HTML Manual
A Transparent-Object Rendering Software
[ g a r n e t ]
version 4.06
Taichi Tamura (C) 2011.
introduction
Thank you for downloading "garnet."
This software lets you view various gem stones (such as diamonds, sapphires, crystals, etc) in different angles, different colors, different shapes, under different light settings.
Also you can create an "Animated-GIF file" of a rotating object from its sequential still images.
index
1.Getting Started
(1).Quick Start
(2).Note
2.Angle Control
(1).Control The Angle Of The Cut (The Surface Model In The View Panel)
(2).Control The Angle of The Light Ray (The Arrow In The Celestial Panel)
(3).Keyboard Controls
3.Select A Stone
(1).Stones
(2).Cuts
(3).Colors
(4).Refractve Indices
4.Defferent Modes
(1).The Trail Of The View Point
(2).View Point Fixed, Wire Frame Model Rotated (The Syncronized Mode)
(3).Let The View Point Move Like The Light Arrow (The Global Moving Mode)
(4).Render An Image In Better Quality (The High Quality Mode)
5.Save Rendered Images
(1).Screen Shot
Position Information
Restore A Position
(2).Make An Animated-GIF File
Automatic Screen Capture
a.New
b.Resume
Make An Animated-GIF File
To View Animated-GIF Files
Complement For Missing Frames
Shouldn't Two Processes Be One?
Let Stones Rotate Keeping Its Frontfaces Front
Animation Samples
6.Settings
(1).Back Color & Light Volume
Back Color
Light Volume
Use A "Narrow" Main Light
(2).Size
Change Rendering Size
Trimming
(3).Transformable Models
(4).General Settings
7.Menu
8.Uninstall
9.Rendered Images
10.Referrences
11.Contacts
1.Getting Started.
Once unzipped, you will be seeing this folder below.
Of these icons, the round, red one is the EXE for garnet. Click on it to start the program.
(After an initial start-up, an initialization file named "Setting.ini" will be automatically created in this folder. This file carries setting parameters, user preferenses, configrations, and is read on every start-ups.
The initialization file can be deleted, and if deleted, all the setting changes will be erased, the program then simply launches as if a very first starting up. )
A small title window overlaps garnet's main window, click "OK" to proceed.
(Pressing "Enter" by keyboard would do the job also. If you prefer not to show this title window, go to "View" menu, uncheck "Show Title". See = 7.Menu "View(V)")
Now you are seeing the main window of garnet.
The upper right side of the main window lays orange-frame rectangle box.
The bottom side are three red-frame square boxes.
The orange box is "Stone Setting Panel".
The red boxes from right to left are
"Celestial Panel",
"View Panel",
"Render Panel",
respectively.
(1). Quick Start.
Look to the "Stone Setting Panel"(the orange one), in this rectangle frame, four "select-boxes" is placed in tiers. (technically the bottom one is not a select-box, but a "edit box")
From top to bottom, these are
"Stone",
"Cut",
"Color",
"Ref. Idx."(=Refractive Index)
Of these select boxes, the most upper one is tagged "Stone", at which you can choose your choice of stone.
To begin with, choose a stone, and once the stone is chosen, the three select-boxes below will be automatically reset with the preset settings for the stone.
If you'd like to alter these three settings (the cut, the color, the refractive index), you can change these at this point.
But do keep in mind that "changing a stone will reset all the three settings below."
When a stone is selected, the current cut(shape) for the stone will show in the "View Panel"(the one center of the three red squares), and on the right of it, in the "Celestial Panel", the angle of the light-ray will also be displayed.
There you can control those angles. Either with a mouse or by keyboard you can control it.
(See = 2. Angle Control)
When the angles are all set, click the "ray-trace" button.(the button below the "Render Panel" frame)
It triggers rendering of the stone.
A rendering process takes some time. While the process, the percentage of the progress is being shown in the Render Panel.
When the display of "100%" is gone, rendering is done.
(During rendering, neither the angle of the cut nor the light ray cannot be changed.)
If you'd like to abort rendering, click on the percentage button. (or ray-trace button again.)
An "are you sure?" message will pop up, click "Yes" to exit the rendering process.
In summary,
First, select a stone, then you can change the cut, the color, the refractive-index,
Control the angles. Click the "ray-trace" button.
