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diff --git a/release/text/blender.html b/release/text/blender.html new file mode 100755 index 00000000000..af65b1d2b51 --- /dev/null +++ b/release/text/blender.html @@ -0,0 +1,521 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/strict.dtd"> +<html> +<head> + <title>A brief introduction to Blender</title> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> + <meta name="GENERATOR" content="Quanta Plus"> +</head> +<body> + +<h1 align="center"><a name="top">Blender v2.3x series</a></h1> +<br> +<ol> + <li><a href="#intro">About</a></li> + <li><a href="#pack">Package Contents</a></li> + <li><a href="#start">Getting Started:</a></li> + <ol> + <li><a href="#start_install">Installing</a></li> + <li><a href="#start_run">Running</a></li> + <li><a href="#start_1st">First steps</a>, +<a href="#start_3dview">The 3d View</a></li> + </ol> + <li><a href="#resources">Resources</a></li> + <li><a href="#trouble">Troubleshooting</a></li> + <li><a href="#faq">(FAQ) A few remarks</a></li> +</ol> + +<h2><a name="intro">1. About</a></h2> + +<p>Welcome to the world of <a href="http://www.blender3d.org">Blender</a>! +The program you have now in your hands is a free and fully functional 3D +modeling, rendering, animation and game creation suite. It is available for +Unix-based (Linux, Mac OS X, etc.) and Windows systems and has a large +world-wide community.</p> + +<p>Blender is free to be applied for any purpose, including commercial usage and +distribution. It's open-source software, released under a dual GPL / BL +licence. The full program sources are available online.</p> + +<p>For impatient readers; here the two most important links:</p> +<a href="http://www.blender.org">www.blender.org</a> the developement/community website<br> +<a href="http://www.blender3d.org">www.blender3d.org</a> the general website<br> + +<p align="right"><a href="#top">back to top</a></p> + +<h2><a name="pack">2. Package Contents</a></h2> + +<p>This is what you should get from a downloaded Blender package:</p> + +<ul> + <li>The Blender program for some specific platform;</li> + <li>This text, with links and the copyright notice;</li> + <li>A basic set of scripts, including importers and exporters to other 3d + formats.</li> +</ul> + +<p>The latest version for all supported platforms can always be found at the +main Blender site, along with documentation, sample .blend files, many scripts, +plugins and more.</p> + +<p>If you are interested in the development of the program, information for +coders and the CVS repository with the sources can be found at the +<a href="http://www.blender.org">developer's site.</a></p> + +<p align="right"><a href="#top">back to top</a></p> + +<h2><a name="start">3. Getting Started</a></h2> + +<p>Blender's main strength is at modeling, animating and rendering 3d +scenes, from simple cubes and monkey heads to the complex environments found in +videogames and movies with computer graphics (CG) art.</p> + +<p><strong>Rendering</strong> is the process of generating 2d images from 3d +data (basically lit 3d models) as if viewed by a virtual camera. In simple +terms, rendering is like taking a picture of the scene, but with many more +ways to influence the results. Blender comes with a very flexible renderer +and is well integrated with the open source YafRay package. There are also +scripts to export to other popular third party renderers like Povray and +Renderman compliant ones. By <strong>animating</strong> the data and rendering +pictures of each successive frame, movie sequences can be created.</p> + +<p>In <strong>compositing</strong> a set of techniques is used to add effects +to movie strips and combine these into a single video. This is how, for +example, artists add laser beams, glows and dinossaurs to motion +pictures. Blender is not a specific tool for this purpose, but it has builtin +support for video sequencing and sound synchronization.</p> + +<p>The <strong>game engine</strong> inside Blender lets users create and play +nifty 3d games, complete with 3d graphics, sound, physics and scripted rules. +</p> + +<p>Via <strong>scripting</strong> the program's functionality can be automated +and extended in real-time with important new capabilities. True displacement +mapping, for example, is now part of the core program, but before that it was +already possible using scripts. Since they are written in a nice higher-level +programming language -- <a href="http://www.python.org">Python</a> in our case +-- development is considerably faster and easier than normal C/C++ coding. +Naturally, they run slower than compiled code, but still fast enough for +<em>many</em> purposes or for mixed approaches like some plugins use.</p> + +<h3><a name="start_install">Installation notes:</a></h3> + +<p>If you are reading this, you probably already have Blender installed. +Anyway, it's a matter of executing a self-installer package or unpacking it to +some folder.