Drawing Tools

For first time performers, set the Red and Yellow Anchor of the Count Track to the count of drill where the line is to be entered. For transitions of existing performers into a line, move the Red Anchor to the count of drill where the line should be drawn. Move the Yellow Anchor to the beginning of the transition into the new line. This is usually the previous set in the drill. Select the existing performers that will be moving into the line using a selection tool. See “First Time or Transition?” at the beginning
of this section for more explanation.

Clicking on the Line tool will display the Line Tool Control Panel.

The line is drawn by clicking two points on the field display. The first click will enter the first endpoint and the second click will be the second endpoint.

While entering the endpoints, the cursor location is displayed in the Console. The resolution of the cursor can be controlled by the whole, half and quarter, eighth, sixteenth step switches in the upper right corner of the Console.

 

Editing Handles will appear at the endpoints of the line. These handles appear as small red squares and can be dragged to reposition the line by changing the location of the lines endpoint.

 

 

 

 

 

A Reposition Handle also appears at the midpoint of the line. This handle is useful for dragging the entire shape to a different
location on the field. Drag the inner circle of the Reposition Handle to move the entire shape. The extended arm from the center of the Reposition Handle is called the Rotator and can be dragged to rotate the line to a new location. The Point of Rotation is the center of the Reposition Handle. To change the Point of Rotation, drag the outer circle of the Reposition Handle to a different place on the field.

 

 

 

 

In the Line Tool Control Panel, entering the number of positions in the Positions box will lock the positions and the line will maintain the number entered while you move its editing handles.

 

Similarly, entering the interval in the Interval box will lock the interval and the line will maintain the interval while you move its editing handles.

Mixed Intervals are also entered in the Interval text box. This option will allow you to have different intervals in one form. Sometimes you need to have positions at different intervals in the same shape. The Mixed Intervals function allows you to easily create forms with multiple intervals. The Mixed Interval function isbuilt in to each of the drawing tools. The different intervals are entered in the Interval text box. The Mixed Interval is entered withthe interval value, followed by an ‘x’, followed by
the number of places at that interval. The Mixed Interval setting can be entered before or after you create your shape, but have to be entered before you Accept the form. For example a line with the interval of 2 for 6 positions, followed by an interval of 4 for 4 positions, ending with an interval of 2 for 6 positions will be entered the following way.

Example 2x6,4x4,2x6

This should be entered in the interval text box as seen below. To enter the Mixed Interval into a wider text box, hold the <alt>
key while clicking in the Interval box (<option>-click for Macintosh).

 

 

Positions and Intervals can be locked or unlocked by clicking on the respective padlock. When locked, the value cannot be recalculated by the computer if the size or shape of the form is modified.

Entering a number in the Clone box will clone the line across an axis for 1 clone, or across a point for two or more clones. The Cloning Handle will be placed in the center of the field and can be moved or rotated to reposition the cloned lines.

Omit Overlaps will watch for places where performers of a line are on top of other performers in the drill. The overlapping places in the line will be omitted. Omit Overlaps can watch for either overlaps involving only performers at the line’s endpoints or overlaps involving any performer anywhere in the line.

Restrict Horizontal/Vertical forces the second endpoint to a location on the field that is in line horizontally, vertically or 45 degrees diagonally with the first endpoint. When entering the line as “first time” performers, Symbol and Color is used to enter the symbol and colors for the new performers entered. Symbol and Color options are only shown for first time performers. To enter a symbol sequence such as X O X O, type the sequence one time. For example XO will enter symbols X O X O X O through out the line. Clicking on the Color Palette will display color options for the first time performers. The performer’s symbol and color can be changed for existing performers using the Labeling tool.

When entering the line as a “transition”, Matching Lines options are used to match the positions of the line to their respective performers in the drill. Matching Lines options are only shown when a shape is entered as the destination of a transition from a previous set. On the field display, matching lines are drawn between the positions in the line and the selected performers of the drill. Often the positions in the line are matched correctly, or simply need to be flipped over to be correct using the Flip button. If more matching control is necessary, clicking the Clear button will clear all of the matching lines for you to replace manually. See the next section of this section called Matching Lines for details on matching.

At any time the Animation Controls can be used to preview the line in the drill. Other useful options that can be accessed during entry of the line are located in the upper right corner of the Field Display Window. These functions control the field display appearance such as moving or zooming the field, showing/hiding the text boxes, and showing/hiding the performer labels. Also accessible is the measuring tape.

The Accept button will commit the line into the drill page. Clicking on any tool without clicking Accept will cancel the line. The line can also be cancelled by moving an anchor on the Count Track.

