Monitors and FlipbooksA Monitor is a window that you can open at various sizes to display imagery, one frame at a time, at its current stage of processing in the network. A Flipbook is a window that allows you to play an animated sequence of frames at the current stage of processing. You can access a Monitor or Flipbook from any node in the network (except for Exec and Network nodes) by choosing it from the Local Node Menu available on each node. This chapter is divided into two parts. The introductory section of part 1 will give you an overview of the range of monitor functionality. Subsequent sections will explain the various monitor functions in detail. Part 2 includes covers creating, playing, and saving flipbooks.
About Chalice Work MonitorsSome nodes feature work monitors which are accessed by clicking a plus icon (+) on the node parameter panel, instead of from the Local Node Menu. These monitors offer specific tools or displays, based on the functionality of the node. For example, the Track node has a work monitor in which you can interactively position tracking points and view tracking paths. This chapter describes the Chalice node monitor. For more information about the functionality specific to a work monitor, refer to the description of the node from which it is accessed. Using MonitorsYou can use Monitors to evaluate an image at the current node. You can then adjust the various node parameters accordingly, modifying the effect until you are satisfied. Monitors are an essential tool for the successful creation and debugging of an image. Chalice node monitors enable you to
Opening a MonitorTo open a Monitor from the Local Node Menu:
Chalice displays a popup menu for as long as you hold down the mouse button: ![]() You can choose Monitor Full, to display the image at its full resolution, whatever that may be for the current node. Or, you can select Monitor Medium or Monitor Low, which open the monitor at a fraction of full resolution. Chalice opens a Monitor window that displays the image at the current frame, as specified in the Frame Controller. By default, the Monitor window opens with the Monitor Toolbar showing. The Toolbar enables you to access a number of display options. You can change the default Monitor interface configuration by accessing the Monitor Preferences panel from the Chalice Preferences menu. For more information, refer to chapter 11, "Setting Preferences ." The default size for Monitor Medium and Monitor Low is one-half and one-quarter of full resolution, respectively. These values can be changed in the Proxy Preferences panel. Updating the Monitor DisplayThe image in any Monitor can be updated every time you make a change in a parameter setting or specify a new frame in the Frame Controller:
You can also choose to update only a specified region of an image. This is a much faster way to evaluate an effect when working with large images. See "Using ROI to Update the Monitor " for instructions. Frame Navigation ShortcutIn addition to using the navigation control buttons in the Frame Controller, you can also use the comma ( , ) and period ( . ) keys on your keyboard to go back or forward a frame at a time in any monitor. Setting Monitor Display OptionsDepending on the data format of your imagery, you may need to adjust the Low, High, and Gamma parameters (or use the Presets/LUTs menu to select predetermined values) in order to see the image clearly in the Monitor. For more information, refer to "Using Monitor Presets and Display LUTs ." Other display options include A/B wipes (see "Performing A/B Wipes"), individual channel display , histogram overlays (in Cursor Mode), and zooming. These options are accessed from the Monitor Toolbar. The Monitor Toolbar also gives you access to four utility monitors for the current image: Magnify, Waveform, Scope, and Histogram. Another useful Monitor option is the Inspect Panel, which provides pixel-level statistics. The Inspect Panel is accessed from the Monitor Popup Menu. Monitor ModesYou can work with Chalice node monitors in two different modes. The default is Multiple Monitor mode, but you can switch to Single Monitor mode by turning off Multiple Monitors in the Monitor Preferences panel. The choice is a matter of personal preference, and you should use the monitor interface option that best suits your work habits. Multiple MonitorsIn Multiple Monitor mode, you can open a separate Monitor window for each node in your network. This enables you to display your imagery at different stages simultaneously, for side-by-side evaluation and comparison. You can change parameter settings in a node and update the display for that node monitor without affecting the display in any other node monitors that you have open. Multiple Monitor mode does allow you access multiple node images from within a single Monitor to perform A/B wipes by using the A and B Image Buffer menus on the Monitor Toolbar. Single MonitorAlternatively, you can work in Single Monitor mode to view all your imagery in the same Monitor window. In Single Monitor mode, you select the image you want to display in the Monitor from the A Image Buffer menu on the Monitor Toolbar. You can store up to nine different node images in the Chalice display buffers, as long as Buffer Persistence is turned on (checked) in the Chalice Preferences menu. The next section explains how to use the display buffers. Using the Display BuffersWhen you open a node monitor, you process, or "cook," the current image at that stage of modification in the network. When you cook an image it is stored in an image display buffer. Chalice provides multiple display buffers for flexibility in viewing imagery at different nodes and at different stages of modification. ![]() Right-click and hold any Display Buffer button to access a popup menu containing information and options:
