TOON BOOM HARMONY 12.2.1
Paint Preferences Guide

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Harmony 12.2 Paint Preferences Guide

Legal Notices
Toon Boom Animation Inc.
4200 Saint-Laurent, Suite 1020
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
H2W 2R2
Tel: +1 514 278 8666
Fax: +1 514 278 2666
toonboom.com
Disclaimer
The content of this guide is covered by a specific limited warranty and exclusions and limit of liability under theapplicable License Agreement as supplemented by the special terms and conditions for Adobe®Flash® File Format(SWF). For details, refer to the License Agreement and to those special terms and conditions.
The content of this guide is the property of Toon Boom Animation Inc. and is copyrighted.
Any reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.
Trademarks
Harmony is a trademark of Toon Boom Animation Inc.
Publication Date
7/6/2018
Copyright © 2016 Toon Boom Animation Inc. All rights reserved.

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Contents

Contents
Toon Boom Harmony 12.2.1 Paint Preferences Guide

1

Contents

4

Chapter 1: Introduction to Preferences

5

Shortcut Preferences

7

General Preferences

11

Exposure Sheet Preferences

13

Drawing Mode Preferences

15

Template Preferences

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Timeline Preferences

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Sound Preferences

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OpenGL Preferences23Render Preferences254

Harmony 12.2 Paint Preferences GuideChapter 1: Introduction to Preferences
The Preferences dialog box lets you adjust preferences to suit your work style, allowing you to work more efficiently.

The Preferences dialog box is divided into the following tabs:•Shortcuts•

General•Drawing Mode•

OpenGLNOTE: Some preferences require you to exit and restart the application, or close a view and reopen it.

How to access the Preferences dialog box
Do one of the following:‣From the top menu, select Edit > Preferences (Windows/Linux) or Stage Paint > Preferences (MacOS X).

‣

Press Ctrl + U (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ + U (Mac OS X).

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Harmony 12.2 Paint Preferences Guide

Shortcut Preferences

To speed up your work, all of the keyboard shortcuts can be customized. You can even choose other software
keyboard shortcut sets.
In Toon Boom Harmony, you can choose a set of default keyboard shortcuts you are familiar with. You can choose
between the following:•Adobe Flash•Toon Boom Harmony•Toon Boom StudioYou can also customize most of the shortcuts and use the search feature to find particular shortcuts.
How to switch keyboard shortcut sets
1. Do one of the following:‣Windows: Select Edit > Preferences‣

Mac OS X: Select Stage Paint> Preferences.

‣Press Ctrl + U (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ + U (Mac OS X).

2. In the Preferences dialog box, select the Shortcuts tab.
3. From the Shortcut Set list, select the desired set.

How to search for a keyboard shortcut
1. In the keyboard shortcut search section, select an option:‣Name to search for a keyboard shortcut by its name.
7‣Shortcut to search for a keyboard shortcut by its actual keys that activate the shortcut.

2. In the Search field, enter the name of a keyboard shortcut or its shortcut keys.
The keyboard shortcut is highlighted in the left pane. Its shortcuts is displayed on the right pane.

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3. If desired, set a different keyboard shortcut.
4. Click OK.
How to set a keyboard shortcut
1. Do one of the following:‣

Windows: Select Edit > Preferences‣

Mac OS X: Select Stage Paint> Preferences.

‣Press Ctrl + U (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ + U (Mac OS X).

2. In the Preferences dialog box, select the Shortcuts tab.
3. In the left pane, select a category and then select a command to modify.
4. In the right pane, click the keyboard shortcut.

5. Use the keyboard to set a new shortcut.
‣To remove a command's current keyboard shortcut, click Clear.

‣To return a command’s keyboard shortcut to its default, click Default.

6. Click OK.

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If a keyboard shortcut is already in use, the Conflict Detected dialog box will appear notifying you of thecommand to which it is already associated. You can continue to associate the shortcut or cancel theoperation and choose another command.

10Harmony 12.2 Paint Preferences GuideGeneral Preferences

To customize your interface, you will use some of the preferences located in the General tab as well as the Cameratab.
Parameter

Description
Save Palette Lists: When set to "Yes", this preference saves all palettelists you have modified when the Save command is activated. When set to"No", the Save command will not save the palette lists and you will have touse the Save command to save them.

