Main Toolbar

Main Toolbar
File Menu
Move Menu
Create Menu
Geometry Menu
Material Menu
Scene States Menu
VR Effects / Media Menu
Interactions Menu
Training Builder Menu
Dynamic Builder
VR Catalog Menu
VR Viewer Menu
VR Evaluation
Help Menu

Main Toolbar

Main tool bar in SimLab Studio is located at the top of the application, it gives the user access to the different menus:

File Menu

Scene Group

New/New Protected

Clears the current scene, then displays Welcome (new scene dialog), where the user can select to open a ready-to-use environment, open a scene, or create an empty one.

Images for the last opened scenes are displayed under the Recent Files tab for quick access.

New Protected option is the same as creating a new scene, except that this scenes can only be saved as sim, zim, or VRpackage. If the user attempts to export it into any of the available formats, the below message will appear. This is done to protect users' property 3D models from being used by others.

Open/Open Recent

Open will open "Open VR Studio file" dialog, where the user can browse to a *.sim or *.zim file to open. The Open Recent on the other hand will show a list of the last few *.sim or *.zim files that were opened.

Save/Save As

Opens Save VR Studio file dialog, where the user can select the name and location for the created *.sim or*.zim file format

Note: Sim file (*.sim) is the native file format for VR Studio. It stores the scene, but it does not include contents it references in the disk space. For moving files between machines it is better to save the scene as Zipped Sim File (*.zim), which collects all needed resources (textures, sounds, thumbnails, and other resources) and saves them in a single file that can be passed between machines as it is contains all what is needed.

Sim and Zim files are compatible between SimLab VR Studio and SimLab Composer in case you need to open a file for rendering, or using any other feature from SimLab Composer. Models can be moved in (*.zim) format and both VR Studio and SimLab Composer should be of the same version.

Increment then Save

This feature (with shortcut Ctrl+Alt+Shift+S) will save new increments for the same (*.sim) file. These increment files can be helpful in undoing a feature in a complicated scene after some time. So the user can go back to the file before the feature was added and continue from there, in other words, creating lots of backup saves in case something wrong happens.

Pack

In addition to *.zim you can use pack the scene to pack the model and its textures in one zip file. Supported formats to be used for Packing include OBJ, Collada, and FBX. This is used usually to move files to other applications on other machines.

Scene Optimization

In VR and especially when using stand-alone devices like Quest, Pico, Android, or iOS, it is important to make sure you are not consuming a large amount of memory for textures on those devices to have a smooth VR Experience.

This option contains option for the optimization on 3D objects, texture or lights objects in the scene all in one dialog, the following video will explain the content of this dialog:

The dialog can also be accessed from Show in Viewer dialog, under the VR Viewer menu.

Replace Rules

Replace rules makes it easy to replace geometries in the imported file with new entities. For example you can replace a simple cube geometry named "fire" with VR Fire effect. It also supports replacing material types, for example each material that includes plastic in its name can be automatically converted to a plastic material.

This tool is usually used by 3D designers, where they do not need to repeat tasks in VR Studio when moving their models.

Import/Export

Opens the corresponding Import/Export Geometry dialog. The import function enables the user to build scenes of 3D models from different file formats. The export function, on the other hand, enables the user to share the created 3D scenes with others in different file formats.

In the Import Geometry dialog, the user can browse to 3D geometry to import. Clicking Open displays the Import File dialog, where the user can set different options for 3D import. General Settings include Up vector, Z axis is selected by default. The user can choose a different axis depending on the design of the imported 3D geometry.
Place in view, places the import geometry in the current view, rather than the center of the scene. Keep dynamic link, when checked keeps 3D geometry linked and automatically updates to any changes in the home CAD application.
Zoom to imported model, imports the object to the center of the scene and zooms the camera to it.

Import Measurement and annotations, will import these elements with the 3D geometry.

The Import File dialog will have more elements depending on the imported file format. The image on the left below, is for 3D PDF file import, while the one on the right is for DWG file import.

Export function will open the Export Geometry dialog, and will enable the user to export the 3D model to any of the supported file formats. For a list of supported Import/Export file formats, visit this page.

Export Selection

The user can select specific nodes/objects from the scene to be exported. The objects will be exported to the specified folder with their names in the Objects Tree.

Export Selection can be used to export a single part from the 3D scene or to create a VR Catalog, from the exported selections *.vrpackage(s). Creating VR Catalogs is a feature in SimLab Composer Ultimate edition. The following video shows export selection in action:

Clouds Group

This function enables users to share their 3D scenes as VR Package on SimLab Cloud. When selecting this option the Login dialog will appear, where the user can Sign Up/Sign in.

Once the user logs in, the Cloud Sharing dialog will appear, allowing the user to share created 3D scenes with full features as VR Package. Full features mean all created animation, scene states, actions and more. By default, a user will start with a trial sharing space of 2 GB valid for 3 months.

A user can manage uploaded files by clicking the Manage Cloud Files button in the Cloud Sharing dialog, which will open the Sharing Manager dialog. As the sharing period or space are expired, a user can purchase SimLab sharing keys. To learn more about sharing methods and capabilities please refer to this video tutorial (Share VR Package section ONLY).

Settings

Preferences

Common settings for 3D scenes can be adjusted once in the Preferences dialog.

Appearance Tab

In this tab the user can set the preferred appearance options in SimLab VR Studio, including:

Language and font: The user can select the language and the font style to be used in SimLab VR Studio from the supported languages combo box, and available fonts list. Changing the language, and font takes effect next time SimLab VR Studio runs.

Style: Change the transparency for the Objects Tree, and set appearance for 3D area. The 3D area appearance can be set as color, or background image.

Show Objects Quick Access Toolbar: shows the Quick Access Toolbar for ease of access for its objects functionalities.
Generate material preview images: generates preview images to the scene materials in the Scene Materials dialog.

Import/Export Tab

Import measurements and text annotations: The user can select to import measurement and text annotations created in the design CAD package.
Import polylines can also be checked, and the width of the imported lines can be specified.
Automatically generate texture coordinates: Texture coordinates for the imported geometry will be automatically generated when this option is checked.
Scale down preview images of textures: Reduces the size of textures images for improving interactivity.

Import/Export File dialog is shown by default. So every time the user imports or exports models/ scenes the dialogs will appear.
If "Do not show again for this file type" option in the dialog is checked, the user can click the "Show all" option and that will reset the dialogs to show for all.

Advanced Tab

Annotation Settings group: the user can select to let SimLab VR Studio auto set the size of the annotations, or set its Default Size. Measurement Units, and its Precision can also be set here.

Camera Settings group: has two options Keep Above Ground; stops the camera rotation at the ground level, and will not go below, and it is applicable to Parallel and Perspective cameras.
Two Sided Lighting: when checked will draw faces twice so it is always visible, it may give better visualization, but it is recommended to uncheck this option for large scenes.

Directories Settings group: the user may select to move the User Data directory to a new location, the user should copy the original data to the new location before setting the new User Data folder.
Reset Composer data button: will reset the composer data to its original settings.

Flying Mode Settings group: it allows the user to adjust flying and rotation speed while navigation inside VR Studio, when using the keyboard keys for moving and mouse for looking around.

Backup Tab

Auto-Save option with its attributes is in this tab. The user can enable this option here and set its properties shown in the image below:

In the image below Enable Auto-Save is checked with a certain notification time. Action countdown until saving is the start time the countdown will appear as shown below. The notification position is set to the Right bottom corner.

Singular and Incremental Auto-Save modes: Singular keeps only one independent auto-saved file located next to the scene file. Incremental on the other hand keeps independent auto-saved files located next to the scene file.

Exit

Will display the Save File dialog for the user to save the current scene before exiting the application.

Move Menu

Includes all Transform/Snap/Pivot Tools necessary for positioning any geometry in a 3D scene.

Transform

Transform functions are used for placing 3D models.