Displaying Buffered ImagesYou can display the contents of any buffer in the currently active Monitor. Click and hold the A Image Buffer button on the Monitor Toolbar to access the Image Buffer menu. The Image Buffer menu lists all of the Chalice display buffers by number ("buffer1," for example), along with their contents (the node name and frame number cooked into the buffer; "disk1 (frame4)," e.g.). If a buffer does not currently contain any image data, it is listed as "empty." You can select any buffer that is not empty and the corresponding image will appear in the Monitor, replacing the previous image. The title bar of the Monitor will also update to reflect the change. You can specify what images are stored in these buffers to control how your imagery is displayed and you can specify certain aspects of buffer behavior by using the options described in the next section. Assigning Images to BuffersBy default, Chalice assigns the next available image buffer each time you open a Monitor. To assign an image to a specific buffer, click the corresponding buffer button (located directly below the Frame Controller) to select it. Then open a Monitor for the node image you wish to display. The behavior of image buffers will vary, depending on how you have set the Buffer Auto Increment and Buffer Persistence options in the Chalice Preferences menu: Buffer Auto IncrementThe Buffer Auto Increment option specifies that the image for each node monitor that is accessed be stored in the next available buffer in line, rather than overwriting the contents of the last buffer used. (You can still overwrite a buffer manually by clicking on the buffer button to select it and then cooking a new node.) Buffer PersistenceThe Buffer Persistence option specifies that an image remain stored in a buffer, even when it is not currently being displayed in a Monitor. This enables you to access the contents of a buffer again without re-cooking the image. The default state for this item in the Chalice Layout menu is off, because Buffer Persistence uses more memory. However, you may wish to turn persistence on, especially in Single Monitor mode, to use the A and B Image Buffer menus in the Toolbar to best advantage. Bind BufferThe Bind Buffer option, which is accessed from the Local Node Menu, allows you to associate a particular buffer with a node. When a buffer is bound to a node, only the image for that node can be cooked into the buffer. The buffer button turns yellow when the buffer is bound, and it cannot be selected. To unbind a buffer, right-click and hold the buffer button to access the Display Buffer popup menu; select "Unbind" from the list. (You also unbind a buffer when you delete the node to which it was bound.) Performing A / B WipesYou can perform A/B wipes within any Monitor window, in Multiple or Single Monitor mode. You can wipe between any two node images as long as they are the same resolution and bit-depth. (Refer to "Wipes Using History ," below, to wipe between cooks of the same node image.) Follow these steps:
The image being displayed when the Wipe button is depressed becomes the "A" image for the wipe. The Monitor will remain in wipe mode until you click the A/B Wipe button again to deactivate it. Pointers appear at the top and bottom of the display to indicate the wipe border. The Monitor title bar now displays the names of both image buffers. Click directly on either pointer and hold while dragging. The A image will be revealed from the left side of the monitor image area; the B image, from the right. Wipes Using HistoryYou can select the History item in the B Image Buffer menu to wipe between two cooks of the same node image. This allows you to gauge the effect of a change to a parameter setting or to compare two different frames in a sequence. Each node has its own History buffer. To wipe between cooks, follow the steps for performing an A/B wipe above. However, for step 2, select "History" as the B image. Then either change a parameter setting for the node selected as the A image or go to a new frame, and press the Cook button before continuing to step 3. Using ROI to Update the Monitor"ROI" stands for "region of interest." The ROI option allows you to define a region of an image in the Monitor and cook only that region. This can save time when tweaking parameter values because Chalice does not have to recompute the entire image each time.
