360° Locations

While in Editor Mode, many changes are made to the project using the iMenu.

• How to Editor Start Mode
• How to Launch the iMenu

Add 360° Locations

There are two ways to import 360° media files into your project:

1. Use the Step-by-Step Import process from the iMenu (in present4D’s Editor Mode) to create Locations
2. Use the external, Advanced Import process to copy 360° media files into the correct folder structure using Windows File Explorer (file manager) and import the entire folder structure at once

Both methods require use of Windows File Explorer to select files. This must be done when not using VR goggles.

Step by Step Import

IF you have not yet created a Project, please follow this chapter first: Create a new Project

1. Editor Start Mode
2. Launch the iMenu
3. choose the tab Locations

With the iMenu open, you can add 360° Locations to your project. On the bottom row of the iMenu, there are buttons to add four types of 360° Locations:

1. Locations Show the Locations and sub folders of the current Project
2. Normal Add local 360° photos or videos
3. Stereo Add local stereoscopic 360° photos or videos
4. Streaming Add a link to online 360° photos or videos that will be streamed
5. Streaming Stereo Add a link to online stereoscopic 360° photos or videos that will be streamed

Advanced Import

Experienced users who are already knowledgeable with present4D folder structure may want to save time by gathering all their 360° files, slideshows and other multimedia content together externally. In this case, you manually create subfolders under the folder for the desired Location. When you open the project in present4D, it automatically adds the multimedia content to each Location.

Follow the chapter Import - Advanced

Media Types and Dimensions of 360° Locations

The following values are recommendations. Larger sizes may also be possible depending on the computer being used to view and edit the project.

360° Images

We support full spherical 360° media files in 2:1 ratio.

Maximum Dimensions

8192 x 4096 pixels

Recommended Dimensions

6000 x 3000 pixels

Maximum Dimensions for iOS

4096 x 2048s

To achieve a higher resolution on iOS devices please use Cubefaces (see below)

360° Images Stereoscopic

Recommended Dimensions

4096 x 4096 pixels

Maximum Dimensions for iOS

4096 x 4096 pixels

Format Convention

• The left image needs to be on top

Name Convention for Advanced Import only

• The name must contain “stereo”
• Example: Location1-stereo.jpg
• The term “stereo” will be removed from the displayed Location name.

See also: Import - Advanced

Tip

In stereoscopic locations it may be necessary to adjust the distance of HotSpots or icons. You can adjust this comfortably via the controllers: Controller

To achieve a higher resolution on iOS devices please use Cubefaces.

360° Videos

Maximum Dimensions

3840 x 1920 pixels (larger videos are hardware dependent possible)

Recommended Dimensions

3840 x 1920 pixels

Maximum Dimensions for iOS

3840 x 1920 pixels

The used video codec needs to be present on the target system.

See also Codecs: Codecs and File Formats

360° Videos Stereoscopic

Recommended Dimensions

3840 x 2560 pixels - stretched.

Maximum Dimensions for iOS

3840 x 3840 pixels

Maximum Dimensions for Oculus Go

3840 x 2160 pixels

Format Convention

The left image needs to be on top

Name Convention for Advanced Import only

• The name must contain “stereo”
• Example: Location1-stereo.mp4
• The term “stereo” will be removed from the displayed Location name.

See also: Import - Advanced

The specific video codec that is used needs to be present any computer used to view the project.

See also Codecs: Codecs and File Formats

Use Cube Faces - Advanced

360° Images as Cube Faces

• via the input folder

  • name1.jpg, name2.jpg, … name6.jpg
  • “name” will be used by present4D
  • The images will be renamed to 1.jpg…6.jpg

• via Data Folder:

  • 1.jpg, …, 6.jpg

  View	KRPano	VR-Suite	VR-Suite WebExport
  front	Krpanobild_f.jpg	1.jpg	pano_f.jpg
  right	Krpanobild_r.jpg	2.jpg	pano_r.jpg
  back	Krpanobild_b.jpg	3.jpg	pano_b.jpg
  left	Krpanobild_l.jpg	4.jpg	pano_l.jpg
  up	Krpanobild_u.jpg	5.jpg	pano_u.jpg
  down	Krpanobild_d.jpg	6.jpg	pano_d.jpg

360° Images as stereoscopic Cube Faces

• Create beside the folder 1_X a folder 1_XS for the images of the right eye and move the files manually there.

