The Stylish User interface layout of thinkingParticles R4 (tP4) is not only a visually pleasing experience; it also adds a huge work-flow enhancement, never before seen in thinkingParticles™.
Schematic View Rollout
In the Schematic View rollout menu, the colors of the main thinkingParticles R4 UI can be easily adjusted or modified. The changes are stored in a separate Thinking.ini file that is stored within the 3dsMax/PLUGCFG folder.
DynamicSet Tree View
The DynamicSet Tree View is one of the most important areas of thinkingParticles R4. It is here that you set up your control systems and process ordering for your particle animation. Nearly all of the advanced effects that you can create within the system, are based on the fact that thinkingParticles R4 is able to store its rules and operators in separate DynamicSets and have them evaluated, based on other rules and conditions.
Right Click Menu Options
The standard tP4 right-click mouse button behavior has been optimized and streamlined. With tP4, the user may now create any available operator with a simple right click of the mouse.
thinkingParticles uses standard methods to navigate and manipulate the software and its parameters. All mouse buttons are used in a natural and logical way, so that every user should know how from any Windows application. In addition to the standard "point and select" approach, extra functions can be implemented by using a keyboard shortcut, along with the mouse controls.
Drag and Drop Options
With thinking Particles R4, you also have the ability to drag-and-drop one DynamicSet or the operators, that they contain, onto another DynamicSet in order to make it a sub-set of that DynamicSet. This process is sometimes called nesting. You can even drag and drop DynamicSets onto the Master DynamicSet to effectively bring them back to the main branch level.
Special StartUp.thi Initializing File
A default thinkingParticles setup file was recently added to thinkingParticles R4. This file allows the user to define a default layout for the DynamicSet UI. Whenever a new thinkingParticles particle system is created, it will use the file called startup.thi, if this file is present in the first available BlackBox search path. Startup.thi allows you to save custom setups for tP like Dynamic Sets and Groups. For instance, if you are consistently creating a 3 Groups and 4 Dynamics sets (named as you like with properties you like), then you can simply save this setup in the startup.thi and every time you create a tP particle system, they will be created for you.
