MIKE ANIMATOR

A Powerful Visualisation Tool

for DHI Model Applications

DHI Software 2007

Software development by: JFB

Written by: AJS

G:\f-share\MikeZero\new\source\manuals\mz\Editor\Animator\cover.fm 22 January 2007 5:32 am

Please Note
Copyright
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consent of DHI Water & Environment. For details please refer to your
'Licence Agreement for the Use of DHI Software'.
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The liability of DHI Water & Environment (DHI) is limited as specified in
your Licence Agreement:
'Because programs are inherently complex and may not be completely free
of errors, the Purchaser is advised to validate his work. When using the
Software Package, the Purchaser acknowledges that DHI has taken every
care in the design of the software. DHI shall not be responsible for any
damages arising out of the use and application of the software and the Purchaser shall satisfy himself that the programs provide satisfactory solutions by testing out sufficient examples. In no event will DHI be liable for
direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out
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advised of the possibility of such damages. Consequently, DHI is not
responsible for any cost including but not limited to - those incurred as a
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of data, the cost of recovering such software or data, the cost of any substitute software, claims by third parties, or for other similar costs. In no case
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Printing History
June 2004
August 2005
April 2006

MIKE Animator

CONTENTS

ABOUT THIS GUIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

1.1 Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.2 Assumed User Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

INTRODUCTION . . . . .
2.1 Short Description .
2.2 Application Areas .
2.3 Acknowledgement

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EXAMPLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.1 General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.2 Visualisation of Model Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.2.1 Model area and bathymetry . . . . . . . . . . .
3.2.2 Create a project work space in MIKE Animator
3.2.3 Load data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.2.4 Views of model areas in MIKE Animator . . . .
3.2.5 Transformation of coordinates . . . . . . . . . .
3.3 Creation of Animation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.3.1 Create a project work space . . . . . . . . . . .
3.3.2 Load data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.3.3 Adjust view properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.3.4 Adjust scene properties . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.3.5 Create a flight path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.3.6 Record a movie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.4 Using View Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.4.1 Create a project work space . . . . . . . . . . .
3.4.2 Load data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.4.3 Create several scenes . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.4.4 Adjust individual scenes . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.4.5 Record a movie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.5 More Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.5.1 Turtle Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.5.2 Donegal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.5.3 Ronne Harbour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DIALOG OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.1 File Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.2 Edit Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.3 View Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.4 Tools Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.4.1 START HERE: Add Files to Project
4.4.2 Record video . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.4.3 Record snapshot . . . . . . . . . .

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MIKE Animator

4.5

4.6

4.7
4.8
4.9

Properties Menu: Scene...

4.5.1 Background . . . .
4.5.2 Foreground . . . .
4.5.3 Decoration . . . .
4.5.4 Data File . . . . .
4.5.5 Camera Path . . .
Properties Menu: View... .
4.6.1 Coordinates tab .
4.6.2 Advanced tab . . .
4.6.3 Favorites tab . . .
4.6.4 Preferences tab .
Window Menu . . . . . . .
The Animator Toolbar . . .
Additional Dialogs . . . . .
4.9.1 Color definition . .
4.9.2 Text edit . . . . . .
4.9.3 List selection . . .
4.9.4 Error report . . . .

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TECHNICAL BACKGROUND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

MIKE Animator

Purpose

ABOUT THIS GUIDE

1.1

Purpose
The main purpose of this User Guide is to get you started in the use of
MIKE Animator with emphasis on the basic features and usage of the
fully Windows Integrated Graphical User Interface of MIKE Animator.
Additionally, a number of examples are included with the aim of introducing MIKE Animator to users with no or very little experience with MIKE
Animator and guide them through the setup and production of animations.
This User Guide is complemented by the Online Help.

1.2

Assumed User Background

It is assumed that the user has a basic knowledge about the MIKE Zero
modelling system, especially MIKE 21. The user should know about the
file types that accompany numerical modelling with MIKE Zero modules,
such as bathymetries, flow- and wave fields, concentration, etc.
Although MIKE Animator has been carefully designed with emphasis on
a logical and user-friendly interface, common sense is always needed in
any practical application.
In this case, common sense means a background in coastal hydraulics
and oceanography, which is sufficient for you to be able to select which
data that should be displayed and whether the resulting animation is reasonable or not.

About This Guide

10

MIKE Animator

Short Description

INTRODUCTION

2.1

Short Description
MIKE Animator is a professional 3D video-generating tool for presentation of results from water modelling applications.
With MIKE Animator it is possible to work with result data from the DHI
Software product/MIKE 21.
MIKE Animator allows you to view model areas and simulation results in
a 3D environment, which gives an exceptional opportunity to communicate complex scientific data sets between the modelling specialist and the
client.

