User Interface

1. Main view

Each Tracker tab, like "Untitled" above, displays the following components:

- A main video view that displays video images with track overlays. The video view has a fixed, stable video image. Tracks are marked and edited in the video view.
- A menu bar that offers access to most program commands and settings. Some menu items include icons showing which toolbar buttons perform identical actions.
- A toolbar, displayed directly below the menu bar, that offers quick access to frequently used commands, controls, tools, track settings and data fields.
- A player that controls the video and track playback and offers access to video clip settings.
- Additional views in attached view panes. Open, close or resize a view by clicking or dragging the thin dividers between panes or by selecting the desired view from the Window menu.

2. Additional views

Here a point mass track has been added and the split panes have been opened to display all view types.

- The main video view (top left) displays the video and tracks in video space. In this example, the video view keeps the video image (white background) fixed even though the axes are tilted.
- The plot view (top right) displays one or more graphs of track-generated data. Multiple graphs are stacked vertically.
- The table view (bottom right) displays a data table of track-generated data.
- The world view (bottom left) displays the video and tracks in world space. The world view keeps the axes fixed (with the x-axis pointing right), so the video is tilted.

Any view pane can display any type of view. To select a desired view type, click the view chooser button on the left side of the view pane toolbar and choose from the drop-down list.

3. Hints

By default, Tracker displays hints in a yellow box at the bottom right corner of the main view. Hints are very useful for new and occasional users of Tracker. Experienced users can turn off hints by unchecking the Show Hints checkbox in the Help menu.

4. Background mat

The background mat is a white area normally hidden behind the video. It is never smaller than the video, but may be made larger if desired by choosing from the Edit|Mat Size menu. A larger mat size increases the area that is drawn in the video and world views. This is useful when some of a track's steps, or the axes, would otherwise be drawn offscreen--a common situation when using particle model tracks, calibration point pairs or offset origins.

5. Languages

Select a language other than that of the default locale by choosing from the Edit|Language menu. If your preferred language is not available, and you wish to provide a translation, please contact Douglas Brown at dobrown at cabrillo dot edu.

6. Undo and redo

Many operations in Tracker can be undone and redone using the Undo and Redo items in the Edit menu. There is no limit to the number of undo actions.

7. Customizing Tracker

Tracker's user interface can be greatly simplified by hiding unwanted features using the Preferences dialog shown. This is particularly important when introducing students to Tracker for the first time. As they gain familiarity with the program, additional features can be included as needed.

To display the preferences dialog, choose the Edit|Preferences menu item. Selected features will be enabled; unselected ones will be hidden.

There are two ways to save your preferences:

1. Click the Save As Default button. This will immediately save the currently checked items in a default configuration file named "default config.trk". New Tracker documents automatically load this file to configure themselves. (Note: the Save As Default button is only available when the config.save item is selected in the preferences. If it is hidden and you wish to enable it, select the config.save item and click the OK button, then reopen the preferences dialog.)

2. Select the config.saveWithData item in the preferences. The preferences will then be included in the xml file whenever the Tracker document is saved. Opening or importing this file will then restore the saved preferences.