Debugging the simulation content

It is possible to configure your Vortex-Unity application with the capabilities of the Vortex® Studio Player that lets you monitor and visualize the Vortex simulation so that you can troubleshoot and diagnose problems in the dynamics content.

Setting up Vortex setup file for debugging

Before you can debug your simulation, you must load the VortexIntegration_DynamicsDebug.vxc configuration file. This can be done by:

1. Copying the setup file into your Unity project’s StreamingAssets folder. The setup file can be found in your Vortex Studio install folder, under resources/config.

2. Opening the Vortex tab in the Unity Editor and selecting Settings. From there modify the Play Mode Setup Document for the new setup file.

Open

Manual configuration

Alternatively, you can manually configure the Vortex setup (.vxc) file that is used for simulation following these steps:

By default, Vortex-Unity application uses the installed VortexIntegration.vxc. If you use another Vortex setup file for your simulation, you must modify that file.

For more details on Vortex setup, see https://cm-labs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/VSD22/pages/86048777/Prepare+the+simulator+topologies+for+Vortex+Launcher#Setup-Document

Run Vortex® Studio Editor and open the Vortex setup file.

If the following extensions and modules are not already present in the node containing the Dynamics Engine module, add them via the Toolbox:

• Dynamics Visualizer

• Contact Visualizer

• Dynamics Visualizer Page

• Graphics Module

• 3D Display

• Camera Manipulator

The last extension will allow you to control the camera in the Dynamics Visualizer with the mouse.

Select Dynamics Visualizer Page in the Explorer view:

Open

Assign Dynamics Visualizer extension and a Contact Visualizer extension to the DynamicsVisualizer Extension and ContactVisualizer Extension fields:

Select Dynamics Visualizer in the Explorer view. In the property panel, select the checkbox to customize the default visualize options:

Select 3D Display in the Explorer view. In the property panel, set Placement mode field to windowed.

Add the Graphics Module to the list of Managed Modules by the Seat extension.

Save the Vortex setup file.

Debugging Dynamics

For more details on integrating Vortex Studio with Unity, see Integrating Vortex Studio with full Unity workflow - com.cm-labs.vortex.integration.unity

Loading Content for debugging

When the Vortex simulation is started, the Player containing the Dynamics Visualizer Pagetab and the debug graphics will appear in separate windows. The debug graphics window will show the graphics of the selected simulation content.

Note that if after the simulation is started and the debug graphics window still does not show the debug displays (e.g. geometries, contacts etc.) it means the simulation content needs to be loaded. Use the Browser tab in the Player window to browser and load the content.

Use the Add Assets buttons to add content files. Any files that you add are displayed in the Browser list. To load the content, double-click on the file (or use Load button ) you want to see in the graphics window.

Setting Dynamics Displays

In the Dynamics Visualizer Page tab, click to check the checkboxes to enable the debug displays.

The contact materials can be shown by enabling Display Contact Material Names in the Streamed Terrain extension via the Content Debugger tab.

Using Shortcut keys

The collision geometries can be displayed by pressing Shift+G to see the geometry of the terrain which is being streamed from Unity into Vortex.

The contacts can be shown by pressing Shift+C. The contact visualization mode can be toggled with Alt+C. The contact legend visibility can be toggled with Alt+L.

Everything can be displayed in wireframe by pressing F2.