Chapter 7

Starting and Using XSI

Starting SOFTIMAGE|XSI

The method you use to start SOFTIMAGE|XSI depends on which operating system you’re using: Windows, IRIX, or Linux. Methods for starting on all operating systems are described in this section. Exiting the application is the same on all operating systems (see Exiting XSI).

Starting XSI on Windows

There are several ways to start on a Windows system:

Starting with the Windows Start Menu

If you installed in the default configuration, you can start from the Windows Start menu in the lower-left corner of the Windows desktop. To do this:

Starting from the Windows Command Line

Starting from the Windows command line lets you specify various startup options, such as the project you want to load.

To start from the Windows command line
  1. Open a command-prompt window. If your Start menu is in its default configuration, you can choose Start > Programs > Softimage products > SOFTIMAGE XS1 3.0  > Command Prompt.
  2. To start without any options, type:
    3. 		XSI 
 
    
If you use a standard command prompt to start XSI, type:

    
		xsi.bat 
 
    
To start and load a specific project list or scene file, type the startup option on the same line after the above command. For example, to start with a specific scene, type:

    
		XSI <scene_file_name.scn>

Once XSI has started, you can exit the command prompt window at any time.

Note  

For a list of command-line options you can use when starting XSI, type xsi -h.

Creating a Shortcut for Starting on Windows

To create a shortcut to XSI on the desktop
  1. From the Windows Explorer, go to the directory where the XSI batch file (xsi.bat) resides. By default, this should be in \Softimage\XSI_3.0\Application\bin.
  2. Right-click the xsi.bat file and choose Create Shortcut.

    3. A shortcut to the batch file is created.

  3. Drag the shortcut icon to your desktop.
  4. Start XSI by double-clicking the shortcut icon.
  5. To change the name of the shortcut, click the icon’s name once and then type a new name.
To modify a shortcut by specifying startup options
  1. Right-click the shortcut icon and choose Properties from the pop-up menu.
  2. On the Shortcut tab of the Shortcuts dialog box, add any desired options to the command line in the Target text box. Make sure the entire command, including the options, are enclosed inside quotation marks.

For more information about the desktop, shortcuts, the Windows Explorer, and folder windows, please see your Windows operating system documentation.

Starting XSI on IRIX

To start XSI on an IRIX system

Choose Softimage Products > SOFTIMAGE XSI_3.0 from the Toolchest.

Note  

If you start XSI from the Toolchest, you may want to open a console window to monitor any error messages that may occur while you’re working with XSI.

To open a console window, choose System > Start New Console from the Toolchest.

Starting from an IRIX Shell

You can also start from a shell if you want to start XSI using specific options.

  1. From your user account, type source ~/.xsi_3.0

    2. Note  

    You must now source the .xsi_3.0 file manually because the .cshrc file no longer sources the environments needed.

  2. Type xsi at the prompt. The welcome screen appears.

If you will be starting from a shell on a regular basis, you can configure the .cshrc file so that you will not have to source the .xsi_3.0 file manually every time you start.

  1. Make sure that the .xsi_3.0 file is in your home directory.

    2. If the file does not exist, you have not yet updated your user account. For more information on updating IRIX user accounts, see Updating User Account Information (IRIX).

  2. Use a text editor (such as vi or jot) to edit the .cshrc file.

    3. If you have upgraded from SOFTIMAGE|3D, delete the line reading source ~/.softimage

  3. Add a line reading source ~/.xsi_3.0
    • If SOFTIMAGE|EddieŽ version 3.5 SP1 is installed on your computer, this line must appear after the line that sources the SOFTIMAGE|Eddie 3.5 SP1 variables.
    • If an earlier version of Eddie™ is installed on your computer, this line must appear before the line that sources the Eddie variables.

      Note  

      For a list of command-line options you can use when starting XSI, type xsi -h.

Creating a Shortcut for starting XSI from the Toolchest

Assuming XSI 3.0 is installed in /usr/Softimage/XSI_3.0, do the following to create an XSI shortcut from the Toolchest:

  1. Copy /usr/Softimage/XSI_3.0/.xsi_3.0 to your home ~/ directory.
  2. Type jot ~/.xsi_3.0.

    3. Make sure SPM_HOST points to the correct location of your license server.

  3. Type jot ~/.auxchestrc. Add the following lines:
    4. 	Menu Softimage
	{
		"XSI 3.0"						f.exec "source 
~/xsi_3.0;/usr/Softimage/XSI_3.0/Application/bin/xsi"
	}
  4. Save ~/.auxchestrc and relog into your account for the changes to take effect.

