Mapping Matter (beta version)

# Getting Started

# Home Page

This is where you land after log-in. Access it anytime at https://editor.mappingmatter.com.

Here you can create / open / rename / duplicate / delete any Scene.

You can change the display of all Scenes from Grid to List.

You can sort them alphabetically / most recently used / by creation date.

  • Here's how to organize all your Scenes using Tags. We don't have sub-folders.

  • Here's how to Share a Scene.

# Base Units of Measurement

You first need to open a Scene. And then just go :

👉 TOP MENU ⏩ File ⏩ Project Settings...

# Import a 3D Asset

We support .FBX(binary) very well, while .OBJ and .DAE work just fine. The maximum asset size is 100MB; you can load bigger assets but only locally.

WARNING

Mapping Matter is not primarily designed for performance. If you work with very heavy / complex 3D Assets, we strongly recommend to optimize your files before import. Otherwise, the Browser may crash (especially for computers with a small GPU).

Here's an article about pre-import 3D Asset Optimization.

# Import a 3D Asset into your Scene

👉 TOP MENU : File ⏩ Import 3D mesh Objects

This will give you access to the 3D Assets Library.

👉 Double-click on any file to import it in your Scene.

The first time you import an asset into you Scene, the Import Settings window will pop-up.

Original File Units = the unit of measurement your 3D mesh was exported in.

Z up = map the imported asset's Y axis to the Scene's Z axis. This basically rotate your asset 90° on the X axis. This option is available because some 3D softwares export meshes with the Y up.

POV = Point Of View = change the camera perspective.

TIP

Do you see the humanoïd yellow shadow? It has a 180 cm (5.91 feet) height. This will help get a sense of the Scale in your Scene.

WARNING

If you don't see your mesh despite setting the correct original file units, test with bigger units. Sometimes, files are read as if they were smaller.

You can also import it first, and then multiply its scale through its Properties. (See the following section.)

# Edit the Properties of an imported 3D mesh Object

The editing parameters available will depend on how the the asset was exported (format, software, etc).

👉 Select your Object, go to its Properties, and then to the REFERENCE panel.

If you have a 3D asset built with different sub-Object meshes, you can edit each of them individually by enabling the Edit Reference mode.

WARNING

You cannot move / rotate / delete any sub-Object mesh individually, you'll have to import them already allset.

But you can rename / hide them, and also edit their individual material.

If your mesh had UVs set pre-import, you can re-apply its Texture as a Base Map

# Move around the Viewport

The Viewport represents the whole visible area in which your Scene is displayed.

# Pan

👉 Hold left-click and drag to slide.

# Orbit

👉 Hold right-click and drag to orbit your cursor. (On Mac: use two fingers while pressing on your touchpad.)

# Zoom-in & out

👉 Using your scroll wheel.

👉 Using two fingers on your touchpad.

👉 Zoom-extend by...

  • Double-clicking on the Object's body in the Viewport itself.

  • Or double-clicking on the Object's name in the Scene Objects list.

  • Or select your Object, and go to TOP MENU ⏩ Viewport ⏩ Object Focus

# Switch to another Point Of View (POV)

The Perspective dropdown menu allows to quickly look through our list of POVs.

Camera from view = create a Camera from your current POV. This may come in handy as you may save a specific POV to come back to it later. All new Cameras will appear in the Scene Objects panel.

If needed, you can adjust very precisely the Position (and Target Point) of your Perspective POV (or any Orthographic Camera). Just go to Camera Settings.

FOV = Zoom-in / out perfectly along the Target axis.

# Primitives

Mapping Matter offers a quick & easy way to customize Parametric Objects. No need for advanced 3D skills.

# Create a Primitive

Each type of Primitive has its own parameters to play with (Width, Height, Depth, Radius, Segments, etc).

👉 TOP MENU ⏩ Primitives

# Customize a Primitive

👉 Select it. Go to its Properties, and into the GEOMETRY section.

