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Index
Index
Space Index
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0-93Dconnexion SpaceNavigator Mouse MappingsVortex® Studio Editor provides support for the SpaceNavigator mouse by 3Dconnexion. Support in the Editor is built-in as long as the application configuration contains the SpaceNavigator module. See also USB Devices User Guide The following is the mapping
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AAdaptive CablesCables in Vortex® are represented as a sequence of parts and constraints (or joints). The joints are configured such that, in sequence, they behave like a compliant cable with certain user-provided material properties. For more information on how to choos
Adaptive Feature Controller
The Adaptive Feature Controller allows you to precisely adjust the shadow production, as well as the quality of mirrors, monitors and ocean reflections in a simulation. This lets you balance performance and realism in the scene. In the Properties panel, c
Adding a Buoy
image2020-10-13_10-27-32.pngIn marine scenarios, you might want to add invisible buoy markers used to retrieve water height displacement. For example, this information can be useful when simulating features like bow waves or other similar effects. The oce
Adding a Decal Controller
image2020-10-13_10-29-8.pngIn marine scenarios, you can add a texture that is rendered on top of the ocean mesh. This texture, called a decal, follows the ocean waves. To add a decal: Select Marine in the Toolbox. Double-click Decal to add it, or drag it
Adding a Hull Wake
image2020-10-13_10-25-34.pngThe Wake Effect extension is used to create a hull wake wave on the ocean. The hull wake effect is simulated by moving the extension and generating particles. To render a proper hull wake, its parameters require some adjustment
Adding a Propeller Effect
image2020-10-13_10-32-36.pngIn marine scenarios, you can add a propeller backwash effect. To add a propeller effect: Select Marine in the Toolbox. Click Propeller Effect and drag it into the 3D View. In the Properties panel, configure the following fields
Adding a Splash Controller
image2020-10-13_10-34-5.pngIn marine scenarios, you can add a controller that drives multiple decals to simulate a splash effect. Through a connection, you can associate the splash controller's outputs to the decals' inputs. Thus, every time a splash is t
Adding a Thruster
image2020-10-13_10-34-54.pngIn marine scenarios, you can add a thruster to drive marine vehicles, converting propeller rotation motion into thrust force in newtons (N). The Thruster extension provides the ability to use an RPM-to-force table that defines
Adding an Imposter
image2020-10-13_10-40-44.pngLearn how to clip the water plane, to prevent it from filling the inside of a ship with water. The Ocean feature in Vortex® generates an infinite plane. This plane is usually at zero meters of altitude and cuts through any geom
Adding an Ocean Object
image2020-10-13_10-23-44.pngIn Vortex® Studio Editor, you can add an ocean to your scene which contains the dynamics and graphical extensions. To add an ocean: If you are not already in the Scene editor, either open an existing scene or create a new one.
Adding an Ocean Wake
image2020-10-13_10-27-8.pngLearn how to add a disturbed water pattern behind ships. (Mechanism only) Follow these steps to add an ocean wake extension to your mechanism: If you are not already in the Mechanism editor, either open an existing mechanism or
Adding Extensions
572_extensions.pngThis section describes how to extend and add additional functionality by using the built in extensions. There are a number of extensions that are available by default in Vortex® , such as the default joystick extension, a custom shader,
Adding Ocean Propeller Wash
image2020-10-13_10-29-43.pngIn marine scenarios, you can add an ocean disruption as caused by the craft's ocean propeller. To add ocean propeller wash: Select Marine in the Toolbox. Double-click Ocean Propeller to add it, or drag it into the desired locat
Adding Rotor Wash
image2020-10-13_10-33-2.pngIn marine scenarios, you can add a rotor wash effect, e.g., to simulate the effect a helicopter propeller would have on the surface of the ocean. To add rotor wash: Select Marine in the Toolbox. Double-click Rotor Wash to add it
Adding UI Pages
To support UI pages with graphical controls, displays, and dialogs, Vortex Studio relies on Qt Designer https://doc.qt.io/qt-5/qtdesigner-manual.html. To show these pages in the console, the system relies on the Qt module. When you set up the Console exte
Animating Using Waypoints
148_animating_custom.pngAnimating an object along a pre-defined path is a common task in many simulation scenarios. To help level designers with this task, Vortex® Studio offers a waypoint-based animation extension that outputs a smooth path along those w
Art Best Practices
124_art_best.pngThe following guidelines are meant to help you conform your models to work within the limits of Vortex® Studio. A simulated scene is composed of many elements: the main vehicle or mechanism being simulated, the environment around it, and a
Artist Guide
658_palette.pngGraphical artists can create complex graphical assets that help in the simulation of real world object. The Artist Guide provides a comprehensive resource for artists to design exceptional assets that can be exported into Vortex® Studio. Gr
Artist Guide Overview
105_getting_started.pngThis topic provides an overview of the graphics pipeline and creation guidelines, as well as the preparation and optimization of graphic assets. Graphics are an important part of the simulation. However, care must be taken to optimi
Artist Quick Start
The following list shows the typical workflow for a 3D artist working with Vortex® Studio to create, import, and work with graphical assets. A step-by-step, hands-on tutorial is available for the Graphics Gallery. You can also dive straight into the gener
Assemblies
AssemblyIconBigInverted.pngAn assembly contains the basic objects for dynamic simulation: parts, constraints and graphics. It is built and used by mechanical engineers and contains all that is necessary to implement the mechanical design of a component. I
Assembly Link
assembly_link.pngAssembly Links are used to connect two Linking Interfaces together which creates the binding between two Assemblies. The result will establish two levels of connection between the Linking Interfaces: a data connection as well as a dynamic
Asset Browser
The Asset Browser is a file navigation feature that makes it easier to find Vortex compatible content and insert them in your simulation. The Asset Browser is shown in Vortex Editor Home page where it is used to open any Vortex document for edition. It ca
Attachments
900_attachments.pngYou can attach assemblies in mechanisms or mechanisms together in the scene by using attachments. Attachment points define the location on the part where it will be joined to another body. You can define multiple attachment points in a
Automated Vortex Content Testing with Python
Purpose of this tutorial This tutorial demonstrates how to script an automated test while loading a scene containing a fully working environment and mechanism. The Excavator Scene from the Demo Scenes is used as input content to the script. The purpose of
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BBackward Compatibility TutorialName Location ExBackwardCompatibility <Vortex Studio Installation Folder>\tutorials\ExBackwardCompatibility This project is a plugin. It shows how to use the VxSim::IExtension callbacks related to serialization and backward compatibility Serialization is
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CC++ Tutorial 1: PluginsThis module explains how users can write their own plugins for Vortex Studio to add custom objects that can be used to build mechanisms or scenes. Requirements Participants must have some basic C/C++ training before taking this training module. To be able
C++ Tutorial 2: Integrating in a Third-Party Application
Vortex Studio applications can be integrated with third-party applications using various methods. This module covers how the entire Vortex Studio Dynamics engine can be integrated into a C++ application. Requirements Participants must have some basic C/C+
C++ Tutorial 3: Additional Examples
Tutorials Backward Compatibility Tutorial Collision Detector Tutorial Constraint Tutorials Content Creation Tutorial Content Parsing Tutorial Content Update Tutorial Devices Tutorial Dynamics Extension Tutorial Graphics Model Connections Tutorial Keyboard
C++ Tutorials
560202087.gif This section of the Vortex® Studio Training Curriculum shows how Vortex Studio applications can be integrated with third-party applications using two methods: by adding plugins or by integrating within a third-party application.