Figure 2.1

Still from animation showing current velocities with optional overview in lower left corner

In addition, being a Window-based product; it is easy to learn and use.

This makes it a unique presentation tool, and your animations can easily

11

Introduction

be exported to standard presentation tools such as for example PowerPoint. MIKE Animator is a vehicle for adding your own personal touch to
project presentations you can be the pilot flying the model while acting as a project guide.

2.2

Application Areas
MIKE Animator is an ideal tool for:
z

creating realistic 3D perspective scenes

viewing model areas and model simulations of flows and related processes in 3D

interactively controlling view points and flight paths

producing professional fly-through animations

With these facilities MIKE Animator is a vehicle for adding your own personal touch to project presentations you can be the pilot flying the
model while acting as a project guide. This will facilitate the communication of results from hydrodynamic and environmental model applications.
Furthermore, MIKE Animator is used for:

2.3

quick review of model data and results

better knowledge of study areas

comparative analysis

study reporting

presentations to your clients

company profiling and general PR

lectures

media and in public debates

Acknowledgement
MIKE Animator is a DHI Software product jointly developed by Baird &
Associates Coastal Engineers and DHI Water & Environment.

12

MIKE Animator

General

EXAMPLES

3.1

General
One of the best ways of learning how to use a tool like MIKE Animator is
through practice. Therefore examples are included which you can go
through yourself and which you can modify, if you like, in order to see
what happens if one or more parameter are changed.
The example Visualisation of Model Area (p. 14) describes a simple
MIKE Animator application in order to get you started. The what key to
press procedure for going through this example is given in great detail
(what to select in the different dialogs) as well as additional information
about the various properties to set in MIKE Animator.
The example Creation of Animation (p. 21) describes another simple
MIKE Animator application on how to set up a model and create a flight
path, which is followed in the video generation. The what key to press
procedure for going through this example is given in great detail (what to
select in the different dialogs).
The example Using View Ports (p. 27) describes how to display several
scenes simultaneously in MIKE Animator.
In the section More Examples (p. 30) more complicated examples are
shown. These have been chosen to cover typical application areas of
MIKE Animator within the presentation of various MIKE 21 results. In
these examples the emphasis is on the various display items (which items
are selected and how should they be displayed).
More detailed instructions regarding the numerous options and features of
MIKE Animator may also be found in the Dialog Overview (p. 35) or
Technical Background (p. 57).
The specification data files for all the examples are included with the
installation of MIKE Animator. For each example, a directory is provided
for the data files for running the model simulation. The MIKE Animator
setup files and the data files are positioned below the following path (but
might have been changed at your installation; please ask your system
administrator if you cannot find the directories):
c:\Program Files\DHI\MIKEZero\Examples\MIKE_Animator

13

Examples

3.2

Visualisation of Model Area

This example gives a short introduction to how the visualisation of a
model area takes place in MIKE Animator. You do not need to know this
to be able to use MIKE Animator as the menu-driven interface and toolbar
facilities including interactive navigation by mouse control is fully sufficient to prepare camera path and views. However, it serve as general background information and is also relevant if you need to relate a specific
location in your model to the camera path or to a focal point in MIKE Animator.
The purposes with this example are twofold:
1 Demonstrate the capabilities of MIKE Animator and how you use
MIKE Animator.
2 Explain what MIKE Animator does and some of the features related to
3D graphics.
Furthermore, through this example you will:
learn to start MIKE Animator
learn to load a bathymetry file
learn how MIKE Animator views are made, and
learn how transformation of model coordinates to MZA coordinates
(true north) are made

3.2.1

14

Model area and bathymetry

The model area used in MIKE 21/3 applications is represented by the
bathymetry file (*.dfs2). Being finite difference models with constant grid
spacings in the x- and y-direction implies that the model area is a rectangular or a quadratic form. The model bathymetry to be used in this example, Turtle Bay, is shown in Figure 3.1.