EXAMPLE 1: Build a Circular Wall with a Cylinder Primitive

Segments = higher values increase the resolution of the Primitive.

Theta = the angle of definition.

EXAMPLE 2: Build a semi-Dome with a Sphere Primitive

Phi & Theta = the angles of definition for a Sphere.

# Select / Sort / Rename / Delete / Hide / Lock an Object

# Select

When you create an Object in your Scene, it will be listed in the Scene Objects panel.

You can select an Object by clicking on its body in the Viewport, or through the Scene Objects list. Hold Ctrl to select many Objects.

TIP

If you have too many Objects in your Scene, try placing a group of Objects as Children of a Primitive Node. Learn about Parent / Child Hierarchy here.

# Rename an Object

👉 Select your Object in the Scene Objects panel.

👉 Open the Properties panel, and edit its name in the textbox.

TIP

By default, all Objects will be sorted from A to Z. Click on the Scene Objects headline to sort them from Z to A. Using numbers like 1.1 / 1.2 / etc may come in handy if you have lots of Objects.

# Delete an Object

👉 Select it. And delete it...

  • by pressing Delete (PC) or Fn+Delete (Mac) on your keyboard,

  • or through TOP MENU ⏩ Edit ⏩ Delete

WARNING

Imported 3D Asset's sub-Objects cannot be deleted. However, you can hide them.

# Hide / Show any Object of your Scene

You will find this option in the Scene Objects panel.

👉 Tick the box to make it visible.

# Lock the properties of any Object in your Scene

👉 Tick the box to lock it.

TIP

Comes in pretty handy when you want to avoid selecting particular Objects while clicking around in the Viewport!

# Move (or Duplicate) an Object

# The Basics

An Object's Position will be calculated from its Center Point, which appears as a diamond-shaped indicator.

TIP

Hold Ctrl while clicking on different Objects to have them selected together. A new common Center Point will be calculated for the whole selection.

If you simply want to duplicate an Object, one way is to copy-paste it.

👉 Select it.

  • Do Ctrl+C & Ctrl+V to have duplicated aside.
  • Or go to TOP MENU ⏩ Edit ⏩ Clone to have it duplicated in the exact same position.

# Using the Movement Gizmo in the Viewport

DEFINITION

Movement Gizmo = visual 3D tool allowing you to move an Object in function of 3 axes (X, Y, Z).

Three arrows point out of the Object's Center Point. By default, Red is for the X axis. Green for the Y axis. And Blue for the Z axis.

👉 Hold-click on any axis vector and drag your cursor.

TIP

You can also duplicate your Object by holding Ctrl while moving it.

👉 Or click once on any axis vector, type a World Position value in the input box, and press Enter.

TIP

You can also move it away from its current position by inputting +X (positively) or +-X (negatively). E.g. to move it by -6 units on a given axis, set +-6 and press Enter.

# Using coordinates in the Properties panel

👉 Hold-click on the input box of any coordinate and drag your cursor.

👉 Or type-in a specific value and press Enter.

# Using two reference points

One to move from + one to move to.

👉 Select an Object, and click on its Center Point.

If you want to duplicate it, just click here.

👉 Click on a reference point to move from, and then another to move to.

Use the SNAP Tool to select a reference point more accurately in your Scene. This window will pop up automatically.

When neither Bounding Box or Vertex are enabled, the Red dot will appear at any intersection between the surface and your cursor.

TIP

You can add a constraint of movement on any given axis. Your Object will move (or be duplicated), but only along the chosen axis.

👉 Select your Object. Click on its Center Point. Click on the axis of constraint. Select a Point to move from, and another to move to.

# Move an Object A in orbit of an Object B

Here's a tutorial on how to set up a Pivot Point.

# Rotate an Object

👉 Select an Object. (Or many, holding Ctrl)

👉 Press R on your keyboard to see the Rotation Gizmo.