Wait until the rendering is done.
Observe the transparency.
That is a rough tutorial for this program.
(2). Note.
*Below the "Render Panel"(or beside the "ray-trace" button) is the "HQ"(=High Quality) Button. Click it and you can render the stone in a "high quality mode."
This switching dosen't occur immidiately if you pressed it during rendering. The preceding process gets through, then the switching takes effect.
(See = 4.-(4). High Quality Mode)
*On the occasions of both diamond and sapphire, the initiall angle of light-ray is slightly different from others.
It is so set for the sake of preventing the "harsh glare" that a paritcular stone under a particular light angle causes.
(See = 6.-(4) Light Volume a. Main Light)
*As default, a function "Draw Fire" which allows light to spread out into a rainbow colors is specified.
You can turn this function off by unchecking the item "Fire" on "General Settings"(go to the main menu "Settings"="General Settings").
If disabled, light dosen't spread out, hence rendering becomes simpler, but faster.
(See = 6.-(4) General Settings c.Fire)
2. Angle Control
(1). Control The Angle Of The Cut. (The Surface Model In The View Panel)
Inside the area of the View Panel frame, click and drag.
A surface model rotates in the mannor of following the movement of the pointer.
Also you can rotate the model by pressing the buttons which lay below the View Panel frame.
The symbols on the buttons represent the keyboard controls. (cursor keys, z, x.)
(2). Control The Angle of The Light Ray. (The Arrow In The Celestial Panel)
Inside the area of the Celestial Panel frame, click and drag.
Things are a bit different here from the View Panel.
If you move(drag) a mouse pointer horizontally, the arrow (which represents a ray of light) rotates as if it is on a turn table.
If you move(drag) a pointer vertically, the arrow again rotates as if it's on a turn table, except that the turn table this time is placed on a "vartical surface" defined by the arrow's "yaw angle".
It's a bit hard to explain in a written language.
Try several times, it's probably the quickest way to get the hangs of it.
The gesture in all respects is a "drag", but you are not dragging anything.
You are "turning" the tables.
You can rotate the light ray arrow by pressing the buttons which lay below the Celestial Panel frame.
The symbols on the buttons represent the keyboard controls. (cursor keys)
Hold the shift key as a modefier to operate this keyboard controls, otherwise the surface model beside will rotate.
(3). KeyBoard Controls
To change "Stone", "Cut", "Color", "Ref-Idx."(Refractive Index), keyboard shortcuts are available.
From "B" key, four assigned keys line up rightward on a keyboard. (it differs depending on the keyboard you are using.)
Stone……"B"
Cut ……"N"
Color ……"M"
Ref-Idx……","(comma)
These assigned keys open their "dropdown lists."
(As for the Ref-Idx, "Edit Box" begins input-acceptance.)
Press "Enter" to exit.
The button "ray-trace" is assigned to "Space" key.
3.Select A Stone
(1).Stones
Below are the selectable stones at the "Stone" select box.
Diamond
Sapphire
Emerald
Topaz
Garnet
Crystal
Glass
Mandarin Garnet
(*"Mandarin Garnet" essentially is the same with "Garnet" as a stone. Just a irregular color variation I made.)
You probably think "there is no rubies?" I'm afraid no.
A ruby is a crystalline form of aluminium oxide. ("corundum")
Among the broad range of corundum's color variation, red one is called ruby, and others are called sapphire.
So, if you'd like to get a ruby, first you select "Sapphire", then change its "Color" to "Red".
This stone essentially is a ruby.
You can get a "yellow diamond", a "pink sapphire" likewise.
(For a yellow diamond, "light yellow" would be more suitable, not just "yellow". Light yellow was originally prepared for that occasion.)
The color of crystal is initially set to purple so that the colors of stones shouldn't be boringly repeated.
(Also a purple crystal is called "amethyst.")
(2).Cuts
There are a total of 27 cuts.
BrilliantCut (R)…A standard round Brilliant cut. (57 facets) (R)=Round.
BrilliantCut (O)…An oval shaped standard brilliant cut. (O)=Oval.