Cable Systems
732_cable.pngThe Cable Systems extensions allow you to use the Vortex Studio Editor to create a cable system definition in which a series of point definitions you specify and attach to existing parts make up its segment definitions. Cable systems hoist, l
Cables Tutorial 1 : Creating a Cable System
This tutorial includes video content: In this tutorial, you will learn how to use the Cable Systems add-on by adding a cable to an existing mechanism and altering the physical parameters of the cable system. Cable systems can be part of mechanisms and sc
Cables Tutorial 2 : Creating Hooks and Loops
In this tutorial, you will learn how to use hook and loop groups to attach and detach objects during runtime. We will define attachment points, create hook and loop groups, and define the logic required to connect and disconnect them following user input.
Cables Tutorial 3 : Spline Cables
In this training module, you will learn how to add a spline to a Flexible Generic Cable. The cable we will use is the tether of the ROV system of the Offshore Demo Scene. You'll notice that the cable dynamics and graphics have already been defined. To lea
Cables Tutorials
image2020-10-6_11-53-15.png This section of the Vortex® Studio training curriculum is about Cable Systems.
Cameras
Cameras are the devices that renders the scene to the display. There are the following types of cameras in Vortex® Studio: To attach a camera in a mechanism Using the Connection Container feature, connect the parent transform of the camera (as an input) a
CANopen Controls User Guide
146-CANbus_63x63.pngThis section offers information about deploying and validating an application that uses the 3rd party library ESACANopenPRO.dll. System Setup Vortex® Studio relies on the PCAN-USB hardware dongle, manufactured by PEAK-System, to interf
CANopen Device Specifications
The system supports the following CANopen devices: HCMS8 Specification This plug-in is developed for a joystick based on the HCMS8 controller. Specification Name HCMS8 Default Node ID 0x49 Communication Baudrate 250 kbps Data Byte Ordering Little Endian P
Catenary Cables
A catenary cable are cable where segments of the cable shape follow a curve, or catenary shape, because of a force field such as gravity, buoyancy field, or current flow. The shape and number of segment of the catenary cables can be defined in the editor
Changing the Number of Wheels on Flexible Tracks
To add or remove a new wheel definition to the wheel list of a flexible track, follow these instructions: From the Explorer panel, click on the vehicle Flexible track extension. In the Properties panel, under the Parameters header, expand Left Track. Expa
Co-Simulation with Vortex and ROS2
Introduction Vortex is integrated to ROS2 by mean of C++ extensions and python scripts. Such extensions and scripts are subscribing or publishing topics. The C++ extensions implement specific existing ROS2 message types (see below for a list). Python3 emb
Collision Detection Technical Notes
In Vortex®, objects themselves do not actually collide, but rather a collision is detected when their associated collision geometries overlap. For performance, smoothness and stability, these geometries are typically simpler in shape and complexity than a
Collision Detector Tutorial
Name Location ExCollisionDetector <Vortex Studio Installation Folder>\tutorials\ExCollisionDetector This tutorial shows how to create extensions that can be used later in a scene or a mechanism to monitor contacts between an intersection sensor (the objec
Collision Geometries
A part on its own does not have volume. Therefore, it cannot collide with other elements in a scene. For this reason, collision geometries must be added to allow rigid body interactions. When creating parts, you can add primitive geometric shapes, such as
Collision Geometry Holes
Basic Concepts Holes are special collision geometries that can be combined with regular collision geometries in order to create a hole inside the latter. Three shapes of holes are available: Spherical, Cylindrical and Box holes. Here is an example of a b
Collision Rules
930_collision.pngBy default, everything with collision geometry collides, but you can specify which pairs should not collide with each other by setting collision detection rules. These rules can be established for mechanisms, assemblies, parts or collisio
Configuration Object
337_installation.pngThis section describes how to configure objects that stores a set of desired, non-default values for other objects in a mechanism or scene. A configuration is an object that stores a set of desired, non-default values for other objects
Configuring Hardware Displays
Configuring a Simple Image Generator The following steps describe how to set up a simple desktop simulator with a single physical monitor. Creating a Setup File Create a new Setup file. Select Modules from the Toolbox. Add a Graphics Module OSG module by
Configuring Pages for Selecting Simulation Content to Run
Prerequisites: Before you can set up Console pages, you must know the .vxscene files you want users to be able to run. Console pages are designed to let you launch scenes for multiple types of equipment. To organize content so that users can select the sc
Configuring the Vehicle's Dynamics
000_vehicle_dynamics.pngThis procedure describes how to connect the power-train to the chassis, which is a crucial step in setting up your vehicle properly. Open the mechanism where you have defined the vehicle and added a vehicle preset for it if it is n
Configuring Viewports
In the 3D View, you can configure viewports to modify an object in perspective or orthographic views. You can view objects through one, two, three, or four viewports. For example, this is one viewport configuration that displays four views in equal propor
Connecting Track Idlers and Sprockets
These steps describe how to associate the graphics representation of a track idler and sprocket to the Vehicle Systems power-train. In the Explorer panel, under the Vehicle preset container, click Dynamic Component. In the Properties panel, under the Left
Connecting Wheels to a Graphical Node for a Flexible Track
These steps describe how to associate the graphics representation of an individual wheel in a flexible track to the Vehicle Systems powertrain. In the Explorer panel, click the Connection Editor folder to open the Connection Editor. If there is no Connect
Connection Editor
96_connections.pngConnections are mappings between parameters that are internal to Vortex® and parameters that are piped into Vortex through an extension. Only inputs can be connected as Inputs and only outputs an be connected as Outputs in the Connection
Console Extension, Module, and Page Reference
Depending on the pages and features you want to include in the user interface, you must and add different modules, extensions, and pages to your setup file. Some modules and extensions are required for the interface to function properly. You can add the f
