ALGORITHM - a recursive mathematical procedure.
ALPHA CHANNEL - an eight-bit channel in the 32-bit color image which is used to store transparency data.
AMBIENT LIGHT - light that is present in the environment. It has no focus or direction.
ANTI-ALIASING - a mechanism to prevent or remove the jagged appearance of diagonal lines or edges in an image. Anti-aliasing can be achieved in rendered images by averaging adjacent pixels with sharp variations in color and brightness or by increasing the resolution of the image to meet or exceed the resolution of the device displaying or printing it.
ASPECT RATIO - the width and height of the frame dimensions of an image.
AVI - (Audio Video Interleaved). This is a Windows file format for digital video and audio.
BEZIER SPLINES - lines that are curved or capable of being curved. The curve of the line is defined by vertex points.
BITMAP - also known as a pixel image. An image composed of pixels. May be any resolution or color depth.
BOUNDING BOX - an imaginary rectangle that exactly encloses the geometry of an object or group of objects. When an object is selected, handles appear at the corners and midpoints of the sides of this rectangle. When an object is manipulated using one of the object-handling tools, its bounding box appears to interact with the tool and provide visual feedback during the tool operation.
CAD - an acronym that stands for Computer-Aided Design.
CLICK - to position a tool cursor in a view, and usually on an object, then pressing the mouse button. This event initiates a process or operation related to the tool's function.
CLICK-AND-DRAG - the process of clicking the mouse button and, while holding the mouse button down, dragging the cursor in the view. For example, this procedure would be used to move an object from one location to another in a view.
CODEC - compression/decompression of video.
COLOR DEPTH - the number of bits required to define the color of each pixel in an image. Black and white images use one bit. Grayscale images use eight bits (256 shades of gray). Eight-bit color images provide 256 colors. Images with 24-bits provide millions of colors (eight bits for each color: red, green, blue). Images with 32 bits provide an additional eight bits for alpha data.
CURSOR - an icon indicating the current tool selected and/or the current focus of the program. Strata 3D uses different cursors to indicate the selected tool.
DATABASE - the area of memory within the program while it is running that is set aside to keep track of objects within a model.
DEFAULT - a parameter or setting pre-defined in the program which may be changed by the user.
DIFFUSE REFLECTION - that component of the light reflecting from a surface caused by its dull or matte nature. Dull or matte surfaces reflect the light striking them in random angles over a large area, giving the surface an equally-bright appearance from a wide range of viewing positions.
DITHER - to blend transitions between colors by placing small dots of black, white, or other colors to simulate those colors that can't be represented because of limits on the numbers of colors available.
DOUBLE-CLICK - the act of positioning the cursor on an object in the active view or an icon in the interface, then pressing and releasing the mouse button twice in rapid succession.
DPI (dpi) - an abbreviation for dots per inch.
EPS - short for encapsulated PostScript?, a file format for graphics. EPS format contains all of the code necessary to print a file.
EXTENSION - a modular software program that expands the capabilities of the existing software. The extension functions as if it were part of the original program.
EXTRUSION - a method of creating a 3-D object using a 2-D template; giving depth to the 2-D shape.
FILE COMPRESSION - the process of reducing the amount of storage space used by a file.
FILTER - a routine for altering images.
Flat Shading - shading by filling each facet of a surface with a single color.
GRADIENT - a feature that adds color or tint that varies smoothly from one color or brightness to another.
GROUP - a collection of objects that act as one.
HIERARCHICAL OBJECT - creating an object shape in a separate work space which, when inserted into the model, retains a link to the shape. Changes made to the shape are automatically applied to the instances.
HUE - the property of color which corresponds to the frequency or wavelength of the light.
INSTANCE - a replica of a shape. Each time a shape is inserted into a window, an instance of that shape is actually inserted. Any changes made later to the original shape are reflected in each instance, or occurrence, of the shape. Changes made to the instance, however, do not in any way affect the root shape.
JAGGIES - refers to the jagged edges formed in the diagonal or circular lines of bitmapped images.
JPEG - short for Joint Photographic Experts Group, a committee that has been developing a compression standard for still images. This term also refers to the compression method developed by that group.
LATHING - a method of creating a 3-D object by revolving a 2-D profile about a designated axis.
LUMINANCE - the amount of light radiated by a monitor. It refers to intensity or brightness.
