Techniques for manipulating computer-generated objects in a computer graphics editor or environment
A computer generated 3D environment can include one or more free-space pins not permanently associated with any objects in the 3D environment. Objects in the 3D environment can be associated with one or more of the free-space pins, so that input at a selected free-space pin can cause manipulation of the objects associated with the selected free-space pin. For example, the selected free-space pin can be used as a temporary locus of manipulation (e.g., for rotation, movement, resizing, etc.) of the temporarily associated objects and/or can define a reference point for an action or behavior of one or more objects. A manipulator can be displayed when a free-space pin is selected to assist in receiving manipulation input.
1. A method, comprising:
at an electronic device in communication with a display:
displaying, using the display, a computer graphics editing environment including an affordance representing a first free-space pin, wherein the affordance representing the first free-space pin is displayed anchored at a location in the computer graphics editing environment and at a distance from an object, and not anchored to the object;
while displaying the affordance representing the first free-space pin, receiving an input representing selection of the first free-space pin;
after receiving the input representing the selection of the first free-space pin, manipulating a location or orientation of the object associated with the first free-space pin using the location of the affordance representing the first free-space pin as a reference point for the manipulation, wherein the affordance representing the first free-space pin remains anchored at the location in the computer graphics editing environment during the manipulating of the location or orientation of the object, wherein the object has a first location when the manipulation of the object is complete; and
continuing displaying the first free-space pin anchored at the location in the computer graphics editing environment after disassociating the object from the first free-space pin, wherein the object is disassociated from the first free-space pin and has the first location while continuing displaying the first free-space pin anchored at the location in the computer graphics editing environment after disassociating the object from the first free-space pin.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising manipulating the location of the object by moving the object toward the location of the first free-space pin.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising manipulating the orientation of the object by orbiting the object around the location of the first free-space pin.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein manipulating the location of the object associated with the first free-space pin comprises manipulating the object in accordance with a predetermined locational relationship between the object and the first free-space pin.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
while displaying the affordance representing the first free-space pin, displaying, using the display, an affordance representing a second free-space pin, and while displaying the affordance representing the second free-space pin, receiving an input representing selection of the second free-space pin along with the first free-space pin; and
after receiving the input representing the selection of the first free-space pin and the input representing the selection of the second free-space pin, manipulating the object in accordance with a predetermined locational relationship between two or more of the object, the first free-space pin, and the second free-space pin.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising manipulating the object by maintaining a sum of a distance between the object and the first free-space pin and a distance between the object and the second free-space pin as a constant value.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
associating the object with the first free-space pin;
after receiving the input representing the selection of the first free-space pin, displaying, using the display, an affordance representing a first manipulator anchored to the first free-space pin; and
while displaying the first manipulator, manipulating the object associated with the first free-space pin using the first manipulator.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
while displaying the first manipulator, receiving an input representing manipulation of the first manipulator; and
after receiving the input representing the manipulation of the first manipulator, manipulating the object associated with the first free-space pin.
9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
after displaying the affordance representing the first manipulator anchored to the first free-space pin, receiving an input representing selection of a second free-space pin;
after receiving the input representing the selection of the second free-space pin, displaying, using the display, an affordance representing a second manipulator anchored to the second free-space pin; and
while displaying the second manipulator, receiving an input representing manipulation of the object associated with the second free-space pin using the second manipulator.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
while displaying the second manipulator, ceasing to display the first manipulator.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising simultaneously manipulating a plurality of objects associated with the selected first free-space pin.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first free-space pin is unanchored to any objects in the computer graphics editing environment.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying, using the display, an affordance representing a free-space pin properties pane including one or more properties of each free-space pin of a plurality of free-space pins in the computer graphics editing environment.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more properties includes a representation of a 3D location of each free-space pin of the plurality of free-space pins.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more properties includes a representation of an orientation of each free-space pin of the plurality of free-space pins.
16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving an input representing addition of a second free-space pin to the computer graphics editing environment; and
after receiving the input representing the addition of the second free-space pin, adding the second free-space pin to the computer graphics editing environment.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
displaying, using the display, an affordance for adding a free-space pin;
wherein receiving the input representing the addition of the second free-space pin comprises actuating the affordance for adding the free-space pin.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
in response to actuating the affordance for adding the free-space pin, displaying in the computer graphics editing environment an affordance representing a target, wherein receiving the input representing the addition of the second free-space pin further comprises receiving an input representing selection of the target.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein manipulating the location or orientation of the object associated with the first free-space pin comprises utilizing an orientation of the first free-space pin in performing the manipulation.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein manipulating the location or orientation of the object associated with the first free-space pin comprises scaling one or more properties of the object associated with the first free-space pin.
21. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
after receiving the input representing the selection of the first free-space pin:
displaying a context menu including at least a first user interface element that is selectable to perform a first action associated with the first free-space pin.
22. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
display, using a display, a computer graphics editing environment including an affordance representing a first free-space pin;
while displaying the affordance representing the first free-space pin:
receive a first input representing selection of the first free-space pin; and
receive a second input associating an object with the first free-space pin, wherein in response to the second input, the first free-space pin is associated with a plurality of objects that includes the object; and
after receiving the first input representing the selection of the first free-space pin:
simultaneously manipulate a location or orientation of the plurality of objects associated with the first free-space pin using a location of the first free-space pin as a reference point for the manipulation, wherein the simultaneous manipulation includes:
simultaneously manipulating:
the object in a first direction or first orientation relative to the location of the first free-space pin, and
a second object of the plurality of objects, different from the object, in a second direction or second orientation different from the first direction or first orientation; and
remove the object from association with the first free-space pin while maintaining the location of the first free-space pin.
23. An electronic device comprising:
one or more processors;
memory; and
one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
displaying, using a display, a computer graphics editing environment including an affordance representing a first free-space pin, wherein the affordance representing the first free-space pin is displayed anchored at a location in the computer graphics editing environment and at a distance from an object, and not anchored to the object;
while displaying the affordance representing the first free-space pin, receiving an input representing selection of the first free-space pin;
after receiving the input representing the selection of the first free-space pin, manipulating a location or orientation of the object associated with the first free-space pin using the location of the affordance representing the first free-space pin as a reference point for the manipulation, wherein the affordance representing the first free-space pin remains anchored at the location in the computer graphics editing environment during the manipulating of the location or orientation of the object, wherein the object has a first location when the manipulation is complete; and
continuing displaying the first free-space pin anchored at the location in the computer graphics editing environment after disassociating the object from the first free-space pin, wherein the object is disassociated from the first free-space pin and has the first location while continuing displaying the first free-space pin anchored at the location in the computer graphics editing environment after disassociating the object from the first free-space pin.
24. The electronic device of claim 23 , wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:
after receiving the input representing the selection of the first free-space pin:
displaying a context menu including at least a first user interface element that is selectable to perform a first action associated with the first free-space pin.