Constraint Tutorials
Name Location Constraint <Vortex Studio Installation Folder>\tutorials\ExConstraint Generic Constraint <Vortex Studio Installation Folder>\tutorials\ExGenericConstraint The main focus of the ExConstraint tutorial is to demonstrate how to use some constrai
Constraint Types
This section lists the types of constraints that are available in Vortex®. Angular 1 Position 3 The "Angular 1 Position 3" is a general purpose two-part constraint, which is similar in nature to a Hinge or a Cylindrical but with additional positional cont
Constraints
Constraints operate on one or more parts to restrict their relative range of motion. Depending on the type of constraint, there may only be one coordinate that can be controlled (for example, the Hinge joint); or there are multiple controllable coordinate
Contact Materials
159_materials.pngIn Vortex®, the contact material defines the behavior when two materials collide. A mechanism has various materials; for example, in a vehicle mechanism, the wheels are made of rubber, the chassis of steel, and the bumpers of plastic. ima
Content Creation Tutorial
Name Location Content Creation <Vortex Studio Installation Folder>\tutorials\ExContentCreation This tutorial provides an example to create content with code. In this tutorial, a rover is built, is connected to a joystick, and rolls on a plane. It showcas
Content Creation Tutorial (Python 3)
Name Location Content Creation <Vortex Studio Installation Folder>\tutorials\Python\Vortex\PycontentCreation\ContentCreation.py This tutorial provides an example to create content with code. It is the python 3 equivalent of the C++ Content Creation Tutori
Content Parsing Tutorial
Name Location ExContentParsing <Vortex Studio Installation Folder>\tutorials\ExContentParsing This tutorial provide an example to read and parse content with code. Is will open a Vortex Content file such as a Scene, a Mechanism or an Assembly and will rec
Content Parsing Tutorial (Python 3)
Name Location PyContentParsing <Vortex Studio Installation Folder>\tutorials\Python\Vortex\PyContentParsing\ContentParsing.py This tutorial provide an example to read and parse content with code. Is will open a Vortex Content file such as a Scene, a Mecha
Content Update Tutorial
Name Location ExContentUpdate <Vortex Studio Installation Folder>\tutorials\ExContentUpdate This tutorial demonstrates how to read, update and copy content from code. It is meant to update and modify the Rover created during Tutorials ExContentCreation. S
Control Interface
308-steering-wheel.pngThis section describes how to enhance your simulation with predefined device systems. At the Mechanism or Scene level, Control Interfaces facilitate communication between content in the Editor and hardware inputs. The Control Interfa
Creating a Mirror
In this tutorial, you will learn how to add a mirror to a mechanism in Vortex® Studio Editor. This tutorial is based on a 3ds Max model seen in the first step, below. Task Action References Detach mirror In 3ds Max, detach the mirror surface from the rest
Creating a Setup File for the Console Interface
Application setup files (.vxc extension) let you define your simulator application in the Vortex Studio interface. An external application for running the simulator (such as SimApp) parses the file and automatically uses it to configure the application. T
Creating a Vehicle from a Vehicle Preset
622_vehicle_preset.pngVortex® Studio provides a library of Vehicle Preset that are representative of different class of vehicles such as wheeled vehicle, rigid or flexible tracked vehicle along with a set of combination of different drivetrains Note Befor
Creating Mechanical Content
849_definingsim.pngThis section shows the typical workflow for a mechanical engineer working with Vortex® Studio to import 3D models, create parts and constraints, and work with simulated mechanisms and scenes. Vortex Studio Dynamics Capabilities Vortex S
Creating User Interfaces (UI)
sim_icon_console.pngThis topic describes how to create custom user interfaces (UI). Vortex Studio is installed with several pre-configured pages that you can add to the existing UI of Vortex Editor, Vortex Player or Vortex Console. You can also add pages
Custom Licensing
93_advanced_64x63.pngThis topic covers some licensing situations that apply to custom use cases. Setting a Custom License Path During a typical installation, the license file is stored at the default path of C:/CM Labs/Licenses (for Windows) or /opt/cmlab
Customizing the Cable's Appearance
This procedure explains how to customize the appearance of a cable system. From the Explorer, click the Graphics property icon under Cable Systems folder. The properties now appear in the Properties Panel. image2020-10-9_16-12-7.png Configure the followin
Customizing Your Workspace
You can customize the layout of your workspace by changing the viewport configuration, closing panels you do not need or displaying additional panels. You can also pin and unpin panels. The following shows the icons used for performing these actions. Refe
Cutting Cables
In some situations, it might be necessary to have cables sever when they make contact with another object. You can achieve this result by using the Dynamics Cutting Tool extension. Note Only flexible segments can be cut. A grabbed cable will be released i
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DDefining the Appearance of a TrackUnlike rigid tracks which use a graphic asset to represent the track itself, flexible tracks need to move and bend like a flat cable running over a variable number of road wheels. For this reason, flexible tracks have a special set of Graphics parameters
Deformable Terrain
image2020-10-9_16-42-42.png Learn about a terrain similar to the Earthwork Zone, but that is built to achieve better performance on large deformable areas. Deformable Terrains are used to define a terrain that can be deformed or piled with soil. They are
Deployment User Guide
883_installing.pngUnderstand how to install Vortex Studio and its addons. Vortex Studio Deployment Vortex® Studio and its add-ons must be installed on all machines. The binaries can be installed under the same path on all machines but this is not a requir
Devices Tutorial
Name Location Devices <Vortex Studio Installation Folder>\tutorials\MyDevicePlugin Sample module and extension that can be used as a base for an extension implementing an IDevice It shows the basic of having a module creating it own devices and adding the
Director Command Line Arguments
Introduction The users can either launch the director in a full user interface mode or execute the director with command line arguments depending on the needs. Running in a full user interface mode allows to create, configure, launch and monitor simulator
DirectX Support in Vortex Editor Beta
dx12_help.png For users with non NVIDIA graphics hardware, DirectX technology has been introduced into Vortex Studio. Mechanical design workflows are the only supported use cases at this time. Please note that Direct X12 support is in development and has