When drawing tools are used to create “transitions” of existing performers, you will need to identify (or match) the new places made by the drawing tool with a selection of existing performers in the drill. This process is automatically done by 3D and is shown by the matching lines extending from the new places to the selected performers.

Often the matching order predicted by 3D is correct or may simply need to be inverted with the Flip button.

However, sometimes the matching order is not obvious enough for 3D to predict it correctly. 3D sometimes just needs a little help from you to get it started. Other times you may need to enter each of the matching lines yourself. When 3D has not found the correct matching order, the first thing to do is to try to give it some help.

Click the Clear button to clear all of the matching lines and a red bubble will appear on top of the first new place. The red bubble indicates the new place that you will match to an existing performer.

With Predict Next checked, click on the selected performer that you want moved into the new place marked with the red bubble. A match line will connect the performer with the new place.

The red bubble will move to the next new place. Again, click on the selected performer that you want moved into this new place. Depending on the location of the selected performer, this may be enough matches for 3D to correctly predict all or some of the matches. Sometimes it may take one or two more manual matches for 3D to attempt a prediction depending on the matching order you are entering.

Sometimes 3D’s prediction starts off well but goes astray. When that happens you can use the Back button to back up one match at a time. Once you get accustomed to 3D’s prediction logic, you may find that combinations such as matching partly with Predict Next “on”, then partly with Predict Next“off”, will accomplish matching with the fewest steps.

When the matching order follows no basic pattern that can be predicted by 3D, it is sometimes easier to just do the matching manually from scratch.

Turn off the Predict Next option.

Click the Clear button to clear all of the matching lines and a red bubble will appear on top of the first new place.

Click on the selected performer that identifies the new place marked with the red bubble. A match line will connect the performer with the new place.

The red bubble will move to the next place in the new shape. Matched positions turn green to indicate they have been matched. Click on the selected performer that identifies this new place. Repeat this step for each new place.

If you make a mistake, click the Back button to back up one matched place. Another way to correct a mistake is to click on the matching line drawn over the incorrect performer and drag the line to the correct performer.

The <down arrow> key on the keyboard will advance the red bubble to the next new place. Likewise, the <up arrow> key will advance the red bubble to the previous new place. After pressing an arrow key, any matches done afterward will advance the red bubble in the same direction as the last arrow keypress. Should the <up/down arrow> keys stop responding, click once in the Positions text box.

At any time during the matching process the Animation Controls can be used to preview the transition in the drill. Other useful functions that can be accessed during matching are located in the upper right corner of the field display window. They are functions for controlling the field display such as moving or zooming the field, showing/hiding the text boxes, show/hiding the performer labels. Also accessible is the measuring tape.

For first time performers, set the Red and Yellow Anchor of the Count Track to the count of drill where the circle is to be entered. For transitions of existing performers into a circle, move the Red Anchor to the count of drill where the circle should be drawn. Move the Yellow Anchor to the beginning of the transition into the new circle. This is usually the previous set in the drill. Select the existing performers that will be moving into the line using a selection tool. See “First Time or Transition?” at the beginning of this section for more explanation.

Clicking on the Circle tool will display the Circle Tool Control Panel.

 

The circle is drawn by clicking two points on the field display. The first click on the field will be the center point of the circle. The second click will be the first performer along the edge of the circle. The remaining performers will be drawn counter-clockwise from the first performer.

Many of the options in the Circle Tool Control Panel are exactly the same as options in the Line tool. Refer to the Line tool at the beginning of this section for details on the Position, Interval, Clone, Symbol, Color and Matching Line options, as well as Editing Handles and Reposition Handles.

Entering a number in the Data Points will change the number of points in the circle. This is useful to create different shapes. For example 3 data points creates a triangle, 4 a rectangle, and 5 a pentagon.

The Offset Spacing option will offset the first performer of the circle by half the interval. For example, this is useful when you want an equal number of performers on each side of a yard line. Place the circle edge handle on the yard line and the performers will be spaced equally on each side of the line.

The Lock to Circle option will create a circle. Turning off this option will create an oval. When creating an oval there will be two Editing Handles which are used to define the inner size and outer size of the oval. Should you want to create the oval rotated, then use the Rotation Arm of the Reposition Handle located at the center of the oval.

The First Place at Top of Circle will make the matching order begin at the top of the circle. This is
sometimes useful to make matching of the circle easier.

For first time performers, set the Red and Yellow Anchor of the Count Track to the count of drill where the point (or points) are to be entered. For transitions of existing performers into the point or points, move the Red Anchor to the count of drill where the points should be drawn. Move the Yellow Anchor to the beginning of the transition into the new point(s). This is usually the previous set in the drill. Select the existing performers that will be moving into the point(s) using a selection tool. See “First Time or Transition?” at the beginning of this section for more explanation.