ROI is not applicable to such operations as scaling, which by their nature affect the entire image. ROI affects the current Monitor display only--not final processing of the imagery. Follow these steps to use ROI in the currently active monitor:
The ROI icon will change to reflect its active state. (Alternatively, you can select the "Enable ROI" option in the Monitor Popup menu. The Monitor Popup Menu is accessed by clicking and holding the right mouse button anywhere in the image.) Chalice will draw a rectangle bounding the area you define by dragging. When you release the mouse button, this area becomes the region of interest. You can redefine the region at any time by repeating this step on a different image area. (If Monitor Auto Update is on, you will not need to press the cook button.) Only the area of the monitor display that you have defined as the region of interest will update to reflect the change. As long as the current Monitor remains open, all subsequent changes to parameter settings will be reflected only in the region of interest. You can change frames in the current Monitor display without disabling ROI. Only the portion of the new frame that falls within the previously defined area will update. Using the Monitor ToolbarThe Monitor Toolbar offers a number of options for previewing and updating images in the Monitor. ![]() " Cook" ButtonThe eye icon is the Cook button, which you click to process, or "cook," the image to update the display after any change to parameter values or after changing frames. The eye icon turns red while the system is processing. If the Monitor Auto Update option is turned on, the image re-cooks automatically. You can toggle Auto Update on and off in any monitor by right-clicking on the Cook button. A / B Wipe ButtonWhen depressed, the A/B Wipe button enables wipe mode, in which you can compare two separate images or compare an image before and after modification. See "Performing A/B Wipes " for a complete description of the process. A Image Buffer Menu ButtonClick and hold this button to access a popup menu listing the contents of the Chalice display buffers. Select a buffer from the list to display the image it contains in the Monitor window. B Image Buffer Menu ButtonThis button becomes active when A/B Wipe mode is enabled. Click and hold to access a popup menu listing the contents of the Chalice display buffers and the "History" buffer for the node. (The History buffer is used to wipe between cooks of the same node image.) Select a buffer from the list to use as the B image in the wipe. Cursor Mode ButtonClick this button to enable Cursor Mode. In cursor mode, a histogram display appears over the image in the Monitor, along with a movable crosshairs device. Two graphs display the color values of all pixels along the X and Y coordinates marked by the crosshairs. You can click anywhere in the image to reset the crosshairs position and update the graphs. (To view a histogram of the color values for the entire image, click the Histogram button on the Monitor Toolbar to display the Histogram window.) Window Size ButtonsClick the Window Size buttons to reduce or enlarge the size of the Monitor window. Zoom ButtonsClick the Zoom buttons to zoom in or zoom out.
Utility Monitor ButtonsClick any of these four buttons to bring up the associated utility monitor--Magnify, Waveform, Scope or Histogram--for the current image. Refer to "Using the Utility Monitors ." Channel Display Menu ButtonClick and hold the Channel Display button to access a menu listing all channels in the current image. You can select any individual channel for display, or you can choose RGB display to view the full-color image. ROI ButtonClick the ROI button to toggle the region-of-interest option on and off. Refer to "Using ROI to Update the Monitor " for instructions. Low, High, Gamma ParametersThe Low, High, and Gamma parameters, located on the bottom row of the Toolbar, enable you to adjust the Low, High, and Gamma color frequency distribution values for the current display. In most cases you will only need to reset the High value, if any. The optimal value for any specific data type is probably already available as a preset in the Presets/LUTs menu (see below), which updates these parameters automatically when you select a preset, or overrides them altogether when a display LUT is selected.
Using Monitor Presets and Display LUTsClick and hold the Presets/LUTs button to see a menu of presets and LUTs to choose from for the current monitor display:
The Presets/LUTs menu is user-expandable. You can edit the preset values or add your own monitor presets to the menu. And you can add your own lookup tables for 8-bit, 16-bit, and floating point data to the menu. Adding LUTsTo add a LUT to the menu, place it in the chalice2.0/support/luts directory. Example C source code for creating display LUTs is located in chalice2.0/support/src/luts. Adding PresetsTo add a preset to the menu, or to reset the presets to their default values, select the Edit Presets option from the Presets/LUTs menu. Chalice will display the Presets panel, which lists all of the available monitor presets: ![]() Follow these guidelines to use the Presets panel:
Using the Inspect PanelThe Inspect panel is accessed by checking the Inspect box in the Monitor Popup Menu (right-click and hold anywhere in the monitor image to display this menu).