MIKE Animator

Visualisation of Model Area

Figure 3.1

Example of model grid

The bathymetry file holds information about the depth (z) in the model
grid points (j,k). Depth values for grid points below the chosen datum are
negative.
The bathymetry file also contains information about the model orientation
compared to true north. When setting up a MIKE 21/3 model it is often
necessary to rotate the model grid to obtain the best representation of flow
phenomena within the model area and at the boundaries.
General guidelines to selection of model area and orientation of models
are given in the MIKE 21/3 Manuals.
3.2.2

Create a project work space in MIKE Animator

To initialise the work space environment you must first create a new
MIKE Animator project work space:
z

open the main MIKE Zero shell and from the File menu select New or
press the New Document button,

in the scroll-down menu, select the Animator icon,

15

Examples

This creates a new MIKE Animator project work space, which should now
appear as an empty window. The MIKE Animator toolbar should automatically appear in the MIKE Zero shell window.
3.2.3

Load data
Once you have successfully created a project, you may load your MIKE
21 bathymetry data into the work space as follows:
z

from the Tools menu select Add Files to Project

select m21_c1.dfs2 from the MIKE Animator example directory

.\FlowModel\HD\TurtleBay.

The MIKE 21 bathymetry data will load and be displayed in the project
window, see Figure 3.2.

Figure 3.2

3.2.4

Default view of model bathymetry in MIKE Animator

Views of model areas in MIKE Animator

Coordinate system
The viewing space in the MIKE Animator window is a Cartesian coordinate system with the x-axis spanning from left to right, the y-axis from
bottom to top and the z-axis from far to near, i.e. perpendicular to the
screen towards the eyes. The orientation of the y-axis is true north.
When a bathymetry file is loaded into MIKE Animator, the origin (0,0,0)
of the model is also the origin in the MIKE Animator view. The origin is
typically the lower left corner of the model.

16

MIKE Animator

Visualisation of Model Area

Vertical scaling
The width and length of a model is usually several times larger than the
deepest water depth within the model area. This implies that in order to
enable display of visible differences in topographical or bathymetric conditions it is necessary to use another scaling in the vertical plane than
applied in the horizontal plane. No distortion of the vertical scale (z-axis)
as such is made in MIKE Animator, but the depth values in the bathymetry
file are multiplied by a factor when shown on the screen. The value of this
scaling factor depends on the ratio between the actual range of depths and
the width and length of the area. Normally a factor of approximately 10 is
used as default. You can check the value applied and the effect of changing it.
z

click the Properties menu

select Scene...

and click on the MIKE 21 (filename)

Information about the loaded bathymetry file will appear including the
scaling factor value used, see Figure 3.3.

Figure 3.3

Properties window for loaded bathymetry data. The Vertical scaling

factor value is found as 9.6

In short, the Scene Properties is where you control the design of the model
area, simulation results, background and eventual foreground settings
including parameters defining the animation, i.e. the control points for the
camera path and length of the animation.

17

Examples

Perspective view
The perspective view is by default a south view at an inclination about 30
degrees with the focal point centred approximately in the middle of the
model area. You can check and modify these settings in the View Properties menu. However, before you do so you should reset the view either in
the View Properties menu or by right clicking the mouse and selecting
reset from the pop-up menu that appears.
In the View Properties menu you define how you want the scene to be
viewed, the view point and focal point, the parameters defining the view
field (frustrum) and navigation style controlling the views, i.e. moving the
view, the scene or both. View Properties is also where you specify the
number of view ports, i.e. the number of windows on your screen that enables different views of the model area and results to be displayed simultaneously.
The Navigation styles determine whether you want to move the view point
or the scene. The effect displayed on the screen that follows from keypad
arrow operations (or by moving the mouse in the same directions) are
illustrated in Figure 3.4, Figure 3.5 and Figure 3.6 for the different styles.

Figure 3.4

18

Navigation style, View point mode

Horizontal key/mouse operations result in rotation of the view point
around the focal point at a fix distance; vertical operations zoom in
or out with the focal point fixed, and with the Ctrl key pressed down
you can change the height of the view point, i.e. the z-coordinate

MIKE Animator

Visualisation of Model Area

3.2.5

Figure 3.5

Navigation style, Focal point mode

Horizontal key/mouse operations result in a rotation of the scene
around the view point with the focal point fixed; vertical operations
move the scene up or down, and with the Ctrl key pressed down
these movements appear faster (larger increment)

Figure 3.6

Navigation style, combined view and focal point mode

Horizontal key/mouse operations result in pure horizontal transformation of the scene; vertical operations move the scene closer or
further away

Transformation of coordinates
With reference to the description above of MIKE Animator's default view
of a model bathymetry when loaded the first time, the relation between
model coordinates and the coordinates in the MIKE Animator window
(MZA) can easily be found.
This may be illustrated using the bathymetry shown above.
The model is represented by a grid of size (j,k) equal to (117,138) and with
a grid spacing of 120 metres, i.e. (x,y) model = (117*120m, 138*120m) =
(14040m, 16560m). The model is turned 19.28 degrees () relative to true
north.
The equations for transformation of the horizontal coordinates read:
x Animator = x model cos + y model sin
y Animator = y model cos x model sin

