Inspector Overview

Using the information in the Inspector, you can rapidly identify possible issues in models and evaluate the potential for optimizing performance.

For example:

• A graphic artist would analyze the complexity of the graphic models (i.e., number of vertices, triangles, primitive sets and memory used by textures and meshes).
• A mechanical engineer would analyze the complexity of the scene (i.e., the number of parts, connections, constraints and scripts, as well as the total mass of an assembly or mechanism).
• A level designer would analyze the number of metrics defined in a scene.

Accessing the Inspector

To view the Inspector panel:

1. Click  then select the Inspector checkbox. The default position for the panel is docked on the right-hand side of the Vortex Studio Editor but can be detached.
2. Select an object. Its information will appear in the Inspector panel, if it is one of the supported object types listed below.

Inspector Content

The Inspector displays data for the following types of objects:

• Graphics Gallery
• Graphics node
• Part
• Assembly
• Mechanism
• Scene

The selection of multiple objects is not supported; if you select multiple objects, the information about the last object is displayed. The values in the Inspector panel are for display purposes only. They cannot be edited.

There are two main categories of information displayed in the Inspector, described below.

• The Graphics Statistics, which may contain:
  • Number of vertices
  • Number of triangles
  • Number of primitive sets
  • Memory used by textures, in megabytes
  • Memory used by meshes, in megabytes
• The Model Properties, which may contain:
  • Number of lights
  • Number of lights casting shadows
  • Mass
  • Number of parts
  • Number of constraints
  • Number of Python scripts
  • Number of connections
  • Number of metrics
  • Number of mechanisms

The fields displayed in the Inspector are contextual depending on the object currently selected in the Editor. The fields displayed in the Inspector for the various Vortex object types are summarized below.

• Graphics Gallery:
  • Graphics Statistics
  • Number of graphics nodes
• Graphics Node:
  • Graphics Statistics
  • Number of graphics nodes (the number of nodes always includes the node itself)
• Part:
  • Graphics Statistics, if defined. These statistics are only defined if the part is selected in a scene, mechanism or assembly where a mapping exists between the part and a graphic node. The only way to have an assembly document with part-node mapping defined is to open it from within a mechanism document which contains the part-node mapping.
  • Mass
• Assembly:
  • Graphics Statistics, if defined. These statistics are only defined if the assembly is selected in a mechanism where there is a mapping between one of the assembly's parts and a graphic node.
  • Mass
  • Number of parts
  • Number of constraints
• Mechanism
  • Graphics Statistics, if graphics elements are defined in the mechanism or one of its descendants
  • Number of lights (only directional, point and spot lights are considered)
  • Number of lights casting shadows (only directional, point and spot lights are considered)
  • Mass
  • Number of parts
  • Number of constraints
  • Number of Python scripts
  • Number of connections
  • Number of metrics
• Scene
  • Graphics Statistics, if graphic elements are defined in the scene or one of its descendants
  • Number of lights (only directional, point and spot lights are considered)
  • Number of lights casting shadows (only directional, point and spot lights are considered)
  • Number of mechanisms
  • Number of parts
  • Number of constraints
  • Number of Python scripts
  • Number of connections
  • Number of metrics

General Graphics Statistics are shown for a scene or mechanism only if it contains at least one Graphics Gallery, either directly or via one of its descendants.

The Textures Memory field is shown for a scene or mechanism only if it contains at least one texture, either directly or via one of its descendants.

Understanding the Inspector Graphics Statistics

A Vortex mechanism definition may be used multiple times to insert individual instances of the mechanism within a scene. Similarly, assembly, part and graphics gallery definitions may be used repeatedly to create multiple instances as needed.

Where Does the Data Come From?

Each geometry has an associated mesh, and each texture has an associated image.

The values for the fields Number of Vertices, Number of Triangles, Number of Primitive Sets and Meshes Memory are computed from the meshes associated to geometry object data, while the value for the Textures Memory field is computed from the images used by texture objects.

How Are the Values Computed?

Certain graphics elements contain references to other graphics elements. For example, a graphics node contains a reference to a geometry. A node also contains a reference to a material, which in turn has up to four texture references.

Materials and textures can also be added directly to a mechanism or a scene.

It is possible for a single geometry or texture to be referenced multiple times within a Vortex object. As part of the internal Vortex graphics optimization, each unique mesh and image is loaded only once, and so the computed values for the Graphics Statistics reflect that. The Graphic Statistics are accumulated only once for each unique mesh identifier, and only once for each unique image identifier.