![]() The Inspect panel provides information about the image size and about the pixel currently positioned under the cursor, including its location in XY coordinates and color values.
By default, the Inspect panel displays the color values for the current pixel as RGBA. A menu on the Inspect panel enables you to switch the display from RGBA to HSL or HSV. Using the Monitor Popup MenuThe Monitor displays a popup menu when you click the right mouse button anywhere in the Monitor image. This menu enables you to control Monitor interface options by using checkboxes to select or deselect menu items. Full InterfaceThis option displays the Menus, Toolbar, and Inspect panel, which are described below. MenusThis option adds a File-Display-Windows-Help menu bar at the top of the Monitor:
Enable ROIThis option enables region-of-interest updates. Refer to "Using ROI to Update the Monitor ." ToolbarThis option displays the Toolbar. Refer to "Using the Monitor Toolbar ." InspectThis option enables you to display or hide the Monitor Inspect panel, which is described above. Double Buffer (IRIX Only)This option enables double buffering for smoother image display in the currently open Monitor. (Double buffering is not available on NT-based machines.) AnamorphicThis option enables you to view anamorphic imagery "unsqueezed"; that is, as it would appear when projected. If you view non-anamorphic imagery in this mode, the image will appear stretched in the X dimension to achieve the 2.40:1 aspect ratio. Quit ( alt x)This command closes the Monitor window. Using the Utility MonitorsFour utility monitors are accessible from within the Chalice Monitor window by clicking the appropriate button on the Monitor Toolbar: ![]() Each utility monitor is described below. Magnify MonitorThe Magnify window displays a pixel-level close-up of a portion of the image. As you move the cursor over the Monitor, the display in the Magnify window also shifts to display the area surrounding the current location of the cursor. The Magnify window features a double-crosshairs device that allows you to center on any pixel. You can use the Magnify window in conjunction with the Monitor Inspect panel to obtain detailed data about the position and color values of specific pixels. (See also "Using the Inspect Panel " earlier in this chapter.) ![]() Waveform MonitorThe Waveform window enables you to examine the image data in composite or parade (YRGB) waveform displays. (Chalice also provides a vectorscope display in the Scope Monitor.) ![]() Scope MonitorThe Scope window provides a vectorscope display of the image data on a 360 circular scale. Hue and saturation parameters are best viewed in the Scope. Hue data is represented in the Scope by the angle of the vector. The degree of saturation is represented by the amplitude of the vector, with vectors near the outer edge indicating high saturation and those near the center indicating low saturation. ![]() Histogram MonitorThe Histogram window displays a frequency distribution graph of color values for the current image. You can adjust the perspective by using the vertical sliders on the right. For 16-bit images, you can use the buttons on the left to change the graph display value range from the default (D) to Cineon (C), 14-bit, 12-bit, or 10-bit. ![]() Using FlipbooksA Flipbook enables you to create and view the animation of a sequence of images. You can access a Flipbook from any node in the network (except for Exec and Network nodes). You can use the Flipbook to evaluate an animated effect by viewing the imagery at the current node. You can then adjust the various node parameters accordingly, modifying the effect, and creating new flipbooks if necessary, until you are satisfied. You can also save a Flipbook to disk for later playback. Creating a FlipbookTo create a Flipbook, follow these steps:
Chalice displays the Local Node Menu. Chalice displays the Flipbook Setup window (see below). Chalice begins to process the sequence and opens the Flipbook window. Once processing is complete, the Flipbook Setup window disappears and the Flipbook becomes available for use. Flipbook Setup WindowThe Flipbook Setup window enables you to specify various display options before creating a flipbook. ![]() RangeThe Range parameter allows you to set the frame range and increment to be used for the flipbook by typing start frame, end frame, and increment values into the appropriate data entry boxes. By default, the Flipbook Setup window displays the total number of frames set in the Frame Controller and an increment of 1. Presets / LUTs MenusYou can set the Low, High, and Gamma parameters directly by keying the values in the data entry boxes, or you can choose an appropriate setting or LUT from the popup menu. ResolutionYou can adjust the resolution of the flipbook by selecting a size from the Resolution menu, which includes these options: Icon, Low2 (half of low), Low, Medium, Full, 2X, 3X, and 4X. Alternatively, you can type specific pixel dimensions in the "Res:" data entry boxes. Channel Display ButtonYou can choose to create a flipbook of the RGB image data, which is the default setting, or of any individual channel in the image by selecting an available option from the Channel Display popup menu. ExecuteClick the Execute button when you are ready to begin processing the frames. Chalice will open a Monitor Flipbook window and a progress indicator in the Flipbook Setup window will display the current frame being processed. Once Chalice begins processing the flipbook, the Cancel button becomes active. Click the Cancel button at any time to stop the operation.