Starting XSI on Linux

xsi (lower case letters) is a script that sources .xsi_3.0 (the environment script) and then executes the XSI (upper case letters) software.

You can choose to source the environment script first when you open a shell and then run XSI or you can change directories to
<XSI installation path>/Application/bin/ and run xsi (the script) directly.
To start XSI from a shell
  1. Open a terminal.
  2. From your user account, type source ~/.xsi_3.0
  3. Type XSI at the prompt. The welcome screen appears.

    4. or

  4. Open a terminal.
  5. Change directories to <XSI installation path>/Application/bin/.
  6. Type xsi (lower case letters). The welcome screen appears.
To create a shortcut for starting XSI

There are a number of window managers that you can choose to install, and therefore, there is no one way to create an icon on your desktop or add a menu item to start XSI. Refer to your window manager’s documentation for more information.

If you create a shortcut on the desktop or in the menu bar/task bar, make sure it runs the xsi script directly, which will automatically source the environment script before running XSI.

XSI and Window Management

XSI runs in its own window, which means that you can minimize, maximize, resize, and move it as you would any other window. You can also switch between it and any other open window (Alt+Tab for Windows and Alt+Esc for IRIX). For more information about these tasks, refer to your operating system documentation.

On Linux, there are many window managers that can be used and the options they offer are all very different and quite customizable. By default, XSI does not obey any window manager keystrokes. For example, Alt+Tab is used to switch tasks in Gnome, but it does not work with XSI.

You can set an environment variable so that XSI uses your window manager’s windowing system: In a shell, type.xsi_3.0 setenv MWWM allwm before starting XSI. Now Alt+Tab will switch windows.

In the case of Gnome and the Sawfish window managers,
Alt+left-mouse-button is used to move windows around. This key binding is also used by XSI for another purpose. To avoid this conflict, you can either install and use a different window manager or run XSI without a window manager. To do this:

For more details, consult the documentation for your preferred window manager.

Once You’re Up and Running...

If you are starting XSI for the first time, you are prompted to choose an interaction model and then create a project from the Project Manager.

Interacting with XSI

The interaction model controls how mouse and keystroke interaction will be interpreted in XSI. The interaction model sets the mapping of keyboard shortcuts to XSI commands (key map), whether or not sticky keys are available, which tool is active by default, and how key and mouse buttons are used to select objects and components in 3D views.

It is recommended that you choose the SOFTIMAGE|XSI interaction model because it is optimized for use with all XSI tools.

For more information about changing your interaction preferences and customizing your keyboard shortcuts, see Chapter 22: Defining Your Workspace of the Fundamentals guide.

See also Selecting Objects Using the Different Interaction Models and Selecting Components Using the Different Interaction Models in Chapter 10 of the Fundamentals guide.

Creating the First Project

The very first time you run XSI, the Project Manager opens and you are prompted to create a new project in which to store your XSI scenes.

In XSI, you always work within the structure of a project. Projects exist as folders and contain scene information in the form of scene description files. Scene files are recognized by their .scn file extensions. A project can contain an unlimited number of scenes.

To create a new project
  1. Click the New Project button to display the New Project dialog box.
  2. In the Project Name text box, enter a unique name for your project.
  3. In the Location text box, edit the path of the folder to which you would like the project to be saved.
  4. In the Project Manager, click New Scene to create a new scene for your project.

For more information, see Chapter 5: Projects & Scenes in the Fundamentals guide.

Exiting XSI

After you have completed your work session in XSI, save your work and exit.

Depending on your preferences, any changes you made to your workspace layout are saved when you exit and automatically recalled the next time you start.

To exit
  1. Do one of the following:
    • Choose File > Exit from the main menu bar.

      • or

    • Click the close icon (×) at the far right of the title bar.

      • or

    • Press Alt+F4.
  1. If you have made any changes to the scene or the layout, you are prompted to save them before exiting. Click one of the following:
    • Yes to save your changes. For more information about saving scenes in general, see Saving Scenes in Chapter 5 of the Fundamentals guide.

      • or

    • No to exit without saving.

      • or

    • Cancel to continue working.