====== Sapphire Users' Guide ======
To open the //Sapphire// 3D rendering window in L3DT, click on the '3D' button on the toolbar (shown below), or select the '//Extensions->Sapphire->Open 3D renderer//' menu option.
| {{ :plugins:sapphire:userguide:toolbaricon.png |:plugins:sapphire:userguide:toolbaricon.png}} ^ The //Sapphire// 3D viewer toolbar button in L3DT ([[bundydocs>l3dt:userguide:toolbar|see toolbar]]) ^
===== Controls =====
The keyboard/mouse controls are listed on the [[:plugins:sapphire:userguide:controls|controls page]] (//{{:plugins:sapphire:userguide:sapphire-controls.pdf|view as PDF}}//).
===== Editing =====
==== Heightfield editing =====
Sapphire includes several heightfield editing mouse tools, which are described on the [[:plugins:sapphire:userguide:hf_edit|heightfield editing page]].
==== Attributes map editing =====
Sapphire includes a brush tool for painting land types onto the attributes map, as described on the [[:plugins:sapphire:userguide:am_edit|attributes map editing page]].
==== Texture map editing =====
Sapphire also includes a brush tool for painting textures directly onto the texture map, as described on the [[:plugins:sapphire:userguide:tx_edit|texture map editing page]].
===== Settings =====
You can change some of the rendering settings, such as fog colour, by selecting the '//Extensions->Sapphire->Edit settings//' menu option. The settings are described on the [[:plugins:sapphire:userguide:settings|settings page]].
===== Teleporting and presets =====
In Sapphire, you can instantaneously teleport from one place on the map to another using the 't' (teleport) hot-key, or by selecting the '//Teleport//' menu option in Sapphire. The controls are described on the [[:plugins:sapphire:userguide:teleport|teleporting and presets]] page.
===== Rendering modes =====
Sapphire can render the terrain in three modes; //wireframe//, //polygon// and //textured//, which you can select using the 'm' (mode) hot-key, or by using the 'View' menu options in Sapphire. For more information, please refer to the [[plugins:sapphire:userguide:rendermodes|rendering modes]] page.
===== Tips and reference info =====
==== Scripting Sapphire ====
It is possible to script //some// commands in Sapphire using the ZeoScript plugin ('//Extensions->ZeoScript->Run script//' menu option), or by using the [[bundydocs>zeolite:functions:zscript_execute|zscript_Execute]] plugin API function. The list of scripting functions supported by Sapphire is given on the [[plugins:sapphire:userguide:scripting|scripting page]].
==== Using Megatextures ====
When using [[wp>megatexture|megatextures]] (16x or 32x high-res textures), there are a few tips to remember. These are listed on the [[:plugins:sapphire:userguide:megatextures|megatextures]] page.
==== Triangle count ====
You can change the terrain triangle count using the '0' (increase tris) and '9' (decrease tris) hot-keys. However, since L3DT uses a view-optimised mesh, you don't actually need all that many triangles for your terrain to look good. This is explained on the [[plugins:sapphire:userguide:tricount|triangle count]] page.