BrilliantCut 2 (R)…Another variety of the brilliant cut. (81 facets)
BrilliantCut 2 (O)…An oval shaped Brilliant cut 2
BrilliantCut 3 (R)…Another variety of the brilliantcut. (137 facets)
BrilliantCut 3 (O)…An oval shaped Brilliant cut 3
Antique-CushionCut…A square Brilliant cut with rounded corners and curved sides. (the word "Antique" is abbreviated to "Antiq-" to tuck into that limited text space of the select box.)
EmeraldCut…is a step cut with angled corners and rows of pavilion and crown facets that run parallel to the girdle. Instead of the sparkle of a brilliant-cut, emerald cut produces a hall-of-mirrors effect.
ScissorsCut…has crossed, scissor-like crown facets.
MazarinCut… The earliest predecessor of the round brilliant cut
Old SingleCut…This cut eventually evolved into the brilliant cut.
BrioletteCut…gives stones the shape of a tear drop
Double RoseCut…was created to resemble an opening rose-bud.
BaguetteCut…is named due to its long, rectangular shape after the French word baguette.
Regular polyhedrons, a sphere, a 32 polyhedron (soccor ball), a 60 polyhedron are also among the cuts.
"Ellipsoid","Prism","Pyramid","14 polyhedron","26 polyhedron" are the ones which users can partially transform its shape.
These are marked with "*" symbols at the tail of its name.
About these "transformable models", see = 10. Settings -(3). Transformable Models
(3).Colors
11 colors are avaliable.
Colorless
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Purple
Orange
Pink
Violet
Dark Blue
Light Yellow
(4).Refractive Indices
Refractive index is the measurement of how hard it is for light to travel through a media.
The higher the number the harder it is.
The value is calculated from the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to that in a second medium of greater density.
For example, light that travel through a diamond is 2.42 times slower than that in a vacuum(= in air).
At the select box tagged "ref.-idx.", you can change the inner reflection of the stone by varying the number.
Also, "changing a inner reflection" essentially means "changing a stone."
So you can get a stone which this program dosen't carry.
This values must be set within the range of 1.00 to 3.00.
The list of the indices are shown in the upper middle part of the Main Window.
Diamond……2.42
Sapphaire……1.76〜1.77
Emerald ……1.57〜1.58
Topaz ……1.62〜1.63
Garnet ……1.70〜1.89
Crystal ……1.54〜1.55
Glass ……1.42〜1.56
4. Different Modes
(1). The Trail Of The View Point
While you turn the angle of the cut by rotating the surface model in the View Panel, a white arc line is drawn in the Celestial Panel on the next.
This white line represents the trail of the view point.
It can be said that when you are turning the surface model clockwise, your point of view also is turning "anti-clockwise" to the surface model.
A green "wire-frame model" is displayed at the center of the reference frame in the Celestial Panel, it is the "fixed" cut(shape) model.
The view trail is drawn with the respect to this fixed model.
As for the relation between this green wire-frame model and the arrow of the light ray in the Celestial frame, there isn't much graphical meaning there.
The angle of the light ray only relates with "the surface model in the View Panel", not with the wire-frame model in the Celestial Panel even though it does appear that way.
It might be a bit tricky, but a model has to be fixed still to draw the view trail, and a light arrow must be set in the same Celestial reference frame, inevitably it is so designed.
But you can choose different modes regarding the moving way of the view point.
(See below (2),(3))
Stop Drawing The Trail Of The View Point
If you prefer not to draw this trail, you can do it by unchecking the item "Trail of View Point" on "General Settings" dialog.
(Go to the main menu "Settings"="General Settings.")
(2). View Point Fixed, Wire Frame Model Rotated.
(The Syncronized Mode)
If you'd like to "integrate" the elements in the world of the Celestial Panel, click the "SY" button. (this button is placed below the Celestial frame)
The view point is going to be fixed at the point of (X=0, Y= 0, Z=-1) in the world of the Celestial Panel, and doesn't move after that. (so that the trail of the view point is not going to be drawn.)
Instead, when you turn the angle of a cut by dragging the surface model in the View Panel, the green wire-frame model in the Celestial Panel starts to be rotating.
As a result, the relation between the arrow of the light ray and the green wire-frame model in the Celestial Panel completely becomes to make sense. (the light ray actually begins to be shining on the wire frame model.)
Then why is not this setting default? It's just that I wanted the wire frame model fixed, and the trail of a view point displayed. It's really just that.