Save

Save Palettes: When set to "Yes", this preference saves all palette you
have modified when the Save command is activated. When set to "No", theSave command will not save the modified palettes and you will have to use
the Save command to save them.
Save Drawings: When set to "Yes", this preference saves all drawings you
have modified when the Save command is activated. When set to "No", theSave command will not save the modified drawings and you will have to use
the Save command to save them.

Colours

Current View Border: Sets the colour of the frame around the workspaceview you are currently using, also known as focus. By default, the colour isred. Click on the red colour swatch to select a new colour in the Colour
Picker window.
Edit Colours: Click on the Edit Colours button to open the Colours window.
Edit Palette Mode: Default value for Edit Palette Mode.
Edit Palette List Mode: Default value for Edit Palette List Mode.

Options/Settings

Cycle Exposure: Make navigation in the Xsheet View wrap-around from thelast frame or the last column to the first.
HTML Browser for Unix: This option is used to view the online help onLinux machines. Enter the command to launch the browser, including thepath if necessary.
Levels of Undo: Determines the number of actions retained by the Undo

11list. By default, 50 actions are stored in the list. You can alter the number if
you want to.
Interactive Colour Recovery: If a colour palette for your scene is deleted
or cannot be found, you will be asked if you want to recover colours from theprogram’s memory. If this option is unchecked, the program recovers
missing colours without displaying a dialog box for your input.

Colour Management

Colour Recovery: If this option is unchecked, colour recovery will notoccur.
Advanced Palette Lists: The Advanced Palette Lists mode is used tocreate and store palettes in the Scene or Element Palette List.
Replacement Colours: If certain colours are no longer available, they areautomatically replaced with the ones indicated by the Replacement Colour
swatch. The default colour is red, as it acts as a missing colour warning
device.

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Exposure Sheet Preferences

Parameter

Description
These preferences are used to display or hide certain layer types in the Xsheetview.
Show Drawing Columns: Displays the Drawing layers in the Xsheet view.
Show Sound Columns: Displays the Sound columns in the Xsheet view.
Show 3D Path Columns: Displays the 3D Path columns in the Xsheet view.

FilteringShow Function Columns: Displays the Function columns layers in the Xsheetview.
Show Selection: Sets the Show Selection option On or Off by default in theXsheet view.
Centre on Current Frame: Turns auto-centering on or off when playing back ascene. Auto-centering is used during sound breakdown with the ShuttleXpress
device.
Default Add Columns: The default position where the new column will be added.

Options

Drawing Creation

Default Column Width: The default width value for the new column beingcreated.
Use Current Frame as Drawing Name: Automatically names the drawing
corresponding to the frame position. This avoids numbering conflicts while13

animating.

For example, using the default preferences, you start with the first drawing onframe 1, this drawing is called 1. You then draw the extreme position drawing onframe 10, this drawing is called 2. Next, the in-between pose is drawn on frame 5,
this drawing is called 3 and so on.
At the end, you have a sequence like this: 1-9-4-6-3-8-5-7-10-2.

Instead, using the Use Current Frame as Drawing Name option, each drawing is
automatically named by its frame number and the sequence looks like: 1-2-3-4-56-7-8-9-10.
Extend Exposure of Previous Drawing: When drawing on a blank frame, a newdrawing is created and the timing is extended from the previous exposed drawing.
You can set the minimum and maximum zoom levels to view the Xsheet,depending on the number of columns and rows in the project. Once you set alevel, close and reopen the Xsheet so the new values take effect.
Minimum Zoom Level: Lets you set the lowest level of zoom. Choose a value
between 1 and 6.
Zoom Levels

Maximum Zoom Level: Lets you set the highest level of zoom. Choose a value
between 14 and 20.

NOTE: You can set a keyboard shortcut to view the entire Xsheet.

Show Grid: When selected, the grid is displayed by default when opening theFunction Editor.
Function Editors
Use Constant Z By Default: When selected, the Constant Z option will beenabled by default in the Function Editor.

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Constant Z means that even when creating Motion keyframes, the Z function will
use Stop-Motion keyframes and will not be interpolated, this can be very usefulfor cut-out animation. The Constant Z feature only works with 3Dpaths.
You can also enable the Constant Z option directly in the Function Editor orFunction view for specific functions.
Gestural Drag

Default Setting for Gestural Drag: This is the default value enabling gestural
dragging of cells in the Xsheet view.
From Left to Right: When clicking the Apply/Next button in the Xsheet view
Column Properties, the next column to be displayed in the Column Properties willbe the one on the right.