19

Examples

This implies that e.g. the corners of the model will have the following
coordinates in the MIKE Animator window (true north):
Model

MIKE Animator

(0, 0)

=>

(0, 0)

(0, 16680)

=>

~ (5507, 15745)

(14160, 16680)

=>

~ (18873, 11069)

(14160, 0)

=>

~ (13366, -4675)

A visual check of this transformation may be obtained either by dragging

the focal points to the corners using the mouse or manually by setting the
coordinates in the Camera Path dialog box under the Scene Properties
menu, see Figure 3.7 and Figure 3.8.

Figure 3.7

20

Checking coordinate transformation: Camera Path coordinates

MIKE Animator

Creation of Animation

Figure 3.8

3.3

Checking coordinate transformation: Focus points in MIKE Animator

Creation of Animation
The following example provides you with an introduction on how to
quickly generate a movie.

3.3.1

Create a project work space

To initialise the work space environment you must first create a new
MIKE Animator project work space:
1 Open the main MIKE Zero shell and from the File menu select New or
press the New Document button,
2 In the drop down menu that appears select Animator,
This creates a new MIKE Animator project work space, which should now
appear as an empty window. The MIKE Animator toolbar should automatically appear in the MIKE Zero shell window.

3.3.2

Load data
Once you have successfully created a project you may load your MIKE 21
result data into the work space as follows:
1 From the Tools menu select Add Files to Project
2 Select the file mike_animator_example.dfs2 from the MIKE Animator
example directory
The MIKE 21 result data will load and be displayed in the project window,
see Figure 3.9.

21

Examples

Figure 3.9

3.3.3

MIKE Animator window showing imported dfs2 file

Adjust view properties

We will be creating an animation that first flies around the data space, then
runs the model results. We must first orient the view to the desired starting
point.
1 Right click the mouse in the MIKE Animator window and select
Rotate Clockwise -> 45 to obtain a view looking out towards the water
from the shore
2 Right click the mouse and select Viewpoint
3 Drag the cursor downward to come in closer to the focal point. The
bathymetry should align with the bottom window edge
Once the view has been properly rotated, modify the Viewing properties
4 Right click the mouse in the work space window and select View Properties
The View Properties window will appear on the screen, see Figure 3.10.

22

MIKE Animator

Creation of Animation

Figure 3.10

View Properties window

1 Under the Preferences tab, uncheck the Crosshairs

2 Under the Advanced tab, adjust the Border size to 0
3 Click OK to close the window
The preceding adjustments help to improve the aesthetic quality of the
movie. Hiding the crosshairs is a common practice when recording a
movie. Crosshairs, along with any other visual editing aids, such as e.g. a
flight path, should not be visible during recording.
The border is more useful in multiple view ports. With a single scene, no
border is necessary.

Figure 3.11

MIKE Animator window after adjusting the View Properties

23

Examples

3.3.4

Adjust scene properties

With the view set, apply the following adjustments to the scene properties
1 Right-click the mouse in the work space window and select Scene
Properties
The Scene Properties window will appear on the screen, see Figure 3.12.

Figure 3.12

Scene Properties window

Clicking the different attributes in the left tree will bring up the appropriate property pages.
2 In Background, set the Color to black and the Decoration field to Star
Field
3 Double click the Bathymetry field in the tree. The red arrow should disappear, causing the object to be hidden
4 In Fluid Velocity under the tab Display Style, set the Vectors Color
Style to Single Color
5 Under the Vector Style tab, uncheck Synchronize x and y. Change the In
x-direction field to 10 and the In y-direction to 5 to thin out the vector
display
6 Click OK to invoke these Scene changes

24

MIKE Animator

Creation of Animation

Figure 3.13

3.3.5

MIKE Animator window after adjusting the Scene properties

Create a flight path

MIKE Animator facilitates quick creation and editing of flight paths
through its special hot keys. To generate a flight path:
1 Click the Flightpath Button
180 flight path

from the toolbar to create a default

2 Once again, bring up the Scene Properties window

3 Select Camera Path from the tree
4 Under the Camera Path tab, change the Path length to 100 and check
the Animate box
5 Select MIKE 21 from the tree and set the Start frame to 100
6 Click OK to invoke the final Scene changes
7 Click the Flightpath Button once again to exit the edit mode and hide
the path lines
By adjusting the start frame to 100, the movie will first perform the fly
through, then animate the hydrodynamic results. With the scene properties
now properly adjusted, the movie may now be recorded.