</p> + +<p>There are many paths you can set in Blender itself, to tell it where to +look for your collections of texture and sound files, fonts, plugins and +additional scripts, besides where it should save rendered images, temporary +data, etc. If you're only starting, there's no need to worry about this now. +</p> + +<p>Some downloaded scripts may require extra Python modules not shipped with +Blender. Installing the whole Python distribution is a way to solve this +issue for most cases except scripts that require extensions (3rd party +modules), but we are starting to add more modules to Blender itself so that +most scripts don't depend on full Python installs anymore.</p> + +<p>Even if you do have the right version of Python installed you may need to +tell the embedded Python interpreter where the installation is. To do that +it's enough to set a system variable called PYTHON to the full path to the +stand-alone Python executable (to find out execute "import sys; print +sys.executable" inside the stand-alone interpreter, not in Blender). To check +which Python was linked to your Blender binary, execute "import sys; print +sys.version" at Blender's text editor), it's probably 2.3.something -- only the +two first numbers should have to match with yours.</p> + +<h3><a name="start_run">Running:</a></h3> + +<p>Depending on your platform, the installation may have put an icon on your +desktop and a menu entry for Blender. If not, it's not hard to do that +yourself for your favorite window manager.</p> + +<p>But for more flexibility, you can execute Blender from a shell window or +command-line prompt. Try "blender -h" to see all available options.</p> + +<p>Blender saves data in its own custom binary format, using ".blend" as +extension. The default start-up configuration is saved in a file called +.B.blend. To save your changes to it, click on +<strong>File->Save Default Settings</strong> or use the Control+u shortcut +directly. To revert to factory defaults, erase the .B.blend file.</p> + +<h3><a name="start_1st">First steps:</a></h3> + +<p>This is the point where we stop and warn newcomers that 3d Computer +Graphics is a vast field and Blender has a lot of packed functionality. +If you already tried to run it and fell victim to the "too many buttons!" +syndrome, just relax and <a href="#faq_2">read this part</a> of the F.A.Q. </p> + +<p>Hoping the explanations helped, let's start Blender and take a look at it. +At the top header you can see the main menu. Under "File" you'll find entries +to save, load and quit. If <em>someone</em> ever messes with your workspace +and you can't find your way around: press q to quit. Then erase the .B.blend +file in your home dir and the program will be back to factory defaults.</p> + +<p>Blender's screen is divided in "areas". Each of them has a top or bottom +header and can show any of the available builtin applications (called "spaces", +like the 3d View, the Text Editor, etc). If you started with a default +configuration, there should now be three areas: +</p> + +<ul> + <li>A thin strip at the top where you can see the header of the <strong>User +Preferences Window</strong> (its header is also Blender's main menu);</li> + <li>A big one in the middle with the <strong>3d View</strong>, where you +model and preview your scenes;</li> + <li>A smaller at the bottom with the <strong>Buttons Window</strong>, where +you add and configure most of your scene data.</li> +</ul> + +<p>These are the three most important spaces, at least when you are starting. +At the left corner of each header you can find the "Window Types" button, +which is like the "Start" buttom of many desktop environments. Clicking on +it lets you change what is shown in that area.</p> + +<p><strong>Highly configurable workspace</strong></p> + +<p>Blender's interface has been considerably improved for the 2.3x series. +Besides the goals of exposing functionality via menus and adding tooltips +for all buttons, there are even more ways now to change your workspace.</p> + +<p>As before, areas can be resized, subdivided in two or joined; headers can +be moved to the top or bottom of an area or hidden completely. Just experiment +to find out how, it's trivial. Hint: the mouse cursor changes to a double arrow +when it is over the inter-area edges.</p> + +<p>There should be a button with "SCR:" in the top header. It has some preset +workspaces that can be tried now for a tour of the possibilities. When you +change your current setup to something worth keeping, that same button has the +option to save the new screen.</p> + +<p>Since version 2.30 Blender lets users define new color themes that can also +be shared with others when saved in the default startup .B.blend file.</p> + +<p>The User Preferences space has many options there that you may want to +tweak, like turning button tooltips on/off, setting paths, etc. Just remember +to save your configuration if you want to keep it for the next session). +Since these preferences are not saved in regular .blend files, the presets will +retain working even when loading files from others. Note however, that the arrangement +of the UI itself - its screens and windows - are always saved in each file. +</p> + +<h3><a name="start_3dview">The 3d View:</a></h3> + +<p><strong>Mouse buttons and the toolbox</strong></p> + +<p>Pressing the SPACEBAR or Shift+a while the mouse pointer is inside a 3d +View space will open up the toolbox. The toolbox gives you faster access to +many functions, like adding new objects to your scene, editing their properties, +selecting and so on.