Select None: will clear selection, shortcut (Esc button)

Transform: Displays transform axes on the selected object, allowing the user to move, rotate, and scale the object. The transform axis will be aligned with the object orientation as shown in the image below. shortcut (2)

Global Transform: Displays transform axes on the selected object, allowing the user to move, rotate, and scale the object. The movement axis will be aligned with world axes, so direction is not affected with selection rotation, shortcut (3)

When the user clicks any dragger, a small scroll combo box will appear in the Quick Access Toolbar. The user can use this box to input exact numbers for translation/rotation/scale or can just scroll up and down. If the user prefers to freely drag the 3D geometry, this can be done using the dragger in the 3D area

Snap

Snap functions are used for aligning 3D models, and there are two types:

Snap To Ground: Snaps the selected object(s) to the ground, shortcut (G)

Snap To Object: Prompts the user to select the object to snap to, then snaps the selected object(s) to the target one, shortcut (N)

Align: Aligns selected object(s) along a user defined axis, can be used in conjunction with SimLab VR Studio picking modes, shortcut (A)

Dynamic Snap: A smart tool that aids the user in placing an object in accordance with its surrounding. When activated, a blue box will envelope the selected object which in turn will snap and collide with nearby objects giving the user a guide on how to place the object without penetrating other objects in the scene, shortcut (5), check this tutorial

Pivot Tools

The pivot of a 3D geometry is the point around which transformations to that geometry are applied. By default pivot is in the center of the geometry, if you want to rotate the object around one of its sides instead of its center, you need to move the pivot.

Show Pivot: Shows pivot point for the selected geometry and grant control over its location and rotation, shortcut (4)
Move Pivot: Allows the user to move the pivot point to another point location. The user can make use of the Pick Mode options described in the Common Toolbar, to help in selecting the point's location accurately.
Snap Pivot: Requires the user to select two points, and the pivot of the 3D geometry will be snapped to the center between them. The user can make use of the Pick Mode options described in the Common Toolbar, to help in selecting points accurately.
Reset Pivot: This function restores a modified pivot location to the center of the selected geometry.

Create Menu

Enables the user to create different scene elements that can add value to 3D scenes.

Lights

Light sources in SimLab VR Studio:

Point Light

Creates a spherical Light Source geometry and adds it to the scene. Point lights can be moved and positioned, using any of the move draggers.

The light properties can be found in the Properties Panel, to the right of the 3D area. There, the user can edit the light properties, like changing its color, or its power. The following image shows properties of the point light.

Area Light

Depending on the effect the user needs, this is another light type that can be used. Same as Point light, area lights have parameters that the user can change in the Properties Panel.

Spot Light

In addition to the main light properties, spot light has blend property that reduces the sharpness of the spot light making it blend with the environment. It also has Cone Angle property that sets the angle of the light.

Directional Light

Directional lights are for exterior scenes. The user can change the direction of the light but not its location. Other parameters for this light include, light color, light power, and light name.

IES Light

IES Lights describe light distribution, the user can create an IES light from the Create -> Lights menu or from the Library -> Lighting Settings -> IES Light as shown in the image below

Shapes

The shapes are Plane, Box, Sphere and Cylinder;

First the user needs to select the method for creating the 3D shape as follows:

Draw on Object

This way is useful when the object is rotated and an object needs to be added on it. Check this tutorial to learn more about this function.

Draw on Grid

Creates 3D shapes based on the size of the grid dimensions. Select the plane to draw the 3D shape on, then select the shape. Check this tutorial to learn more about this function.

Draw by Dimensions

The user needs to input coordinates/dimensions for the shape to draw in the Create Basic Shape dialog as shown below:

Plane: Creates a 2D Plane, in Center field, coordinates are entered. Width and Depth values determine the size of the created plane.

Box: Creates a 3D Box, in Center field, coordinates are entered. Width, Depth, and Height determine the size of the created box.

Sphere: Creates a 3D sphere, in Center field, coordinates are entered. Radius determines the size of the created sphere.

Cylinder: Creates a 3D Cylinder, in Center field, coordinates are entered. Radius and Height determine the size of the created cylinder.

After creating a basic shape, selecting the shape will show its Control Points which appear in white. Picking on one of these points will change it into an arrow that can be pulled to update the size of the basic shape, as shown in the image below.

Paths

Create Path

Paths created in SimLab Composer/Studio can be from points in 3D space or on a plane. So when clicking the Create Path option, the Path Creation dialog will open, for the user to pick 3D or planer path.

Picking points in 3D space will create a path that is not on one plane. This can be useful to create a path for geometry to follow, or path for camera.

Picking points on a plane, requires specifying the plane to create the path on. The path and all selected points will be on this plane.

Both path creation options will open the Path Creation dialog shown below, where the user can create different types of paths.

The user can select Linear Path, B-Spline Path, Arc Path, or switch between the types to have a line segment for example following a B-Spline Path.

Paths can be open or closed, clicking on the first point in the path will close the path.

Apply Tangents

One of the points of a created path should be selected, before choosing this option. The program will ask for picking a point and normal to determine the tangent. So picking a point will modify the location of the picked path point to become tangent to the selected point.

Generate From 2D

Creates 2D path from the outline of a selected surface. Using the Select options from the Common Tool bar can help in selecting a face, like selecting Pick Edge Loop, as shown in the image below.

Feature

Features created in SimLab Composer/Studio allow the user to perform basic modifications and improvements to 3D models in order to improve the realism of the 3D scene without needing to revert to a CAD application.

Sweep

This feature enables users to extrude a shape along a created path. After creating the path and shape, select Sweep form the menu, and start by picking the path to sweep along as the message indicates. Next, select the profile to sweep, and rotate the profile as desired then click to create sweep.

Extrude

Create a closed 2D shape, then in the extrude window enter the height, and a 3D object will be created. If an open 2D shape is used the created model will be hollow.

Wire

A path should be created first for the wire to follow, then the steps are as shown below. Check this tutorial on how to create wires.

Street

SimLab VR Studio's Street creation tool expands design capabilities effortlessly and efficiently.

Create a path for the street to follow
Select the path then select Street under Features from the Create menu
Select the type of street from the available options

4. Select texture for street and pavement once you click on (+) in the textures side of the window.

5. Click Create and the street will appear in the 3D area and will be added to the Objects Tree

Annotations

Adding annotations and measurements to 3D scenes in SimLab VR Studio, can create a professional presentation that facilitates communicating and sharing a design.

Upon selecting this option, 3D plane selection will appear to select the the plane on which to create the annotations. If it did not appear click on the Pick button highlighted in the image below.
Selecting the proper plane for the annotations creation is crucial in terms of where the annotations will be projected for viewing. You also have the option to offset the plane you have selected parallel to its axes. Measurement units can be changed in the dialog below.

Several types of annotations can be created.

Linear, measures the projected width between two points and not the distance between them.
Aligned, measures the distance between two points in space without projecting their location on a principal axes
Radial, measures radial distance of 3D object.
Angular, measures the angle between two intersecting lines.
Leader, adds custom text with a pointer to the design.

Bounding Box Group

Creates a ghost box for a single selected object or a group of objects. The ghost box can then be used in a Boolean operation to modify the geometry of objects. Select an object or group of objects, then click select Bounding Box form the Create menu. The Bounding Box will appear and will be added to the Objects Tree.

Camera

Creates a camera in the 3D area and adds it to the Scene Browser. All necessary functions for creating, and setting the different cameras can be found in the Properties dialog when the camera is selected.

Billboard

Creates geometry that will be always aligned to the current camera. The plane geometry linked to the Billboard will rotate around the local Z axis to face the viewer at all times.

To create a Billboard, select Billboard from the Create menu, click anywhere in the 3D area to pick a position (X, Y, Z) to place the billboard at. Browse and select an image (choose PNG image format to preserve transparency). The default image will be a tree if the user didn't select an image. Enter the suitable height in meters, it takes the aspect ratio of the selected image, the width of the Billboard will be approximated automatically.

The billboard object always faces the camera, to allow architects to add PNG trees and humans to the scene.

Decal

Applying a company logo, or product images to 3D models is made easier with Decal Creation from the Create menu. The parameters in the Decal window are:

Image: Requires setting a valid path for a valid image file.
Projection Scale: Uniform scale value applied to the decal image.
Display Projection Image: Check box which if checked will display selected image for easier application.

To learn more about decal creation, check this tutorial, and this article

Text

2D Text

Used to create 2D text, that can be formatted as in any other text editor, as shown in the dialog below. This 2D text can be saved as a *.png Image that can be used to create Decal.

A plane can be created by picking two points, in the dialog below, and the 2D text will be attached to it.