25

Examples

3.3.6

Record a movie
Recording a movie with MIKE Animator can be done with these simple
steps:
1 Click rewind on the movie toolbar to ensure
the animation is at its starting point
2 From the Tools menu, select Record Video... or press the Video button
.
The Recording dialog will appear, see Figure 3.14. This will allow you to
set the properties for the movie.

Figure 3.14

Recording dialog

3 Set the Movie format to AVI and the Frames to record to 197
4 Set the Priority to Foreground
5 Adjust the Quick select image size to 640 x 480
6 Choose an appropriate Output Directory and File name for the movie
7 Select OK to begin recording
A window for setting the Video compression appears, see Figure 3.15

26

MIKE Animator

Using View Ports

Figure 3.15

Video Compression window

8 Make sure Full Frames (Uncompressed) is selected for best quality and
click OK
You will be able to view the movie with an appropriate media player once
rendering has completed. The movie should be present in the Output
Directory as the given File name with an .avi extension.

3.4

Using View Ports

The following example provides you with an introduction on how to display several scenes in the same animation.

3.4.1

Create a project work space

To initialise the work space environment you must first create a new
MIKE Animator project work space:
1 Open the main MIKE Zero shell and from the File menu select New or
press the New Document button,
2 In the drop down menu that appears select Animator,
This creates a new MIKE Animator project work space, which should now
appear as an empty window. The MIKE Animator toolbar should automatically appear in the MIKE Zero shell window.

3.4.2

Load data
Once you have successfully created a project you may load your MIKE 21
result data into the work space as follows:

27

Examples

1 From the Tools menu select Add Files to Project

2 Select the file mike_animator_example.dfs2 from the MIKE Animator
example directory
The MIKE 21 result data will load and be displayed in the project window.
3.4.3

Create several scenes

We will split the screen into three scenes that can be modified individually.
1 Right click the mouse in the work space window and select View Properties
2 Select the Advanced tab in the View Properties window.
3 Under the Advanced tab, select the Viewports Arrangements to display
a full left part of the screen, and a splitted right part of the screen, see
Figure 3.10.
4 Click OK to close the window

Figure 3.16

View Properties window, selecting view port

This will split the screen in three areas as requested. Each area now contains the original scene before the split.

28

MIKE Animator

Using View Ports

When you have chosen a scene arrangement please Right click each scene
in the work space window and select Reset, see Figure 3.17. This will
eliminate any timing discrepancies that might be occurring between the
scenes in the Animator window.

Figure 3.17

3.4.4

Reset scene properties

Adjust individual scenes

Now you can go into the individual scenes and adjust the scene properties,
e.g. should it be a frozen view or a flight path, which palette should be
used etc.
The functionalities described in Sections 3.2 and 3.3 for adjusting the
View- and Scene properties are applicable for the individual scenes in the
window.

3.4.5

Record a movie
Finally, before you generate the video you must remember to synchronize
all the scenes so they start playing simultaneously.
To do that select Synchronize all Scenes from the Tools menu, see
Figure 3.18.

29

Examples

Figure 3.18

3.5

Synchronize time of all scenes

More Examples
The three examples included in this section require that the main MIKE 21
modules have been running first.
The three examples are as follows:
1 Turtle Bay displays results from a MIKE 21 HD simulation.
2 Donegal displays results from a MIKE 21 AD simulation
3 Ronne Harbour displays results from a MIKE 21 BW simulation.
Note that the three *.mza files contain references to non existing files and
the program might show unpredictable behaviour, unless the MIKE 21
examples are run first.
After running the MIKE 21 examples and loading the *.mza files, please
choose "Reset" from the popup-menu to scale the world coordinate
extremes correctly.

30

MIKE Animator

More Examples

3.5.1

Turtle Bay
The Turtle Bay animation displays the results from a MIKE 21 HD example.
Note: The TurtleBay is an example of a nested MIKE 21 setup and therefore holds two bathymetry files; a coarse and a fine. MIKE Animator can
handle visualisation of an area in which part of it is being replaced by a
subset with another grid spacing. However, no smoothing is made at the
intersection between the two models, so the resulting view might be rather
unnatural.
Figure 3.19 shows the initial window for the animation, after the Reset
from the popup-menu has been chosen.

