Cam Tab ‐ Camera Controls - ApertureViewer/Aperture-Viewer GitHub Wiki

The Camera Tab (labeled "Cam") in the Aperture Phototools Suite (APS) centralizes controls for the viewer's camera system. This includes standard camera movement and view settings, options for 3D mouse/joystick (flycam) input, and Aperture's exclusive Camera Preset system for saving and loading specific camera positions and orientations.

[!NOTE] This tab is organized into two sub-tabs: "Viewer Camera" for standard controls and "Joystick" for 3D mouse/flycam specific settings. Both sub-tabs feature their own set of 12 save/load slots for Aperture Camera Presets.

Viewer Camera Sub-Tab

This sub-tab contains settings and controls relevant to the standard avatar and object camera views.

Viewer Camera Menu Settings

This section largely replicates the functionality found in the traditional "Camera Controls" floater.

Joystick Controls (Orbit, Zoom, Pan Icons):
- Virtual joysticks for orbiting the camera around the focus point, zooming the camera in/out (dollying, not changing FOV), and panning the camera up/down/left/right.
- Includes buttons for rolling the camera left/right.
Preset View Buttons:
- Small icon buttons that switch between preset camera views (e.g., Front View, Side View, Rear View) and camera modes (e.g., Object View, Mouselook View).
Camera Presets Combobox & Gear Icon:
- Allows selection from a list of built-in camera angle presets. The gear icon opens a menu for managing these built-in presets.
Position Button:
- Opens the advanced camera positioning preferences panel.

Camera Movement Settings

These sliders adjust how the standard viewer camera behaves.

View angle:
- Function: Controls the camera's Field of View (FOV), effectively zooming the view in or out. This is the primary control for true "zooming" as opposed to just moving the camera closer or farther.
- Range: 0.08 to 3.06 (slider values; linked to the CameraAngle debug setting).
- Default Reset Button (D): Resets to the default value.
Zoom Speed:
- Function: Controls how quickly or slowly the camera zooms (dollies) in and out when using the zoom controls (e.g., mouse wheel, +/- buttons on the camera joystick). Higher values result in slower, smoother zoom movements.
- Range: 0 to 30.
- Default Reset Button (D): Resets to the default value.
Camera Lag:
- Function: Determines how much the camera "lags" behind your avatar's movement. 0 means the camera moves rigidly with the avatar; higher values create a smoother, more delayed follow.
- Range: 0 to 30.
- Default Reset Button (D): Resets to the default value.
Camera Offset:
- Function: Adjusts how far the camera is offset from its default position relative to your avatar or the focus point.
- Range: 0.001 to 25.0.
- Default Reset Button (D): Resets to the default value.
Cam. Smoothing (Camera Smoothing):
- Function: Controls the smoothness of camera starts and stops when moving or rotating. Higher values produce smoother, more gradual camera movements.
- Range: 0 to 300.
- Default Reset Button (D): Resets to the default value.

Additional Camera Options

Various checkboxes to fine-tune camera behavior:

Display avatar in mouselook: When checked, your avatar (typically below the neck) remains visible while in mouselook (first-person) view.
Smooth Mouselook Movements: Smooths out mouse input when in mouselook mode for less jerky movements.
Clicking your avatar keeps camera position: By default, clicking your avatar resets the camera. Checking this option prevents that reset.
Reset camera position after teleport: If checked, the camera view will reset to a default position after teleporting within a region. Unchecking this attempts to maintain your camera angle/zoom.
Allow the camera to move w/o constraints (Requires Restart): If checked, attempts to ignore simulator-imposed camera "pushing" that normally prevents the camera from moving inside objects.
Reset camera position on avatar movement: If checked, the camera view will reset to its default position whenever your avatar starts moving.
Mouse Sensitivity:
- Function: Adjusts the responsiveness of the mouse when in mouselook view.
- Range: 0 to 15.
- Default Reset Button (D): Resets to the default value.

Viewer Camera Presets

Function: Provides 12 dedicated slots to save and load Viewer Camera positions. These presets store the camera's global position, focus point, and roll/orientation.
Save to Slot (Buttons 1-12): Click a numbered button to save the current viewer camera state to that slot.
Load From Slot (Buttons 1-12): Click a numbered button to restore the viewer camera to the state previously saved in that slot.
For more details, see Aperture Camera Presets.

[!IMPORTANT] A known issue in the initial v1.0.0 release prevents camera roll from being correctly saved/loaded with these Viewer Camera presets. This will be fixed in an upcoming hotfix.

Joystick Sub-Tab

This sub-tab is dedicated to settings for users who employ a 3D mouse (e.g., SpaceNavigator) or joystick for camera control (often referred to as flycam mode).

3D Mouse & Joystick Sensitivity Settings

These sliders adjust the sensitivity and responsiveness of the 3D mouse/joystick axes.

Left/Right: Controls sensitivity for horizontal (strafe/truck) camera movement.
Up/Down: Controls sensitivity for vertical (pedestal/boom) camera movement.
In/Out: Controls sensitivity for forward/backward (dolly) camera movement.
Pitch: Controls sensitivity for tilting the camera up and down.
Yaw: Controls sensitivity for rotating (panning) the camera left and right.
Roll: Controls sensitivity for tilting the camera sideways.

[!NOTE] The "Roll" sensitivity will have no effect if "Enable Auto Leveling" is checked, as auto-leveling prevents camera roll.

Zoom: Controls sensitivity for the joystick axis mapped to FOV zoom (if "Enable Zoom Control" is active and an axis is mapped).
Feathering: Adjusts the smoothness or "inertia" of camera movements. Higher values make the camera more rigid and responsive; lower values create a more fluid, "floating" feel, useful for cinematic fly-bys.

Each sensitivity slider has a corresponding Default Reset Button (D).

Axis Mapping & Joystick Options

Zoom Axis Mapping:
- Function: A spinner to select which joystick axis (0-5, or -1 for none) controls the FOV zoom.
- 4 is a common setting to enable zoom control via a joystick axis.
Enable 3D Mouse: Checkbox to toggle 3D mouse/joystick input for camera control on or off.
Enable Zoom Control (See Tool Tip!): When checked, allows a mapped joystick axis (see "Zoom Axis Mapping") to control camera FOV zoom.
Enable Auto Leveling (Prevents Camera Roll): When checked, automatically keeps the camera horizon level, preventing any roll.
Use the 3D Mouse to move the avatar: If checked, joystick input will move your avatar instead of just the camera.
Use the 3D Mouse to move objects (building): If checked, allows using the joystick for manipulating objects in build/edit mode.
Show the Current FOV of Viewer Screen: Toggles an on-screen display of the current vertical Field of View.
Show Detailed Camera Position Data: Toggles an on-screen display of detailed camera coordinates, orientation, and movement vectors. Useful for precise positioning or machinima.

3D Mouse & Joystick Camera Presets

Function: Provides 12 dedicated slots to save and load Flycam/Joystick Camera positions. Similar to Viewer Camera presets, these store the camera's global position, focus point, and roll/orientation as captured during flycam use.
Save to Slot (Buttons 1-12): Click a numbered button to save the current flycam camera state to that slot.
Load From Slot (Buttons 1-12): Click a numbered button to restore the flycam camera to the state previously saved in that slot.
For more details, see Aperture Camera Presets.

[!NOTE] Saving and loading camera roll with flycam presets has historically been problematic and is an area of ongoing investigation and refinement. The behavior in v1.0.0 might be inconsistent regarding roll.