MacroSystem Columbus 2 - Manual (Page 19)

1
Now open the Global settings menu by clicking
on the following icon:
In this menu, set the top selection button to
Head object, activate the Show head object func-
tion and click on Select head object to choose a
symbol for the leading end of the growing line.
In the selection window that then appears, you
will see 2D and 3D objects in groups (can be set
under Type) of which some are better suited for
use as a key point and others as the head object.
Select the Right hand symbol (Miscellaneous),
confirm your choice with Ok and click on the
Preview button.
You will see the hand move along the line. After-
wards you see the toolbar appear again – make
sure the Auto direction function is activated on
the toolbar.
To make the animation look more realistic (i.e.
the pointing finger of the hand traces out the
line) you will have to change a few more values.
Change the selection button setting to Head
object position and then set the Distance to 20 %
and the Angle to 80° so that the hand is initially
positioned at a distance away from the finishing
point.
Afterwards, change the selection button setting
to Head object view, then set a value of 10° for
X, 0° for Y and -60° for Z.
If the entered values do not prove to be very
accurate, please feel free to experiment a little
with them.
Lets us now slightly modify the line that is tra-
ced out by the object.
To do so, in the Global settings selection button,
set the Line type path function. This is where
you can change the type, width and color of the
line to ensure, for instance, that the line stands
out better against the background.
Now look at the Preview once again, save your
example (e.g. under the name „Africa“) in the
Archive and then close the program by clicking
on the Edit menu icon in the bottom right corner.
Next, close the Special window by clicking on Ok
so that the scene is calculated with a length of
10 seconds (default value).
The setting for the Split video button in the
Special menu is irrelevant in this case, since you
have not set any key points other than the star-
ting and finishing points.
5.2 Changing the look of the key points
This example explains another feature – the look
setting, i.e. appearance.
You will use a map of Europe and then change
the look of the starting and finishing points. You
can modify any defined key point using this
method.
Open the Edit menu and select a map of Europe
that you have imported yourself or use a map of
Europe from the Xpress-Maps 1 and 2 programs
(image pool).
Make sure that the scene that you want is mar-
ked in the scene bin and then start the Columbus
2 program.
You will see a map of Europe displayed, and the
menu area will appear in the foreground.
Now click on the Default button again to make
the yellow line appear, and reposition the star-
ting and finishing points over any place in any
country (e.g. London and Warsaw). Set additio-
nal waypoints to create a realistic looking route.