| ThingMaker Documentation Chapter 12) ThingConverter

| ThingConverter ThingConverter is a Macromedia Director Xtra which exports cast members from a Director movie to a ThingMaker scene file. Only a Windows version of ThingConverter is currently available. The following instructions assume that you are familiar with the operation of Director.

Installing ThingConverter
The ThingConverter file must be placed in the Director Xtras directory. This can usually be found in the following location:

Program Files: Macromedia:Dir532: Xtras
1. Run the application: ThingConverter Install.exe.

2. Install screen. Click Finish.

3. Click OK to install the ThingConverter Xtra to your Macromedia Director Xtras directory. Option to browse and pick another location. Click OK.

4. A successful installation message appears.

5. A Dialog prompts you: "Do you want to go to ThingWorld?"

If Director is currently running, you must quit before installing the Xtra. Director only checks for new Xtras when it is launched.

You must have at least version 5.0 or higher of Director to use ThingConverter.

Steps in Conversion
These are the steps in converting a Director file to ThingMaker format using the ThingConverter Xtra.

1. Prepare the Director file. You will probably have to make minor changes to the Director file to improve the conversion process.

2. Select the elements to export in the Director Score.

3. Run ThingConverter from the Xtras menu.

4. Choose conversion options, rename Things, and the ThingMaker file (if desired).

5. Open the Scene in a browser or edit in ThingMaker.

How conversion works
To convert a file, launch Director, open the Score, and select the sprites that you want to convert to Things. The following rules are observed by the converter:

- ThingConverter will convert a sequence of frames in the Score channel as a single animation object.

- If there is a gap in the sequence, ThingConverter will treat the rest of the sequence as a second object.

- The default name of the object is the name of the first cast member in the selection.

- The speed of the animation is taken from the Director Time channel.

  For a successful conversion, you should do the following:
  1. Check that there are gaps between separate animation sequences.

  2. Give the first cast member in the sequence a meaningful name.

  An Example of Choosing Elements of the Score to Export Using ThingConverter

  The Conversion Process
  Once you have selected the Score elements you want to export, go to the Xtras menu and choose ThingConverter. A Dialog appears that contains the following:

  Things found in score list
  The ThingConverter Dialog lists the individual "Things" that it will attempt to convert. Names are assigned to those Things based on the names of the elements in the Score. You can rename the elements by clicking twice on the name in the list and typing in a new name, however.

  Thumbnail of selected Thing
  This preview window displays the individual elements, as you click on them in the Things found in score list.

  Blend photorealistic images (dither)
  This options defines whether dithering will be used when converting the graphics to the ThingMaker Palette. You may want to experiment with this option, but we recommend turning this feature on for photographic images and 3D illustrations, while turning it off for computer created graphics.

  Export
  Click Export to continue the export, or Cancel if you don't want to export the objects.

  A Save As Dialog appears asking you to name the Scene File that ThingConverter will create. The Scene File will contain the individual elements that have been exported. You might want to use the same name as the Director file which is also the default. A progress indicator will appear, indicating the Things that that are being saved.

  ThingConverter output
  ThingConverter creates a scene (.tms) file that you can open in ThingMaker and edit. The Scene will contain all the elements exported from Director. They will be located in the same relative positions as the elements that were in the Director Scene.

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