Apply/Next
From Right to Left: When clicking the Apply/Next button in the Xsheet view
Column Properties, the next column to be displayed in the Column Properties willbe the one on the left.
New Element

Bitmap Format: By default, when you create a new empty bitmap column, it will
use the file format indicated in the field as the new column format. The default
value is SCAN, which means that it is set for scanned-in drawings.

Drawing Mode Preferences

Parameter

Description
Render Style:Onion Skin•

Normal: The onion skinned drawings is displayed in washed out colours.

•Enable Shade: The previous onion skinned drawings are displayed inwashed out red shades and the next onion skinned drawings are displayedin washed out green shades.

•Outlines Only: The onion skinned drawings are displayed as outlines
only.

Maximum Wash Value (0,0-1,0): The maximum washed-out value for onion
skinned drawings.
Minimum Wash Value (0,0-1,0): The minimum washed-out value for onion
skinned drawings.

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Grid On By Default: When opening the Drawing view, the grid displays
automatically.
Default Multiwheel Colour Picker: Displays the Multiwheel Colour Picker
window instead of the regular Colour Picker.
Options

Brush Size Cursor: When this option is enabled, the brush tool displays thebrush size as a circle around the cursor.
Select Tool is Lasso: When this option is enabled, the Select tool behaves as alasso selector. When this option is disabled, the Select tool behaves as arectangle selector.
Sticky Eye Dropper: Keeps the Colour Picker’s Dropper tool active until it isreleased by clicking the Dropper icon again.
Auto Gap Closing: The values for automatic gap closing while painting drawings
are: 0 = Disabled, 1=Small, 2=Medium, 3=BigSettings

Light Table: Enable Shade: When enabled, the drawings appearing in the Light
Table are displayed in washed out colours in the Drawing view. When this option
is disabled, the drawings appearing in the Light Table are displayed using normalcolours. This option is for the Drawing view only.

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Template Preferences

Parameter

Description
Always Create New Drawings: By default, when you import timeline templates
in the right section of the Timeline view, to stack them, the system will analyze
and create only the non-existing drawings and only expose the existing ones.
When enabled, this option automatically creates new drawings for every one ofthem that is exposed.
Palettes:

Paste/Drag & Drop

Editing Template•

Ask User: When dropping a template into a scene, the system will ask if
you want to link the palette to the original or create a local copy in thescene.

•Use Original Palette: The system will automatically link drawing
elements to the original palette file. If the original palette is not encountereda local copy will be created.

•Use Copy of Palettes: The system will automatically create a local copyof the palette in the scene.

Generate Thumbnails Automatically: Automatically create thumbnails for thetemplate when you want to see the thumbnails in the Library or when saving a template modification.

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Harmony 12.2 Paint Preferences Guide

Timeline Preferences
Parameter

Description
Show Groups: Displays the Group layers in the Timeline.
Show Effects: Displays the Effect layers in the Timeline.
Show Sound: Displays the Sound layers in the Timeline.
Show Sound Waveforms: Displays the imported sounds waveform in theTimeline.

NOTE: You can always toggle the visibility of the waveform in the Timeline viewby adding the Show Sound Waveform button from the Toolbar Manager. Thisbutton will work whether you have the Show Sound Waveform option enabled or
disabled in the Preferences panel.

Defaults

Show End of Scene Marker: Displays the red bracket that delineates the end ofyour scene in the Timeline view. If you know that many different hands will beworking on your scene, you may want to deselect this option so the scene lengthis not increased or decreased by accident.

Reduce Indentation: When this option is enabled, the horizontal indentation forparented nodes in the Timeline is reduced to optimize the amount of space takenin the Timeline. When you have a cut-out character and there is a long cascade ofparented nodes, you can enable this option so the Timeline (left side) does nothave expand too wide to see all your nodes.

