Design Techniques

There will be times when you might wish to write backwards from a set later in the drill. For example, imagine your second set of a drill is actually the opening formation, and the first set is a transition into the opening formation. In this case, it is easier to create the opening formation at the later count first, then chart backwards to the beginning of the drill.

As with the above example, Set #2 is the opening formation. In this case we need to create performers for the first time in the drill at Set #2. These performers do not exist anywhere else in the drill file. Place both editing anchors at Set #2. If you are charting backwards from a set of existing performers, skip this step. On the Count Track placing both anchors on top of each other is necessary for creating “first time” performers. Holding <Alt> key (option on Mac) while clicking on a page tab will force both Yellow and Red Anchors to move together to the tab. With the anchors setup, enter the new formations into the drill.



Using the above example, Set #2 is the start of the set we have just finished, and now we want to move “backwards” to Set #1 to design the ending count and transition between the two sets. Normally we would be thinking about the transition from the previous set (Set #1) to the current set (Set #2). To setup the anchors for the “backwards” design, set the editing anchors on the Count Track between Set #2 and the Set #1. Click on the small red right arrow on the Count Track appearing between the Yellow and Red Anchors. The Red and Yellow Anchor will swap locations. Editing of shapes and all transitions will now be written backwards.

Forward drill writing as indicated by the small red right arrow in the Count Track.



Backward drill writing as indicated by the small LEFT arrow in the Count Track and the red warning bar in the Count Track’s page tab area.



NOTE: Do not forget to return the small red arrow back to its normal direction when wishing to continue
writing forward.

A 3D drill file can be synchronized to one of three types of sound files:

• MID = MIDI file
• WAV = audio wave file
• OGG = audio file
  

To setup an audio file for use with a drill file do the following:

With a drill file opened, select the Preferences section of Document Options of the File menu.

Click Choose File for the audio file and select an audio file.

To indicate sound with animation, click on the Sound button under the animation controls of the Count Track.

After clicking on the Sound button, if there is no audio file selected, the following message will display.

If the selected audio file has not been synchronized to the drill file the following message will display.

To synchronize an audio file to a drill file click on the <spacebar> while the music is playing in tempo with the music. Each click of the <spacebar> will advance the drill one count. When completed click the Done button on the Synchronizing Window.

To re-synchronize the drill, clear the current synchronization by holding the <alt> key (<option> on Macintosh) while clicking on the Sound button. Another way to clear the synchronization is by clicking on Clear Synchronization To Drill in the Preferences section of Document Options of the File menu.

After the audio file is synchronized, each time you click on the Play button when the Sound button is depressed the music will be played.

Should you transfer the drill file to another computer, you will also need to transfer the drills audio file. The location of the audio file is found in the External Files section of Document Options of the File menu.

External files can be saved in a drill file package called 3D Package. This option is available in the Save As dialog. This package is compatible only with the 3D version2 or greater. Should you need the file to open on 3D Version 1, it is best to put
the external files in the same folder as the drill.