Introduction
Installation
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Quick Start
Misc

Fiber 2.03 Guide - Quick Start

DEFAULT

- Ensure that the default cube is selected.


Figure 1. Default Blender Scene

- Split the default 3DWindow horizontally into 2 side by side windows. Switch the right side window
   to a Text Editor window and load Fiber2.py and FiberGUI.py . With your mouse cursor in the Text
   Editor Window, press Alt_P to start the FiberGUI version 2.03 script.
   ( If you require additional details, refer to Figures 6, 7, 8, and 10 in the 'Use Wind' section below ).

We will leave all of the settings at their default values, so do not change anything. Click the 'Estimate
Faces' button to get an idea of how many faces will be created when you run the script. Using the
default settings should produce a fairly low face count and does not take too long to obtain a result.


Figure 2. Estimate Faces


- Press 'Create' and you should now see the default cube with fibers sticking out of all six sides.


Figure 3. Final Result


NOTE: It is not necessary to delete the fibers if you are not satisfied with the results. Simply re-select
the cube, make some adjustments to the parameters and run the Fiber script again. The Fiber script
will automatically replace the first generation of fibers created with a new set of fibers as defined by
the new settings.

The script keeps track of the Fiber generating mesh by its object name, ie. OB:Cube . The generated
fibers will be given an Object name of OB: Mesh and a mesh name ( when generated using a 'Cube'
object ) of Cube_Fiber.0 . Fiber version 2.03 still adheres to the pre-Blender version 2.32 limitation of
a maximum of 65,535 vertices per Object. If the generated fibers exceeds this limit, they will be placed
in a new Object(s) sequentially numbered as follows - OB: Mesh.001/ME: Cube_Fiber.1 ,
OB: Mesh.002/ME: Cube_Fiber.2 , etc.
Use VCol (Vertex Colors)

Note: If you completed the DEFAULT section above, delete [X] the generated fibers and re-select
        the Cube.

- Change to edit mode [TAB], ensure all vertices are selected [A], and subdivide [W, 1] about 3
   or 4 times. Exit edit mode [TAB].

- Press [V] to enter Vertex Paint mode. Switch to the Edit Buttons Window [F9], and then apply
   some vertex colors.

*WARNING Applying pure Blue vertex colors ( ie. with no Red or Green component ) will cause
Fiber version 2.03 to crash.  Refer to BUG#3 in the Misc page.

- Press [V] to exit Vertex Paint mode.


Figure 1. Cube with Vertex Colors Applied



In the Fiber v2.03 script GUI, make the following adjustments:

* increase the 'Density' setting to 100

(Note: This requires that you increase the 'Max' limiter button to the right, to a setting of at least 100 ).

* set 'Length of Segment' to about 0.5,

* set 'Width' to about 1.5, and

* press the 'Use VCol' button,

Press the 'Estimate Faces' button. I received an estimate of about '3,000', which I deemed
satisfactory, so I pressed 'Create' to obtain the following result.

Note: The fibers on each side of the Cube were vertex painted a different color to make the fibers
      more distinguishable.


Figure 2. Final Result
Use Wind

¤ Set Up the Scene

- Delete [X] the default Cube,

- In Top view [NumPad_7], add [Shift_A] a Plane. Subdivide [W,1] the Plane 2 or 3 times.
   Exit Edit mode.

- Switch to the Shading/Material Buttons Window [F5], and assign a material to the Plane.
   Give it a brownish color and lower the 'Spec' value in the 'Shaders' panel slightly to 0.2

- Enter Camera view mode [NumPad_0]

- Move the Camera in towards the Plane for a closer view:
   Select the solid outer rectangular outline (the Camera),
   Enter Grab/Move mode [G], MMB click and move the mouse vertically up to zoom in,
   and vertically down to zoom out. LMB click when the plane lies just inside the outer
   dashed rectangular box. (Remember to leave a little room to view the fibers above the Plane)
   You may need to Rotate the Camera slightly also - Press [R], MMB click to un-constrain
   the axis rotation and rotate the Camera, such that the Plane is just slightly lower than
   the center of the frame. Move the Camera as required until the Plane is lined up properly.

- Add another Lamp:
   Switch to Side view [NumPad_3] and place the 3DCursor above and behind the Camera.
   (Note that you will need to switch to another view, eg. Top, to correctly place the 3DCursor).
   Add a Lamp.
   Switch to the Shader/Lamp Buttons [F5]. In the 'Preview' panel, change the Lamp type to [Hemi]
   and in the 'Lamp' panel, decrease the Lamp 'Energy' to about 0.6 . Switch to Front view
   [NumPad 1]. With your mouse cursor in the 3D Window, clear the Hemi Lamp rotation, [Alt_R],
   and then rotate it so that it is aimed at the Plane.