Finally the 2D text can be added as a Billboard by selecting a position for it in the dialog shown below.

3D Text

In the Create Text3D dialog, the user can type in text, and select its format. Clicking OK will create 3D text parallel to the ground at the center of the 3D area. An assembly with geometry for all letters in the text will be added to the Scene Browser, and different transforms can be applied to the 3D text. A user can also change the material of the generated 3D Text, by dragging material form the materials library, and dropping it on its geometry in the Scene Browser.

To modify anything in the created 3D text, select the text in the 3D area, or from the Scene Browser, to display its properties in the Properties Panel.

Section Plane

Section plane will be created and selected in the 3D area with the 3D dragger to enable the user to transform/rotate the section plane. Section plane effects are exported to file formats such as OBJ.
By default a section plane cuts through the whole scene. Using the Break By Section Plane tool in the Geometry menu, the user can select the geometry to cut using the section plane(s).
In the image shown below a scene with three spheres inside each other and three section planes were created with different orientations. Select each section plane and use it to cut through the outside and the middle spheres. To do that go to Geometry menu and with the sphere to cut being selected, select Break by Section Plane function. This will break the geometry into two in the Scene Browser and the 3D area.

Repeating this for all three section planes will split each sphere into eight parts. Deleting/ hiding some of the parts will result in the shown image.

Geometry Menu

Break Group

Break Geometry

The smallest representation of geometry in SimLab VR Studio is 3D Geom, which is a geometry that has one transform and one material applied to it. All contents of 3D Geom are moved together, and have the same material.
Some model formats do not support saving Scene Browser structure, so when importing 3D models of those formats, 3D Geom can contain many none connected parts. The Break Geometry tool enables the user to break a 3D Geom that contains none connected parts into multiple 3D Geoms. Each one of the new 3D Geoms can be moved separately and can be assigned a unique material.

Break Faces

In case the Break Geometry tool fails, Break Faces will break the selected 3D model into its faces. Each face will be converted to 3D Geom, and added to the Scene Browser. Unique materials can be assigned to each face.

Break by Section Plane

A section plane should be created first in the scene, using Section Plane function in the Create menu. This function requires/enables the user to select the geometry to cut through. Using the same section plane with different orientations, different cuts can be done on the geometry.

Break Instances

Instances in SimLab VR Studio are multiple duplicates of an object using the same materials structure, and same transforms as the original object. Instances are created by selecting an object then clicking Ctrl+t. In the below image a second water pump was created as an instance of the original one, thus they share the same material.

Using Break Instances each pump can now have its own materials/transforms.

Explode Group

Explode / UnExplode

Can be used to show the components of an assembly. Selecting it will show geometry draggers, allowing the user to move (explode) the selected object(s) in the X, Y, and Z directions. The user can also rotate the dragger to select an arbitrary vector to be used for exploding the assembly. Check this tutorial for more about Explode function.

The user should click either the Approve or the Decline mark in In the central part of 3D area, when done with exploding the geometry. Clicking the red Decline mark will cancel the operation of creating the exploded view. After completing the explode operation the user can go back to the original model by selecting UnExplode.

Tools Group

Merge on Material

With an assembly selected in the 3D area, selecting this tool will merge geometry using the same material into a single geometry.

Smooth Normals

This tool can be used to average the normals of the geometry to appear smoother during rendering. Also vertices having the same position and normal direction will be replaced by a single vertex, thus reduce the size and complexity of a 3D model.

Flip Normals

Clicking this tool will have the selected objects' normals flipped.

Fix Scene Normal

Generates appropriate normals for the selected geometry.

Mesh Decimation

Reduces the number of polygons in the selected geometry without affecting its appearance greatly.

The following tutorial shows Mesh Decimation in action, The tool can be very helpful if you need to run VR experience on memory limited devices

Info

Clicking this tool will display Geometrical Info dialog, showing the number of objects, vertices, and polygons in the selected geometry. Knowing the number of vertices and polygons can help a user estimate the size of the output file. This might make the user ignore some details, for sharing efficiency. Shortcut (Ctrl + Shift + I)

Voxel Group

Voxelize Selection

Voxelizing a 3D model is rebuilding the 3D model using building blocks (voxels), like LEGO. The user can choose the building block to use for voxelization, and can choose to voxelize the whole scene, or the selected geometry. Notice that this will add a significant number of polygons to the 3D scene.

The Voxelize Options dialog will open, when selecting this options. The default voxel object is a cube of certain size, and the user can choose a different object shape, by clicking the Pick voxel option. The voxel object needs to be a geometry in the scene, and the user can just pick it.

The Combine voxels based on material option, if checked, will combine all voxels, based on material, each in one geometry in the Scene Browser.
If not checked each voxel will have its own geometry in the Scene Browser.

To Voxelize any 3d model, follow the steps below:

First, export 3D model from any 3d software as one of the Supported Import Formats in Composer/ Studio
Import your model to Studio, click File → Import, or by using Ctrl+I, then select your model format and click Open.
Select the 3D model in SimLab VR Studio and click on Geometry → Voxelize Selection. The Voxelize Options dialog will appear, where the default voxel object is a cube of certain size. The smaller the size of the voxel the larger the size of the output file. The user can choose a different object by clicking the Pick voxel option then select another small object eg, Sphere, Cylinder or any object in the scene, then click Start.
When the convert operation is complete, the new object will be added to the Scene Browser.

Boolean Operations Group

Boolean Operations

Boolean operations are smart tools that ease the process of performing simple modeling tasks in SimLab VR Studio and without the need to go back to the CAD design application.

Union: Removes the intersecting part of two objects or set of objects, and preserves the remaining as one.
Difference: Deducts the shape and volume of one object or set of objects from another object or set of objects. So it's like the first 3D object minus the second.
Intersection: Preserves the intersecting part of two objects or set of objects, and removes the rest.

Material Menu

Includes all the functions needed for material application, and materials management. Check this tutorial for more about material management.

Scene Group

Manage Scene Materials

Scene Materials dialog includes the material functions shown in the image below. It shows all materials in the scene where the user can make changes to all of them at once.

Add Material: Adds a new default material to the list. The new material with all of its properties will be shown in the Properties Panel of the application Interface.
Delete Material: Deletes the selected material, from the list. In case the material is being used by objects in the scene, a dialog will appear asking the user to select a replacement material before the deletion.
Delete Unused Materials: Deletes all materials not referenced by any object in the scene.
Select Objects Using Material: This function selects all objects, in the scene using the selected material in the Scene Materials dialog. These objects-geometry will be highlighted in the Scene Browser, and in the 3D area.
Apply Material To Selected Objects: To use this function the user should select object(s) first, then select a material from the Scene Materials dialog or the from the Material Library. After that he can click this function button and the selected material will be applied to the selected objects.
Merge Identical Materials: In cases where more than one object in the 3D scene are using the same material, different copies of that material will appear in the Scene Materials window. This function cleans the materials dialog from unnecessary duplicates.
Change View: This display option is available for the user to change the way the materials are displayed, in the Scene Materials dialog. They can be displayed as Large, or Small icons, or can be shown as a list.
Sort by Name/Sort by Attributes: Two options for sorting the Scene Materials are available for the user.

Save as Library

After applying all materials for all geometry in a 3D scene, clicking this function will display the New Material Library window. In this window the user can input a name for the new library then click Ok. This will save the applied scene materials in a library, and it will be shown in the Current Library combo-box, and in the Manage Material Libraries panel.

Retain from Library

Before clicking this function button, the user should select the material library to use, in the Current Library combo-box. This function will reapply materials included in the selected library to the different geometry based on previously assigned materials names.

Merge Identical Materials

Cleans Scene Materials dialog from unnecessary duplicates.

Material Palette Group

Save Material Palette

Material palette is a useful feature that SimLab VR Studio provides, it can save materials progress in a separate external file that can be re-applied easily.

From the material menu select Save Material Palette. Set the path and name for the file and click Save.

Reopen CAD Software and load the saved file, then from the extension menu, go to SimLab VR Studio integration and select Link with SimLab VR Studio.

As you can see the materials and textures applied in SimLab VR Studio, are the same materials applied in CAD Software.

Retain Material Palette

This function allows the user to keep applied materials in SimLab VR Studio to the design. Not having this option toggled will re-import the original materials from CAD Software to the design.