Paste/Drag & Drop

Add Keyframes at Beginning and End: Copies and pastes a set of frames thatincludes an interpolated sequence between two keyframes, but only extracts apartial section. Under normal circumstances, cutting and pasting a function
without either the start or end keyframe would render the function null. This option
caps the partial function with a new keyframe when you perform the paste.
Overwrite exposures and keyframes during drag and drop: If the area on
which you are dropping a selection contains exposures and/or keyframes, they
are overwritten by the content you are selected by dragging.

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Sound Preferences
Parameter

Description
Analog Sound Scrubbing: Switches from digital to analog sound scrubbing.

Settings

Analog Jog Speed: Lets you control the sensitivity of the jog slider or dial.
Choose a value between 1 and 20. The higher the jog speed value, the slower you
can scrub to have the sound play at an average pace.
Analog Jog Dampening: Lets you choose a value between 1 and 100 for theAnalog Jog Dampening. The higher the value, the less precise Harmony is atresponding to the jog's changes in speed. However, the more smooth the playback is using the jog slider or dial.

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Harmony 12.2 Paint Preferences Guide

OpenGL Preferences

Parameter

Description
Conservative Texture Management: Turns on and off conservative memory
management for bitmap texture files. Performance will improve when this isenabled. If disabled, you will have a better on-screen rendering of bitmap files atthe expense of slower performance.
Smooth Textures: Smooths out the pixels of bitmap images when zooming in;this improves bitmap image quality.

Settings

Alternate Gradient and Cutter: This is an alternative way to disable write in theOpenGL Backbuffer, required for some video cards (i.e. GeForce FX5200). Do notenable this option unless you are experiencing problems with gradients andcutters in OpenGL.
Maximum Texture Size: The size that the bitmap file will be reduced to whenusing the Conservative Texture Management.
Texture Memory: The amount of temporary memory used to store bitmap texture
files.
The Full Scene Antialiasing is generated by your computer’s graphic card. It
provides a smooth line display in OpenGL. This antialiasing will not only antialias
your drawings but all the different views in the interface.
This option lets you see smooth lines as you draw as well as an antialiased
drawing area. You can change the value of the Full Scene Antialiasing using thePreferences dialog box to fit the current level used in the Camera or Drawing
view.

Full Scene Antialiasing

Enable: By default, this option is off. Select to turn on the Full Scene Antialiasing
option. You'll need to restart Toon Boom Harmony.
Number of samples (For Mac OS): Enter the number of samples you want to be
used for the antialiasing process. The number of samples is basically equivalent
to the amount of time a pixel will be enlarged to calculate the antialiasing. Thistechnique is called supersampling. The higher the number of samples, the betterthe antialiasing quality will be, but the longer it will take to calculate. The
recommended value is 4.
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NOTE: If you are using Windows or Linux, you must enable your graphic card’s
antialiasing parameter. Refer to user guide of your graphics card. For example,the parameters for an NVIDIA GeForce card may look like this:24Harmony 12.2 Paint Preferences Guide

Render Preferences
Parameter

Description

Preview Options

Enable Blur: Renders blur effects derived from the Blur-Directional, Blur-Radial,and Blur-Variable in the Render View window.
Enable Line Texture: Renders line texture in the Render view.
Cache Size in RAM (in Mb): Cache size in RAM for intermediate preview
images (Mb).
Cache Path and Capacity on Disk (in MB): If this field is left empty, Harmony's
temporary directory will be used to offload intermediate images. There is no disk
usage limit for the temporary directory.

Preview ImagesWhen you specify a folder, you must type in the capacity (in MB) inside thepath. Use the following method: path;capacity in MB;
example: C:\user\tmp_image_folder;2000;

NOTE: The specified folder must already exist. If there is an error in the path,
Harmony’s temporary directory will be used. You can also specify a RAM drivein the path.

This lets you specify the level of parallel processing done during the final image
calculation (soft-rendering). Allowing parallel processing speeds up the softrender process.
Multi ThreadingGPU

Number of Rendering Threads: Lets you specify the number of parallel
processes during the soft-render process. A value of 1 disables the multithreading process because it specifies that only one rendering thread will be usedduring the process. The maximum number of threads is 64. The recommended
starting value is 2 threads per CPU core, meaning that if you are using a 2 QuadCore CPU, the preferences should initially be set to 16 threads.
Enable Graphic Card Acceleration: Optimizes the rendering blurs by using theGPU's acceleration capabilities. This option is on by default. Not all cards support
this acceleration.

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