(3). Let The View Point Move Like The Light Arrow
(The Global Moving Mode)
As default, the view point rotates following the dragging movement of the mouse pointer (i.e. it rotates "locally", in 3D-jargon), but in this mode, the view point is going to be rotating like the way the light arrow is doing. (i.e. it rotates "globally").
(See = 2.-(2).Control The Angle Of The Light Ray)
To switch to the Global Moving Mode, click the "GM" button below the Celestial Panel frame.
This mode would be effective when you create an "animated-GIF" file, since it fixes your point of view to where you can look down the object.
The Global Moving Mode and the Syncronized Mode cannot be chosen simultaneously.
If you set one, another will be reset.
(4). Render An Image In Better Quality
(The High Quality Mode)
Click the "HQ" button below the "Render Panel" frame to render the image in better quality.
(This switching dosen't occur immidiately if you click it during rendering. After the preceding process is done, then the switching takes effect.)
It renders the image on a "background work screen" in double the size, then shrink it to the normal size so as to get a "anti-aliasing image"(=smooth contour image).
Though it does smoothe jagged edges, it takes almost a quadruple amount of time for the process to finnish.
Also, for the time-saving purpose, "the image in progress" does not show in this mode, only the finnished image will show when it is done.
You can tell the state of progress only by the number of the percentage.
5. Save Rendered Images
(1). Screen Shot
You can save a rendered image as a picture file.
Click the "s.shot" button placed below the Render Panel frame.
(Or go to "Screen Shot(T)" = "Save(S)")
A save-file dialog will show up.
The file format is selectable from the dropdown list at the bottom of the dialog.
Position Infomation
"Position Infomation" is a set of data in which all the nessesary parameters (for a stone to be restored to the position by where the screen shot is taken) are gathered.
When you take a screen shot, this information data too is automatically saved as a file in the same folder.
(The name of this position data file is the same with the picture file's, the only difference is by its extention ".gpi.")
By reading a position data file, you can restore the position of a stone.
Also, when you want to save the stone which you "made", take a screen shot.
If you'd prefer not to create this data file, you can skip it.
Go to "Settings(S)"="General Settings", uncheck the item "Position Info File" at the bottom of the dialog.
From then on, position files will no longer be created, only picture files will be saved.
*The position file is saved with the parameters whose values are present when the screen shot is taken.
Therefore if you change the angles of the stone after the rendering is finnished, the parameter values will be different from the ones with the rendered image.
To avoid this, if you want to take a screen shot, take a screen shot before anything is changed.
(But saving the parameters which are not coincide with the image of the picture file itself is not exactly a "illigal" thing. If you are well aware that the picture file and its position file are not related with each other, it is o.k. to be saved. Though not recommended.)
Restore A Position
By reading a position data file, you can restore the stone to the position by where the screen shot was taken.
Go to "Screen Shot (T)" = "Restore Position (R)."
An open file dialog will show up, choose the position file you want to open.
When you can't tell which is which, open the "ScreenShots" folder with Explorer, sort the files by name, then you will find a picture file and its position file are standing back to back.
It will make it easier for you to choose the file you want to open.
(2). Make An Animated-GIF File
Like "Sample_Sapphire_ANI.gif" in the unzipped folder, you can make an animated-GIF file of a rotating stone.
The motion of rotation is sequentially captured into animation frames and saved as picture files, then these files are bundled in a single GIF file.
"Automatic Screen Capture"
"Make Animated-GIF File"
Through those two processes, an animation file is made.
Automatic Screen Capture
This function makes the object automatically sequentially rotate and renders it.
These sequentially rendered images are saved as files one by one.
a. New
Choose "Automatic Screen Capture(P)"="New (N)."
A dialog "New Auto-Screen Capture" will show up.
There you set the number of animation frames that collectively compose the motion of a full rotation.
"128" is the default number for it.
The larger the number gets, the more fluent the motion becomes.
Click "OK" to proceed.
A "Save Capture-Info File" dialog will show up.
The "Capture-Info File" is a setting data file which carries parameters such as the number of the animation frames, and is later referred to on a resuming process.
Select a saving location and enter a name for the file.
This filename is also applied for each animation frame file with the number of the frame added to its tail.