Figure 3.19

Turtle Bay animation; Initial window

When running the animation the simulated flow velocities are shown by
arrows that are scaled and differentiated in colours according to the value
of the current speed.
3.5.2

Donegal
The Donegal animation displays the results from a MIKE 21 AD example.
When running the animation the differentiated colours show the simulated
concentration of conservative material. Figure 3.20 shows the concentration in the model at the end of the animation.

31

Examples

Figure 3.20

3.5.3

Donegal animation; concentration of conservative material at the

end of the animation

Ronne Harbour
The Ronne Harbour animation displays the results from a MIKE 21 BW
example.
When running the animation the wave progression is indicated by showing the surface elevation by altering blue nuances, see Figure 3.21.

Figure 3.21

32

Ronne Harbour animation: wave progression

MIKE Animator

More Examples

33

Examples

34

MIKE Animator

File Menu

DIALOG OVERVIEW
The information provided in the present on-line manual is in particular
related to the use of MIKE Animator for the applications involving animating MIKE Zero two-dimensional result files.
It is organised logically following the appearance on the menu pages.

4.1

File Menu
This is where you open, save and close files, and access printer related
utilities. The menu consists of the Windows standard commands below,
plus a special Animator Print Setup command.
New
Opens the standard MIKE Zero File/New dialog where you can choose to
create a document type.
Open
Opens the standard MIKE Zero File/Open dialog where you can choose to
open an existing document.
Close
Closes the active document.
Save
Saves the Animator *.mza file.
Save As
Saves the Animator *.mza file as a new file.
Print
Produces a hard copy of the current plot.
Print Preview
Shows a preview of the hard copy, as it will appear on the hard copy
device.
Print Setup
Here you may select the printer and modify its setup. This is also where
you choose the layout of the paper and the paper size.

35

Dialog Overview

Figure 4.1 below displays the Print Setup Dialog.

Figure 4.1

4.2

Print Setup dialog

Edit Menu
Clipboard editing.
Undo
Not implemented in Animator.
Cut/Copy/Paste
Not implemented in Animator.

4.3

View Menu
This is where you change your view point, screen presentation, add toolbar views, status bar and modify the magnification of the view.
View port
Choose the screen setup; you have the choice between 14 different view
ports:

36

MIKE Animator

View Menu

View point
Looking at the plane from your view point towards a fixed focal point. By
choosing this option you will be able to turn the plane around the focal
point. Moving up and down is done by pressing the Ctrl key while moving the cursor or arrow keys.

Focal point
The view point remains fixed, while the focal point moves. Choosing this
option gives you the ability to move the focal point around in the plane.
Moving up and down is done by pressing the Ctrl key while moving the
cursor or arrow keys.

View point + Focal point

The angle and the distance between the focal point and the view point will
be fixed.

37

Dialog Overview

South View
Views the plane from the south towards the north.
Toolbars
Allows you to insert and remove toolbars. The Animator Toolbar provides
a number of tools especially relevant to the Animator.
Status Bar
Toggles the status bar at the bottom of the window on and off.

4.4

Tools Menu

4.4.1

START HERE: Add Files to Project

Add a new file to the project. The file must be in either dt2, dfs2, mesh or
dfsu format.

4.4.2

Record video
Record a video in avi, mpg, flc or frame format. Besides the format, you
can select how long the video should be (Frames to record), the speed of
the video (Frame rate), the image size and the output name and directory.
Please note that you have to chose a priority either foreground or background before the video recording takes place.

38

MIKE Animator

Properties Menu: Scene...

Figure 4.2

4.4.3

Record snapshot
Make a still picture in either *:BMP, *:JPEG, *.PNG or *.PPM format.
Besides the format you can select the image size and the output file name.

Figure 4.3

4.5

Dialog for setting properties for video recording

Dialog for setting snapshot properties

Properties Menu: Scene...

In this window you can specify how the model data should be displayed.
Furthermore, you have the option to control the styles for the background
and sky decoration and to add additional objects to the display window,
such as titles and legends.

4.5.1

Background
When clicking on this item, you can choose your own background colour
and style.

39

Dialog Overview

Figure 4.4

4.5.2

Dialog for setting background properties

Foreground
This menu item gives you the opportunity to add Titles, Color Legends
and Raster Logo to the screen.
Titles
Here you define the layout of your Text or Date Time annotations, and
whether they appear in fixed or free floating positions.
If you select the Title type Date Time, the annotation will be a running
clock in the display that automatically reflects the time step of the video.
The title string in the dialog will thus be set automatically by the program.

40

MIKE Animator

Properties Menu: Scene...