  • Hold-click on any axis curve, and drag your cursor to adjust.

  • Or click once on any axis curve, and type in a specific angle rotation value.

👉 Press M to get back to the Movement Gizmo.

WARNING

You have to be aware of a potential Gimbal Lock issue.

= "When the pitch (green) and yaw (magenta) gimbals become aligned, changes to roll (blue) and yaw apply the same rotation to the airplane." (Credits)

# Material

The Material of an Object refers to the characteristics of its surface. This has an impact on its appearance, reflectivity, and texture mapping.

👉 Select your Object.

You can also select an individal (sub-Object) mesh from an Imported 3D Asset. Just select your Asset, click on Edit Reference, and select any mesh in the Scene Objects list.

👉 Go to its Properties, in the MATERIAL section.

# Apply Gain

Gain = The gain ratio represents how much light is reflected by any given surface, compared to the light reflected from a standard white (magnesium oxide) board. A ratio of 1.0 will reflect the same amount of light as that of white board. Whereas a gray board with a 0.5 rating would reflect only 50% of the Light falling on.

This has an incidence in the Photometric Analysis mode, on the Luminance values.

# Apply Color

The brighter the selected color, the higher its reflectivity.

This has an incidence in the Photometric Analysis mode, on the Luminance values.

TIP

You can also manually adjust the Luminance setting below, to enhance its intrinsic brightness.

Usually best to keep it at 0, unless you want to simulate a Screen / LED wall.

# Apply Base Map

The Base Map tool allows you to map (or "wrap") an Image (or Video) onto the surface of a 3D mesh Object.

WARNING

This will only work with Primitives, and imported 3D mesh Objects which already had their UVs set. You can set UVs in any good CAD software (e.g. Blender). To learn more, search for tutorials about "UV unwrapping".

👉 Go to Base Map and click in the framebox to open the Texture Library.

To learn how to use the Texture Library, click here.

👉 Adjust the placement of your Texture with the Map repeat and Map offset ratios.

👉 After you've selected an Image, you can remove it by clicking on the Trash icon.

TIP

You can also manually adjust the Luminance setting below, to enhance its intrinsic brightness.

Usually best to keep it at 0, unless you want to simulate a Screen / LED wall.

# Apply a Projection Map (Projection Texture)

The Projection Map tool allows you to map (or "wrap") an Image (or Video) onto the surface of a 3D mesh Object.

WARNING

This will only work with Primitives, and imported 3D mesh Objects which already had their UVs set. You can set UVs in any good CAD software (e.g. Blender). To learn more, search for tutorials about "UV unwrapping".

The Base Map represents the intrinsic appearance of an Object.

Whereas the Projection Map represents a projected Texture onto the surface of an Object. By default, it won't be visible in the Viewport. It will have to be "revealed". Either by a Projector in Reverse Mapping mode, or using the Projection Texture tool.

👉 Go to Projection Map and click in the framebox to open the Texture Library.

To learn how to use the Texture Library, click here.

After you've selected an Image, you can remove it by clicking on the Trash icon.

# Use Side to make it transparent

WARNING

First, make sure Global Material Override is disabled.

👉 Go to Viewport Settings, and tick off the Double Side option.

Also note that it will only work with 1-face meshes (e.g. it won't work with a double wall).

👉 Select an Object. Go to its Properties, and to the MATERIAL section.

Back = opacity prevents us to see through the surface.

Front = we can see through the surface.

Double = what appears on one side also appears on the other.

# Use Wireframe to make it transparent

Wireframe =visual representation of a Mesh Object, only showing its vertices.

TIP

Use a Circle Primitive as a reference to measure any angle in your Scene, setting 360 Segments and playing with its Theta. You can use the SNAP tool to easily pin it where needed.

TIP

You can also use Wireframe to create a "Transparent" Gauze / Scrim Material.

# Parent Child Hierarchy

The Position of an Object is calculated in function of the Center Point of its Parent Object.