Cube face: 2048 x 2048

(currently we recommend 1536 x 1536)

Cube face stereoscopic: 2048 x 2048

(currently we recommend 1536 x 1536)

Streaming 360° Videos

Use Add 360° Locations in the iMenu and copy the path like the following examples:

Online Progressive File Stream

https://dooq1e0hpzj6a.cloudfront.net/pegasusFeatHappyFamily/pegasus_happy_family_mono_1920.mp4

Note

For Android https must be used!

Local Live Stream:

• present4D supports HLS and RTSP
• Example: https://10.224.224.224/hls/local/index.m3u8

For Advanced Import

put a .m3u file instead of the video file inside the 1_X folder.

Example for a local stream content inside the .m3u file:

#EXTINF:0,Channel https://10.224.224.224/hls/local/index.m3u8

Functions and Settings

All of the functions and settings in this section are found on the iMenu when in Editor Mode.

How to find the Settings Menu for 360° Locations

1. Editor Start Mode
2. Launch the iMenu
3. choose the tab Locations

1. Open Windows folder

How to find the Settings Menu for 360° Locations

If you aim for the folder icon to the left of the Location name, Windows File Explorer is opened and the folder where that file is located is displayed.

2. Change Order in the iMenu

How to find the Settings Menu for 360° Locations

View the Quick help on Youtube

After you add Locations to your project, you may want to change the order in which they appear. The order of Locations in the iMenu is important because this is one tool commonly used to navigate through the project. To change the order of Locations:

1. Highlight the Location you wish to change.
2. Select the Movement icon to the right of the Location name. A check mark appears next to the name and the name of the Location is now attached to the cursor so you can move it.
3. Select more Locations if needed by scrolling over the name and clicking in the box to check it.
4. Move the cursor to the desired position in the list.
5. Select the downward arrow icon to set the new position. The Location being moved will always be placed below the name of the Location where you selected the arrow.

Warning

When changing the order of 360° Locations in iMenu, the HotSpot links will not be manipulated automatically. Please check manually.

3. Create a Category of Locations in the iMenu

How to find the Settings Menu for 360° Locations

If your project has a large number of Locations, it may be helpful to organize them into categories. Categories can make the project easier and faster to navigate through. For example, if your project consists of all the rooms in a large building, you could group areas together by creating categories for each floor or for specific sections of the building.

View the Quick help on Youtube

1. Highlight the first Location you wish to add to a category.
2. Select the Movement icon to the right of the Location name. A check mark appears next to the name and the name of the Location is now attached to the cursor so you can move it.
3. Select more Locations for this category, if desired, by scrolling over the name and clicking in the box to check it.
4. Select the Create Category option on the bottom of the iMenu.
5. Enter a new name and confirm with the green Check Mark. In non-VR mode, you can also type the name on your keyboard.
6. The name of the new category is now displayed in the iMenu list of Locations.
7. To navigate to the Locations in the category, highlight the category name and click the right-pointing arrow.
8. To return to the list of other Locations, click the left-pointing arrow at the top of the list of Location names.

4. Delete a Location Category

How to find the Settings Menu for 360° Locations

Follow these steps to delete a Location Category by moving all the Locations out of it:

View the Quick help on Youtube

1. Highlight the first Location in the category that you want to delete.
2. Select the Movement icon to the right of the Location name. A check mark appears next to the name and the name of the Location is now attached to the cursor so you can move it.
3. Select all the Locations in the category by scrolling over each name and clicking in the box to check it.
4. Click the left-pointing arrow at the top of the list of Location names.
5. Highlight the category name that you wish to delete and click the downward-pointing arrow.
6. The Locations will be returned to the full list and the category will be deleted automatically.