Display Extensions
The Display category of extensions allows you to describe the placement and configuration of the physical monitors. Note This category of extensions is not available in all editing modes. To add an extension from the Display category Select Display in the
Displays and Viewpoints
000_displays.pngThis section provides use case examples of displays and viewpoints in order to familiarize the user with how to set up these elements in their own configurations. Displays: 3D Display extensions represent the physical layout of the monitor
Dynamics Extension Tutorial
Name Location ExDynamicsExtension <Vortex Studio Installation Folder>\tutorials\ExDynamicsExtensionPlugin This tutorial showcases the following: Implementation of an VxSim::IExtension implementing the following interfaces VxDynamics::ICollidable VxSim::ID
Dynamics Performance Analysis
This document contains information regarding the tools provided by Vortex® Studio to help find dynamics performance issues. Please refer to the Performance Analysis guide for an overview. Finding Bottlenecks in the Physics Engine If The Profiler tab in th
Dynamics Utilities
These extensions provide various utilities related to dynamics simulation and can be found under the Dynamics category. The available extensions are:
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EEarthwork Componentsimage2020-10-9_16-37-0.png Learn about the Earthworks Systems' sub-components and their uses. The Earthworks Systems' sub-components can be broken down into three general categories of use: Earthwork Systems provides objects that can receive and contain s
Earthwork Systems
761_ews.pngEarthwork Systems is a Vortex developer module that is used to simulate earthmoving operations such as digging, trenching, filling, etc. Terrain is usually a static, non-deformable object in Vortex. The Earthwork Systems allows you to make othe
Earthwork Systems Tutorial 1: Bucket & Blade Extensions
Earthworks Module 1: Bucket & Blade Extensions In this tutorial, users will learn the various characteristics of soil that can be simulated with Vortex® Studio's earthworks physics. Prerequisites You must have Vortex Studio and the Vortex Studio Samples a
Earthwork Systems Tutorial 2: Creating an Earthwork Zone
In this tutorial, users will learn how to use the earthworks tools in Vortex® Studio to create a zone with interactable earthwork physics. Prerequisites You must have Vortex Studio and the Vortex Studio Samples installed to be able to complete this tutori
Earthwork Systems Tutorial 3 : Soil Parameters
In this tutorial, users will learn the various characteristics of soil that can be simulated with Vortex® Studio's earthworks physics. Prerequisites You must have Vortex Studio and the Vortex Studio Samples installed to be able to complete this tutorial.
Earthwork Systems Tutorials
worddav4451dcef3165334c0da87f80dce12228.png This section of the Vortex® Studio Training Curriculum will walk you though the steps in creating a deformable terrain that can be interacted with the bucket and blade of an excavator.
Earthwork Tools
image2020-10-9_16-38-17.png Learn about specialized tools to help simulate most types of earthmoving equipment and operations. A number of specialized tools are available to help simulate most types of earthmoving equipment and operations. The Earthwork T
Earthwork Utilities
image2020-10-9_16-42-4.png Learn about specialized soil utilities to help manipulate and monitor soil. A number of specialized soil utilities are available to help manipulate and monitor soil. The Earthwork Utilities defines a container (truck bed, ship h
Earthwork Zone
image2020-10-9_16-37-37.png Learn how to define where the terrain can be deformed or piled with soil. Earthwork Zones are used to define where the terrain can be deformed or piled with soil. They are defined using a bounding box that intersects with the s
Editor Setup
282_editor.pngLearn how to configure modules to fit with the system hardware and the overall application. A Simulation Application runs on various modules, such as Graphics, Dynamics, SlaveDynamics, Joystick, etc. These modules need to be configured to fi
Environment
802_environment.pngIn order to immerse the user in a scene, a number of environmental embellishments are available in Vortex® Studio Editor. This section presents some of the ways you can improve your scenes and mechanisms by adding audio and real-world e
Equipment and Exercises Documents
image2021-8-27_9-10-36.pngVortex Equipment and Exercises are concepts that are used in the Vortex Console. An equipment is a representation of a real-life hardware that the operator will train for and an exercise is a representation of a training scenario
Exercise Report Generation - Advanced Topics
Introduction In the Console, an Instructor can generate reports for any sessions of any students in the Instructor page http://confluence:8090/display/VSD21A/Console+Extension%2C+Module%2C+and+Page+Reference#ConsoleExtension,Module,andPageReference-Consol
Exercise Reports
Introduction After each training session is done, the Console can be used to generated a report containing all the metrics and the score of the training session. How to ... Setup the Console for using the database Creating a Setup File for the Console In
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FFeatures and Capabilities OverviewVortex Studio is a complete simulation platform. The features are delivered as a stack of independent modules and applications useful for building a complete simulator. Availability of individual applications and their functionalities will depend on the l
Fluid Interaction Technical Notes
Vortex® supports the real-time simulation of dynamic rigid bodies immersed in fluid, and simulates different effects due to fluid interaction, such as buoyancy, drag, lift, and added mass. The fluid simulation capabilities offered by Vortex do not provide
Fluid Surface
You can use the Fluid Surface extension to simulate objects in a fluid, be it water or even wind. To create a Fluid Surface: Select Dynamics in the Toolbox. Double-click Fluid Surface to add it to the scene or mechanism. Configure the following fields in
Fog
The Fog extension allows you to add realistic fog effects to your scene or mechanism. To add a Fog extension: Select Environment in the Toolbox. Double-click Fog. In its Properties panell, edit the name of the fog. Specify the following inputs: Visible: S
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GGenerating Floating License Filesimage2021-3-24_11-19-23.pngWhen you purchase a Vortex Studio product with a floating license, CM Labs sends you activation keys that you can use to generate the floating license files on the license server. A license server must first be installed on your
Generating Node-Locked License Files