By default, each new Object is the Child of the Scene itself.

TIP

Here's how to offset the Center Point of the whole Scene. This may be useful when you're working on an imported Geometry which isn't centered already.

To change the Hierarchy between Objects :

👉 Select your Object, go to its Properties, and to the Parent dropdown menu.

ILLUSTRATION

Here both Sphere 1 and Box 1 have the coordinates (X=1, Y=0, Z=0). But Sphere 1 is positioned in function of its Parent the Scene (C), 1 meter away on the X axis. And Box 1 is 1 meter away from its Parent Sphere 1.

# Arrays and Symmetries

These tools offer an easy, quick, and accurate way of creating large Object / Projector layouts in your Scene.

# Definitions

Array = an immaterial Object which duplicates its Children into dummy Clones, either following a linear or a polar sequence.

Symmetry = an immaterial Object which duplicates its Children into dummy Clones, following a symmetric sequence.

Dummy = fake, visual only, not listed in Scene Objects, with no individual Properties.

# Create a Linear Array

👉 TOP MENU : Array/Sym. ⏩ Array

The Array will appear as an Object, Child of your Scene, at (0, 0, 0).

👉 Select the Object you want to lay out.

👉 In the Properties panel, make the Object a Child of the Array.

👉 Customize the Linear Array parameters.

Number = the total amount of Objects in the Array = original + dummies

Separation = the distance between each Object in the Linear Array

# Create a Polar Array

👉 TOP MENU : Array/Sym. ⏩ Array Polar

The Array will appear as an Object, Child of your Scene, at (0, 0, 0).

👉 Select the Object you want to lay out.

👉 In the Properties panel, make the Object a Child of the Array.

👉 Customize the Polar Array parameters.

Number = the total amount of Objects in the Array = original + dummies

Angle = the angle of distribution for all Objects in a Polar Array.

By default, a Full 360 angle distributes all Objects on a whole circle. But with a 180 input value, the distribution is limited on a 180° angle (half a circle). All Objects are automatically set equidistant to each other.

TIP

Use the Side tool to "see through" any Object in your Scene.

# Create a Symmetry

👉 TOP MENU : Array/Sym. ⏩ Symmetry

The Symmetry will appear as an Object, Child of your Scene, at (0, 0, 0).

👉 Select the Object you want to lay out.

👉 In the Properties panel, make the Object a Child of the Symmetry.

Now our Object has a symmetric dummy along the X axis of our Symmetry.

The axis of symmetry is the Y axis. This is illustrated by a transparent yellow plane, which appears when the Symmetry Object is selected.

All modifications to our Object will be replicated immediately to its dummy.

TIP

You can also make an Array the Child of a Symmetry, etc.

# Convert your dummy Objects into regular Objects

This will allow you to make individual modifications to your ex-dummy Objects.

You'll find each of them in the Scene Objects panel.

👉 Select your original Object.

👉 Go to the Properties panel.

👉 In the Array (or Symmetry) section, hit the Bake command.

# Annotations and Dimensions

The Annotations tool allows you to create a bodyless Object holding Text.

While Dimensions allows you to create a bodyless Object measuring the distance between two given points the Scene.

# Create an Annotation or Dimension Object in your Scene

👉 TOP MENU ⏩ Tools

TIP

You can also use the keyboards shortcuts A (Annotation) and T (Dimension). Press ? for all keyboard shortcuts.

👉 Select 1 or 2 Point(s) in your Scene.

1 Point only for Annotations. And 2 Points, from Start to End, for Dimensions

TIP

Use the SNAP Tool to select a reference point more accurately in your Scene. This window will pop up automatically.

When neither Bounding Box or Vertex are enabled, the Red dot will appear at any intersection between the surface and your cursor.

# Edit an Annotation or Dimension

👉 Select the Object, from the Scene or the Scene Objects panel.

👉 Open the Object's Properties panel.

← Projectors / Cameras →