(for example, if the name for a Capture-Info file were "AutoCap", its frame files will go like "AutoCap_F[0]","AutoCap_F[1]","AutoCap_F[2]",and so on.)("F" stands for "Frame.")
Click "Save (S)."
Then starts the "rotate and save" sequence.
The rendered images will be saved to the selected location one by one.
This process does take time (depending on the number of frames), so it can anytime be aborted, and be resumed.)
If you want to abort it, click "Abort" button on the progress dialog.
b. Resume
Choose "Automatic Screen Capture (P) = "Resume (R)"
An "Open Capture-Info File" dialog will show up.
There you select the file you want to resume, click "Open (O)."
The aborted sequence will be restarted.
When a full rotation is completed, this message will pop up.
Click "OK."
And that completes collecting the required set of the animation frames.
Make An Animated-GIF File
Here you can make an animated-GIF file from a series of captured animation frame files.
Choose "Automatic Screen Capture (P)" = "Make Animation GIF (A)."
An "Open Capture-Info File" dialog will show up.
Select a file which you want to make an animation from.
If there's all the needed frame files which composes a full rotation, a "Make Animated-GIF" dialog will show up.
There you set the rotation speed and the direction of the rotating motion.
(If there isn't all files, a message "please resume from the Resume menu" will show up.)
The time-weight is set in units of 1/100 second. ("100" make 1 second.)
The larger the number gets, the slower the rotation becomes.
(Aside from this value, the actual speed of an animation heavily relys on the "animation viewer program" you are using. If speed was too slow, you should be trying another viewer program or web browser.)
Click "OK" to show a "Save Animated-GIF File" dialog next.
Here you set a saving location and a name for the animation file.
A suggested file name is already set in the textbox, which is the name of the Capture-Info File with a suffix "_ANI".
If you saved with this filename, you will find the animation file be above the every other frame files. (if the files were sorted by name.)
Click "Save (S)" to start compiling the animated-GIF file.
When it is done, a "File Saved" message will show up.
Click "OK."
That is the whole process of making an animated-GIF file.
Take a look at the saving folder (the default saving folder is "AutoCaps"), there you will find the newly created animation file.)
To View Animated-GIF Files
To view animated-GIF files, using "animated-GIF viewer programs" should be recommended, but for a casual viewing, web browsers are the easy options.
("Google Chrome" is highly recomended for its fluent motion.)
Just clicking on an animated-GIF file launches the web browser, the animation will run in its window.
The Viewer programs would be found at freeware download sites.
Complement For Missing Frames
If you have mistakingly deleted some of the animation frame files or moved it to other places and you don't know where it is, you will propbably want to complement for the missing files.
In that case, choose "Automatic Screen Capture (A)" = "Resume (R)."
Select the "Capture-Info" file you want to complement, and if all the frame files have been already saved, this message will show.
"This Capture Info File reports that all frame files have been saved, Do a file-existance check for missing files?"
Click "Yes."
If it detects any missing files, it renders the frames again.
(*However, there is no way of complementing if Capture-Info files itself was lost. So be careful when deleting these files.)
Shouldn't Two Processes Be One?
"Automatic Screen Capture","Make Animated-GIF File",
those separated two processes enable you to produce animation files many times from the same frame files under different settings.
Besides, there are some softwares made especially for the purpose of compling animated-GIF files. Those often have better settings for compling.
So the separation would be desireble.
If you have any troubles compiling animated-GIF by this program, call for those "specialists."
Let Stones Rotate Keeping Its Frontfaces Front
Normally, while a stones is rotating, you have to watch the backface of the stone for the half of a rotation.
It is o.k., but if there is any way for stones to rotate keeping its frontfaces front, it'll be nice.
Fixing the view point to where you can look down the object is the way.
Following is the procedure.
First, click the "SY" button to switch to the "Syncronized Mode."
It allows the green wire frame model to rotate, tilt it a bit around X-axis. (by "pitch" angle.)
Next, click the "GM" button to switch to the "Global Moving Mode."
Move the view point a little upward to the position from where you want to look down the rotation.
Execute the "Automatic Screen Capture" (choose "Automatic Screen Capture"="New (N)")
The stone will be rotating without turning its frontface back.
The crucial point of this procedure is at its order.
You must first set to the "SY" mode, then to the "GM" mode, invariably.