Figure 4.5

Dialog for setting titles in foreground

Color Legends
Here you define the layout of your Color Legends, and whether they
appear in fixed or free floating positions.
The colours in a Color Legend will be determined by the colour scheme
that is defined together with the Color definition for the individual items
displayed.

Figure 4.6

Dialog for setting color legends in foreground

41

Dialog Overview

Raster Logo
Here you can, for example, insert your company logo.

Figure 4.7

4.5.3

Dialog for defining raster logo in foreground

Decoration
Here you can change a few basic properties and the look of the Sky, e.g.
add stars.
If you enable the World box, lines will be added to the display that outline
the three-dimensional extension of the model bathymetry.

42

MIKE Animator

Properties Menu: Scene...

Figure 4.8

Dialog for defining decoration

Sky
Here you can add atmosphere and stars.

Figure 4.9

4.5.4

Dialog for defining sky properties

Data File
The file properties of the selected data file is shown in this dialog.
You may specify the vertical scaling and a start frame for an animation

43

Dialog Overview

The items in the data file that you have added to the project will appear on
separate dialogs. Dependent on the type of data (Bathymetry, Fluid velocity, etc.) that has been selected different dialogs will appear.
Display style: Bathymetry
The bathymetry can be displayed as Surface, Wire Frame and/or Contour.
For each of the latter items, the Line width and Color style can be defined.

Figure 4.10

Dialog for setting bathymetry style

Display style: Fluid velocity

The fluid velocity of a MIKE 21 dfs2 result file can be displayed as Surface, Vectors, Wire Frame and/or Contour. For each of the latter items, the
Line width and Color style can be defined.

44

MIKE Animator

Properties Menu: Scene...

Figure 4.11

Dialog for setting fluid velocity style

Display style: Contour item

Any type of contour data can be displayed as Surface, Wire Frame and/or
Contour. For each of the latter items the Line width and Color style can be
defined.

Figure 4.12

Dialog for setting style for any contour item

Vector style: Fluid velocity

In this dialog the Vector style, Length scale and Interval Between Vectors
can be defined for a dfs2 data file.

45

Dialog Overview

Figure 4.13

Dialog for setting vector style for fluid velocity

Vector style: Vectors

In this dialog the vector styles can be defined for a dfsu data file.
The dialog allows the user to select the x- and y-components of the vector
plus the surface item the vectors should be mapped to. To get the best
result select the same item that is draw as a surface e.g. Surface elevation if Surface elevation is selected in the left tree view or Still water
depth if Still water depth is selected.
Besides this more basic styles such as scale, vertical offset, line width and
color are also controlled from this page.

46

MIKE Animator

Properties Menu: Scene...

Figure 4.14

Dialog for setting vector style for dfsu data

Color style
There are a total of three different colour styles available in MIKE Animator: Single color, Dual color and Multi color. Dependent of the style you
define one, two or several colours.
Dependent on the type of data (Bathymetry, Fluid velocity, etc.) you may
not be able to select Dual color.
4.5.5

Camera Path
Here you have the opportunity to insert Control Points for the Camera
Path and set the Animation Properties.
This menu is only shown if the key

is activated.

47

Dialog Overview

Figure 4.15

Dialog for setting camera path

Control Points
Here you define Control Points for the Camera Path.

Figure 4.16

DIalog for defining control points for camera path

The MIKE Animator window will display the view points (the flying
route) with lines connecting to the focal points (the view lines), see
Figure 4.17.

48

MIKE Animator

Properties Menu: View...

Figure 4.17

Example of Camera Path with view points and focal points indicated

To change the flying route, simply single-click on one of the red dots (it
will now turn green), whereafter you can move the point around with the
arrow. By pressing the Ctrl key you can move the points vertically.
To add new points, double-click on one of the red dots.
To delete, etc. right-click on the mouse and a menu with several features
will appear.

4.6

Properties Menu: View...

In this window you specify how the model data should be viewed. You
can define the navigation by Viewpoint, Focalpoint, or both, and create
flight paths that are followed through the animation.

4.6.1

Coordinates tab
Here you can specify the Distance from the scene, the Angle at which you
are looking, the Inclination and the Coordinates (x,y,z) for Viewpoint or
Focalpoint.

49

Dialog Overview

Figure 4.18

4.6.2

Advanced tab
Frustrum: Here you define the clipping points, meaning the distance in
which the plane will disappear from the screen. Also, you can specify the
Viewports.

Figure 4.19

4.6.3

50

Dialog for setting view properties

Dialog for setting advanced view properties

Favorites tab
In this dialog you can create and select your favourite view and focal
points.

