Altium NEXUS Documentation

PCB_Cmd-AddNewKeyFrameAddNewKeyFrame_AD

Created: July 24, 2015 | Updated: July 7, 2018
Now reading version 2.1. For the latest, read: AddNewKeyFrame for version 5
Applies to altium-nexus versions: 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 2.1, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2 and 4
This documentation page references Altium NEXUS/NEXUS Client (part of the deployed NEXUS solution), which has been discontinued. All your PCB design, data management and collaboration needs can now be delivered by Altium Designer (with Altium Designer Enterprise Subscription) and a connected Altium 365 Workspace. Check out the FAQs page for more information.

Parent page: PCB Commands

The following pre-packaged resources, derived from this base command, are available:


Applied Parameters: MovieIndex=n (where n is in the range 0 to 20)

Summary

This command is used to add a new Key Frame to the indicated PCB 3D Movie (or PCB 3D Video), allowing for more streamlined creation of a key frame sequence right in the 'thick of the camera action' as it were, without having to change focus to the PCB 3D Movie Editor panel. A PCB 3D Video is generated from a sequence of key frames, i.e. snapshots of your board, that, when published in a video format, result in a smoothly interpolated movie that can be used to highlight and showcase your board and key elements of it.

Access

The related indexed commands are accessed from the PCB Editor, in 3D Layout Mode, from the right-click Add Key Frame to 3D Movie context sub-menu. The menu lists all currently defined 3D movies for the active PCB, with the currently selected movie (in the PCB 3D Movie Editor panel) distinguished by a tick. Up to 21 movies will be listed by title in the menu, corresponding to the applied parameter index range.

The menu of existing 3D movies can also be quickly accessed using the Ctrl+Alt+K keyboard shortcut.
The current viewing mode for the PCB document can be changed using the corresponding commands from the main View menu. To switch to 3D Layout Mode, use the command of the same name, or use the 3 keyboard shortcut.

Use

First, position the 3D view of your board in the PCB Editor as required. Then select the movie to which you want to add the key frame. Clicking on a movie name in the Add Key Frame to 3D Movie menu will add a new key frame - based on the current view of the board in the workspace - to the end of the key frame sequence for that movie.

To add another frame to the same 3D movie, set up the board as required and click on the entry for that movie again in the menu. To add a frame to a different movie, click on that movie's entry in the menu.

Tips

  1. Each key frame is a snapshot in your movie. By defining a number of these snapshots - the key frame sequence - the final, generated video output is made by smoothly interpolating the n-1 intervals between your n key frames.
  2. A key frame added from the PCB Editor is always added at the end of a key frame sequence. It cannot be inserted at a specific position within a key frame sequence. This can only be achieved from within the PCB 3D Movie Editor panel.
  3. If your PCB has more than 21 movies defined for it, you can click on the More 3D Movies entry to open the Choose PCB 3D Movie dialog in which you can select the movie to which you want to add the key frame.


Applied Parameters: Action=Select3DMovie

Summary

Any number of 3D Movies can be defined for a PCB. But when adding a key frame to an existing 3D Movie, directly from within the PCB Editor's workspace, the right-click Add Key Frame to 3D Movie menu only lists the first 21 movies by title. This command is used to access a dialog containing all your board's movies so that you can choose exactly the right movie to which to add the key frame.

A PCB 3D Video is generated from a sequence of key frames - snapshots of your board, that when published in a video format, result in a smoothly interpolated movie that can be used to highlight and showcase your board and key elements of it.

Access

This command is accessed from the PCB Editor in 3D Layout Mode by right-clicking in the workspace and choosing the Add Key Frame to 3D Movie » More 3D Movies command from the context menu.

The current viewing mode for the PCB document can be changed using the corresponding commands from the main View menu. To switch to 3D Layout Mode, use the command of the same name, or use the 3 keyboard shortcut.

Use

First, position the 3D view of your board in the PCB Editor as required.

After launching the command, the Choose PCB 3D Movie dialog will open. Use this dialog to browse to and select the 3D movie to which you want to add the new key frame. After clicking OK, a new key frame - based on the current view of the board in the workspace - will be added to the end of the key frame sequence for the chosen 3D movie. That movie will become the active movie in the PCB 3D Movie Editor panel.

Tips

  1. Each key frame is a snapshot in your movie. By defining a number of these snapshots - the key frame sequence - the final, generated video output is made by smoothly interpolating the n-1 intervals between your n key frames.
  2. A key frame added from the PCB Editor is always added at the end of a key frame sequence. It cannot be inserted at a specific position within a key frame sequence. This can only be achieved from within the PCB 3D Movie Editor panel.

 

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