Switching to these modes always reset a viewpoint home "(x = 0, y = 0, z = -1)", but neither modes reset the angle of the wire frame model.
The change which has been applied to the wire frame model in the "SY" mode does remain when enter into "GM" mode.
But if you first set to "GM" mode, then switch to the "SY" mode, it inevitably reset the viewpoint home, any changes you made in the "GM" mode will be cleared.
So, First to "SY", then to "GM" is the key.
And, in the "SY" mode and the "GM" mode together, the model is going to be tilted around X-axis twice, so that the angle should not be too much adjusted in the first "SY" mode.
The amount of tilting angle should be equally divided in the every two modes.
That is the other key.
Animation Samples
The animation samples were made under these settings.
Sample Diamond
"Diamond","MazarinCut","Colorless",
Standard Mode(HQ button not pressed), Fire ="Draw" (checked),
Back Color = RGB (0, 0, 0),
Main Light=100%, Back Light=100%(*), Fill Light=100%
The number of frames=128, Weight Time Per Frame=12.
(*If the Back Color were RGB (0, 0, 0), the RGB value of the Back Light doesn't matter.
See =6.-(1) Light Volume Setting c. Fill Light)
Sample Sapphire
"Sapphire","Antique CushionCut","Blue",
Standard Mode(HQ buttun not pressed), Fire ="Draw" (checked),
Back Color = RGB (234, 140, 143),
Main Light=100%, Back Light=150%, Fill Light=100%,
Size = 270, (changed)
The number of frames=128, Weight Time Per Frame= 4.
The Position Info files for these samples are included in the "ScreenShots" folder.
("Sample_Diamond.gpi", "Sample_Sapphire.gpi".)
By reading these files, you can restore the stones to the position by where the screen shots were taken.
See = 5.-(1) Position Infomation
6. Settings
These are the menu items of the settings.
(1).Back Color (backdrop color for a rendering image.), & Light Volume
(2).Size
(3).Transfromable Models
(4).General Settings
(1). Back Color & Light Volume
Here you can change the backdrop color of the rendering object, and can control the light volumes.
These two settings are on the same dialog since these are mutually related.
Choose "Settings(S)" = "BackColor / Light Volume(C)" to show the setting dialog.
Or simply click on the button placed on the Main Window. You can open the dialog by one click.
Back Color
At the upper half of the dialog, you can choose the color for the backdrop by controling the strength of Red, Green and Blue colors.
The rectangle left show the result of adding these three colors.
Click "OK" to set the color.
The color is applied from the next rendering on.
When the Back Color is RGB=(213, 115, 66).
A rendered result of "Glass" (Colorless).
Light Volume
At the lower half of the dialog, you can change the light volumes that iluminate the object.
As for this setting, controls are disabled in advance so that parameter values cannot be accidentally changed.
First, you need to check the checkbox at the left corner to enable the controls.
This light volume setting stands on typical "three-point lighting".
Main Light (shines at the object directly. a.k.a. the "key" light)
Back Light (the light strengh of the backdrop color which has traveled through the object.)
Fill Light (iluminates the objects's overall frontal surface)
a. Main Light …… Its angle is displayed as the arrow in the Celestial Panel.
Choose the strength of the light with the range of 0% to 200%.
Main light, left "50%"、right "150%".
The purpose of the Main Light is to highlight the form and dimension of the object.
A strong main light sometimes causes the "harsh glare" with some stones in its paticluar shapes and angles. (e.g. "Diamond" &"Brilliant cut")
On occasions like those, the main light should be less brighter.
b. Back Light …… By controling this volume, you can adjust the light strengh of the backdrop.
This volume only affects the brightness of the light that "has traveled through the object."
If you'd like to change the whole color of the backdrop, go to Back Color (backdrop color for a rendering image.).
When Back Color = (98, 133, 255).
Back light, left 100%, right 150%.
(*Using "Narrow Main Light".)
c. Fill Light …… The Fill Light also shines on an object, but not so directional as the Main Light.
This light falls on an object deffusively.
When you want an overall brightness, control the volume of this light.
Adjusting the "Back Light" also affects the overall brightness of an transparent object, but that depends on the brightness of the "Back Color".
For example, When the Back Color is RGB(0, 0, 0), the value of the Back Light becomes entirely meaningless.
In such case, the Fill Light is going to be the only source for the surrounding diffusion light.