Select the palette file that you previously save, and set the mode to material name

UV

Texturing is the process of applying an image to 3D object, to give it a more realistic look. Texture Coordinate menu gives the user different options to define the way the image is applied to an object.

Scene States Menu

Capture

Enables the user to capture different configurations for the selected 3D model(s) (Object Properties), or useful properties for the whole scene (Scene properties). The user can check the properties to include in a scene state.

SimLab Composer and Studio's Scene States are smart in capturing attributes, they can include any combination of the listed attributes. This can be helpful in creating scene states for models with different attributes, and setups.

Scene States may include a combination of:

Position/Transform
Material
Visibility
Lighting
Environment
Current View (Camera)

After selecting what to include in the Scene State, the user needs to click Capture to capture the scene state. Captured scene states are added to the Scene States Library.

Scene States can be applied as Object Actions in the Properties dialog. Apply Scene State can also be used as a response in Training Builder

The following tutorial shows how to use Scene States:

Generate From Cameras

Captures scene states from the created cameras in the scene, as shown in the image below:

Manage

Opens Manage Scene States Groups dialog box, where the user can add a new group, remove, rename, or reorder groups.

When creating a new Scene State it will be automatically added to the active group tab in the Scene State Library.

VR Effects / Media Menu

It is organized in the following groups:

Particles Group

Includes the below visual effects supported in SimLab Composer/VR Studio:

Make Fluid
Create Fire
Create Smoke
Create Spark
Create Shower
Create Steam
Create Wire/Rope
Create Hose
Create Spring

Make Fluid

Enables users to convert selected 3D shapes into fluids. To learn more about this feature check the following tutorial:

Create Fire and Smoke

Enables the user to add fire effect to the scene, this can be a large trailing fire, a stove, or a candle.
Fire effect automatically includes smoke option to be shown with the fire. If the user wants smoke alone without fire, then Create Smoke can be used.

The following tutorial shows the process of creating fire and smoke in Composer/VR Studio:

Create Spark

Spark effect can be used to show electrical sparks, or welding effect. The following tutorial shows how to create the spark effect:

Create Shower

For creating moving water or liquid effect in SimLab Composer or VR Studio, this can be done using shower effect. It allows the user to control color, speed and strength of water flow. The following tutorial shows the process of creating the shower effect:

Create Steam

Creates steam effect in the VR Experience with the VR Properties shown below. The user can change the steam strength and color in the Properties dialog.

Create Wire/Rope

Creates connecting wires in the scene, like connecting the soldering kit shown below with its electric plug.

The following tutorial shows the process of creating a wire:

Create Hose

Clicking this tool will create two points in the 3D area, a start point and an end point. Adjust their location to the desired location. For more about this tool check this tutorial.

Create Spring

Creates a 3D spring model with the length specified by the start and end points selected by the user. A 3D Geom for the spring will be added to the Scene Browser with its two endpoints. These points can be selected and transformed, thus changing the shape/length of the spring.

With the created spring selected, its Properties panel will appear, VR Spring properties Radius, and Thickness can be edited.

Landscape Group

Make Water

Make water works on one object or group of objects, the process is as follows:

In the Scene Browser notice that the shape of the icon for the 3D object(s) has changed to a water shape.

The water settings can be adjusted from the VR Water tab in the Properties dialog. Water settings are:

Water Color: The user can select a color to use for the water.
Water Depth, Water Speed, Water Turbidity, Wave Speed, Wave Size and Wave Roughness: These parameters can be used to make more realistic water surface.

To remove the water effect, from Scene Browser, top combo box, select VR Landscape. An 'X' mark will appear next to the water geometry, click it to remove the water effect.

Make Ground

Ground objects are objects the user can teleport to in VR. By default the user does not need to set ground objects. Any object with good orientation (has normal close to the up vector) is considered ground.

If the user wants to have more control and wants to prevent others from moving all around the scene, the user can use Make Ground to define the object(s) the user can teleport to. When Make Ground tool is used, default ground is turned off, and only objects defined as ground by the user are considered as ground

Push and hold the stick on a VR controller to activate teleportation mode. Then Release to teleport to a valid destination.

A green teleportation pointer indicates possible teleportation on an object.
A red teleportation pointer indicates forbidden teleportation on an object.

Grass

Enable users to add realistic grass effect to VR scenes. Selecting this VR effect will open the VR Grass Generator dialog.

VR Grass Generation dialog allows the user to control:

Generator Name
Geometry the grass should be added to, select the geometry then click (+)
Overall Coverage with grass from the selected object
The percentage of the different kinds of grass to be generated

The following video shows a sample of Grass effect in action:

The following tutorial shows how to use grass in Composer or VR Studio:

Media Group

Make Video

With Make Video effect, the user can convert any 3D object to a video player. The video should be an MP4 file.

The user can use a URL link in which case the video will be streamed during the VR Experience, or a local link for a file on the users machine. Local videos are automatically added to the VR Experience package, so the videos can still play when VR Experiences are distributed

The following dialog shows the VR Video properties:

To learn how to use Video effect in VR, check the following tutorial:

Remove Video

To remove a video click the "X" mark in the Scene Browser next to the 3D geometry including the video.

Video Action response in VR Training Builder can be used to control the Video play in VR. It can be used to pause, play, toggle, or seek in VR, as a response to an event. For more info about Video Actions in VR Training Builder check this tutorial.

Create Sound

This function adds 3D Sound object to the scene, and the Scene Browser. Selecting the 3D Sound form the tree will display its properties in the Properties Panel, VR Sound tab. The 3D sound object occupies a location in the 3D scene.

The user can determine if the sound should be played on start of the scene, or not. To be played once or in a loop.

The type of the 3D Sound can either be Spatial, which means the sound volume is automatically affected by the location of the 3D sound in the scene, or Constant. Constant sounds when played has the same volume in all areas of the scene.

For more information about VR Sound check this tutorial

Create Web Browser

Adds a flat screen VR Web Browser element to the Scene Browser, and the 3D area. In the Properties dialog under the VR Web Browser tab the user can input the URL for the browser to display.

The user can change the width and height of the Web Browser plane using the white points that appear on it when selected. The web browser can be placed on a PC screen, or a full wall in the VR Experience.

Create Surveillance Plane

Surveillance Plane allows the user to view far or not easy to view parts of the scene using a VR Camera. VR Surveillance plane is linked to the camera so it shows what the camera is seeing. The following tutorial shows how to use VR Surveillance.

Creating VR Camera is available under VR Viewer menu.

VR Slides Generator

PowerPoint presentations or PDF files generated in the past can now be utilized easily in VR Experiences. In few clicks you will be able to get the presentation and optionally a small podium version of it for an amazing VR Experience.

VR Slides Generator tool will automatically create the needed training builder blocks to make it easy to utilize slide switching as an event, for example to show/hide a 3D object that works well with

your presentation. To learn more about this tool check this tutorial.

UI Panel Group

Create Variable Writer

This tool enables the user to track the value of a VR Variable in the VR experience.
Click Here to learn more about creating VR Variables.

The value of the variable will be updated dynamically, so whenever the variable value changes the variable writer will be updated to show the new value of the variable. The user can control the size, and place for the variable writer, so it can be aligned on a wall in the scene or on a monitor.

User selects which variable to view, color of the text, and prefix text.

You can also change its horizontal and vertical text alignment, check "Max String Length" to keep the font size fixed, and finally check "Editable" if you want to be able to edit the variable that it contains directly while running the VR Experience in the Viewer

Create Scene States Lister

Scene State Lister automates the processes of showing the Scene States in the scenes and allows the user to switch between them during the VR Experience.

Adding a Scene State Lister will add it to the 3D area, and the Scene Browser. The user can control Scene State Lister parameters from VR Scene State Lister tab in the Properties Panel, as shown in the following image.

The following tutorial shows how to use Scene State Lister in a VR Experience:

Interactions Menu

Allows users to define interactions in VR scenes.

Grabbing Group

Make Grabbable

Makes selected object(s) grabbable in the scene. A grabbable object is an object that can be grabbed by a controller in a VR Experience or using the desktop hand and can be moved from one place to another.

