Preditor: The User's Guide
March 2007

The Preditor allows the user to create and modify models. 
It contains an instance of the Viewer, and acts as a helpful intermediate between the
user and the model and object classes.

The Preditor was primarily created by Deborah Chasman, 
with input and assistance from Henry Gross, Paul Wilmes, Ed Williams, and Meg Gibbs.
Questions or comments? E-mail deborah.chasman at gmail dot com.

Contents:
I. Viewer
II. Drop-Down Menus
III. Other Tools

Usage: java preditor

When you start the Preditor, you will first be prompted to create a new model 
or load from a previously existing model directory.

You may wish to copy the .co directory from the Carleton Model into your own new
directory so that you may access our pre-made complex objects. If you want to make your
own, create models using the Preditor and move their .mdl files to your new model's .co
directory.

I. Viewer
The Viewer is an instance of the standalone Viewer, and may be operated in the same way.
Please see the Viewer User's Guide for more information.

II. Drop-Down Menus
The Preditor's drop-down menus allow creation of models and objects.

File
	New Model
		Closes the currently loaded model and creates an empty model.
    	Open
		Closes the currently loaded model and opens one stored in the file system.
      	Save
		Saves the current model to its current directory.
	Save As
		Gives the user the option to save the current model under a new
		directory. 
	Exit
		Closes the program.

Edit
	Cut
		Removes a model or object (and all of its children) from its current 	
		position and puts it on the clipboard.
	Copy
		Makes a copy of a model or object and places it on the clipboard.
	Paste
		Pastes the contents of the clipboard into the currently selected location.
		Models may only be pasted into the top level model.
		Objects may be pasted into models. This is achieved either by selecting
		the model, or a child object of that model.
		Incompatible paste attempts will produce warnings.
	Add New Object
		Creates a new primitive object in the currently selected model.
		Prompts the user to choose object type and alias.
	Add New Complex Object
		Adds an instance of a complex object to the currently selected model.
		Prompts the user to choose the type of complex object from an existing
		list.
		This list is composed of the .mdl files in the .co directory of the model.
	Add New Model
		Allows user to add a new model to the top-level model.
		(Models must be given objects before they can be modified.)
	Delete
		Removes a model or object from its current position.

III. Other Tools

Model Tree
	To select a model or object for editing, select it in the tree.

The following require that you have selected a model or object:
Transformation Types
	Use the radio buttons to choose a type of transformation: translation, rotation,
or scaling.	
	The sliders, from top to bottom, represent transformations in X, Y, and Z
dimensions. Drag the tab to transform the object/model. To send the slider back to 0,
single click somewhere on the slider other than on the tab. (We apologize for our
inability to overcome this quirk of Swing.)
	
	Beside the sliders are text fields and spinner boxes. The text fields will
display the current state of the slider -- the transformation that will be applied to
what is already there. The sliders will display the applied transformation to that
object. You may use either field to fine-tune your transformations.

Other Modifications
	Choose Color? (Object only)
		This button will open up a palette window to allow you to choose a color
		for your object.
	Change Name
		Change the alias of an object. (This will not change its filename.)
	Add Texture? (Object only)
		You will be invited to choose textures for the faces of your selected
		object.

	The first dialogue window will prompt you to choose from these options:
		-Add a texture to a face
      		-Remove a texture from a face
      		-Remove texture from all faces
      		-Apply numbered panels to all faces of the object
      
	The application of numbered panels will help you identify which face to which
		you wish to apply the texture.

Current Attributes display
	Here you can view what model or object is currently selected and what wonderful
things there are to learn about it.