When Back Color = (0, 0, 0).
Fill Light, left 100%, right 200%。
Use A "Narrow" Main Light
Check this item to make the spot of high light get smaller.
The difference is this.
If checked, stone's inner reflection will be less fogged by the light reflected off its surfaces.
But the shape of the stone becomes a bit obscure for the weakness of surface reflection.
(2). Size
Change Rendering Size
Choose "Settings (S)" = "Size (C)".
Or simply click on the button placed on the Main Window. You can open the dialog by one click.
It opens a setting dialog.
The Upper half of the dialog is for the size setting.
(*The lower half is for a "Trimming".)
If you want to change the rendering size, check the "Change Size (Render On Separate Window)" button.
It enables the edit box below, so you can set the width of the rendering size. (Since the shape of a rendering target is always square, just setting width will serve the purpose.)
Click "OK". Then shows up the separate "Render Window", and from this point on, images are going to be rendered in that window.
This Render Window can always be hidden by clicking the "×"(close) button on the upper right corner of the window.
To re-open the window, click the "->Render Window" button on the Main Window.
Either way, when you click the "ray-trace" button to render a stone, this Render Window will automatically show up.
(*This separate window will not automatically show right after the program's start-ups. The window will show when you first press either the "ray-trace" or the "->Render Window" button.)
On this Render Window, you can take a screen shot by right-clicking.
Or you can do it by pressing the "s.shot"(screen shot) button on the Main Window as always.
Also, at any part of the Render Window, you can click and drag to move the window.
Trimming
You can trim off the the unwanted portion of the image.
If this setting is specified, you can save cropped images when taking screen shots, or making animated-GIFs.
Choose "Settings(S)" = "Size (C)".
At the lower half of the dialog, set the dimension of the image.
But first, check the checkbox to enable the controls.
These four edit-boxes placed in diamond are the trimming length for each side of the image.
For instance, set "20" to "Top Side", then you will get a image with its upper part trimmed off by 20 pixels.
Set "10" to "Bottom Side", then a image with its bottom part trimmed off by 10 pixels.
"Left Side","Right Side" likewise.
Set "0" to all, the original size.
When the trimming setting is specified, a green rectangle is displayed in the View Panel.
This rectangle represents the dimension of the cropped image.
By rotating the surface model under the green frame, you can check if it stays in the trimmed dimension.
In this screen shot left, the right edge of the brilliant cut appears to be a bit out of the frame.
The trimming value of this "Right Side" should be set a little smaller.
Also, the size of the green frame in the View Panel changes when you changes the image's size.
For example, if you doubled the size of the image, the green rectangle will be a size larger.
The trimming length is set by pixel, not by ratio, so that the value remains unchanged when you change the image's size.
And since the size of the View Panel is fixed, the changed image's size will not be reflected to it.
When the size of a image was changed but displayed as the same size, it changes its "scale".
The changed scale changes the size of the trimming frame.
This setting is effective when you take screen shots and make animated-GIFs.
When you resumed an "Automatic Screen Capture" file, the setting values are reset with the resumed ones.
(3). Transformable Models
Choose "Settings(S)"="Transformable Models(T)" to open the setting dialog.
a. Ellipsoid
b. Prism
c. Pyramid
The setting for the pyramid is the same with the prism.
d. 14 Hedron
The shape of this model here is a cube with its eight corners chipped off diagonally.*
On the setting dialog, you can choose the ratio of cutting corners.
Below shows the difference by the value of the ratio.
(*"Chipping the corners off" is simply a expression for its shape. After all, these models are always inscribed within the sphere of the same size, so no matter how much you "chipped off the corners", the size of the cut will not be smaller.)
e. 26 Hedron
The shape of this model here is a cube with its eight coners and eight sides chipped off diagonally.
On the setting dialog, you can choose the ratio of cutting corners and sides.
The setting for this model is essentially the same with 14 hedron above.
Press the "Select" button at the bottum center part of the dialog, then you can directly select the model of the tab page which currently opens.
Otherwise, after closing the dialog, you need to select it again at the "Stone" select box on the Main Window.
(4). General Settings
Choose "Settings (S)" ="General Settings (S)" to open the setting dialog.
a. Rotation Speed Of Surface Model
Choose a rotation speed of the surface model in the View Panel.