Grabbable objects are highlighted clearly in the Scene Browser

Grabbable objects are highlighted in the Desktop or VR viewing modes with orange or red highlight , as shown in the following image:

Make Grabbable Sequence

Grabbable sequences allow users to interact with 3D object(s) in the Viewer by linking them to animation sequences. In the image below, an animation to control the arm was saved as a sequence, then linked to the arm object using Grabbable Sequence. When the arm is grabbed in the Viewer the path appears and the user can move the grabbed object along the path.

$image-1639835396166.png$

The following tutorial shows how to create and use Grabbable Sequence

Dynamics Group

Enable Physics

The physics feature allows for the object to have physical properties such as gravity, mass and friction. To add physics to an object select Enable Physics then select the object you want.

Make Climbable

With this feature, selected objects in the scene can be made climbable such as ladders. Just click Make Climbable and select the object you want.

Check this tutorial for more about these two features.

To adjust the Density and Restitution properties, which impact how objects behave during physics simulations, follow these steps:

1- Choose the material(s) applied to the physics objects.

2- Navigate to the Physics properties.

3- Update the Density and Restitution values according to the instructions illustrated in the accompanying image.

Training builder gives the user the option to enable/disable physics on physics objects in the VR Experience.

The response for doing that is shown in the following image:

Clipping Planes

Also known as Section Planes in VR, it can be static, animated, grabbable, and turned on/off dynamically. By determining the Clipping Plane and Clippable Objects the user can make clipping effects for some or all objects in the scene. The clipping plane can be static or it can be animated showing Clippable Objects as it moves, the Clipping Planes tutorial will show you how to use Clipping Planes and assign Clippable Objects

From VR Clipping Plane tab in the Properties Panel, the user can select to show or hide the clipping plane. The direction of the clipping plane normal determines the clipped section of the model.

Disassembly and Docking Group

Make Dock and Target

Dock is the static object, and Target is the (grabbable) moving one, so Target needs to be made Grababble first. After selecting this function the user will be asked to Select Dock Node, then to Select Target Node, and last to configure object orientation.

In the VR Experience, the user grabs the Target and when it is released (grab ends) while it is intersecting with the Dock, it is moved to the docking target's predefined position.

Remove Dock and Target

Selecting this function will prompt the user to Select Dock Node, and Select Target Node then the relation will be removed

The following tutorial shows how to create Dock and Target interaction in SimLab Composer and Studio:

Manage (Dis)Assembly Process

In case the assembly/disassembly process is linear, which means it goes in a defined order this function can be used. It simplifies the process and makes it move in a very specific scenario. Highlights will guide the user throughout the assembly/disassembly process with ease and without any confusion. Green highlight object in an assembly refers to the currently available part of the system that can be removed. Yellow highlight indicates that the object can be grabbed.

$image-1639835155701.png$

Blue highlight in the assembly indicates that the object can be placed there.

Press Right Mouse to toggle the hand. The hand has a fixed position in the view, and will teleport to the grabbable object when you click on it, and will keep grabbing as long as you hold the button.

The assembly management interactions, and settings:

Plus button: Adds the selected node (from the 3d area) to the disassembly diagram. If a disassembly graph node is selected, it will become the parent of the newly added node.
Ladder button: Change the parent of selected disassembly graph nodes, a graph node must be selected before clicking this button, and the graph node selected afterward will become the new parent -or- if a blank space is selected, the graph node will become independent (with no parent).
Red Minus button: Removes a node from the graph.
Create new: Create a new disassembly diagram.
Rename: Change the name of the disassembly diagram.
Delete: Remove the disassembly.

Note: Training Builder can be used for creating a more open assembly/disassembly process. It can be used to define the logic for the processes, giving the user more control without forcing her/him to adjust the model structure in Scene Browser or go through a single path of exclusion.

VR Assembly System

The new Assembly/Disassembly System released in V14 of SimLab Composer and Studio (Ultimate)

Key Features of the New System: Comprehensive Assembly/Disassembly Support. Seamlessly assemble and disassemble components with precision and flexibility.

Logical Order Enforcement: The system ensures a logical process, such as requiring screws to be removed before detaching the parts they secure. However, the sequence of removing screws is flexible, take them out in any order you prefer!

Interchangeable Parts Recognition: Recognizes parts like washers and screws as interchangeable, allowing substitutions as needed.

Tool Integration: Supports the use of tools to remove or place objects, making the process more realistic and efficient.

Optional Ghost Guides Enable ghosted visuals to easily identify the correct placement for objects, simplifying the assembly process.

This system is robust enough to handle even large and complex assemblies, as demonstrated in the video below.

Industries Solutions

SimLab Studio is continuously adding new features to make the experience of its users more joyful, and easier.

Door/Cabinet Animation

Automatically creates an animation for an object depending on its type. This can be useful for scenes with multiple objects of the same type. There are two main methods for defining which objects to animate:

Object Selection

With this method, the user will manually select the components in the scene to create an animation for.
This method is suitable for scenes with a small number of objects. Check the following tutorial on automatic animation for Doors/ Cabinets using the Object Selection Method

Object Name

With this method, the user will type in the name of the components, and the software will automatically find them in the scene and list them.
This method is more suitable for scenes with a large number of objects to animate. Check this tutorial on automatic animation for Doors/ Cabinets using the Object Name Method

Doors and Cabinets Settings

Send animation to timeline: Enabling this option sends the created animation as keyframes to the Animation Timeline. This can be helpful when you intend to combine multiple animations or modify the animation further.
Create animation Sequences: This option creates separate animation sequences for each object, those sequences can then be used in VR.
Animation sequence naming convention: The user can select the naming method for the sequence.
Attach sequences: This makes the scene ready to be used in a VR Experience. Sequences can be applied as Actions (executed when the user clicks on a door or panel) or as Grabbable Sequences (the user can open or close interactively in the VR Viewer)
Create reversed versions: Reversed version of animation allows the object to go back to its original state. For example, if you have created an animation for a door opening, a reversed version of the door closing will be automatically created.

Visualize Scene Options

Visualize scene options (scene states and animation sequences) by displaying them as entities in a 3D world for easier and more practical VR Experiences. Check this tutorial on how to visualize scene options in VR.

Press "3" on your keyboard in the VR Viewer to show available Pins, "LBUTTON" to select Scene States/Animation Sequences that appear as entities from the Pins.

1	Select a Scene Node from the Objects Tree or from the 3D area, then click this option to add a Pin to the selected node, showing its scene states if interacted by the user in SimLab VR Viewer.
2	Remove a Trigger and eliminate any associated Pins and scene options.
3	The list of Triggers.
4	Activates Scene States library to drag-and-drop Scene States from it into Pin nodes.
5	Activates Animation Sequences library to drag-and-drop Animation Sequences from it into Pin nodes.
6	Add a new Pin to the selected node to hold other scene options chosen by the user. Once added, either Scene States or Animation Sequences from their corresponding libraries can be dragged and dropped into it.
7	Remove the selected Pin node from its diagram.
8	Scene States/Animation Sequences can be dragged-and-dropped here from their corresponding libraries.
9	Added Scene States/Animation Sequences

Visualize Scene Options - Step by step

Create multiple Scene States/Animation sequences (at least two), for a 3D model.
From the Interactions menu click Visualize Scene Options.
Select the object for which to make a list, Ex: Bedside Table, select the table model then Add a Trigger by clicking
The object name (Bedside Table) should appear on the Pin and Scene Options side as shown in the image.
Drag and drop created Scene States/Animation Sequence (created in step one) from their libraries into VR List1 one by one
The Scene States/Animation Sequence will appear under the VR List1
Select List 1 to display its properties, and change its name, and properties

Snap and Socket

VR Snapping feature makes building scenes in VR easier and more intuitive. Whether you're designing a kitchen or creating an educational lab, VR Snapping allows you to effortlessly add items and align them perfectly without any extra effort. Setting up VR Snapping in Composer/ Studio is simple and gives you full control over how it behaves in the VR environment. Watch the video below to learn how to use VR Snapping

XR Anchors

When viewing scenes in XR mode on your Quest headset, you'll be able to attach 3D models to specific physical locations in the real world.

This feature enables you to:
Place training models in actual examination rooms.
Add visual highlights to real-world objects.
Visualize furniture placement in your space.

Watch the tutorial below to see XR Anchors in action.

