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Text Object Types
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In this tutorial you will learn how to:

 

Text Object Types: Counter, Dictionary and Editor

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Text Object Types

TextMachine 3D works with text objects that are represented in the design pane. 

There are 3 different types of text objects in TextMachine 3D:

  • Counter: create counters, random strings, binary numbers, time and date countdowns

  • Dictionary: load text from existing text files, create title or ticker style scrolling text.

  • Editor: type in your text manually

 

How to Set the Text Object Type

To set the a text objects to the desired type do the following:

  • Select the text object in design pane

  • Click on the "Counter", "Dictionary" or "Editor" button as shown in the screenshot.

 

Text Object Self Time

The changing speed of the text object content is controlled by the "Timer" slider as shown in the screenshot.

 

 

Counter

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Counter Settings

Counter Type
Select the counter type:

  • Alpha: Random Characters e.g. hHXBHHWbI
  • Alphanumeric: Random Characters and Numbers e.g.11LTFe0l0
  • Binary: Random or Counting Binary Numbers e.g. 011001101
  • DD.MM.YYYY: Date Format 1 Random or Counting e.g. 28.11.2203
  • Hexadecimal: Random or Counting Hexadecimal Numbers: e.g. 141B2FA6
  • HH:MM:SS Time Format: Random or Countdowns .e.g. 20:21:37
  • Integer: Random or Counting Integer Number e.g. 12345
  • Real: Random or Counting Decimal Number e.g. 12,345
  • Special Characters: Random Special Characters e.g.?{?-(€{\/@_{&
  • YYYY-MM-DD Date Format 2 Random or Counting e.g. 2005-10-28

Counting Direction
Select counting direction +,- , Random or Hold

[-][H][+]
One click direction set: Decrement, Hold, Increment. Useful with MIDI Control Enabled

Min Digits
Minimum length of text

Max Digits
Maximum length of text

Offset
Counter incrementing value if counter type is real or integer

Line Breaks
Set how many lines the counter has

Initial Value
Specify the initial value of the Counter. Useful for countdowns

Set Value
Set the Counter Value - useful for countdowns.

Get Value
Get Current Counter Value 

 

 

Use Counters to Create 
  • Timers / countdowns

  • Binary, Integer, Decimal and Hexadecimal numbers

  • Random text strings

Examples

Start TextMachine 3D and drag/drop the presets below to the TextMachine 3D design pane.

Alpha

Alphanumeric

Binary

Date format DD.MM.YYYY

Hexadecimal

Time Format HH:MM:SS

Integer

Real

Special Characters

Date format YYYY-MM-DD

 

Dictionary

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Dictionary Settings

Dictionary Filename
Text (*.txt) filename containing the words or phrases you want to display. Click [...] to select.

Loop Direction
Select the change direction of words contained in dictionary

Word/Line Length
Limit the words or phrases loaded to length less or equal to the this value

Exclude
Exclude words on loading in dictionary containing this character

Words/Row
Set the number of words per row loaded into a single text

Line Breaks
Set the number of lines loaded into a single text

Exact
Input only words or phrases with exact Word/Line Length

Cut
Cut words or phrases to exact Word/Line Length

Binary
Load data in binary mode: Gives funny effects on image files

Titles
Scroll the Text contained in dictionary vertically

Ticker
Scroll the Text contained in dictionary horizontally

Word Filter (Begin-End) Filter words that begin or end with the defined character sequence

Reload
Reload the Dictionary with specified settings.
Tip: You can an animate this button to periodically reload the specified text file. With this feature you are able to setup e.g. an SMS to Screen system.

 

Dictionary Feature

The Dictionary feature allows to work with text files. Such file may contain normal narrative story, set of the separate phrases, or just random words; the words or phrases may be divided by line breaks or not. Depending on the file structure and the task you have, you may want to use one of two Dictionary modes:

  • Titles. This renders the text as the cinema-like titles, scrolling them up or down within text object; each string in the text file is treated as single title line (string may also be wrapped to the next line or just cut if needed). Most useful for the lists of entries (like usual titles in cinema), separated by line breaks; can also be used for long texts.
  • Ticker. This renders the text as single line, scrolling it to the left or to the right. File is treated here as a single big string, so the line breaks are ignored. Best for streaming sentences (short enough to keep in mind until it ends), like news, SMS, etc.
  • None of the above - Display text from dictionary file line by line
Examples

Start TextMachine 3D and drag/drop the presets below to the TextMachine 3D design pane. 

English Words - Random Direction

English Words - Increment Direction

Capitals of the world - Title Mode

English Words - Ticker Mode

DNA Sequence - Random Direction

 

 

 

Editor

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Custom Text type in
Type text to be displayed. Press ALT + Enter on your keyboard to send to output

Send to Output
Sends Text to Output

Split Lines
Splits the Lines as typed in Text Field

Direction
Loop Direction of Text lines, if Split Lines is on.

Num
List all Numbers in Editor. If Split Lines is on the numbers are listed vertically.

Chr  
List all Letters in Editor. If Split Lines is on the letters are listed vertically

Special
List all special characters in Editor. If Split Lines is on the special characters are listed vertically

 

Use Editor to
  • Type in your own text

  • Output symbols using symbol fonts


Tip: You can use Font Preview for fast symbol font output

Examples

Start TextMachine 3D and drag/drop the presets below to the TextMachine 3D design pane. 

Simple Text

Looping Text

Looping Characters

Looping Text of Single Characters

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