A view where an orthographic view is shown at full size (1:1). This view requires a large hardware display, especially for viewing large objects such as cars.
A file format used by Autodesk Showcase to describe an environment. This XML file references APF files, user settings, images and other files to display an environment.
A Ray Tracing effect to simulate light being attenuated as it passes through a surface. The visible effect is the thickness of an object will determine the color and amount of transparency that are shown.
A method of navigating to a view angle quickly by pressing down the Alt key and using the three mouse buttons to tumble, move, or zoom. To change the point of interest to another location, hold down the Ctrl+Alt keys and click the location with the left mouse button.
A method to compare and contrast model variations in a scene. For example, parts of a model, color studies, or locations of models.
A collection of one or more alternatives. For example, your scene could contain a lineup for various hubcap alternatives, another lineup for various color studies, and so on.
A calculation to make objects look more realistic, with shadowing added to corners and other dark areas. These shadows are the result of occlusion, or the blocking of objects by other objects. See also drop-off distance, resolution, samples.
A smoothing calculation that builds up the look of surfaces, materials and textures. The more anti-aliasing calculations over a surface, the more realistic it looks.
Autodesk packet file. Tessellated, stitched files that are created when importing a file into Autodesk Showcase. APF files are referenced by A3S files. See also autostitch, tessellation.
An organizational file that fits together a collection of manufactured parts into a complete model.
A family of data translators that lets you import CAD data into the following Autodesk products: Autodesk AliasStudio, Autodesk Maya, Autodesk Showcase, Autodesk ImageStudio.
A real-time design visualization software package that enables you to quickly and easily prepare and present high-quality 3D presentations.
A process where contiguous surfaces are stitched together from the original NURBS surfaces to create water-tight (crackless) surfaces. Various options are available to specify the situations when surfaces are autostitched together. This process occurs when a model is converted to APF format during import.
In lighting, a setting that moves the light clockwise or counter-clockwise laterally around the environment dome.
A panoramic image of an environment that is mapped to the environment geometry.The backdrop image must be HDR (High Dynamic Range) in a latitude/longitude (polar) format and have an aspect ratio of 1:2. Ideally, it should be at resolution 4096 x 2048.
An environment where you can position objects in front of an imported image (or backplate). Backplate environments are useful for quickly compositing a decorated model with an image.
An automated movement in a scene. For example, a turntable.
A type of image map that creates the illusion of relief (bumpiness) on surfaces (for example, tire treads or rough plastic). It does not alter the shape of the surfaces to which it is assigned, and is not a displacement mapping.
Bump maps must be normal map (that is, they must contain elevation as well as vector information).
Computer-aided design software from Dassault Systèmes. Autodesk DirectConnect allows the exchange of 3D model data from CATIA V5 using the native CATIA part (.CATPart) and product (.CATProduct) files.
A type of shot where the camera moves along a predefined path.
In car paint, the transparent protective coating applied on top of a colored base coat that creates a shiny and reflective surface. The clear coat has the effect of creating a secondary sharp highlight on the surface.
1. A machine that views online sessions presented by the host.
2. In floating license configurations, the machine that requests a license from the license server.
An imaginary plane located at a specific point along a camera's sight line. Only the objects located behind the near clipping plane are visible in the scene.
A type of image map that replaces a solid color with an image that repeats across a surface. For example, cloth or wood patterns.
A window to control turntables: to play them, pause them, reverse them, and so on.
A legacy 3D file format from Silicon Graphics Inc. using efficient binary compression to create *.csb (Cosmo Scene Binary) files.
A custom-designed view using HTML or Flash programming. For example, tabbed panels may be provided to tailor the display of environments, materials, shots, alternatives, and other viewable features.
For an ? image map, the projection of an image onto an object, as if the image were rolled into a tube and projected inwards towards the object. Use this option to apply a texture to the edge of a circular surface, such as a car tire tread.
Diffuse surfaces reflect (or scatter) light and color in many angles. Contrast with specular highlight
An image map that controls how light is reflected off dark surfaces. For example, wheel wells and rocker panels.
An environment consisting of a geometric dome (with a panoramic image applied to it) and a ground plane (with a 1:1 texture applied to it, particularly at the origin). The panoramic image shows the horizon of the scene—the sky, a city skyline, a distant forest, and so on.
1. In lighting, a setting that controls the intensity of the ground shadows based on the distance between the object and the ground.2. In ambient shadows calculations, the distance beyond which surrounding objects are no longer considered in the calculations.In ambient shadows, ...
