bvhacker help: menu commands

This page gives a description of each of the bvhacker menu commands


File


  • Open: Opens a bvh file for editing. Files can also be dragged and dropped onto bvhacker for quick opening (Keyboard shortcut 'Ctrl O')
  • Save: Saves the current bvh file to disk (Keyboard shortcut 'Ctrl S')
  • Report: Produces a report giving warnings and possible problems for a file prepared for SL
  • Exit: Closes bvhacker (Keyboard shortcut 'Ctrl Q')

Edit


  • Undo: Undoes the last operation (Keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Z)
  • Translation mode: Sets the X,Y,Z sliders and clamp buttons to adjust the translations for the currently selected joint (Keyboard shortcut 'T')
  • Rotation mode: Sets the X,Y,Z sliders and clamp buttons to adjust the rotation for the currently selected joint (Keyboard shortcut 'R')
  • Resample to ½ frames: Resamples the animation to half the original frames per second (fps)
  • Insert joint: Inserts a joint above the currently selected joint (Keyboard shortcut 'Insert')
  • Remove joint: Deletes the currently selected joint (Keyboard shortcut 'Delete')
  • Rename joint: Renames the currently selected joint (Keyboard shortcut 'F2')
  • Scale up: Scales all of the joint translation values by a factor of two (Keyboard shortcut 'Ctrl +')
  • Scale down: Scales all of the joint translation values by a half (Keyboard shortcut 'Ctrl -')
  • Preferences: Brings up the preferences dialog (Keyboard shortcut 'Ctrl P')

Preferences Dialog


                                                       

  • Use OpenGL Shading: Use shading and lighting in the main display
  • Use Colour Display: Toggle between Colour and Black & White display colours
  • Show Ground Plane: Toggle the ground plane display
  • Show Head Mesh: Toggle the head mesh display
  • Default File View: Set the Default view for the open and save file dialogs

View


  • Front view: Shows the view just in front of figure, level with the figure's hips
  • Right view: Displays the figure from the right hand side
  • Left view: Displays the figure from the left hand side
  • Floor view: Gives a view at floor level for easily setting the figure height in relation to the ground
  • Shading: Use simple OpenGL shading on the skeleton
  • Zoom In: Zoom in the display
  • Zoom Out: Zoom Out the display

Prepare


  • Remove hips offset: Removes the offset values from the hip's channel values, if set (Keyboard shortcut 'N')
  • Center: Centers the skeleton in X and Z panes on the first frame (Keyboard shortcut 'C')
  • !Zero check: Prevents SL from ignoring joints with zero rotation in the first frame by setting small rotations. Must be used before the t-stance (reference) frame is added. (Keyboard shortcut 'Z')
  • Set T stance: Adds a reference frame at the start of the animation with all joint rotation values set to zero (Keyboard shortcut 'T')
  • Remove T stance: Removes the first frame of the animation (Keyboard shortcut 'D')
  • SL VWR-3783 loop fix: Automatic fix for Second Life 'First frame of uploaded animations is duplicated' bug (Keyboard shortcut 'L')

Loop


  • Mark in: Set the beginning frame for the crop function
  • Mark out: Set the end frame for the crop function
  • Crop: Delete all frames outside the range specified by the Mark in and Mark out points
  • Knit ends: Blend the beginning and end of the animation to smooth the transition when playing the animation in a loop

Hack


  • Attempt SL joint renaming: Attempts to rename joints to fit the SL joint naming convention
  • Attempt retarget to SL: Attempts to re-configure joints to those of the SL skeleton by adjusting the size, arms alignment and rotation order. Possibly the hardest mathematical problem I've ever solved!
  • Spine submenu->Add abdomen: Adds an abdomen joint between the hips and the first spine joint
  • Spine submenu->Swap chest / abdomen: Transfers the chest rotation data to the abdomen joint
  • Spine submenu->Smooth chest / abdomen: Distributes all spine curvature over the chest and abdomen in a natural way
  • Spine submenu->Combine chest / abdomen: Combines the rotations from the chest and abdomen into one joint and deletes the other
  • Zero: Zero out different combinations of joints
  • Square shoulders: Raise the shoulders. Keyboard shortcut '['
  • Round shoulders: Lower the shoulders. Keyboard shortcut ']'
  • Crane Neck: Move the head forwards. Keyboard shortcut 'Ctrl+['
  • Straighten Neck: Move the head backwards. Keyboard shortcut 'Ctrl+]'
  • Reverse Timeline: Set the animation to play backwards

Help


  • Online help: Opens the bvhacker online help pages in a browser window
  • Discussion group: Report bugs, submit feature requests, make comments, ask questions...
  • Donate: If you use bvhacker regularly please donate just $10
  • About: Displays an 'about' dialog giving version and copyright information about bvhacker
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