</p> + +<p>This is how the mouse buttons work in this space: +<ul> + <li>Left button: anchor the 3d cursor in a new location -- it defines where +your next added object will appear, among other things.</li> + <li>Right button: selection. If you hold it and move, you can move the +selected item around.</li> + <li>Middle button: 3d space rotation or translation -- choose which one in +one of the User Preferences tabs.</li> +</ul> +Combinations of mouse buttons and Shift or Control will give you additional +options like zooming, panning and restricted movement. 3d scenes can be seen +from any position and orientation, but there are some default ones you can +reach with Numpad buttons or the "View" menu in the 3d View's header.</p> + +<p><strong>Edit Mode</strong></p> + +<p>When you want to edit the vertices of a mesh, for example, it's necessary to +select the object and enter "Edit Mode", either using the 3d View header "Mode" +button or by pressing TAB on your keyboard (press it again to return to object +mode).</p> + +<p><strong>And this was only the beginning ...</strong></p> + +<p>The above guidelines should have given new users enough to start playing +with the interface. The next section lists online references that can actually teach about 3d and this program, but it's a good idea to spend some time just +playing with Blender, looking at menus and finding what mouse actions do in +each space.</p> + +<p align="right"><a href="#top">back to top</a></p> + +<h2><a name="resources">4. Resources</a></h2> + +<ul> + <li><a href="http://www.blender3d.org">www.blender3d.org</a> - the general site, with documentation and downloads</li> + <li><a href="http://www.elysiun.com">www.elysiun.com</a> - the user community</li> + <li><a href="http://www.blender.org">www.blender.org</a> - the developer's site</li> + <li><a href="http://projects.blender.org">projects.blender.org</a> - the project's site</li> +</ul> + +<p>This short presentation is meant to guide newcomers to Blender through their +<em>very first</em> steps, giving directions to where you can find the +resources you will need. We can't teach you 3D in these few lines of text, +that would take a lengthy book.</p> + +<p>The Blender Foundation has released a new guide, with hundreds of pages of +illustrated tutorials. It comes with a CD-ROM that has Blender version 2.32, +YafRay and many goodies: sample .blend files with models, textures and +animations, plugins, scripts, documentation, etc. It's an extensive reference +written by Blender gurus and also a good way to help Blender development.</p> + +<p>You can learn more about it at the main Blender site: +<a href="http://www.blender3d.org">www.blender3d.org</a>. There you'll also +find news, online documentation like tutorials, the 2.0 guide, the Blender +Python API Reference for script writers, etc. There are also forums, +galleries of images and movies, games, scripts, plugins, links and more.</p> + +<p>The main Blender community site is elYsiun: +<a href="http://www.elysiun.com">www.elysiun.com</a>. There's a lot of +activity in its user forums, where newbie and guru users share tips and tricks, +show their most recent images, movies and scripts, ask for help and generally +have a good time.</p> + +<p>Irc users are invited to try #blenderchat on irc.freenode.net .</p> + +<p>There are also local Blender community sites in some countries, that should +be listed at the links section of the main site.</p> + +<p>If you are a coder wanting to get in touch with Blender development, the +developer's site is at <a href="http://www.blender.org">www.blender.org</a>. A +good way to start is to follow the mailing lists for a while and check bug +reports, to see if you can fix one. On irc.freenode.net: #blendersauce (open channel) +and #blendercoders (official channel, where also meetings take place).</p> + +<h3><a name="resources_xtra">Other useful links</a></h3> + +<p>In the realm of open-source cg programs, it's a pleasure to mention other +great projects that can help you achieve your visions. Note that these +programs are completely independent from Blender and have their own sites, +documentation and support channels. Note also that this list is not complete +and should be updated on future versions of this text.</p> + +<dl> + <dt><a href="http://www.gimp.org">The Gimp</a></dt> + <dd>The mighty GNU Image Manipulation Program. In 3d work it is a valuable +resource to create, convert and, of course, manipulate texture images.</dd> + <dt><a href="http://www.wings3d.com">The Wings 3D modeler</a></dt> + <dd>A great mesh modeler, with a different approach. Some things are much +easier to model in Wings, others in Blender, making them a powerful combination +for experienced users. +</dd> +</dl> + +<h4>Renderers:</h4> + +<dl> + <dt><a href="http://www.yafray.org">YafRay</a></dt> + <dd>A relatively new and already very impressive program. Blender has builtin +support for it.</dd> + <dt><a href="http://www.povray.org">Povray</a></dt> + <dd>One of the best and most popular renderers in the world. There is a +script to export Blender scenes to be rendered with it.