Once the flipbook is complete, the Flipbook Setup window will close. Use the controls in the Flipbook Monitor window to view the flipbook. Using the Flipbook ControlsThe Flipbook provides playback controls and the same Toolbar as the standard node Monitor. However, in the Flipbook only the Window Size, Zoom, and Cursor Mode buttons on the Toolbar are active. (If Cursor Mode is selected, the graphs animate as the Flipbook plays.) For more information about these controls, see "Using the Monitor Toolbar ." You can right-click anywhere in the image area of the Flipbook to access the Flipbook popup menu, which enables you to save flipbooks to disk, load audio files, and change the flipbook interface configuration. Beneath the Flipbook Toolbar is the Flipbook Frame Controller: ![]() Looping ControlsUsed in conjunction with the Play button, these three buttons control the way in which the Flipbook will play back a sequence of images:
Playback Controls
Range ControlThe Range Control slider enables you to specify the range of frames you wish to play back. Click and drag the arrows on the slider to specify the starting and ending frames of the desired range, or key the desired frame numbers into the data entry boxes. Frame ControlThe Frame Control slider enables you to move back and forth through a sequence by dragging the slider bar. The current frame number is indicated in the associated data field. Frames-Per-SecondThe fps indicator in the lower-right corner displays the playback speed in frames per second. You can key a new playback speed into the field for the current monitor, or change the default fps value in the Flipbook Preferences panel. (To learn how to access this panel, refer to the following section.) Using the Flipbook Popup MenuRight-click and hold anywhere in the image area to display the Flipbook popup menu, which provides the following checkbox and dialog-access controls: ToolbarThis checkbox controls the display of the Flipbook Toolbar, which is described in the previous section, "Using the Flipbook Controls ." Frame ControlThis checkbox controls the display of the Frame Controller panel, which is described in the previous section, "Using the Flipbook Controls ." AudioThis checkbox controls the display of the Audio Controller panel. This panel is used to play back an AIFF file that has been loaded into the flipbook using the Audio Load menu item (see below). The Audio Controller panel includes a Speaker icon, which you click to enable the audio, which will then play when the flipbook plays. The panel also features a pair of data entry fields that you use to control audio sync by linking a frame number to an audio sequence mark, in seconds. By default, frame 1 is linked to 0 audio seconds. Image Save ...Select this menu item to access the "Save Image File" dialog, in which you can save the currently displayed frame of the flipbook to disk. Movie Save ...Select this menu item to access the "Save Movie File" dialog, in which you can save the flipbook to disk as an FRP file. You can play the file at any time by selecting "Play FRP Movie File..." from the Chalice File menu. (For more information about the FRP file format, refer to the "Disk Output Node " description in chapter 12, "I/O Nodes .") Audio Load ...Select this menu item to access the "Choose Audio File" dialog, in which you can select an AIFF format audio file for playback with the flipbook image sequence. Audio OnThis checkbox performs the same function as clicking the Speaker icon on the Audio Controller panel. Double Buffer (IRIX Only)This checkbox enables you to specify double buffering for smoother image display in the currently open flipbook. AnamorphicThis checkbox enables you to play an anamorphic image sequence "unsqueezed"; that is, as it would appear when projected. If you check this option for non-anamorphic sequences, the frames will appear stretched in the X dimension to achieve the 2.40:1 aspect ratio. Preferences ...Select this menu item to bring up the Flipbook Preferences panel to change flipbook default settings. This is the same panel that is accessed from the Chalice Preferences menu. The Flipbook Preferences panel is described in chapter 11, "Setting Preferences ." |