User Gadgets Group

Add User Gadgets

This function will add some gadgets to the Viewer start model, as shown in the dialog below:

Adjacent Objects: These are objects that move with the Viewer start model in the VR environment. They can be something like tools (screwdriver or hammer). Check this part of the tutorial for more about Adjacent Objects.

Controllers: This allows the user to change the VR controllers with selected 3D models for hands, or gloves. Controllers appearance is only available in VR Mode. The following video shows the effect of using Controllers in the VR experience.

The following tutorial shows how to use controllers gadget in SimLab Composer/ Studio.

Hud: Hud is a plane shown in front of the user so it is easy to show instructions or current status. The following video shows the Hud appearance in a VR Experience.

The following tutorial describes how to add/use Hud and Adjacent Objects

Change Equipment State response in the Training Builder, which can be used to control equipment state (Equipped or Unequipped) for all gadgets (Adjacent Objects, Controllers, and Hud)

Avatar Generator

In this dialog users can build their own avatars from a collection of Faces, Uniforms, Headwear, and Glasses. Avatars are used in VR Collaboration, in SimLab VR Viewer. For more about Avatar Types and Creation check this tutorial

Voice Commands

For improving VR based training that involves interacting with humans in the real world, voice commands support is added.

Voice commands are new events that are fired when the appropriate voice command is said in the experience. SimLab Composer will support voice commands in 20 languages

The following example shows how voice commands can be used in the VR experience.

The following tutorial shows how to add voice commands in SimLab Composer/ Studio:

AI Agents

The user can make it work with 3D Avatars, by describing the agent role, talk to it and get answers in different languages.

The following image shows how to set your OpenAI API key in the viewer

With this feature To learn more about this feature check the following tutorial.

Find & Control

Searchable Components

With a complex CAD model with good tree structure, this feature can be very useful. It allows users to search for objects then show/hide, isolate, highlight, and grab them while running the experience in the Viewer

Training Builder Menu

Training Builder is a visual tool that allows VR Experience designers to control the logic in the VR Experience without the need to write any code.

Training Builder allows the user to link an Event with Response(s)

An Event is fired when something happens in the experience, for example when the user clicks on a specific object, or when an object collides with another object. A Response is a reaction the VR Experience should do when an Event takes place.

For example, when the user clicks on Globe Object (Earth_geo) Scene Node in the Node Triggered Event, it starts the rotation sequence (Play Sequence) Response, as shown in the following image;

There is no limit to the number of elements in Training Builder. The user can add as many elements as needed in diagrams.
Each Diagram can have up to 300 elements to keep things organized for big projects. For small projects one diagram should be enough, for larger projects the user needs to organize work by keeping up to 300 elements in each diagram.

Creating your first VR experience can serve as a good first interaction with the Training Builder to see it in action:

The following video provides more details about using Training Builder:

SimLab Academy (in the Library panel) under VR Creation includes a section dedicated for Training Builder tutorials.

Variables and Expressions

Using Training Builder enables users to add variables and use them in creating VR Experiences. Check this tutorial about using variables in Training Builder.

Supported variables are of the following types:

String Variable: Stores object names, message data, ..etc
Number Variable: Supports both integer and float numbers. Can be used for calculating, and storing values
Time Variable: Can save time at any stage of the VR Experience

String Variables

The initial value can be set to any string in the variable editor in the training builder.
When used in Change Variable response, the string should be surrounded by single quotations (' ')

Expression-supported operations include adding strings and substring

Number Variables

Initial Value can be set to any float or integer numbers, the following operations are supported for number variables
Increment: Adds one to the current value
Decrement: Subtracts one from the current value
Time Difference: Calculates the difference in seconds (up millisecond precision) between two-time variables
Expression: large number of expressions are supported, list of supported expressions can be found in the following link, The following tutorial shows how expressions can be used in Training Builder

Time Variables

The initial value for all time variables is set to the start time of the VR Experience, at any point of the VR Experience the user can capture the current time and store it in a time variable

Variable writer

This tool enables the user to track the value of a variable in the VR Experience

The value of the variable is updated dynamically, so whenever the variable value changes the variable writer will be updated to show the new value of the variable. Variable Writer is available under the VR Effects Menu.

The user can control its size, and place, so it can be aligned on a wall in the scene or on a monitor, user selects which variable to view, the color of the text, and the prefix text.

Create/Edit Variables

Variables can be created and edited by clicking the Edit Variables button at the top right part of the Training Builder. It allows the user to view/ delete/ change the initial values of existing variables, or create new variables.

Clicking '+' at the top right corner of the Edit Variables and Initial Values dialog will add a new variable. The user can click to change the name of the variable, select its type from the combo box, and set its initial value.

Inputs

Inputs are entities used as triggers for actions in the Training Builder diagram. For example, if multiple nodes in the diagram use a Scene Node, it can be used as input and be connected to multiple blocks. Updating the input once will be reflected on all blocks using this input.

Icons	Inputs Name
	Sequence
	Scene State
	Scene Node (object)
	String
	Variable
	Action
	Boolean
	Hand

Events

Events are triggered when something happens in the VR Experience.

The following image shows how to use Scene Start Event, which takes place as soon as the VR Experience starts, to play Sound Action Response.

Icons	Events Name
	Scene Start
	Scene State Applied
	Sequence Ended
	Node Entered Node
	Node Exited Node
	Hand Entered Node
	Hand Exited Node
	Voice Command Recognizer
	Node Triggered
	Node Grab Started
	Node Grab Ended
	Delay
	Grip Pressed
	Hand Entered Hand
	Hand Exited Hand
	Voice Command Test

To learn more about Grip Press event check this tutorial.

Responses

Responses are defined reactions to events. To link a Response to an event, the user needs to simply connect the Execute channel from the Event to the Execute channel of a Response. The user can connect the output Execute channel from a Response to the input Execute channel of another response to guarantee the order of execution and to link multiple responses to an Event.

The diagram below shows responses for clicking on an object (Node Triggered)
1- Play a Sequence
2- Wait for 2 seconds
3- Hide an object from the scene

Icons	Responses List
	Apply Scene State
	Change Node Grabbable State
	Play Sequence
	Stop Sequence
	Show/Hide
	Show Message Box
	Teleport to Camera
	Change Node Action
	Sound Action
	Video Action
	Report user-defined measurement
	Active Quiz/Survey
	Change Equipment State
	Change Grabbable Sequence
	Enable/Disable Physics
	Vibrate Controller
	Advanced Change Variable Value
	Branch (Checks value, if true follows one path, if false follows the other)
	Get Attribute Value
	Set Attribute Value
	Glow Object
	Un-glow Object
	Point To Object
	Remove Point To Object
	Get Position
	Set Position
	Fall to Surface
	Reset Rotation
	Set Parent
	Reset Parent

To learn more about Vibrate response check this tutorial.

Booleans

Booleans include two groups States, and Operations.

States are similar to events, and the current state can always be gotten from them. For example in the following image, Objects Overlap is shown, if the two objects Overlap you get OnTrue execution, as soon as they do not, you get OnFalse execution. The output Boolean value can be checked at any point to see if they are Overlapping on not. OnTrue or OnFlase are only fired when the state changes.

Operations allow running Boolean operations on Boolean variables. Supported operations include And, Or, and Not

Icons	Booleans List
	Compare Variable Value
	Objects Overlap
	Object is Grabbed
	And Operation
	Or Operation
	Not Operation

Templates

Training Builder works great for describing multiple-step training scenarios. But what if the same behavior is repeated for a class of objects? For example, if the user ends up grabbing any of the tools in the training, the response should be for it to fall to the ground, this is when templates are used.

To Create a Template diagram in the Training Builder click Create Template button at the top right side of the Training Builder.

After clicking Create Template, a new Template Diagram is added. A template diagram is different from a regular Training Builder diagram in its orange background marks, and in Template Scene Node block added to it. This block can not be deleted.

Template Scene Node block selects a group of Nodes based on a query that can include one or more rows connected with And or Or, as shown in the following image.

Logic connected to the Templet Scene Node block will be applied to each Node that satisfies the selection query, for example in the previous image, each object having "box" in its name, and "wood" in the value of its material attribute will be selected.

