Setting Preferences

Onionskin

Here is where you control how you want the onionskin (the semi-transparent representation of the figures on the previous frame) to be displayed. There are two options:

Actual Colors

If you select Actual colors from the Type drop down menu (1), then Stykz will use the colors of the segments and polyfills of the actual figures on the previous frame before applying a percentage of opacity (2). This is represented in the graphic to the right, where the frontmost square with the triangle (3) is how the figure looks normally, and the proxy image that represents the current settings is shown behind it (4). This is the default choice.

You can adjust the level of opacity by typing in a value from 1-100 in the Opacity field, or you can use the spin control (2) to adjust the opacity. Either way, you will see the proxy image change accordingly. When you exit the Preferences window, your choice will be applied immediately to all onionskins displayed on the current frame of all currently open documents.

Solid Color

If you select Solid color from the Type drop down menu (1), then Stykz will use a single color (2) for all segments and polyfills of the actual figures from the previous frame before applying a percentage of opacity (3). This is represented in the graphic to the right, where the frontmost square with the triangle (4) is how the figure looks normally, and the proxy image that represents the current settings is shown behind it (5).

Use the Color picker (2) to select the color you want to use.

    NOTE: Since onionskins are not included when exporting animations, there is no "Web" checkbox (unlike most other color selection options in Stykz).

You can adjust the level of opacity by typing in a value from 1-100 in the Opacity field, or you can use the spin control (3) to adjust the opacity. Either way, you will see the proxy image change accordingly. When you exit the Preferences window, your choice will be applied immediately to all onionskins displayed on the current frame of all currently open documents.

Colors

The colors of pivot nodes and the Backdrop are specified here. Simply click a color swatch to change the color from the defaults (shown).

    NOTE: Since the node and backdrop colors are not included when exporting animations, there is no "Web" checkbox (unlike most other color selection options in Stykz).

Decimal Precision

This is where you can specify the level of decimal precision that is used when Stykz displays values like length, width, scale, or angle in the Properties Palette. After making your choice from the dropdown menu (1), an example of how Stykz will display numbers is shown next to it (2). The choices are:

It is important to be aware that although the numbers display in a certain way, values are being maintained internally with six digits of decimal precision.

How This Affects the Properties Palette

The decimal precision will be used for display purposes, but when you adjust the values in the Properties Palette by typing in new values, it is those specific values you enter that are used (and the display is updated according to your decimal precision settings). If you use the spinner control beside the field for adjustment, however, the values will be increased or decreased by one and any decimal values are retained.

Here's an example:

Suppose the decimal precision was set to 2 (flexible) and you pivoted a segment to an angle and then switched to the Subselect tool and clicked on the segment. The Segment Properties palette might display an Angle value like "234.74" (although internally it might be "234.741354").

If you clicked on the up arrow of the Angle spinner control once, it would change the angle to "235.741354" internally, and show "235.74" in the field. But if you then highlighted the text and typed "220.5" and hit Enter, the angle would change to exactly 220.5 degrees (and internally it would also be "220.5"), and the angle field would display "220.5" (since it's 2 (flexible); if it was 2 (fixed) it would show "220.50").