MARQUEE - a rectangular dotted box created by dragging the cursor. Marquees appear in the programs windows or views to provide visual feedback during various tool operations.
MESH SURFACE - a surface that has common vertex points between adjacent polygons. Mesh surfaces are typically used to define complex forms. The surface also provides smoothing information for the rendering algorithms.
NORMALS - the mathematical value that indicates the direction a surface is facing in 3-D space. Normals may be attached to individual polygons or to the vertex points that define the polygons.
OCTREE - an internal data structure used to subdivide the model space for more efficient handling.
ORTHOGRAPHIC - a method of displaying objects in a view where parallel lines do not converge. Orthographic projections are used to compare object's absolute dimensions, without the confusion of relative distance from the view.
PARENT/CHILD LINK - an internal connection between two objects, in which the child is linked to the parent for constraint purposes. Various uses exist in different applications for linked objects, but are usually related to animation.
PERSPECTIVE - a depth cue available in Strata 3D in which parallel lines converge to align with a designated vanishing point. Perspective is a product of several parameters in the displayed view: Lens focal length, camera size, and distance from objects.
PENUMBRA - A partial shadow between regions of total shadow and total illumination.
PICT - the standard file format used by Macintosh for storing graphics using Apple's QuickDraw imaging routines.
PIXEL - an acronym that stands for Picture Element. It is the smallest component which makes up the display on a computer monitor. Each dot on the screen is a pixel. Many images displayed on the screen are likewise stored in a pixel form that is mapped to the screen pixels for viewing.
POINTCLOUD - a rendering method used primarily for displaying the model in the modeling window. Only the vertices are rendered.
POINT LIGHT - a local source of illumination that shines in all directions from a single point.
POLYGON - a closed plane bounded by three or more line segments.
PRIMITIVES - basic geometric elements from which complex objects can be built.
RAYTRACING - a rendering algorithm which simulates the physical and optical properties of light rays as they reflect off objects in a 3-D model. This method of rendering typically traces rays of light backward from the imaging plane toward the light sources.
REFLECTIVITY - the percentage of the total amount of light striking the surface that reflects from, or bounces off, the surface of the object.
REFRACTION - the change in direction of light as it passes from one transparent material to another. This causes an apparent shift in the image showing through the transparent material.
RENDERING - a visual representation of the model. This is accomplished by combining a geometric model with descriptions of its surface properties, lighting, etc. to generate a photorealistic image of the model.
RESOLUTION - the number of pixels per unit. The higher the number of pixels, the higher the resolution, and the greater the capability to display details.
RGB - a method of representing all colors as the combination of red, green, and blue light.
SATURATION - the extent to which a color is made purely or a particular hue; the vividness of the hue.
SPECULAR REFLECTION - that component of the light reflecting from a surface caused by its shiny or glossy nature. Shiny surfaces reflect light striking them in clearly defined angles of incidence; resulting in "hot spots" corresponding to the direction of the light sources providing the illumination.
SURFACE MAPPING - a process in which an image is used to define an object's surface properties. A separate map is used to define color, texture, reflectivity, transparency.
SPOTLIGHT - a local source of illumination which shines in only one direction.
SWEEP - a method of creating a 3-D object from a 2-D template using a combination of lathe and extrude. The template is both pushed through space and revolved around an axis at the same time to create a geometrically complex shape. This type of modeling would be used to create the threads on a bolt, for example.
TIFF - short for Tagged-Image File Format. This format was developed by Aldus® and Microsoft® to represent pixel-based images, such as those produced by scanners.
TILE - to fill an area with small, regular shapes or blocks of patterns.
TRANSPARENCY - the characteristic of allowing an underlying image to show through, either partially or totally.
VERTEX - a point of intersection of two vectors or a point used to define a polygon.
VOLUMETRIC MAPPING - a process in which a map is defined as a 3-D volume, but which is only visible on the surface of an object. The object has the appearance of being carved out of the volume. Volumetric maps may also be used to define multiple surface characteristics.
WINDOW - an element of a desktop interface that contains one or more views of the 3-D model. There are several types of windows used in Strata 3D.
WIREFRAME - a fundamental rendering method that represents 3-D objects with connecting lines. No surfaces are shown, but may be implied if hidden lines are removed for the resulting image.
X-AXIS - the horizontal axis which represents width.
Y-AXIS - the vertical axis which represents height.