- Switch to the Scene/Render Buttons Window [F10]:
   In the 'Anim' panel, set the 'End Frame' to 100,
   In the 'Format' panel, click the 'Save Image As:' pop-up menu (Default setting = 'Jpeg'), and
   set the Format Type to 'Avi Raw', and
   In the 'Output' panel, in the top most text entry button, enter the path and file name
   to save the animation to: 'use_wind.avi' .

¤ Add 'Wind' Empty

- Ensure that the 3DCursor is at the origin [Shift_C], and that you are in Top view and add an Empty,

- Switch to the Editing Buttons Window [F9], and in the 'OB:' field in the 'Link and Materials' panel,
   enter 'Wind' for the name of the Empty Object. (Note that Python is case-sensitive, so it is
   important that you enter the name exactly as shown, not including the ' character of course).
   The Fiber script will automatically add an Empty named 'Wind' if one is not found, but it
   is best to avoid having any unnecessary redundant objects included in your scene.

- Switch to the Object Buttons Window [F7] and in the 'Draw' panel, below the 'Draw Extra' text,
   activate the 'Name' option.

-The Fiber script depends on various parameters of the 'Wind' Empty to control how the wind effect
   parameters behaves during the course of the animation. We have the option to leave the 'Wind'
   Empty static, in which case that particular wind parameter will also remain constant, or we can vary
   the 'Wind' Empty parameter via IPO curves to create a more dynamic responding wind effect.

   The various 'Wind' Empty parameters that we can change, and their effect on the wind's behaviour
   are listed below:

1. 'Wind' Empty location relative to the origin controls the wind direction. Moving the 'Wind' Empty
   to the southwest will have the wind blow to the southwest.

Note: Due to a bug in the Fiber script, this is only true when the 'Wind' Empty is moved in the
northeast, northwest, southwest, and southeast directions. ( Refer to the Bug section of the
Misc page for more details ).


Figure 1. Wind Direction

2. 'Wind' Empty Size/Scale controls the wind strength. ( How large each wind 'gust' is ).

Figures 2, 3, 4. wind Strength                                    

3. 'Wind' Empty translation on the Z-axis relative to the Fiber Generating mesh's center point,
   controls the period or frequency of the fiber strands swaying back and forth.

   Note that there is some randomness built into the equation so that the movement does not occur
   at a constant frequency.

¤ Adjust 'Wind' Empty Parameters

- Increase the scale of the 'Wind' Empty to about 3 to produce a moderate strength wind. Then move
   the 'Wind' Empty to X = -5, Y = -5 to establish the wind direction such that the wind is blowing
   towards the southwest.
   Note that these values can be easily adjusted later if required.

- Note: Now would be a good time to save your work. Open up a File Save Dialog Window [F2],
   adjust the directory path if necessary, enter a file name in the second field to
   save to, for example: 'use_wind.blend', and press [Enter] twice to save.

¤ Load the Fiber Scripts

- First open a second Window and change it to a Text Editor Window as shown below in Figure 6,

- Load all 3 of the Fiber scripts: FiberAnim.py, Fiber2.py, and FiberGui.py as demonstrated below
   in Figures 7, 8, and 9.

   Note: When loading additional Python scripts, you can access recently opened directories by
   clicking on the popup control located to the left of the File name entry field in the 'Open File'
   Window. (Refer to Figure 10).


Figure 6. Open a Text Window



Figure 7. Open a Script File



Figure 8. Select the Script File



Figure 9. FiberAnim.py Script File


Figure 10. Directory Shortcut

¤ Run the FiberGUI script

- With FiberGui.py script loaded in the text Window, move your mouse cursor into the text window
   and press Alt_p

- Ensure that the Plane mesh Object is selected and adjust the various script settings as desired.
   Press 'Estimate Faces' and once the result is satisfactory, press 'Create'.

- Assign a material and/or texture to the fiber object.

¤ Set up an Object ScriptLink

- Ensure that the Plane mesh Object is selected, and then attach an Object ScriptLink to it as shown
   in the sequence of images below:



¤ Final Step

- Press the 'Use Wind' button in the Fiber GUI.

- Make one last check to ensure that everything is correct.

- Switch to the Scene/Render Buttons Window [F10] and press the 'Anim' button.

- Once the animation has completed rendering, press [F11] to force the Render Window to the
   background. Press the 'Play' button in the 'Anim' panel. To exit Play mode, press [Esc].

Use Guides

¤ Not completed



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