Navigation Controls

When you enter a 3D world, Cosmo Player is automatically launched within your browser window. At the bottom of your window you'll find the Cosmo Player navigation controls that you use to move around the world or to examine objects.

Using the Dashboards

Cosmo Player includes two navigation control dashboards for moving 3D worlds, called the Movement dashboard and the Examine dashboard. Each contains buttons that you press to enter commands, to move around the world, or to affect objects within the world.

The Movement dashboard contains controls that let you walk through parts of a world:

The Examine dashboard contains controls that let you examine specific objects in a world:

Both dashboards share some of the controls, for example, Undo and Redo. The dashboard you see when you enter a world is determined by the author; in fact, some worlds display no dashboard at all. You can hide the dashboard, or minimize it, using the minimize button on the keyboard.

To alternate between the Movement dashboard and the Examine dashboard, click the Change Controls button on either dashboard.

To select a control on either dashboard, click a button. Selected buttons display bright green icons, and remain selected until you click another button. Unselected buttons display gray-green icons and buttons that are not available for use are flat and dark gray:

To minimize the display of the dashboard, click the small triangle at the upper left of the dashboard. To alternate between showing and hiding the pop-up button names or button descriptions, click one of the triangles at the lower left of the dashboard. The upper triangle turns on or off the pop-up Button Names display; the bottom triangle turns on or off the pop-up Button Descriptions display.

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Navigating with the Mouse and Keyboard

You can navigate worlds using the mouse, the keyboard, or a combination of both.

To navigate with the mouse, click a button on the dashboard, then position the pointer in the window containing the world and drag. The shape of the pointer in the world is similar to the icon on the button.

To navigate using the keyboard, press Alt and Ctrl to select a navigation mode without clicking a button on the dashboard, or use the arrow keys to navigate with the currently selected tool.

When using any of the dashboard controls keep the following in mind:

• The farther you drag the faster you move, turn or spin.
• Holding down the Shift key as you drag increases your speed.
• You can click and drag on any of the three main navigation buttons to perform the same function as if you had pressed the button. When you release the button, the highlight returns to where it was before you dragged. This is useful for quickly performing another navigation function without permanently changing the current one. It is also useful if you get into a place that is difficult to navigate because there are many active objects in the world.

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Navigating With Viewpoints

Viewpoints are author-defined locations that let you travel to different parts of a world. You can choose locations from the Viewpoint menu or by clicking the Next Viewpoint or Previous Viewpoint buttons. If a world does not contain viewpoints, the word Entry is displayed in the Viewpoint list to represent the place you entered the world.

To select a viewpoint, use any of the following methods:

• Click the Viewpoint List button, then click the desired viewpoint in the pop-up list.

• Click the Next Viewpoint or Previous Viewpoint button.

• Press Home to go to the first viewpoint in the list.

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Moving Around a World

The Movement dashboard contains controls that let you walk or fly through parts of a world. For descriptions about each button, see the individual sections below or see the Quick Reference section.

Moving Forward and Backward

Go

The Go button lets you move forward, backward, left, right, or diagonally; this is the default navigation mode in Cosmo Player.

To move forward or backward:

1. Click the Go button on the Movement dashboard.
2. Position the pointer in the window and drag up to go forward or down to move backwards.

To turn right or left:

With the Go button selected, position the pointer in the window and drag to the right or to the left.

To move and turn simultaneously:

With the Go button selected, drag the pointer diagonally.

To move using the arrow keys:

With the Go button selected, press the up and down arrow keys to move forward or backward, or the left and right arrow keys to turn left or right.

Sliding Forward and Backward

The Slide control lets you slide forward, backward, left, right, or diagonally. In addition to selecting the Slide button on the dashboard, you can press Alt to select the Slide button from the keyboard while another button is selected.

To slide up:

1. Click the Slide button on the Movement dashboard, or press Alt to select the Slide control from the keyboard.
2. Position the pointer in the window and drag upward. (If the author of the world has designed the scene to change the state of gravity, the Float control becomes active.)

To slide down:

With the Slide control selected, drag the mouse downward in the window.

To slide to the left or the right:

With the Slide control selected, drag to the left or right.

To slide using the arrow keys:

While Slide is selected, the arrow keys let you move you up, down, left, and right.

Tilting your View

The Tilt control lets you tilt your view of a world by dragging in the direction you want to look. You cannot turn yourself upside down using the Tilt control. In addition to selecting the Tilt control on the dashboard, you can press Ctrl to select the Tilt control from the keyboard.

To look around without moving:

1. Click the Tilt button on the Movement dashboard, or press Ctrl to select the Tilt control from the keyboard.
2. Position the pointer in the window and drag in the direction you want to look.

To tilt using the arrow keys:

While Tilt is selected, the arrow keys let you tilt up, down, left, and right.

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Controlling Float and Gravity

Depending on the author's design of a world, you can either fly or walk through a world, or you can both fly and walk in the world. If you can both fly and walk in a world, you can use the Float or Gravity buttons to respectively rise up into the air, or to return to the surface of the world

Gravity

When Gravity is selected, you cannot move off the ground. When you walk along an uneven surface with Gravity selected, you follow the ups and downs of the surface. If you are suspended in mid-air, turning on the Gravity control causes you to fall to the ground if the world contains a floor or ground surface.  

Float

When Float is selected, you can move off the ground and fly. You can also float up in any world in which the author has enabled floating by sliding straight upwards when in Slide mode.

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My World is out of Control!

 If you've navigated into a position where you are disoriented or you can't seem to get where you want to go, Cosmo Player provides commands to help you get reoriented.

Moving to an object using the Seek button

Use the Seek button to automatically move toward an object in the world--this is often the fastest and easiest way to navigate to an object. When you click the Seek button, the cursor changes to a crosshair. Position the crosshair directly on the object to which you want to move and then click the mouse button. You'll instantly move toward the object.

You can also set your cursor to Continuous Seek mode by double-clicking on the Seek button, or by setting the mid- or right-mouse button to Continuous Seek in the Cosmo Player Preferences. When you are in Continuous Seek mode, your cursor acts as if the Seek button is being continuously pressed, rather than having to click the Seek button each time you want to move toward an object. When you are in Continuous Seek mode, you never interact with any "active objects" in the VRML world. This makes the Continuous Seek mode an ideal method to navigate through a world where there are many active objects or VRML sensors covering part of the screen.

When you are in Continuous Seek mode, you can also navigate through the world by pressing the mouse button down and dragging. When you are dragging with the mouse you simply navigate as usual--you only seek an object when you click on it.

Straightening Yourself

Pressing the Straighten button places you in an upright position. This command helps you if you've accidentally oriented yourself in an awkward position--for example, facing the ground or the sky--and want to immediately get back into a position from which it is easier to navigate.

Undoing and Redoing Movements

Undo/Redo

While you're moving around in a world, Cosmo Player keeps track of each place you stop. You can use the Undo Move and Redo Move commands to move backwards and forwards through the places you've stopped.

To Undo a movement:

Click the Undo Move button. If you make a mistake while navigating, Undo Move is a quick way to get back to where you were.

To Redo a movement:

Click the Redo Move button. After you've used Undo Move at least once, Redo Move lets you jump forward through the Undo locations stored in the list.  

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