image2021-3-24_11-0-47.pngWhen you purchase a Vortex Studio product with a node-locked license, CM Labs sends you activation keys that you can use to generate the node-locked license files on your computer. Generating a node-locked license file involves l
Generic Cables
A cable definition is a container for a number of parameter, point, and segment definitions used to construct a cable system. The Generic Cable properties, in conjunction with the Dynamics Properties, can be customized to adjust for thickness and density
Geometric Stiffness for Cables
Stable simulation of cables is a challenge since they often involve very small compliances and large mass ratios. Instability manifests as vibrations in the cable with motion perpendicular to the stiff axes of the cable constraints. For example, this typi
Getting Cable Positions with Scripts
It is possible to use Python scripting in order to retrieve the position and orientation of generic cables in your simulation. To add a script to fetch cable position: In the Toolbox, select Simulation, then double-click Script. This adds a script extensi
Getting Started
228_what.png 833_features.png 450_licensing.png What is Vortex Studio? Features and Capabilities Overview Licensing 316_sysreq.png 337_installation.png 262_user_guides.png http://confluence:8090/display/VSD21A/User+Guides System Requirements Installation
Getting Started Tutorial 1 : The User Interface
In this tutorial, new users will learn the basics of interacting with Vortex® Studio Editor. You will start from an existing Vortex Studio scene found in the Vortex Studio Demo Scenes installation directory. The default location is C:\CM Labs\Vortex Studi
Getting Started Tutorial 2 : Creating your First Scene
This module focuses on the basics of using Vortex Studio to create a scene and launch a first simulation, as well as inserting mechanisms and interacting with them. Prerequisites You need to have Vortex® Studio and the Vortex Studio Demo Scenes installed
Getting Started Tutorial 3 : Creating a Mechanism
In this tutorial, you will learn the basics of Vortex® Studio Editor by importing graphical assets that are created by 3D artists and turning them into a simulated vehicle. These graphical assets must be created using the Vortex 3D modeling guidelines to
Getting Started Tutorial 4 : Configuring a Mechanism
In this tutorial, you will take the mechanism created in Getting Started Tutorial 3 : Creating a Mechanism and give it life by motorizing parts, giving the mechanism interactive controls, and more. You will further enhance the simulation by connecting an
Getting Started Tutorial 5 : Mechanism and Scene Configurations
In this tutorial, you will learn how to use the Configuration feature in Vortex® Studio Editor. Configurations allow you to create multiple variations of a mechanism or scene within a single file. They provide a convenient way to develop and manage varian
Getting Started Tutorial 6 : The Vortex® Studio Player
In this video series tutorial, users will learn the basics of interacting with Vortex® Studio Player. Prerequisites You need to have Vortex® Studio and the Vortex Studio Demo Scenes installed to be able to follow all steps in this tutorial. Distributing a
Getting Started Tutorials
image2020-11-12_15-58-19.png This section of the Vortex® Studio Training Curriculum is the first introduction to the software. Familiarize yourself with the interface, build your first scene and explore the building blocks of a Vortex simulation.
Graphical Assets
797_assets.pngThis section provides guidelines for artists to create these resources in a way that will make them easy to use in Vortex® Studio. Though Vortex® Studio doesn't necessarily need graphics when used for engineering testing and development purp
Graphical Mechanism Creation
When creating a model for a mechanism, such as a vehicle or a prop, it's important to have complete and accurate data to start with. While the mechanical engineer has complete controls over the physical dimensions of their dynamic parts, if the 3D model i
Graphical Simulation Plotter
The Plotter is a graphical interface that can display the data from the simulation to be used for debugging purposes. The Plotter can be used to look for behaviors that cannot be detected by the visual simulation. The data can be exported to fine-tune the
Graphical Terrain Creation
Terrain objects are used to create the environment in which the simulated objects (vehicles, props, etc.) will interact. The following describes some techniques and best practices to create terrain files that function with optimal performance. It is impor
Graphics Extensions
572_extensions.pngThese are the following categories of effects that you can apply in Vortex®: Particle effects: Used to simulate a large number of very small objects, such as a cloud of dust. Image effects: Used to affect the look of the simulation, not
Graphics Galleries
GraphicsIconBigInverted.pngA Graphics Gallery document saves imported 3D models from a variety of software and file formats and converts those models to a file that is independent from the source software, using a .vxgraphicgallery file extension The Grap
Graphics Gallery Tutorial
In this tutorial, you will learn the basics of the Graphics Gallery file by importing graphical assets that were created by 3D artists. These graphical assets must be created in an external 3D modeling software using the Vortex® 3D modeling guidelines to
Graphics Geometry
Selecting a graphics geometry from the Explorer opens a Properties panel for that geometry. In this window, the following information appears: Interactive 3D preview of the geometry, with the plane's origin as reference Name of the geometry Vertex count T
Graphics Materials
A graphics material is an advanced type of texture mapping that allows visualizing objects as close to real life as possible. Materials can be used for rendering (textures and parameters used on each layer, such as normal, specular, etc.) and special effe
Graphics Model Connections Tutorial
Name Location Graphics Model Connections <Vortex Studio Installation Folder>\tutorials\ExGraphicModelConnections This tutorial shows how to parse the content to get the information on the part-model association with c++ code This association, named skin i
Graphics Node
After importing a 3D CAD model to the Graphics Gallery, a graphics node appears in the Explorer, representing the graphic. When you select a node, its properties are shown in the Properties panel. A node may have a reference to a graphics geometry and a g
Graphics Performance Analysis
This page contains information regarding the tools provided by Vortex® to help find graphics performance issues. Vortex Performance Tools Different tools are provided in order to keep an eye out for graphics performance issues. More often than not though,
GSPID Controller
The GSPID Controller extension is a standard PID (proportional, integral, derivative) controller with gain scheduling. It can be connected to fields in your simulation using a connection container. The effective proportional, integral, and differential ga
