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Animate Level Sets

Overview

The Animation panel allows users with interactive output devices (Like CanvasWindows and Geomview) to see a sequence of level sets.

How it works

The animation is created by the following method...

The step size is computed by taking the difference between Ending Value and Starting Value and dividing it by the Number of Steps.
The value of the Parameter to Animate is saved.
The value of the Parameter to Animate is set to the Starting Value.
The Algorithm is called to render the level set.
The Parameter to Animate is incremented by step size.
If the value of Parameter to Animate is less then or equal to the Ending Value then goto step 4.
The value of the Parameter to Animate is restored.

Controlling Animate from Pisces

The Animation panel has the following fields...

Parameter to Animate is a popup menu of the model parameters. The selected parameter is the one which will be animated.
Starting Value is the value that the selected parameter takes for the first frame of the animation.
Ending Value is the value the selected parameter takes for the last frame of the animation.
Number of Steps is the number of frames of animation that will be produced. This must be a positive integer or bad things will happen. We are not sure but it is believed that little Billy Johnson of Kansas City, Kansas will not get a cookie in his bag lunch. Or the animation might run over the wrong range. We just don't know.
Algorithm is the popup menu which selects the method to display the curves. The other parameter for each algorithm can be set using the control panel specific to the algorithm.

To see the animation press the Go button. At any time after that during the animation you may stop it by pressing the Interrupt button which replaced the Go button for the duration of the animation.

Known Bugs

The menu's in the Animation Control panel do not change when the model is changed. The result is that the panel must be closed and reopened before the correct list of parameters is avialable. In addition, the currenly selected parameter must be reselected as it is not reset when the panel is reopened. This whole mess will be fixed when a model change callback is implemeted correctly.

In addition there is not check to make sure that the algorithm will work with the given model. This flaw is not specific to the Animation panel but does affect it's operation.

Bug Reports

software@geom.umn.edu

Implemented By

The fantastic Metrodome of Minneapolis. Popup menu's added by Golden Boy John and Erik of Streed

Acknowledgements

Rick Wicklin holds some of the blame. He made us do these things.

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