</dd> + <dt><a href="https://renderman.pixar.com">Renderman-compliant:</a> +open-source: <a href="http://www.aqsis.org">Aqsis</a>, +<a href="http://pixie.sf.net">Pixie</a>. Closed-source: +<a href="http://www.3delight.com">3delight</a>.</dt> + <dd>The Renderman spec was created by Pixar years ago to define both a +standard and powerful representation of 3d data for renderers and the expected +quality of the renderization itself. Think about 3d art from some movie -- it +was much probably created by Pixar's own Photorealistic Renderman (PRMan) +renderer. This is a good site to learn more: +<a href="http://www.rendermanacademy.com">The Renderman Academy</a>. Neither +Pixar nor its products are affiliated with Blender.</dd> +</dl> + +<p align="right"><a href="#top">back to top</a></p> + +<h2><a name="trouble">5. Troubleshooting</a></h2> + +<p>If something isn't working, please read this entire section before looking +for help.</p> + +<ul> + <li><a href="#trouble_gen">General start-up and usage problems</a></li> + <li><a href="#trouble_vdo">Video card blues</a></li> + <li><a href="#trouble_py">Scripts</a></li> + <li><a href="#trouble_bugt">The Bug Tracker</a></li> +</ul> + +<h3><a name="trouble_gen">General start-up and usage problems</a></h3> + +<p>If the program crashes or something isn't working properly, try running +Blender in <strong>debug mode:</strong> execute it as "blender -d" from a +command prompt. This might give some info about what is wrong. There are also +other options that might be useful, "blender -h" lists all of them.<br> +Most likely an immediate crash is due to Blender's need for a compliant and +stable working OpenGL.</p> + +<h3><a name="trouble_vdo">Video card blues</a></h3> + +<p>Although OpenGL is cherished as an excellent cross platform library, the enormous +growth of different 3D cards have made this a complicated affair for Blender. Unlike +other programs - or 3D games - Blender utilizes OpenGL for its entire GUI, including +buttons and pulldown menus. That means also the 2D options for OpenGL should +work good, something easily ignored or badly tested by 3D card manufacturors, who +target more at the latest SFX features for new 3D games.<br> +In general Blender performs +very well on 3D cards from renowned brands, such as NVidia, ATI or 3DLabs. Recently +however, new drivers (especially for ATI) have shown that they're dropping basic +OpenGL support needed for proper menu drawing in Blender. Downgrading drivers then +always works, but we're also working on rebuilding the (quite old) code for GUI +drawing to prevent such errors from ever happening again.</p> + +<p>Some useful links to check:<br> + +<a href="http://www.blender3d.org/cms/FAQ.194.0.html">The graphics card FAQ</a><br> +<a href="http://www.blender.org/modules/gfxdatabase/index.php">3D card performance database</a><br> + + +</p> + +<h3><a name="trouble_py">Scripts</a></h3> + +<p>To be sure that some functionality is scripted: all scripts in Blender can +be accessed from the "Scripts" menu in the Scripts Window's header, even if the +same functionality is also in another menu somewhere. If you see an entry in +one of the submenus there, it refers to a script. Please don't report problems +with scripts to the bug tracker or other normal Blender channels. You should +find the author's site or contact email in the script's text itself, but +usually the Python & Plugins forum at +<a href="http://www.elysiun.com">elYsiun</a> is used for posting +announcements, questions, suggestions and bug reports related to scripts. It's +the recommended place to look first, specially if no site was specified at the +script's window or source file(s).</p> + +<h3><a name="trouble_bugt">The Bug Tracker</a></h3> + +<p>If you really think you found a new bug in Blender, check the Bug Tracker +entries at <a href="http://projects.blender.org/tracker/?atid=125&group_id=9&func=browse">the projects site</a> and if +it was not reported yet, please log in (or register) and fill in detailed +information about the error. A small .blend file or script (if it is a problem +with the Blender Python API) showcasing the bug can help a lot.</p> + +<p align="right"><a href="#top">back to top</a></p> + +<h2><a name="faq">6. (FAQ) A few remarks</a></h2> + +<ol> + <li><a href="#faq_1">Quick tips.</a></li> + <li><a href="#faq_2">What's up with the interface?</a></li> + <li><a href="#faq_3">How good is Blender? How does it compare to other 3d +programs?</a></li> + <li><a href="#faq_4">Something doesn't work, what do I do?</a></li> +</ol> + +<h3><a name="faq_1">Quick tips:</a></h3> + +<p><strong>Rendering</strong>: to see something when you render (F12) an image, +make sure the scene has a camera pointing at your models (camera view is +NumPad 0) and at least one light properly placed. Otherwise you'll only get a +black rectangle.</p> + +<p>If you want the fastest possible access to Blender's functionality, remember +what a <cite>wise power user</cite> wrote: "keep one hand on the keyboard +and the other on the mouse". Learn and use the shortcuts, configure your +workspace to your needs.</p> + +<h3><a name="faq_2">What's up with the interface?