Guided Machine Control Display
image2020-10-9_16-43-16.png Simulate machine control systems and GPS displays for earthmoving equipment, such as excavators, wheel loaders, and dozers. Many heavy equipment manufacturers offer Global Positioning (GPS) and Guided Machine Control (GMC) syst
Guidelines and best practices in Vortex simulators for user scripts in Unity
User script are an essential tool for implementing custom behaviors in Unity. Following those guidelines will ensure that the simulation will run smoothly and will scale properly when additional screens are added. Synchronization and Random numbers When u
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HHead-mounted Display138_hmd.pngVortex® Studio supports head-mounted display (HMD) devices in order to run simulations with virtual reality (VR) headsets. The following procedures can quickly turn any Vortex Studio-based simulation into a VR experience. HMD Installation Vorte
Hook and Loop Groups
The Hook Group and Loop Group extensions allow two attachment points (designated as the hook and the loop) to be attracted to each other and then bound when they are within a specified distance from each other. Before creating a Hook group or a Loop group
How to associate Vortex Objects with Unity prefabs
This page describes the workflow to create, maintain and use Unity assets in a distributed Vortex Studio simulation. Installing the Vortex Integration Package in a Unity Project First of all, the Vortex Integration Package needs to be installed in a Unit
How to Automatically Convert many Vortex Graphics Galleries for use in Unity
When using Unity as a renderer with Vortex, each graphics node of a distributed simulator runs VortexUnityApp (or any Unity application with the Vortex Integration Package) which includes the Vortex Integration for Unity. VortexUnityApp acts the same mann
How to build Qt 5.15.2 for Vortex Studio
Introduction Vortex Studio uses Qt's technologies for creating its multiple user interfaces. Several Qt pages show how to build Qt 5.15 with third parties (https://doc.qt.io/qt-5/build-sources.html https://doc.qt.io/qt-5/build-sources.html) In Vortex Stud
How to Control Unity Lights from Vortex
The lights on a crane or an excavator is usually controlled by the operator. In order to have the lights in Unity controlled by the operator, a Vortex Light component can be created to receive the Vortex data and apply them to a Unity light. The Unity com
How to debug and profile a Unity-Vortex distributed simulator
Vortex distributed simulators using Unity as a renderer use VortexUnityApp.exe as a standard application to run the simulator. We provide a development version, VortexUnityAppDev.exe, that can be used to debug and profile a Unity node in a distributed sim
How to Display a Vortex Graphics Gallery in Unity
This page describes a step-by-step guide on how to export a Graphics Gallery from Vortex Studio, import it into a Unity project properly, convert it into a prefab and generate an Asset Bundle with it. The process is shown using an excavator asset. Refer t
How to Display Deformable Terrains in Unity
Deformable Terrains, dynamically simulated in Vortex Studio, can be rendered in Unity during simulation. When a Deformable Terrain is loaded, a deformable terrain prefab is loaded from an asset bundle file located in the same directory as the Vortex file
How to Display Earthwork Zones in Unity
Earthwork Zones, dynamically simulated in Vortex Studio, can be rendered in Unity during simulation. When a Earthwork Zone is loaded, a height field prefab is loaded from an asset bundle file located in the same directory as the Vortex file that contains
How to Display Grade Quality Sensor in Unity
Grade Quality Sensors, dynamically simulated in Vortex Studio, can be rendered in Unity during simulation. When Grade Quality Sensors are loaded, a Grade Quality Sensors prefab is loaded from an asset bundle file located in the same directory as the Vorte
How to display graphics of Hook group and Loop group in Unity
Vortex Hook Group and Loop Group extensions The Vortex Hook Group and Loop Group extensions can be used for creating training sequences when two objects are to be attached by attachment points. For more details of the Groups extensions, see Hook and Loop
How to Display HUD Extensions in Unity
HUD extensions can be rendered in Unity. When a HUD extension is loaded, a HUD prefab is loaded from an asset bundle file located in the same directory as the Vortex file that contains the HUD extension. Manually creating prefabs and Asset Bundles To manu
How to Display Soil Bins in Unity
Soil Bins, dynamically simulated in Vortex Studio, can be rendered in Unity during simulation. When a Soil Bin is loaded, a height field prefab is loaded from an asset bundle file located in the same directory as the Vortex file that contains the Soil Bin
How to Display Soil Dust in Unity
Soil Dust events, dynamically simulated in Vortex Studio, can be used to render dust particles in Unity during simulation. When the Soil Dust instance is loaded, a Soil Dust prefab is loaded from an asset bundle file located in the same directory as the V
How to Display Soil Particles in Unity
Soil Particles, dynamically simulated in Vortex Studio, can be rendered in Unity during simulation. When Soil Particles are loaded, a soil particles prefab is loaded from an asset bundle file located in the same directory as the Vortex file that contains
How to Display Vortex Cables in Unity
Cables, dynamically simulated in Vortex Studio, can be rendered in Unity during simulation. When a cable is loaded, a spline prefab is loaded from an asset bundle file located in the same directory as the Vortex file that contains the cables. Manually cre
How to set Loading Images in Unity
Vortex allows showing an image on each display of a simulator when it is not running a simulation, using the Display Loading Image extension. A loading image is displayed until the simulation is started and reappears when the simulation stops. The Display
How to set up a Vortex Distributed Simulator for Unity
This page will guide you to go through the process of modifying a Vortex simulator to take advantage of the Unity Graphics Rendering. Once your simulator setup will be ready to run with Unity, your simulator will behave as before. It can be launched from
How to use the Material Table to manage Contact Materials
In Vortex Studio, the Material table allows users to define properties of interactions between different Contact Materials assigned to different dynamic objects during simulation. This page is a short guide that explains the most common uses of the Materi
How to Use Tracks Animation in Unity
Tracks Animation for vehicles can be rendered in Unity. To do this, the Tracks Animation extension must first be added to your Vortex content and properly configured. The track template node must be defined in Vortex in the Tracks Animation extension (se
