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| EchoTk Main Control Panel |
The Main Control Panel is used to set up the scanning process, carry out the required steps to scan an object, and save the scan(s).
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The File Menu enables the reading and writing of files, as well as a way to exit from the program.
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Use this menu selection to launch a new scanning session. Any scan that
is currently in memory will be lost, unless you have previously saved
it.
Open...
This menu selection allows the user to open an existing scan or set of scans. Once the user selects this item, a dialog box will open asking the user to select a file or group of files to be opened. Highlight the desired scan or set of scans by clicking on them with mouse Button 1, then press the OK button.
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Write the current scan, or set of scans, to the hard disk for processing
at a later time using this menu item. Upon selection of this item, the
user will be presented with the Save Dialog Box. Navigate to the desired
directory, enter the name of the file into the Filename section of
the dialog box and press the OK button.
Save As...
This menu selection allows the user to save a previously saved image with a different file name. This is especially useful during the scan editing process, if you intend to preserve the original scans. To save a scan with a different file name, choose this item from the menu, then enter the new file name in the Filename field of the dialog box and press the OK button.
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Use this selection to quit the EchoTk program. Please note that any
unsaved scans will be deleted. Ensure that you have saved the scans by
selecting Save from the File menu.
Scanner Menu
The Scan Menu gives the user access to a means to turn the rotary table and/or move the digitizing head along the linear axis, as well as a function to home the system.
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This selection allows the user to select a scanner to digitize with (if multiple scanners are available).
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This selection will open a dialog box used to "home" the motion platform. This action ensures that the laser stripe is perfectly aligned with the center of rotation of the rotary platter.
It is very important to home the motion platform each time a digitizing session is started. This will ensure the most accurate alignment of the digitized data.
Homing the motion system is also advisable if any motion-related errors are encountered while operating the system.
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Use this selection to turn the rotary platter to a specific position. This selection will open a dialog box in which you can adjust for the number of degrees you would like for the system to turn.
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Use this selection to move the scan head along the linear axis. This selection will open a dialog box in which you should adjust to the number of millimeters you would like for the system to move. Any positive number will move the scan head to the left (if you are looking into the aperture of the scan head). Conversely, any negative number will cause the scan head to move to the right.
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This checkbox item will turn the color texture map collection off, if
your scanner is equipped with the RGB option.
RGB
Enable this item to turn on collection of the color texture map for
systems that have the RGB option. The color texture map will be saved in the
SGI RGB (.rgb) file format.
Luminance
For systems with the ability to capture the luminance maps, this checkbox item
will cause a luminance value to be associated with each range point. This
option will save an SGI-format (.rgb) file containing all the values.
HRC
By checking this option, the high-resolution color texture maps will be collected, if your digitizer is so equipped. The file will be saved in the SGI RGB (.rgb) file format.
Please note that four files will be created when the scan is saved, instead of the usual two. A description of the files follows, assuming that the user saves the files as 'scan1':
| scan1 | The normal 3D range data in the Echo format |
| scan1.color | A downsampled version of the full color texture map, "scan1.hrc.color" |
| scan1.hrc | An upsampled version of "scan1" to accommodate the color pixel-per-vertex mapping scheme. This file contains 4× the longitudes and 3× the latitudes of the original file due to the linear interpolation used to create the file. |
| scan1.hrc.color | The standard high-resolution color map in 24-bit color |
The Monitor Mode allows the user to see that the Surface selection has been properly set and that there will be a good quality scan taken. Please refer to the Sensitivity section for more information.
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This menu selection is only available if the environment variable, ECHO_DEBUG is set to "1".
It is intended that this selection be used only in troubleshooting under the
guidance and direction of a trained Cyberware technician.
Status...
This menu selection displays the motion axis status in hexadecimal notation
in a dialog box. This information is rarely usable except when debugging with
a Cyberware Technician.
HRC Align...
This will open a dialog box that allows for the manual adjustment of the color-mapping
parameters for any HRC digitizer. In order for this menu item to take effect,
the environment variable, scannerHRCalign must be set to "1."
Please consult Cyberware Support before
making any adjustments using this dialog.
Options Menu
The Options Menu allows the user to get specific information about the current scan file, as well as convert the units for the scan from inches to millimeters and vice versa.
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Selecting this menu item will open a window that will present the specifics of the current file.
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This menu item will convert the display of measurements to inches.
Millimeter
This menu item will convert the display of measurements to millimeters.
This option is the default selection.
Help Menu
The Help Menu provides access to the Cyberware on-line help files and other information that is useful for Cyberware Customer Support.
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The General Help selection will activate the Cyberware on-line help
system. Here, the user will be able to access information on the basic
operations within EchoTk, such as using windows, buttons, dialog boxes
and the like. This menu item will also provide the user with information on the use of the
EchoTk program.
Version...
This selection will provide the user with the current version of EchoTk and the various "helper" applications that run with it.
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The motion selections determine the method of movement that the scanner will employ to carry out a scan. To select a particular motion, click on the desired motion selection with Button 1.
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This selection sets up the digitizer to capture images by scanning along the
linear (X) axis. This is the method used when scanning complex objects using
the CyDir environment.
Circular
Select this item if you would like to take a cylindrical (360°) scan to capture the object. The Main Control Panel will be updated to reflect this change and will appear as in the diagram below:
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You will notice that the Width selections change to Arc.
Static
This selection is primarily for use as a troubleshooting tool. If it is selected,
the platform will not move at all.
Arc
The Arc selections allow the user to vary the cylindrical scanning behavior. The user may choose to perform a complete cylindrical scan of 360°, or partial scans of 180°, 90°, or 45°.