The following tutorial shows the power of Template Diagrams in the training builder

Advanced Features

Copy Part of a Diagram

To repeat the same logic for more than one object (in case templates did not do the job), part of the diagram can be copied. This is done by using the Left Mouse button to highlight the part of the diagram to copy, while the section is highlighted click CTRL + C to copy it, then CTRL + V to Paste. After that, the Scene Node Object needs to be changed, and any block needs update.

Drag/Drop of the Scene

To add inputs like a Scene State or a Sequence, the following process is used:

1- Click on Sequence from the toolbar
2- From Sequence Library select the desired Sequence
3- Click attach Sequence

As shown in the following image

If you know the Sequence or the Scene State you can directly drag it from the Library and drop it on the Training Builder

Right Mouse

Clicking the Right click in the training builder shows all toolbar elements, organized, so you can add any block without moving the mouse to the toolbar.

You can also click a few characters in the filter to find an element quickly, as shown in the following image:

Attributes

Attributes can be used with Training Builder in many ways:

They can be used for creating Template diagrams
They can be checked to determine behavior
They can be used as local variables saved on each object.

It is a good idea to be familiar with attributes to create advanced VR Experiences. To learn more about attributes check the following tutorial:

Enhancing Medical Training with VR Palpation Simulation

The Training Builder Hand Source and Events for VR medical simulations empowers VR Experience designers with unprecedented control over advanced hand skills training, particularly in processes like patient palpation.

Watch the demonstration in the video below to witness the immersive and customizable experience:

Tools to organize Training Builder experience

Some users are creating large and complex training, and virtual reality (VR) Experiences using the training builder. To help manage these complex diagrams, the following tools have been provided:

Notes: Use notes to describe the logic, making it simpler for both you and others to understand and update the training builder diagrams in the future.

Groups: You can organize nodes into groups and give them clear names. This makes it easier to find and update the logic of your training builder.

Search: Suppose you've improved an animation sequence and want to replace the old one in the training builder. Use the search tool to find all instances of the old sequence and replace them with the new one.

Dynamic Builder

In template diagrams, a user was able to define logic for a group of objects based on name, or attribute criteria. Dynamic diagrams take this to the next level, they allow defining interaction between multiple templates, in a dynamic way. What this mean is that a user can set a dynamic criteria for triggering actions and responses mainly by defining multiple queries using multiple scene nodes.

When you have access to the Dynamic Builder, the default diagram will be a Dynamic diagram, and to add a new one, click the highlighted Add a new dynamic diagram button at the top right side of Training Builder diagram.

A new Dynamic Diagram will open, and the Dynamic Diagram menu will appear.

Dynamic training builder menu is divided into four groups:

Sources

A source is an expression that will generate a value that can be used to trigger an event in the Dynamic Builder. Sources are divided into two tabs, Main Sources and Template Sources.

Main Sources

Icon	Source Name
	Scene Node
	Scene State
	Expression
	Number
	Boolean
	Hand
	Sequence
	Variable
	String

Template Sources

Icon	Source Name
	Scene Node Query
	User Query

Events

Events are triggered when something happens in the VR Experience. They are arranged into two tabs Main Events and Object Interactions

Main Events

Icon	Event Name
	Scene Start
	Node Triggered
	Scene State Applied
	Sequence Ended
	Node Grab Started
	Node Grab Ended
	Grip Pressed
	Grip Released
	Voice Command Recognized
	Ticker

Object Interactions

Icon	Event Name
	Node Enter Node
	Node Exited Node
	User Enter Node
	User Exited Node
	Node Hover Started
	Node Hover Ended
	Hand Enter Node
	Hand Exited Node
	Hand Entered Hand
	Hand Exited Hand

Responses

Responses in SimLab Dynamic Builder are arranged in a number of tabs to make it easier to use.

Main Responses

Icon	Event Name
	Play Animation Sequence
	Apply Scene State
	Set Parent Node
	Reset Parent Node
	Set Node Grabbable State
	Delay
	Branch on Expression
	Loop
	Show/Hide
	Set Node Glow State
	Enable Controller Vibration
	Disable Controller Vibration

Objects Behavior

Animation Sequences

Numbers

String

Time Variable

Media

Attributes

User

States

The following video shows the behavior in action, if you do not get why this is useful, do not worry about it for now.
In the future when you create more dynamic experiences, you will be glad to have this at your disposal.

The following diagram shows how loop end is used, it is combined with the fact that in Dynamic Builder the show message strings can also be dynamic, so we can show a message depending on the execution of the experience

VR Catalog Menu

Generate Catalog

With this feature, users can insert ready models into the scene such as tables, chairs, doors, trees, and much more directly in VR Viewer without the need to go back to SimLab Composer and run the Viewer again. Also, new models can be added to the Catalog and shared with others online.

To create a VR Catalog in Simlab Composer/ Studio for VR Viewer follow the steps below:

Export your scenes/models as a .vrpackege into the same folder in your device as shown in the screenshot below:
Create a preview image (PNG) for the catalog to display in the catalog menu in VR Viewer, a square image with a size of 256x256 pixels is recommended.
Select Generate Catalog and select the folder containing the VR Packages, and select the preview image. Give a name to the catalog, and click Generate. The new "*.vrcatalog" will be created in the same folder where the "*.vrpackege" models are saved.
From the object tree select Environment, then in the Properties dialog/VR tab, select Add from file (The folder icon) then select the (*.vrcatalog) created.

The (*.vrcatalog) file can be uploaded online to a website, and its URL can be added by pressing the plus icon.

Now all models in the Industrial catalog we created, will appear in the Catalog menu in the VR Viewer, just one click on the model to insert it into the scene.

Generate Catalog List

In this dialog the user can add more than one (*.vrcatalog) file from a local computer or website "as a URL link", then Save it as a .vrcataloglist. This catalog list can be loaded into other scenes to be used in VR Viewer.

The tutorial below shows how to use models from the VR Catalog in SimLab VR Viewer.

The tutorial below shows how to load and use more than one VR catalog in SimLab VR Viewer.

You can visit the VR Catalog web page on our website by this link.

VR Viewer Menu

Show in Viewer

SimLab VR Viewer enables users to experience rich and interactive environments in three navigation modes

Desktop: Game-like controls using keyboard and mouse, with viewer running on Windows or Mac.
PC VR: For VR headsets connected to a PC like Rift S, VIVE, VIVE Pro, or Quest connected with a link cable
Standalone VR: For standalone headsets like Pico, Quest (not connected to PC), Android, and iOS

Texture Optimization

More information about Textures Optimization can be found here

Settings

Optimize Package: Optimize package merges all objects sharing the same material into one object, which in turn speeds up the experience and smooths it significantly, especially when the model has a large number of objects. Optimize package will affect static objects only, so if you have objects that have animation, scene states, or are part of any interaction they will be excluded from the process and any interactions in VR will occur without any problems.
VR Viewer Only: When checked, the exported VR Package can not be imported by SimLab Composer
Enable VR Menu: The experience designer can control what the user running the VR Experience will be able to view, or how the user can interact with the scene in the VR Viewer

Open Viewer

Opens the stand-alone VR Viewer, viewer can be then used to open a VR Package, or to share a VR Package with others.

VR Environment

Displays the Properties dialog at the right side of the application window. In this dialog with its different tabs the user can change settings for application/ VR environment.

We will explain some settings which may not have a clear meaning:

Under the HDR tab, "Auto Adjust HRD Brightness (VR)" will put a limit on the brightness of the HDR when running the VR Experience on the Viewer, if you want to have high brightness for the Viewer, you should disable this setting.

The Ground tab affects only Rendering and thus is only found in Composer.

Under the VR tab, let's clarify the following settings:
"Enable VR flying": Since users can't switch between navigation modes while running experiences in VR mode, this is the setting to make the VR Experience run with flying navigation mode On.
"Use Light Maps": Allows you to use baked lighting, either created in SimLab Composer or imported with the model. Light maps simulate lighting effects without requiring real-time calculations, reducing performance demands and ensuring a smoother VR Experience, especially on lower-end devices.
"Multiple lights on Standalone Devices": This affects artificial lights (lights that you add from the "Create" menu), it will enable or disable them when specifically running them on standalone devices, since these lights can heavily affect the performance on them.
"Enable Highlights": This will enable/ disable the highlights that you see on objects that you can interact with or grab.
"Accurate Physics": If you have physics in you experience, this will increase the accuracy by making more calculations for the simulation of physics, but with a cost on performance.
"Adding Catalogs": Catalogs are specialized asset collections that can be created in SimLab Composer and uploaded online for easy access. This feature allows you to link external assets to a scene, enabling users to import them dynamically during the VR Experience runtime. Unlike standard assets, catalogs can be stored and retrieved from an online repository, making them accessible across multiple projects and devices.

