EnSight 6.x Advanced Training Part 2

EnSight analyze, visualize, communicate

EnSight 6.xAdvanced Training

Part 2Instructors:

Mike Krogh, Anders Grimsrud


Agenda

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


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


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).


Frame DefinitionY

X

Y

X


Frame Definition (cont.)

Y

X

Y

X


Frame Mode

Create a new frame

Assign parts to a frame

Frame visibility

Triad color

Triad line thickness

Triad labeling

Computation symmetry

Coordinate system

Frame location

Global triad visibility

Transform / Definition

Delete selected frame


Frame Dialogs


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


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’….


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!


Keyframe Animation• 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 (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


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


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


Frame Rate Control

• Most difficult part to get right.

• Must know the target frame rate– NTSC, PAL, MPEG, etc.


Frame Rate Control(assuming 30 fps)

• 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


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


Color and AA (cont.)

• If recording to video: – avoid single width lines

– avoid horizontal lines

– make text large

– black backgrounds seem to work best


Note!


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


Ramblings...

• 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


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


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


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


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.


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


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


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


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


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


Some Command Line Options• ‘-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


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


Future Development

• 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)

EnSight 6.x Advanced Training Part 2

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