vary • Using animation controllers • Expensive hardware • Complex hardware • EnSight talks to the popular ones • Record to disk files • Use existing in-house recording procedures

27. Animation Process @ CEI • Create animation to disk files (SGI rgb) • Scale to 720x480 resolution (use SGI izoom) • ftp files to a PC • Copy files to Perception Video Disk in PC • Non-linear editing with Speed Razor • Record to tape

28. MPEG • Works on all Unix platforms and Mac • Most likely broken on Microsoft systems (and getting worse) • Convert MPEG to AVI (SGI mediaconvert) • Quality vs. performance/compression • different MPEG encoding parameters

29. AVI • Next release will have AVI output directly • Predominantly viewable on Windows only • Non-Compressed out of EnSight • Use additional utility (supplied with EnSight) to recompress AVI file on your PC using PC’s CODECs.

30. Batch Animation • Uses software rendering (~12X slower than an IR equipped SGI Onyx 2) • Or try offscreen rendering • Doesn’t tie up console • Uses EnSight command files • Syntax:ensight6 -batch -X -p myfile.cmd • Only get output if command file causes it

31. Batch • Create command file through interactive use • use fewer subframes between keys • use reduced resolution data set • command: delay_refresh ON/OFF • minimize irrelevant operations in command file • Call if you have problems • Use EnSight 6.2.3 or later

32. EnSight Gold • EnSight with features for very large problems • parallel support in server (based on pthreads/sprocs) • fast data model • enhanced graphics (point clouds, isovolumes, transparency, etc.) • VR support

33. Timings (for 10 time steps): 80 Million Cells 12’33’’ 400 Million Cells 35’30’’ 1.05 Billion cell dataset (single time step) ~30 minutes of which 16 minutes were I/O

34. Stereo • In multiple viewports • Uses Crystal Eyes or NuVision glasses • Full screen or in a window • Lower vertical resolution (1/2) • F12 key to enter/exit stereo • F10/F11 to adjust stereo separation

35. ‘-c’ start and connect automatically ‘-cm’ start and connect manually ‘-ar’ restore archive file ‘-iwd’ Ignore working directory in ensight.connect file ‘-font’ specify X window font to use ‘-ff’ use EnSight default fixed size font ‘-menuf’ specify menu font size ‘-range10’ use 10% palette ranges by default ‘-p’ play a command file ‘-gl’ faster line drawing performance on older SGI hardware ‘-no_start_screen’ start without EnSight bitmap at beginning ‘-ni’ don’t use color icons Some Command Line Options

36. Archives • Allow a complete restart from where left off • Can issue from command line with ‘-ar’ • Very fast compared to replaying a saved command file • Usually not portable between EnSight releases

37. Complex variables Tensors Partial updates over time geometry and vars using different time sets update only specified nodes/elements Graphics split from GUI Smart viewports Collaborative sessions Web enhancements Performance enhancements(// servers, monster) Future Development