5. Change Name

How to find the Settings Menu for 360° Locations

It is possible to change the name of any Location by following these steps:

1. Highlight the name of the Location that you wish to change.
2. Select the Pencil icon.
3. Enter a new name and confirm with the green Check Mark. In non-VR mode, you can also type the name on your keyboard.

All HotSpots that point to this Location are automatically renamed.

6. Navigate to a 360° Location

How to find the Settings Menu for 360° Locations

In the iMenu, the Location that is currently displayed is marked with a light blue color. Navigate to any other Location with these steps:

1. Highlight the name of the Location that you wish to display.
2. Select the Arrow in a Circle icon.
3. The selected Location is then displayed and is visible behind the iMenu.

7. Change Media File

Press this button to change the 360° media file for this location.

8. 360° Videos Play/Pause

How to find the Settings Menu for 360° Locations

The editor of a project can define whether video controls (Play/Pause buttons) are visible when playing a 360° video. To change this setting:

• Video Controls Activated: In 360° videos, the video controls are shown when you look down (about 80°)
• Video Controls Deactivated: the 360° video controls will not be shown. This is useful when there is a menu structure based on 360° videos.

9. Lens Flare

How to find the Settings Menu for 360° Locations

For outdoor scenes, you can choose to show a lens flare around the sun. This is a commonly used special effect that adds realism to the scene.

1. Highlight the name of the Location where you wish to display a lens flare.
2. Select the Lens Flare icon to switch on lens flare for this Location.
3. Navigate to the desired Location and close the iMenu.
4. Drag the lens flare symbol to be over the sun in the view.
5. Close Editor Mode to see the effect of the lens flare.

10. Welcome Text

How to find the Settings Menu for 360° Locations

Welcome Text is an optional label and sub-label that you define for each Location. You can choose to have the Welcome Text displayed always when the user navigates to that Location or only the first time. Welcome text is displayed for about four seconds, then it fades away.

To change the Welcome Text settings and display Welcome Text at a particular Location:

1. Select the Settings icon at the top of the iMenu and scroll through the options until you find Show Welcome Text
2. Click in the User column to change whether the Welcome Text is displayed only once, or always, when a user navigates to the selected Location. This setting affects all Welcome Text in the project.
3. Highlight the name of the Location where you wish to display the Welcome Text.
4. Select the Welcome Text icon to the right of the name of that Location.
5. Enter what you want displayed for the Welcome Text headline and confirm it with the green Check Mark. In non-VR mode, you can also type the name on your keyboard.
6. Enter what you want displayed for the sub-headline and confirm it with the green Check Mark. If you do not want a sub-headline, select the green Check Mark to continue.
7. Close present4D and restart it for the changes to take effect.

The Locations that have Welcome Text displayed have the words Welcome Text visible on the right side of the iMenu. To remove Welcome Text from any Location, click on the Welcome Text icon in that row and restart present4D.

11. Delete Location

Delete this 360°-Location from your Project and delete the 360° media file and all multimedia contents of the location folder from hard drive! At Windows the files will be moved to recycle bin.

Codecs and File Formats

• .mp4 preferred Format (using Windows 7 and 8 you need to install the LAV Filter Codec, please google for the latest version.)
• .wmv
• .jpg
• .png
• .pdf

Ground logo

You can overlay the view downwards with a logo or graphic to enhance your branding or conceal the tripod.

1. Create a file groundLogo.png with the dimensions 1024 x 1024 pixels (other sizes are possible)
2. Put the file in the folder xxx-xxx/data_myproject/
3. Start the VR-Suite

Video End Actions - Advanced

Advanced users can also use the Video end Actions to automate which action should be triggered at the end of a video.

Background Sounds - Advanced

It is possible to embed three sound types:

• 3D directional sound
• Stereo background sound per Location
• global stereo background sound per Project

Here you can find all details about the sound options:

• Global Background Sound
• Audio Files

Video Tutorials

Visit our Youtube Tutorial Video Channel