How to use Unity Script with an Asset Bundles
When using Unity as a renderer in a distributed simulator, the integration is done by adding prefab in an asset bundle that is associated with Vortex documents. Those prefabs are instantiated when the Vortex document is loaded. Several features in Unity r
How to Use VHL Interface Data in Custom Unity Scripts
This page describes how to use data from a Vortex VHL interface in a custom Unity script. This is a simply way to implement custom behavior or logic in Unity using data in a distributed Vortex simulation. Overview First of all, to manually create assets f
HUD Extensions
A heads up display (HUD) allows you to superimpose additional information into a viewport. To add an overlay: Click HUD in the Toolbox. Select Image, Line, Text, or Textfile. Drag it into the 3D View, or into the desired location of the Explorer panel. Ed
Hydraulics Systems
000_hydraulics.pngIn Vortex® Studio Editor, you can now simulate various hydraulics components, such as an actuator, a pump, a divider, a combiner and a transmission using the Hydraulics Systems extensions. By linking these components together, you can si
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IImporting Graphics967_importing.pngVortex® Studio imports and stores the 3D model and all its components (materials, textures, etc.) into a single native file: the Graphics Gallery. This file is then sent to the mechanical engineers to build the simulation. Importing the 3
Importing Models from 3ds Max
967_importing.pngThis section explains how to prepare your models for export in 3ds Max specifically, as it is the recommended DCC software for use with Vortex Studio. Importing models from digital content creation (DCC) software is the first step in usin
Index
Inertia Tensors This section lists inertia tensor types as well as advanced topics on inertia tensors in the Vortex® world. Spherical Inertia Tensor An inertia tensor with three equal moments of inertia on the diagonal and zero off-diagonal values is known as spherical,
Installation
Installation files for the Vortex® Studio family of products are available from the CM Labs Account Page (https://www.cm-labs.com/account/ https://www.cm-labs.com/account/). Vortex Studio can be installed either on Windows or Linux. On Windows the user on
Installing the HD Render Pipeline Package in a Unity Project
The Vortex graphics integration in Unity uses Unity's HD Render Pipeline (HDRP). It is a package that must to be installed in a Unity project and it enables higher graphics capabilities. In the context of the Vortex graphics integration, the package comes
Installing the Vortex Studio Package in a Unity Project
To use Vortex assets with Unity graphics on a distributed simulator, the Vortex Studio Package for Unity is required. It includes tools for packaging and testing Vortex graphics assets (such as Graphics Galleries and Graphics Splines) via the Unity Editor
Integrating Vortex Studio
image2021-6-29_10-59-18.pngVortex Studio can be integrated into other softwares using different languages and frameworks. This integration allows users to benefit from Vortex's realistic simulation tools in their platform of choice. In particular, here ar
Integrating Vortex Studio using Python 2 - Deprecated
Vortex Studio SDK in python Python 2 is still supported in Vortex Studio, on Windows only, but is being deprecated. While the Python 3 API is mostly the same, there are some differences to consider. See Python 3 Scripting for more information Vortex Studi
Integrating Vortex Studio using Python 3
Vortex Studio SDK in Python Vortex Studio SDK is partially available in Python scripting. Python scripting can be used As a dedicated Python application that loads, renders, or interacts with Vortex assets during a simulation Within Vortex, as a dynamics
Integrating Vortex Studio using the SDK - Making a Vortex Application
This section targets developers who want to use the Vortex Application as a part of a bigger application. This section explains what is the VxApplication, how to configure it, load content into it, and get it running from an external application. Then how
Integrating Vortex Studio using the VortexIntegration API
This section targets developers who wants to use the Vortex Application as a part of a bigger application. This section describes how to configure Vortex, load content into it and get it running from an external application using VortexIntegration C API.
Integrating Vortex Studio with Unity
image2021-1-26_8-43-4.png This information is intended for users of Vortex Studio and Unity who want to integrate Vortex Studio to existing simulation content in Unity, within a single process Unity integration. This integration SDK is useful for single p
Integrating Vortex Studio with Unreal Engine
unreal-engine-icon-6_64x59.pngThis information is intended for users of Vortex Studio and Unreal Engine who want to integrate Vortex Studio simulation capabilities with Unreal, within a single process. This integration SDK is useful for single process sim
Integrating with Simulink
Introduction As a beta feature, Vortex Studio now offers a new method of communication with Matworks' Simulink. In addition to the UDP Send and Receive extensions in Vortex, you can now add the Simulink Block module to your Vortex application's setup file
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KKeyboard Extension TutorialName Location Keyboard Extension <Vortex Studio Installation Folder>\tutorials\ExKeyboardExtension This tutorial shows how to make an extension that implements the VxSim::IKeyboard interface. This extension is meant to capture specific keys in a specific
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LLevel Designer Guide573_notes.png The Level Designer Guide provides level designers the information they need to set up scenes and environmental effects, as well as add-ons such as oceans and human characters.
License Server Setup
558_license_server.pngThis information explains how to set up a license server, allowing any computer on your network to run Vortex Studio with floating licenses. Setting Up a License Server The process for setting up a license server is different for Win
Licensing
Licensing Getting Started According to the terms of your CM Labs contract, you are entitled to one or more products. CM Labs will create one or more activation keys corresponding to the purchased products. An activation key is a 16-digit code and is used
Lighting
Lighting effects are intended for you to add realism to scenes and models to more closely resemble their real world counterparts. There are multiple types of lighting available in Vortex®, described below: Note Vortex supports up to 63 lights that cast sh
Logs and Dump Reports
There are several kinds of information logs available from the Editor. Scene and Shader Dumps If you are experiencing problems with your scene data or shaders, you can save everything to a special dump file and send it to CM Labs support (support@cm-labs.