1. In lighting, a setting that controls the intensity of the ground shadows based on the distance between the object and the light source. 2. In ambient shadowscalculations, the lightening of ambient shadows as surrounding surfaces are located further away from the sampling point. In ambient shadows, ....
(AutoCAD drawing file) A file format used by Autodesk® AutoCAD® software that contains lines, curves and 3D data.
(Drawing eXchange File) A file exchange format containing ASCII code and binary representations of the objects in a DWG file.
In lighting, a setting that moves the light up or down the environment dome.
Environments allow you to view models in various contexts, such as white rooms, photo studios, or outdoor scenes. Press E to see the environment interface.
A single light source that allows you to move the highlight on surfaces to represent where a light source is located.
Settings that determine if surfaces respond to the environment lights and/or image-based lighting (IBL) . You can override the lighting for color ( diffusesurfaces) and for specular highlight(specular surfaces).
An open-standard, platform-independent 3D file format (maintained by Autodesk) that provides interoperability with any software that supports the FBX format. FBX plug-ins are included with Autodesk Maya software, Autodesk 3ds Max software, and is supported natively in Autodesk® MotionBuilder™ software.
A camera feature to "dolly zoom", simultaneously adjusting the camera focal length and dollying the camera to preserve the object's size relative to the window.
In multi-machine displays, the operation of the displays in unison to create the appearance of a single image over multiple displays. NVIDIA Frame Lock hardware and software is required.
A peripheral input device for games-like navigation and control. The Logitech® Cordless Rumblepad™ 2 gamespad is supported.
A user-made 3D environment. Generic environments require a backdrop image and lighting maps.
A Ray Tracing effect, simulating the diffuse inter-reflection of light between surfaces in the scene. The visible effect is that diffuse surfaces will appear to “reflect” light onto nearby surfaces, in some cases showing a “color bouncing” effect.
A CAD technology platform for design collaboration using solid models.
(High Dynamic Range Image) An image using a format that allows for a large range of exposures, providing a more accurate representation of the lighting in a scene, from bright sunlight to dark shadows. In Showcase, this image format is required for the backdrop image, which must be an HDRI in a latitude/longitude (polar) format and have an aspect ratio of 1:2. Ideally, it should be at resolution 4096 x 2048.
Instructions and information that appear over the scene to help you use the software.
A series of nodes that are combined for some purposeful relationship. For example, to represent the surfaces of a model.
Hierarchies are structured in a top-down manner, with one node at the top (the parent node or root node) and other nodes (child nodes or leaf nodes) attached and interconnected beneath the top node.
Selecting the parent node at the top of the hierarchy also selects the items contained in the hierarchy below. Selecting a child node lower in the hierarchy selects any child nodes that are lower in the hierarchy.
Hierarchies allow you to create complex structures with relationships between components. For example, when you are animating an object on a turntable, you simply need to select and move the parent node of the hierarchy and the rest of the model (child nodes) also moves.
See specular highlight.
An image map that creates the appearance of relief. Highlight maps work best to create visible noise that in the real world if touched would feel smooth. For example, metallic paint. Also known as specular maps.
Modulates or scales the intensity of clear coat. This value is also called specular rolloff.
A default view. To return to the home view, click on the house icon that appears above the ViewCube, select View > Go to Home View, or press the Home key).To change the home view to the current view, select View > Set Home View (or press Ctrl + Home).
(verb) The act of controlling the program in an online session while others watch.
Initial Graphics Exchange Specification. A file format for transferring graphics data between CAD/CAM systems. A neutral file format that can be imported into any number of CAD or modeling packages.
Ipv6 is the international standard next generation Internet Protocol to allow computers and other devices to communicate to one another over a network or the Internet. It is supported as of Showcase 2009 SP1.
Lighting defined by the environment that determines the look of the lighting of and reflections on surfaces in the scene. IBL requires reflection maps, specular maps, and diffuse maps.
A picture file in an image format such as jpeg, bmp, tiff, or png used in materials to create specific effects or patterns. Also known as texture map.
See also projection mapping, parametric (UV) mapping, color map, highlight map, reflection map, transparency map, bump map, normal map.
A window that shows model files imported into a scene and lets you track changes to original models and reload them when required.
The native file format for the Autodesk Inventor® software. Autodesk Inventor is a 2D and 3D mechanical and manufacturing design system which supports parametric solid modeling, assemblies, analysis and documentation. Showcase can read either part or assembly files.
