13.12. Map Object

13.12.1. Overview

Figure 17.316. The “Map Object” filter applied to a photograph

Original

“Map Object” applied

This filter maps a picture to an object (plane, sphere, box or cylinder).

13.12.2. Activate the filter

This filter is found in the image window menu under Filters → Map → Map Object….

13.12.3. Options

13.12.3.1. Preview

This preview has several possibilities:

Preview!

Preview is automatic for some options but you will have to press this button to update Preview after modifying many other parameters.

When mouse pointer is on Preview and the Light tab is selected, it takes the form of a small hand to grab the blue point which marks light source origin and to displace it. This blue point may not be visible if light source has negative X and Y settings in the Light tab.

Zoom out, Zoom in

Zoom buttons allow you to enlarge or to reduce image in Preview. Their action is limited, but may be useful in case of a large image.

Show preview wireframe

Puts a grid over the preview to make displacements and rotations more easy. Works well on a plan.

Update preview live

To have preview working as usual.

13.12.3.2. General Options

Figure 17.317. “Map Object” options (General)

Map to

This drop-down list allows you to select the object the image will be mapped on. It can be a Plane, a Sphere, a Box or a Cylinder.

Transparent background

This option makes image transparent around the object. If not set, the background is filled with the current background color.

Tile source image

When moving Plane object and displacing it with Orientation tab options, a part of the image turns empty. By checking the Tile source image, source image copies will fill this empty space in. This option seems not to work with the other objects.

	Note
	This option works with “Plane” only.

Create new image

When this option is checked, a new image is created with the result of filter application, so preserving the original image.

Enable antialiasing

Check this option to conceal this unpleasant aliasing effect on borders. When checked, this option lets appear two settings:

• Depth

  Defines antialiasing quality, to the detriment of execution speed.

  Threshold

  Defines antialiasing limits. Antialiasing stops when value difference between pixels becomes lower than this set value.

13.12.3.3. Light

Figure 17.318. “Map Object” options (Light)

Light Settings

• Lightsource type

  In this dropdown list, you can select among Point light, Directional light and No light.

  Lightsource color

  Press this button to open the Color Selector dialog.

Position

If “Point light” is selected, you can control there light source Position (the blue point), according to X, Y and Z coordinates.

If “Directional light” is selected, these X, Y and Z parameters control the “Direction vector” (effect is not evident).

13.12.3.4. Material

Figure 17.319. “Map Object” options (Material)

Intensity Levels

• Ambient

  Amount of color to show where no light falls directly.

  Diffuse

  Intensity of original color when lit by a light source.

Reflectivity

• Diffuse

  Higher values make object reflect more light (looks brighter).

  Specular

  Controls how intense the highlights will be.

  Highlight

  Higher values make the highlights more focused.

13.12.3.5. Orientation

Figure 17.320. “Map Object” options (Orientation)

Position

These three sliders and their input boxes allows you to vary object position in image, according to the X, Y, Z coordinates of the object upper left corner.

Rotation

These three sliders make the object rotate around X, Y, Z axes respectively.

13.12.3.6. Box

This tab appears only when you select the Box object.

Figure 17.321. “Map Object” options (Box)

Match Images to Box Faces

This function name is self explanatory: you can select an image for every face of the box. These images must be present on your screen when you call the Map Object filter.

Scale

These X, Y, Z sliders allow you to change the size of every X, Y, Z dimension of the box.

13.12.3.7. Cylinder

This tab appears only when you select the Cylinder object.

Figure 17.322. “Map Object” options (Cylinder)

Images for the Cap Faces

The name of this option is self-explanatory. Images must be present on your screen when you call the Map Object filter.

Size

• Radius

  This slider and its input boxes let you control the Cylinder diameter. Unfortunately, this setting works on the image mapped onto the cylinder and resamples this image to adapt it to the new cylinder size. It would be better to have the possibility of setting size cylinder before mapping so that we could map a whole image.

  Length

  Controls cylinder length.