Very basic question

[kaisersuzuki]

How do you determine x,y,z coordinates for object placement?  If I am looking at the render preview and hover my mouse over a location, I then input the x,y,z coordinates I see below the image to the imported object settings dialogue.  This not appear to be the correct method as I never see my object in the location I expect it to be.

Is there an easy method for this.  Forgive me if it is obvious.

Thanks!

[rcallicotte]

Well, you're probably right in this way about the X and the Z, but the Y value is usually the tricky one.  It's easy to go under ground.

[kaisersuzuki]

What is the method then?

Thanks!

[Kevin F]

...... This not appear to be the correct method as I never see my object in the location I expect it to be.

The method you're using is correct, and you should see the bounding box of the object even if it's under the ground. Make sure the object is big enough to see. Sometimes it will need resizing by 100's or 1000's to make it visible. Once you have the bounding box in view, you can click on the co-ordinates marker in the box and the three directional arrows will appear (red/green/blue I think). You can then manipulate your object to where you want. This is still a matter of trial and error though since it's still only the bounding box that you can adjust. Hopefully this will be improved for final release.

[IanR]

I've found DandelO's approach here pretty useful...(Hi DandelO if you're still around!)...

http://rockyknuckles.googlepages.com/terragen2help

The trick is to let the preview finish and then pause it while you move to look vertically down on the view.  Then you can get the position right in the X & Z locations and move back to a front view to get the Y right.

[dandelO]

Wahey! Hi, Ian. Long time no etc.
Yup, that's the best way I found when I was starting out, once you get the idea though, you'll be throwing objects around with ease in TG.
Also, if you always leave a heightfield shader set to the default position you'll be able to find your imported object really easily because objects import to x0 y0 z0, or, the bottom left of your heightfield.

If you wanted to make it appear right in front of you(if you're on the other side of the planet, far from point 0,0,0, or such) you can import it, then create a sphere in TG and copy the co-ords from that to your object's. Spheres always import right in front of your current camera. Just delete/disable/hide from render the sphere afterwards, it's only a marker.

[rcallicotte]

Populations work a bit differently, though.  To get those to work, make sure the last node in your network is connected to the object population.  This ensures that your object population will be on the terrain.  This isn't a default behavior, so you should always check when creating a population.

[mesocyclone]

first, click in the boxes where you may enter the coordinates values. Then place the mouse where you want to get the coords in the preview.
The coords will appear under the preview. Without moving the mouse, type them in the fields, using the TAB key to go to the next.

[rcallicotte]

This is what I do at first and then I zoom in to make sure the Y value is correct by using the Y arrow and the preview of the terrain in the preview view.  Sometimes I use the X, Z arrows for fine tuning of placement.

first, click in the boxes where you may enter the coordinates values. Then place the mouse where you want to get the coords in the preview.
The coords will appear under the preview. Without moving the mouse, type them in the fields, using the TAB key to go to the next.

[PorcupineFloyd]

In this matter I simply love Vue's feature to drop objects.

It would be great to have such feature in TG and as I believe it shouldn't be hard to code as populations do the same thing (objects from populations are dropped on top of terrain or shader).

[kaisersuzuki]

Thanks everyone!!  These are helpfull suggestions.  I appreciate your time!

[jo]

Hi,

I thought I might mention a bit of a refinement to dandelO's method. As in many other 3D apps you can open multiple 3D Previews in TG2, and you can assign preset cameras to them. For example, you can use the "3D Preview in New Window" item in the View menu to open a new 3D Preview. You can then use the View camera button ( second from left at the bottom of the 3D Preview ) to switch to a top view. If you prefer you can do this all in the 3D Preview in the main window as well. Having multiple views open lets you see the object you're manipulating from several different perspectives at once, for example through the render camera, from the top and from the side. You can click the R button under the 3D Preview to centre a view on the object you want to manipulate.

You could also use dandelO's method in a separate 3D Preview so as not to effect the camera in the main preview.

You still might want to pause the preview rendering as in dandelO's method so you have a consistent detail level in each preview. This will depend a bit on the camera location though.

Regards,

Jo

[dandelO]

Multiple view windows are just so much better, I did make that little guide around a year ago using TP1 or 2 I think, when there were no extra views available.