The DirectModel format JT is developed and supported by the JT Open Program. It is a format for the visualization of 3D models.
The number of different polygonal surface representations that exist for a particular model. Typically LODs vary from low-fidelity (meaning the surface quality is poor but the rendering speed is high) to medium-fidelity to high-fidelity (meaning the surfaces look very good, but may take time to render).
Images used to specify the lighting of materials, providing specular and diffuse highlights and reflections. These images must be in a vertical cross format in an exact 3:4 aspect ratio.In image-based lighting (IBL), there are three sets of lighting maps: e reflection map, specular map, and diffuse map.
See alternative lineup.
(verb) The act of connecting two or more turntables so their action is synchronized under one set of playback controls.
A collection of attributes that define color, shininess, and other surface characteristics.
The set of materials available in a scene.
A type of alternative lineup. Color and material studies applied to particular parts of a model.
A window for changing the properties of the particular material (or common elements of materials) assigned to selected objects. The controls available in this window vary by material. As you change their values, you can see the surfaces change in the scene. Select Material > Material Properties (or press Ctrl+M).
A plug-in you can load into Maya 7.0 or later. With this plug-in, you can import tessellated APF model files into Maya and enhance them there (for example, by unwrapping UVs). You can use the same plug-in to export the files directly back into Autodesk Showcase.
A type of alternative lineup. Collections of objects or their attributes that you hide or show as a unit in a scene. For example, all the parts that make up a particular design for a hubcap
A group of computers, with each computer attached to a monitor that shows one tile of a larger display. Also known as display cluster.
Surface normals indicate the orientation of the polygonal faces making up that surface. Applied materials look best when the normals are facing towards the viewer, so it is sometimes necessary to reverse surface normals. Otherwise, unpredictable results may occur when you apply materials to surfaces, or materials may appear patch-like across adjacent surfaces.
An image map that contains elevation as well as vector information. Required for bump maps.
A session shared over the network. One machine (the host) presents, while other connected machines (clients) join the session to view the presentation.
Open Inventor™ is a legacy 3D file format from Silicon Graphics Inc. with no relation to Autodesk Inventor® software. Open Inventor is an object-oriented 3D toolkit that describes complete 3D scenes in either an ASCII or binary file format.
A method of rotating around objects using the mouse buttons and arrow keys.
A window that shows the original hierarchy of imported models (either files or layers). You can also view and change the state of objects (visible, hidden, or deleted), select objects or groups of objects, or create your own arrangements of objects. Press O to view the Organizer window.
A view showing one side of an object (front, side, top, and so on). The view does not represent the effect of perspective (that is, objects in the view appear the same size no matter how near or far they are from the camera).
Objects higher in the hierarchy of an object (the object an object belongs to, the object containing that object, and so on).
In image mapping, the case where no projection is used. Instead, the image is mapped to the UV coordinates of the surface. Each surface is mapped separately, so adjoining surfaces may show seams. See image map.
Parts are organized into a collection of groups, which then forms a project hierarchy.
A specific position in 3D space that is used as the reference point around which objects are transformed.
In image mapping, the projection of a texture or image as if the image were placed on a level surface and projected onto the object. Use this option to apply a texture to one or more surfaces that are relatively flat (for example, wood paneling). See image map.
1. A specific point in 3D space (usually an object) around which the camera rotates to change the view. The camera remains fixed on the object as it rotates around it. 2. A specific point in 3D space used as a reference for the transformations of objects, particularly for rotations.
A white spot located at the cursor position, with the rest of the scene greyed out. The pointer is used during presentations to draw attention to model features.
A type of alternative lineup to study the placement of models or objects. For example, exploded views versus regular views.
A mode where you can orbit or walk around a scene, but not change it in any way. Most interface elements and windows are temporarily hidden. Press the Tab key or select Presentation > Presentation Mode to toggle to (and back out of) presentation mode.
A product from Parametric Technology Corporation. A solid modeling format that requires positional construction tolerances.
A image mapping technique that projects a texture 3D space onto a surface, acting like a slide projector.
See image map, cylindrical projection, planar projection, triplanar projection.
For cylindrical projection, an option to repeat the texture several times around the surface.
An image map that controls how the scene is reflected in the surfaces of objects in the scene.
The reflectivity of an object determines its ability to reflect its surroundings. To make an object more reflective, increase the reflectivity of its material.
Ray Tracing effect; the distortion of transparency due to the thickness of an object and its material properties (specifically the Refractive Index). The visible effect is that of rays of light being bent. Useful to simulate accurate glass, water, and gemstones.