Clicking on the Point tool will display the Point Tool Control Panel.

 

Many of the options in the Point Tool Control Panel are exactly the same as options in the Line tool. Refer to the Line tool at the beginning of this section for details on the Clone, Symbol, Color and Matching Lines options, as well as editing handles and Reposition Handles.

The first click on the field will enter the first point.

The second click on the field is another point and so on....

For first time performers, set the Red and Yellow Anchor of the Count Track to the count of drill where the arc is to be entered. For transitions of existing performers into a arc, move the Red Anchor to the count of drill where the arc should be drawn. Move the Yellow Anchor to the beginning of the transition into the new arc. This is usually the previous set in the drill. Select the existing performers that will be moving into the arc using a selection tool. See “First Time or Transition?” at the beginning of this section for more explanation.

Clicking on the Arc tool will display the Arc Tool Control Panel.

The arc is drawn by clicking three points on the field display. The first click on the field is the first endpoint of the arc. The second click on the field is the second endpoint of the arc. The third click on the field is a point along the edge of the arc.

Entering a number in the Data Points will change the number of points in the arc. This is useful to create different shapes. For example 3 data points creates a wedge.

Many of the options in the Arc Tool Control Panel are exactly the same as options in the Line tool. Refer to the Line tool at the beginning of this section for details on the Position, Interval, Clone, Symbol, Color and Matching Line options, as well as editing handles and Reposition Handles.

For first time performers, set the Red and Yellow Anchor of the Count Track to the count of drill where the curve is to be entered. For transitions of existing performers into a curve, move the Red Anchor to the count of drill where the curve should be drawn. Move the Yellow Anchor to the beginning of the transition into the new curve. This is usually the previous set in the drill. Select the existing performers that will be moving into the curve using a selection tool. See “First Time or Transition?” at the beginning of this section for more explanation.

Clicking on the Curve tool will display the Curve Tool Control Panel.

The curve is drawn by clicking three or more points on the field display. The first click on the field is the first endpoint point of the curve. The second click on the field continues the curve. The third click on the field continues the curve and so on with the fourth and fifth. The less points you have on the curve the smoother it will be. There will be an editing handle at every point entered. You can use these handles to further modify the shape of the curve.

The Del Last button is used to remove the last entered point when creating the curve.

The Del Half button is used to reduce the number of points entered in half by deleting every other point entered on the field. This is useful if you have too many points to form a smooth curve.

Many of the options in the Curve Tool Control Panel are exactly the same as options in the Line tool. Refer to the Line tool at the beginning of this section for details on the Position, Interval, Clone, Symbol, Color and Matching Lines options, as well as editing handles and Reposition Handles.

For first time performers, set the Red and Yellow Anchor of the Count Track to the count of drill where the Free Form shape is to be entered. For transitions of existing performers into a free form shape, move the Red Anchor to the count of drill where the free form shape should be drawn. Move the Yellow Anchor to the beginning of the transition into the new shape. This is usually the previous set in the drill. Select the existing performers that will be moving into the free form shape using a selection tool. See “First Time or Transition?” at the beginning of this section for more explanation.

Clicking on the Free Form tool will display the Free Form Control Panel.

The free form is drawn by clicking points on the field display. The first click on the field is the first endpoint of the free form. The second click on the field places an editing handle at the second point of the free form shape. By continuing to click on the field you add more editing handles that extend the shape. You can draw continuously by holding the mouse button while moving the mouse across the field.

This option allows you to adjust the frequency that new editing handles (red box) are added to a shape while drawing. For example, if you input "2" in the Edit Handle Spacing box, while using the Free Form (Pencil) Tool, an editing handle will appear every two yards on the shape you create.

The Del Last button is used to remove the last entered point when creating the free form.

The Del Half button is used to reduce the number of points entered in half by deleting every other point entered on the field. This us useful if you have too many points to form a smooth shape.

The Smooth Shape button will smooth the form that has been created to a more fluid form.

Many of the options in the Free Form Tool Control Panel are exactly the same as options in the Line tool. Refer to the Line tool at the beginning of this section for details on the Position, Interval, Clone, Symbol, Color and Matching Lines options, as well as editing handles and Reposition Handles.

The Fill tool creates filled shapes. The shapes can have any number of sides. Typically, the Fill tool is used to fill rectangles and triangles.