MIKE Animator

Window Menu

Figure 4.20

4.6.4

DIalog for setting favorite view

Preferences tab
In this dialog you set some Preferences for the view.
Under Navigation Style you choose whether you want to move the scene
or the view point. Meaning whether you will turn the picture clockwise or
anti-clockwise when moving the mouse.

Figure 4.21

4.7

Dialog for setting preferences

Window Menu
This menu provides you with the standard Windows views and allows you
to switch between different open windows.

51

Dialog Overview

4.8

The Animator Toolbar

The simulation controls.

Viewport layout, see View port (p. 36). You have the option to
divide the screen in a number of different ways:
Quick draw tool: Click on this button and you will get a quick wire
drawing of your grid
Video tool, see Record video (p. 38)
Snapshot tool, see Record snapshot (p. 39)
View point tool: see View point (p. 37). You can interactively
change the View point by moving the mouse over the plot while the
left mouse button is pressed.
Focal point tool, see Focal point (p. 37). You can interactively
change the Focal point by moving the mouse over the plot while the
left mouse button is pressed.
View + Focal point tool, see View point + Focal point (p. 37). You
can interactively change the View+Focal point by moving the
mouse over the plot while the left mouse button is pressed.
Simulated flight: when you click this button and play, you will see a
simulated flight through the view points you have defined in the
Camera Path (p. 47).
Path points for the simulated flight: Display the View points and
Focal points. If you double-click the mouse, the Camera Path dialog
appears where you can edit the camera path.
Title Insert tool, see Text edit (p. 54)
Color legend: when you select this button and double-click the
mouse the Color Legends dialog appears.

52

MIKE Animator

Additional Dialogs

Probe tool: when you select this button and double-click the mouse
at a certain location of the plot, the statistical values of the nearest
grid point will be displayed in a pop-up window.
Logo tool: see Raster Logo (p. 42)
Date Time tool: when you select this button and double-click the
mouse in the display, a running clock will be annotated to the display, see Titles (p. 40).

4.9

Additional Dialogs

4.9.1

Color definition
There are three different colour styles in MIKE Animator: Single color,
Dual color and Multi color. Dependent of the style you define one, two or
several colours.

Figure 4.22

Single color style

53

Dialog Overview

4.9.2

Figure 4.23

Dual color style

Figure 4.24

Multi color style

Text edit
By the Text edit facility you initiate title fields and insert text.

4.9.3

54

List selection
Here you may assign additional legends to be shown.

MIKE Animator

Additional Dialogs

4.9.4

Error report
Ordinarily, you should not encounter this dialog. If you do, the probable
cause is that your system resources are insufficient; e.g. you may be out of
memory when Animator attempts to assign a new thread.

55

Dialog Overview

56

MIKE Animator

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND
MIKE Animator is a user-friendly state of the art animation program
based on the Open Graphics Library (OpenGL).
In general, the purpose with 3D computer graphics is to describe images
that gives the perception of depth when displayed on the monitor. MIKE
Animator, based on the OpenGL, converts the 3D world you specify (your
model area and result files) into a 2D projection by using a number of
transformation matrices.
The Model View Matrix controls the view point.
The Projection Matrix determines the position of the model (the model is
created of individual objects using fixed linked points that are made into a
number of individual polygons and tiles) relative to the known view point
and original coordinates. This process involves a vector translation of all
the surviving polygons, i.e. all the polygons that are visible from the
view point (not back-facing polygons).
The Perspective Division divides the vectors of the vertices, i.e. coordinates to the polygon corners, with the distance to these points, which
makes farther objects appear smaller.
In the geometrical processing lighting effects are also applied to the polygons.
The final view port transformation is where the view of the model is rendered into very fine detail, with the information on lighting, colour, texture etc.

57

Technical Background

58

MIKE Animator

INDEX

59

Index

A
Animator toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

C
Camera Path . . .
Control Points . . .
Coordinate system
Crosshairs . . . . .

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

47
48
16
23

F
Flight path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Focal point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Frustrum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

M
MIKE 21 AD . . . .
MIKE 21 BW . . .
MIKE 21 HD . . . .
Model area . . . .
Model coordinates
Model View Matrix
Movie . . . . . . .

.
.
.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.

. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. 21,

. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
26,

31
32
31
14
19
57
29

O
Online help

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

P
Perspective Division . . . . . . . . . . 57
Projection Matrix . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

S
Scene Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

U
User background . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
User guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

V
Vertical scaling
video . . . . . .
View point . . .
View Properties

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

17
38
37
18

W
Work space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

60

MIKE Animator