A Ray Tracing parameter of transparency that determines how much distortion there is in the transparency of an object, based on depth.
A remote computer that accesses and runs an Autodesk Showcase session via a Web interface.
An image map used in Hardware rendering that provides an image for reflections that overrides the environment reflection map.
When calculating ambient shadows, the concentration of samples over a given area.
When calculating ambient shadows, the software shoots out a hemisphere of rays (samples) from various points on the surface, and calculates how many of these rays hit other geometry. The larger the proportion of rays that hit other geometry for any particular point, the darker that point will appear.
See also drop-off distance, drop-off rate, resolution, spread.
When Ray Tracing, the number of rays initially sent from each pixel into the scene to determine the color of the pixel. With lower quality, multiple pixels can be based off of a single ray. With higher quality, multiple initial rays are sent into the scene to sample the regions around each pixel to smooth out edges and produce more accurate colors.
A simplified version of the Showcase software available for use on a client machine driving a large display.
A rectangle clicked and dragged over objects to select them. Also known as selection marquee.
The number of points on a surface that are included in calculating ambient shadows. A higher number of samples and a higher resolution result in a sharper image, but take longer to calculate.
The capture a particular camera position and the addition of optional cinematographic movements to create moving shots (like those used in car commercials).
A representation of the current scene that appears as an icon, useful for easily identifying alternatives or shots.
A closed body that is made of stitched surfaces.
A product from SolidWorks Corporation. A solid modeling format that requires positional construction tolerances.
When a bright light (sunlight, spotlight, and so on) reflects off a surface, a specular highlight results. In other words, highlights are the hotspots where light is reflected off an object.
An image map that controls how light is reflected off shiny surfaces. That is, how white highlights appear on shiny or lighter objects.
When calculating ambient shadows, sampling rays are cast (or spread) in a hemisphere of 180 degrees by default, but the spread can be reduced to a smaller angle.
An international standard for the exchange of geometric product definitions. STEP formats that are relevant to Autodesk products are AP203 (general mechanical CAD) and AP214 (automotive CAD).
A shot where the camera doesn't move (it may move for the transition into the shot).
A machine location used to store temporary files required by the program.
A process that creates meshes to replicate surfaces. This process occurs when a model is converted to APF format during import.
A default conversion script containing a particular set of APF conversion settings for importing a model file.
See image map.
In image mapping, normally a texture repeats as it is projected across a surface. To apply marks, blemishes, decals or labels to one area on a surface, you can turn off texture tiling in both the U and V directions. Or, turn it off in one direction so the texture pattern repeats horizontally or vertically (like wallpaper).
In multi-machine displays, the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in the gaps or overlaps between screens. The tiling determines if the screens overlap, touch, or are separated from each other.
The action of moving, rotating, or scaling an object.
An interface widget to help you rotate or move selected objects. Press the H key to see the transform handle.
A window for typing in X, Y, and Z values for moving, scaling or rotating selected objects.
In shots, the behavior setting that determines how a shot starts. (For example, as a black screen, as an animation, or as a cut.)
An image mapthat determines which parts of an object are opaque and which parts are transparent. They can be used for materials with holes punched out such as a metal grill or perforated rubber. Darker areas of the transparency map produce an opaque material, while brighter areas create a more transparent appearance.
The projection of an image map from three perpendicular planes. Use this option for complex surfaces where the texture needs to be applied from multiple angles to follow the contours of an object.
A type of behavior where objects rotate around a pivot point, either horizontally as a turntable or vertically as a rotisserie.
A grid system for identifying points on a surface. The U represents a grid line in one direction and the V represents a grid line in the perpendicular direction.
A widget in the upper right corner of the Autodesk Showcase window to switch between 2D views, preset perspective views, and to return to the home view.
See Presentation mode.
Many kinds of material reflect differently depending on the angle you view them from. For example, looking directly at a flat surface might show little or no reflection, but viewing the surface at an oblique angle might clearly show reflections. This effect is also called fresnel.
A method of navigating around objects in discrete steps using the mouse buttons and arrow keys.
A mesh-like view of objects where you can see details such as tessellation, objects behind, and objects embedded in other objects.
A portable multi-angle spectrophotometer designed for precise color measurement of metallic, pearlescent, and other complex paint finishes. The hardware device is supported by Showcase Professional for the creation and calibratrion of measured materials, but it is not included with Showcase.