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MMaking a Co-Simulation Between Vortex and SimulinkThis feature is currently in Beta. To enable it, define the environment variable ENABLE_SIMULINK_FEATURE before launching your Vortex application. Introduction The Simulink Plugin comes pre-installed with Vortex. If you have Simulink installed on your sys
Managing Accounts and Users
With the MongoDB module, the system supports several features for managing accounts and users. The following extensions let you set up the system to manage different types of users: Supported User Roles The first time you connect the simulator to the data
Manipulating Objects in the 3D View
You can manipulate different shapes and elements, such as collision geometry, parts, assemblies and mechanisms, in the 3D View. Transform toolbar You must first select an object before you can use the buttons in the Transform toolbar as shown below. image
Manipulating the Camera in the 3D View
In the 3D View, all orthogonal viewports support zooming and panning the camera. In addition, you can also rotate and fly in perspective viewports. Zooming Scroll with the mouse wheel to zoom in (up) or out (down) from the center of the object in the 3D V
Maritime Tutorial 1 : Working With Water
In this training pack, we will go over key concepts and guidelines to get you started with nautical simulations in Vortex® Studio. This module focuses on the basics of using Vortex Studio to create an offshore simulation application. This module covers ho
Maritime Tutorial 2 : Creating a Vessel Mechanism
In this training pack, we will go over key concepts and guidelines to get you started with nautical simulations in Vortex® Studio. This module focuses on using Vortex Studio to create a working vessel mechanism to be used in the offshore scene created in
Maritime Tutorial 3 : Building an Offshore Crane
In this training pack, we will go over key concepts and guidelines to get you started with nautical simulations in Vortex® Studio. This module focuses on using Vortex Studio to create a working offshore crane, that can be attached to the vessel created in
Maritime Tutorial 4 : Subsea Operations
In this training pack, we will go over key concepts and guidelines to get you started with nautical simulations in Vortex® Studio. This module focuses on using Vortex Studio to create an ocean floor environment, as well as adding tooling to an ROV. Prereq
Maritime Tutorial 5 : Adding Heave Compensation
In this training pack, we will go over key concepts and guidelines to get you started with nautical simulations in Vortex® Studio. This module focuses on using Vortex Studio a Python script coupled with the GSPID Controller object to implement a heave com
Maritime Tutorial 6 : Adding an Animated Buoy
In marine scenarios, you might want to add navigation buoys that follow the movements of the water's surface without using dynamics computations, in order to maintain an acceptable level of performance. To avoid these extra computations, make sure you do
Maritime Tutorials
image2020-10-6_14-35-49.png This section of the Vortex® Studio Training Curriculum is about Vortex Marine extensions.
Measuring Performance Using the Content Debugger and Profiler
Before reading this page, you should familiarize yourself with the use of the Vortex® Profiler and the Content Debugger. Using the Content Debugger along with the Profiler is a powerful combination allowing you to easily find what is slowing down your sim
Mechanical Engineer Best Practices
590_opt.pngThis section offers some common techniques to increase the performance of your simulations. Using script, collision rules, and optimized variable settings, you can improve the stability and produce expected simulation outcomes. Optimization str
Mechanical Engineer Guide
108_eng.pngThe Mechanical Engineer Guide provides mechanical engineers with advanced technical information, as well as methods to improve performance and tuning.
Mechanical Engineer Quick Start
The following shows the typical workflow for a mechanical engineer working with Vortex® Studio to import 3D models, create parts and constraints, and work with simulated mechanisms and objects. A good way to start is to try out Creating a Mechanism tutori
Mechanism Viewer Tutorial
Name Location Mechanism Viewer <Vortex Studio Installation Folder>\tutorials\MechanismViewer This tutorial provide an example of creating a custom Vortex, akin to simapp.exe. This application is meant to run as a standalone Vortex application. To use it a
Mechanism Viewer Tutorial (Python 3)
Name Location Mechanism Viewer <Vortex Studio Installation Folder>\tutorials\Python\Vortex\PyMechanismViewer\MechanismViewer.py This tutorial provide an example of creating a custom Vortex, akin to simapp.exe in python. This application is meant to run as
Mechanisms
MechanismIconBigInverted.pngMechanisms play a very important role in Vortex® content, as they contain the link between the dynamics objects and the rest of the simulation. A mechanism contains assemblies, parts, constraints, and extensions for simulation.
Mesh Creation for Procedural Cables
The mesh technique for Cable Systems is ideal when you require the appearance of a 3D chain or tank treads for your mechanism, for example. image2020-10-8_16-46-23.png A mesh chain made of links When creating a mesh's graphics geometry for procedural cabl
Model Simplification Tools
566_toolbar.pngThere are a number of tools in the Graphics Gallery to manipulate imported models. These tools are found in the right-click contextual menu of a Graphics Gallery or graphics node in the Explorer panel. The following model simplification act
Modeling a Complex Reeving System
Note: This is an advanced topic. This page is only applicable if you want to switch between reeving using mechanism configurations at the beginning of a simulation, not during runtime. It is possible to model a crane with a complex reeving system in Vort
Modifying Segment Definitions
Each segment definition allows you to customize how that segment will behave in the simulation. image2020-10-9_16-9-27.png A segment is automatically created as soon as you define at least two points (winch, pulley, etc.) and appears in the Dynamics prope
Modular Vehicle Systems
622_vehicle_modular.pngModular Vehicle Systems allows to create vehicles in Vortex® Studio in a modular way. It provides a library of components that are common to most of the vehicles such as wheel, motor, transmission, torque converter and others. All c
Modular Vehicle Systems: Working with Components (Advanced Users)
Vehicles are defined by Modular Vehicle Systems using Topology files. These topology files are simply assembly that contain several Components, which model the behaviour of the vehicle subsystems, such as engine, wheels, transmission, etc. Each component
Modular Vehicle Systems: Working with Topology Files (Advanced Users)
Vehicles are defined by Modular Vehicle Systems using Topology files. Each topology file is a standard Vortex® Studio Assembly file, and can be added, created, and edited using the Vortex® Studio Editor. So, working with topologies is identical to working
Modular Vehicles
https://www.cm-labs.com/vortexstudiodocumentation/Vortex_User_Documentation/Content/Editor/FWD.png Create a Vehicle Template from scratch using the Modular Vehicles approach, then use this template to create a fully drivable Light Armored Vehicle from gra
Modular Vehicles Tutorial 1: Creating a Vehicle Topology
This tutorial includes video content: In this first module, we will setup the file structure as well as the topology of the drivetrain of an 8x8 land vehicle. The goal is to fully create a modular vehicle without using templates. This will give you a bet
Modular Vehicles Tutorial 2: Creating a Vehicle from a Template
Now that our Vehicle Template is fully configured, we can use it to create a Vehicle Mechanism. In this section, we'll create a Chassis Assembly and add Graphics, as well as tuning the powertrain of the AWD8x8. Prerequisites Modular Vehicles Tutorial 1: C
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