This value is for the surface model to be rotated by keyboard input.(or with those buttuns below the View Panel.)
When you need to fine-adjust the rotation, lower the value.
b. Depth Of Recursivie Calculation
This value specifies the number of inner-reflection-times of light ray.
The larger the value, the more detailed the depiction. But the slower the rendering in exchange.
The smaller the value, the simpler the depiction. But the faster the rendering.
Let the value around the default value "8".
The difference gets minor and minor if the value go further beyond "10".
Comparison of depiction by recursion depth,
left "8", right "9".
c. Draw Fire
If checked, light will spread out into a rainbow colors at reflection/refraction points, like the way light goes through a prism.
If unchecked, light will not spread out, hence rendering becomes simpler, but faster.
"Diamond", "No Fire." (Rendered in the "HQ" mode)
d. Trail Of View Point
(See = Stop Drawing The Trail Of The View Point)
e. Appearence Of Stone Setting Panel
You can vary the appeaerence of the Stone Setting Panel. (the orange frame placed on the upper right corner of the Main Window)
Use Larger Font
If unchecked, a smaller font will be applied for the text in the select boxes.
This setting takes effect at the next program launch.
f. Button Placement
These two short-cut buttons on the Main Window, "Back Color & Light Volume","Size" are able to be hidden.
Uncheck this if you want them not to show.
The defference in appearence is below.
This setting takes effect at the next program launch.
g. Position Info File
You can choose whether or not to save Position Info files when taking screen shots.
If unchecked, creating Position Info files will be skipped while picture files only are saved.
See = 5.-(1)Screen Shot Position Information
7. Menu
(1). File (F)…To exit the program, click on the "Exit (X)".
(2). View (V)…
Show Title (T)…
You can choose whether nor not to show the title window on start ups.
If unchecked, the title window will not show.
RenderWindow As TopMost (R)…
If checked, the separate Render Window will be fixed on top of every other windows and no longer be hidden by them.
(3). Polygon Color (C)…
You can select the color of the surface model in the View Panel from 8 colors on the list.
This color is not for the use of rendering transparent objects.
Choose the color you want to paint for the surface model.
(4). Settings (S)…
(See = 6. Settings)
(5). Screen Shot (T)…
(See = 5-(1). Screen Shot)
(6). Automatic Screen Capture (P)…
(See = 5-(2). Make An Animated-GIF File)
8. Uninstall
Just deleting the unzipped folder completes the uninstallation.
This program doesn't use the Windows Registry.
9. Rendered Images
Upper row, from left to right, "Diamond", "Ruby"*, "Sapphire".
Lower row, "Topaz","Diamond","Emerald".
Upper row, all are Size=270, "HQ" mode, Main Light=100%, Back Light=100%, Fill Light=100%.
Diamond ... Brilliant Cut 2 (R), Back Color= RGB(0, 0, 0). (*Only this diamond was rendered by the recursion depth of "9".)
Ruby ... (*Select "Saphire", then Color to "Red"), Scssiors Cut, Back Color= RGB(231, 213, 213).
Sapphire ... Mazarin Cut, Back Color= RGB(0, 0, 0).
Lower row, all are Size=270, Standard mode, Main Light=100, Fill Light=100.
Topaz ... Scissors Cut, BackColor= RGB(96, 133, 255), Back Color=150%.
Diamond ... Brilliant Cut(R), BackColor= RGB(0, 150, 255), Back Color=126%.
Emerald ... Emerald Cut, BackColor= RGB(0, 150, 255), Back Color=126%.
10. References
Antique Cushocut
http://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/cushion-cut-diamond
Emerald Cut
http://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/emerald-cut-diamond
http://www.lumeradiamonds.com/diamond-education/emerald-cut-diamond
DoubleRose Cut
http://www.hardasrocks.info/rose-cut-diamonds.htm
Baguette Cut
http://www.ask.com/question/what-are-baguette-cut-diamonds
Refractive Index
http://www.microscopyu.com/articles/formulas/formulasri.html
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110729080416AA9njV6
11. Contacts
I hope you enjoy using this software and will feed back any issues or bugs that you may find.
E-mail:tamuraproducts@yahoo.co.jp
WebSite:http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA040186/
Taichi Tamura 2011.