VR Display Settings

The user can adjust the display settings in the VR Viewer using the below dialog. Check this tutorial for more information.

Set Start Position

Loads the Viewer Start model, clicking on any place in the scene after clicking Set Start Position will snap the Viewer Start model to the picked location. The Viewer Start model defines the start place for the VR Experience viewer and the orientation at the experience will start at.

If Viewer Start model was already added to the scene, no new model will be added and the user can directly click to snap the Viewer Start model.

Users starting the VR Experience without calling Set Start Position will automatically have Viewer Start model added to the scene and will be able to set its location in the scene.

Viewer Start model can be used in Training Builder, for example, Viewer Start model is used in Node Entered Node Event, in Training Builder diagram, to turn lights on, when a VR Experience user enters a room.

Create VR Camera

Creating VR Camera adds a new VR Camera to the scene. The user should place the camera and set its orientation, currently selected VR Camera appears in wireframe mode.

User can place multiple VR Cameras in the scene, while running the VR Experience the user can activate the Camera Teleport mode, by clicking on it, or using the shortcut (4), as shown in the following image

When starting Camera Teleport mode, the scene turns into a ghost view, VR Cameras are shown as white spheres, and hovering over one of the spheres shows the view from the camera's perspective, clicking on the white sphere moves the user to the VR Camera's location.

VR Camera can also be used in Training Builder, in the Teleport to Camera response block. When this response is called, the viewer is moved from the current location to the location of the VR Camera connected to the response block

When moving the viewer to a VR Camera, we can select to align the viewer orientation with the orientation of the VR Camera, this is done by checking the option Apply Orientation in the VR Camera Properties Panel, as shown in the following image:

VR Camera can also be linked to the Surveillance Plane under the VR Effects menu, to learn more about using VR Camera with a VR Surveillance camera use the following link

Export VR Package

Export the current scene as a VR Package (*.vrpackage), which can be opened using the free SimLab VR Viewer. When exporting the VR Package the user can set:

Title
Publisher
Description
Preview image

This information will be visible in the VR Viewer to help users to find the correct VR Experience.

Export VR Catalog Item

VR Catalog Items are very similar to VR Packages, and they share the same extension (*.vrpackage), the only difference is that they will not require adding Viewer Start model, as they are not planned to be used as stand-alone VR Experiences, they are created to be used in VR Catalogs, visible while running the VR Experience, as the one shown in the image below:

Creation of new VR Catalogs requires the ultimate edition of SimLab Composer

Export EXE File

EXE files can be exported from the Windows version of SimLab Composer, they are similar to VR Packages, as they include the current scene. EXE files can be shared with users who do not have VR Viewer installed.
Upon clicking on the EXE, it will try to find VR Viewer, if found it will use it and open the scene. If VR Viewer was not found, it will automatically install the latest version of VR Viewer, then it will use it and open the scene, which makes it easier to share VR Experiences with new users.

VR Store

Designed to simplify the process for VR Experience designers to market and sell their creations. In earlier versions, we tested a VR warehouse model, but based on feedback from designers, it was clear that they preferred licensing their VR Experiences instead of selling zim files. This allowed them to retain copyrights for the zim files, enabling them to build new experiences on top of them or customize them for specific users. SimLab VR Store addresses these concerns by offering an alternative avenue for marketing and selling VR Experiences, while still maintaining the availability of traditional methods. This new feature is particularly advantageous for larger organizations, providing them with an easier way to sell their VR content and gain more visibility. Any experiences created using the free SimLab Composer and VR Studio, after undergoing the review process, will be showcased in the VR Store. These experiences can be either paid or free and will appear without watermarks. This flexibility is beneficial for new users who want to start showcasing their work without any initial financial investment, and it also caters to the needs of educational institutes. The VR Store is intended for creators, and we welcome any notes, requests, or feedback from users. Your input is valuable in helping us refine and improve this platform to better serve the VR community. Please feel free to share your thoughts with us.

Check this article to learn how to protect your VR product and prevent Copyright infringement.

Viewer Settings

This option gives users quick access to viewer settings, to check and update those settings before exporting the VR Package.

Languages

This option allows the user to make the VR Experience support multiple languages, the user defines special objects for each language, those objects can be Objects, Videos, Sounds, Presentations, or Text.
When starting the experience, the use will select the language he/ she prefers to run the experiences in, all objects in other languages will be automatically deleted, so the VR Experience will run in the selected language.

The following video shows how to use multiple language support

Mixed Reality Elements

The Quest 2 and Quest 3 now offer mixed reality support, enabling users to engage in interactive experiences while maintaining visibility of their actual surroundings.

With the Mixed Reality option, designers can specify the environmental elements within the experience. When users run the experience in Mixed Reality (MR) or Augmented Reality (AR) mode, these elements will be concealed, whereas they will be visible in other modes. This flexibility empowers designers to craft a unified experience that seamlessly transitions across Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR), or Augmented Reality (AR) modes.

The following tutorial shows how to use the MR elements:

In addition to single user MR mode, MR mode can be used in collaboration, the following tutorial shows how users located in the same room perform synchronization to work effectively in the MR mode.

VR Evaluation

Creating Quizzes/Surveys
Distributing VR experiences to students
Viewing Results

VR Evaluation Chapter goes through the process of creating and distributing a successful VR Evaluation.

Help Menu

News

Starting with News, where a dialog will be displayed including latest news regarding the application, and its updates.

Check for Updates

Check for Updates, as the name implies, will display the dialog with the latest release of the application.

License

License, displays the Registration dialog, where the user can request to start a free personal license, request a trial license, or activate a professional license. More information about VR Studio licensing process can be found here

Cloud License

Cloud license option allows the user to do the following:

View current cloud account status
- Number of models uploaded
- Used cloud space
- Number of paired devices
Add additional cloud keys to increase cloud account capacity or to extend its period.

Note: Professional software key received when ordering a license of VR Studio is also a valid Cloud Key, so the user can use it to activate the Cloud account. All what the user needs to do is register a Cloud account then to add the key.

Docs

This option provides users with a list of help links available for SimLab VR Studio. Including a link to this help document, and a link for more information about SimLab VR Viewer.

Learn

Learn option directs users to learning resources for SimLab VR Studio.

SimLab Academy displays SimLab Academy in SimLab VR Studio library, More information about SimLab Academy can be found here.

SimLab YouTube Channel direct the user to the corresponding site.

Support

Report an issue
Provide a Suggestion
Get access to SimLab's Discord VR Community server
Schedule a meeting
View Blog
View the FAQs

Main Toolbar

Main Toolbar

File Menu

Scene Group

New/New Protected

Open/Open Recent

Save/Save As

Increment then Save

Pack

Scene Optimization

Replace Rules

Share Group

Import/Export

Export Selection

Clouds Group

Share to SimLab Cloud

Settings

Preferences

Appearance Tab

Import/Export Tab

Advanced Tab

Backup Tab

Exit

Move Menu

Transform

Snap

Pivot Tools

Create Menu

Lights

Light sources in SimLab VR Studio:

Point Light

Area Light

Spot Light

Directional Light

IES Light

Shapes

Draw on Object

Draw on Grid

Draw by Dimensions

Paths

Create Path

Apply Tangents

Generate From 2D

Feature

Sweep

Extrude

Wire

Street

Annotations

Bounding Box Group

Camera

Billboard

Decal

Text

2D Text

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Section Plane

Geometry Menu

Break Group

Break Geometry

Break Faces

Break by Section Plane

Break Instances

Explode Group

Explode / UnExplode

Tools Group

Merge on Material

Smooth Normals

Flip Normals

Fix Scene Normal

Mesh Decimation

Info

Voxel Group

Voxelize Selection

Boolean Operations Group

Boolean Operations

Material Menu

Scene Group

Manage Scene Materials

Save as Library