For first time performers, set the Red and Yellow Anchor of the Count Track to the count of drill where the Filled shape is to be entered. For transitions of existing performers into a block, move the Red Anchor to the count of drill where the block should be drawn. Move the Yellow Anchor to the beginning of the transition into the new shape. This is usually the previous set in the drill. Select the existing performers that will be moving into the free form shape using a selection tool. See “First Time or Transition?” at the beginning of this section for more explanation.

Clicking on the Fill Tool will display the Fill Tool Control Panel.

The fill is created by clicking three or more points on the field display. In this example, the first click on the field is the first point of the first side of a multi-sided block. The second click on the field finishes the first side and starts the next side and so on. A fill form can have as many sides as you prefer.

Entering a value in Positions will lock the positions box to the value entered. If both of the Horizontal and Vertical boxes are locked, one will be unlocked automatically in order to adjust the intervals to maintain the value entered for positions. If the shape of the block is such that the positions value can not be maintained with reasonable intervals a message will appear above the Accept button in the Control Panel.

Entering a value in both Horizontal and Vertical intervals will unlock (if locked) the positions value. The value in the positions box will be calculated to maintain the intervals entered.

The Stagger option will stagger the spacing of each row in the block.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Show Bridges shows the matching lines when a block is entered as a “transition”. Since blocks are rows and columns of new places, the bridge lines can clutter the display.

Del Last will remove the last editing handle entered.

Many of the options in the Fill Tool Control Panel are exactly the same as options in the Line tool. Refer to the Line tool at the beginning of this section for details on the Position, Interval, Clone, Symbol, Color and Matching Lines options, as well as editing handles and Reposition Handles.

The Block Tool quickly creates block and rhombus shapes from user defined lines. To open the Block Tool, select the tool from the Tool Palette. This will open the Block Tool Control Panel.

Using the Block Tool is quite simple. In the example above, let’s say we want a 64 performer block. Enter the number of performers you would like for one side of the block (since we want 64 performers, this would be 8) in the Control Panel in the P1 to P2 box. Do the same for the second side (once again, this would be 8) in the P1 to P3 box. Click three positions (these will also be the Edit Handles of your Block) on the grid. The first click would be P1, the second click P2, then finally P3. The Block Tool will automatically create a block based off of the numbers you input for the sides, and where you clicked on the field. You may adjust size by maneuvering one of the Edit Handles, or location by moving the Reposition Handle.

Many of the options in the Block Tool Control Panel are exactly the same as options in the Line tool. Refer to the Line tool at the beginning of this section for details on the Interval, Clone, Symbol, and Color options, as well as Editing Handles and Reposition Handles.

For first time performers, set the Red and Yellow Anchor of the Count Track to the count of drill where the bezier curve shape is to be entered. For transitions of existing performers into a block, move the Red Anchor to the count of drill where the curve should be drawn. Move the Yellow Anchor to the beginning of the transition into the new shape. This is usually the previous set in the drill. Select the existing performers that will be moving into the free form shape using a selection tool. See “First Time or Transition?” at the beginning of this section for more explanation.

Clicking on the Bezier Curve tool will display the Bezier Curve Control Panel.

The curve is drawn by clicking two or more points on the field display. The first click on the field is the first endpoint point of the curve. The second click on the field develops the curve initially as a line. The ends of the line have editing handles.

 

 

 

Dragging the red square in the editing handle will move the endpoints.

 

 

 

 

 

Dragging the red circle extending from the square handle will shape the curve.

 

 

 

 

 

Many of the Bezier Curve tool options are exactly the same as options in the Line tool. Refer to the Line tool for details on the Position, Interval, Clone, Symbol, Color and Matching Lines options, as well as editing handles and Reposition handle.

The Polygon tool operates like the Circle tool to create outlined polygon shapes.

For first time performers, set the Red and Yellow Anchor of the Count Track to the count of drill where the polygon shape is to be entered. For transitions of existing performers into a polygon, move the Red Anchor to the count of drill where the polygon should be drawn. Move the Yellow Anchor to the beginning of the transition into the new shape. This is usually the previous set in the drill. Select the existing performers that will be moving into the free form shape using a selection tool. See “First Time or Transition?” at the beginning of this section for more explanation.

Clicking on the Polygon tool will display the Polygon Tool Control Panel.

The Polygon tool operates similar to the Circle tool. Use the Sides text box to enter the number of sides in the polygon. Many of the options in the Polygon Tool Control Panel are exactly the same as options in the Line tool. Refer to the Line tool at the beginning of this section for details on the Position, Interval, Clone, Symbol, Color and Matching Lines options, as well as editing handles and Reposition Handles.

The full Spiral Drawing Tool information can bee seen on the Spiral Tool Page.