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The 45 button will cause each scan to encompass 45°.
90
This button will instruct EchoTk to scan cylindrically through 90°.
180
This selection will cause the scan to go 180° around the object to be scanned.
360
The 360 button will enable the object to be scanned all the way around.
X Width
This collection of buttons determines the length of linear travel that will be used to capture a scan of an object. Please note that if the Inches selection has been activated, these lengths will be displayed as 1 inch, 2 inches, 4 inches and 6 inches. To select a specific length, click on the desired length using the left mouse button (Button 1).
Also, note that the numbers that are displayed in this section will vary, depending upon the motion platform that is being used.
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The 25mm button will cause each scan to be 25mm in length.
50mm
This item will instruct EchoTk to capture scans that are 50mm in length.
100mm
Use this selection item to scan a width of 100mm.
150mm
The 150mm selection will cause EchoTk to make each scan 150mm in length.
200mm
This item will instruct EchoTk to capture scans that are 200mm in length.
Resolution
The Resolution selections determine the pitch between each longitudinal sample taken by EchoTk. To select one of these items, simply click on the desired selection using Button 1.
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The High selection causes EchoTk to take a longitudinal sample every
.1mm across the entire length of the scan.
Medium or .25mm
Use this selection to take a longitudinal sample every .25mm across the
entire length of the scan.
Low or .5mm
This selection instructs EchoTk to take a longitudinal sample every .5mm
across the entire length of the scan.
1mm
The 1mm selection causes EchoTk to take a longitudinal sample every
1mm across the entire length of the scan.
Surface
This set of selections will set the laser sensitivity, based upon your input. To pick one of these items, simply clock on the selection using Button 1.
Please note that these selections are only available for the Model 15 digitizers.
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Use this selection if the surface of the object is shiny in nature, or
if the surface is very bright in color. It is recommended that if you
check this selection, that you also verify the sensitivity in the Monitor Mode.
White
If the surface of the object is white, or of any very light
color, select this item.
Medium
Use this selection if the surface of the object is of a grey, or middle
color value (meaning that the surface in not light, nor is it dark).
Dark
Use this selection if the surface of the object to be scanned is of a
dark color, such as the color black.
Scan Button
The Scan button initiates the scanning process using the values that you have set in the above selections.
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The scan process should be complete within 20 seconds. It is important
that the object be securely positioned on the rotary platter and not
moved during the process (except when requested to do so).
Display Button
The Display button activates the Echo Display Mode. This mode renders to the screen the most recent scan taken by the system. If no scans have been taken, the Display Mode shows the Cyberware logo in the Echo Render Window. Please refer to the Display Environment section later in this User Guide for more complete information.
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The Exit button provides a push-button method to quit the EchoTk program.
To quit EchoTk, simply click one time on the Exit button with mouse Button 1.
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The Display Environment consists of the Echo Help, Echo Wireframe, and Echo Render windows, and is used to view any object that was scanned in EchoTk.
For a complete description of all of the options and menu selections in the Display Environment, please consult the Command Descriptions Section of this User Guide.
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The Echo Help Window displays any information pertinent to the opertation the user is carrying out. Also, this window provides feedback on the cursor postion and any measurements.
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A wireframe view of the scanned object appears in this window. The primary function of the Echo Wireframe Window is to provide a window to allow quick and intuitive navigation. The scanned object can be zoomed, rotated, or panned in this window.
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To activate the Echo Wireframe Menu, depress Button 3 (right mouse button). In this menu, you will find the navigational commands required to ensure a complete and accurate orientation of any object that you scan.
Please note that upon completion of the desired reorientation, you must select Redraw from the Echo Render window pop-up menu. Below are the most commonly used menu selections and their functions.
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Rotate:
After you select this item, move the mouse up/down or left/right to rotate the
object. Click any mouse button to exit the Rotate Mode.
Zoom:
Select this item, then move the mouse upward to zoom in on the object. Move
the mouse downward to zoom away from the object. Click any mouse button to
exit this mode.
Pan:
Move the mouse left-right to pan along the x-axis, or up/down to pan along
the y-axis after selecting this menu item. This mode can be exited by
pressing any mouse button.
Help:
Select this item to display the Cyberware on-line help.
Exit:
To leave the Display Mode, select this menu item.
Echo Render
The Echo Render window is where the object is displayed in a shaded view. The user can select from several display modes for a better representation of the object.
The Echo Render window also provides access to basic editing and measurement functions.
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To activate the Echo Render menu, depress Button 3 (right mouse button). In this menu, you will find the commands needed to accurately display an object, edit the range data, and take measurements. Below are the most commonly used menu selections and their functions.
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Redraw:
Select this menu item to update the view in the Echo Render Window. This
is a necessary step after any change in the Echo Wireframe Window.
Meter Points:
This choice has two (2) modes, measurement and editing:
Surface Tools:
This selection will present the user with the main editing functions in
EchoTk. This item allows you to change the Selection Cursor size, as well
as access the "Select None," "Select Region," and
"Select Inverse" functions. You can also choose to void selected data
points using the selections in this menu.
Shell Window
The Shell window provides the user with the power to access the UNIX environment from within EchoTk. The user can also issue specific EchoTk commands using the is command-line interface. For a more complete description of the EchoTk commands, please consult the Advanced Usage Section of this User Guide.
Note: The Shell window is only available if the environment variable, ECHO_DEBUG is set to "1."
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![[File Open Dialog Box]](images/OpenDialog.gif)
![[File Save Dialog Box]](images/SaveDialog.gif)