</a></h3> + +<p>Blender does not follow the most common, somewhat standard rules for user +interfaces -- it doesn't look like most programs do -- which is not necessarily +a bad thing. There used to be two sides to this: Blender was both a powerful +production tool for professionals and enthusiasts who dedicated enough time to +master it and also a nightmare for some newcomers who might have tried one of +the commercial 3d modelers first. The main reason for this is that +Blender was born as an in-house studio tool, optimized to speed up daily heavy +work, not to please everyone. But it's true that in the past the interface +was far from newbie-friendly.</p> + +<p>Hopefully this is not the case anymore: it has been considerably +improved for the 2.3x series, exposing most functionality via menus, adding +panels, color "themability", tooltips for all buttons and internationalization +support. This is an ongoing effort or, better, a goal to keep the best ideas +in Blender's design while expanding and making it more user-friendly.</p> + +<p>Too many buttons!</p> + +<p>Again, 3D Computer Graphics is a vast and fun field. If you're only +starting, Blender can seem daunting, specially because of all its packed +functionality. Don't let that upset you, there is no need to care about +<em>all</em> those buttons right now -- or ever.</p> + +<p>There are basic things all users should learn early up:</p> + +<ul> + <li>Start the program and access the main menus;</li> + <li>Find and configure user preferences;</li> + <li>Basic scene set-up: how to add and transform (move, scale, rotate) + lights, cameras and objects;</li> + <li>Create and link materials to objects, at least to color them;</li> + <li>Render your scenes.</li> +</ul> + +<p>One hour is enough time to assimilate and practice that before going on +with basic mesh editing and texturing, for example. There are many different +areas to learn about. Taste, interaction with other users and your main +interests (game art, rendered stills, movies) will guide you and define the +skills you'll want to master. Then it goes like a spiral: practice something +for a while, study and find about new tricks or whole new areas, practice a +little more and so on. Soon you'll become pleased to have all those buttons to +play with. A few more months and you'll probably be back asking for more ... +</p> + +<h3><a name="faq_3">How good is Blender?</a></h3> + +<p>If you ever get the impression that it's not possible to create great +looking or complex works with Blender, rejoice -- you are just plainly +uninformed, as browsing galleries and community forums can easily confirm.</p> + +<h3>How does it compare to other 3d programs?</h3> + +<p>In short: it takes considerable dedication to become good, no matter which +program you work with, as long as it is good enough not to get in your way. +Blender is. And, like the others, has strong and weak points.</p> + +<p>Compared to commercial alternatives, Blender misses some features and isn't +as "newbie-friendly". It doesn't come packed with "one-click" or "wizard" +functionality, where you get much faster results in detriment of flexibility +and value. It also isn't bundled with tens of megabytes of sample models, +texture images, tutorials, etc. (which only partly explains how Blender can fit +in a less than 3 MB download).</p> + +<p>Thankfully, these are not fatal shortcomings. The pace at which features +are being added or polished in Blender is impressive, now that it's a well +stablished open source project. More: through plugins and scripting, many +repetitive or otherwise cumbersome tasks can be made trivial. But plugin and +script authors go further, teaching Blender new tricks, from importers and +exporters to more advanced "applications".</p> + +<p>About goodies, there are many places where you can get them (check +<a href="#resources">resources</a>). Besides the book, the main site and +elYsiun are the best ones to start, specially because some resources you +find spread on the net are not up-to-date with current program versions. This +doesn't render old tutorials or books useless -- just a little harder to +follow, sometimes -- but older scripts probably won't work. For free texture +images, a simple search for "free textures" should bring many results, just pay +attention to their licenses if you plan to release your work later.</p> + +<p>Commercial packages can make it easier for newbies to produce nice looking +material, but only another newbie would praise the results. There's a huge +difference between what a skilled artist and someone poking at buttons and +using presets can accomplish.</p> + +<p>Last but best of all: Blender is open-source, free for all to use, study and +improve.</p> + + +<h3><a name="faq_4">Something doesn't work, what do I do?</a></h3> + +<p>First note again that errors and questions related to specific scripts +should not be sent to Blender developers or its bug tracker. Then +<a href="#trouble">read this short section thoroughly</a>, please.</p> + +<hr> +<p>Thanks for reading, we hope you enjoy Blender!</p> + +<p><font size=-1>Document version 1.0, april 2004</font></p> + +<p align="right"><a href="#top">back to top</a></p> + +</body> +</html> |