TriDef Photo Transformer - Guides
Ramps
There are two main types of Ramps in in TriDef Photo Transformer - Background and Foreground.
The Background Ramp is used to fill in the background of an image in the Depth Map.
There are three types of Foreground Ramps:
Foreground Ramps are effects that can be applied to Depth Data to create smooth transitions from one depth value to another. It is used to enhance the existing visual 3-D effect, giving the illusion of perspective and distance. A ramp is a means of relating one object to another, giving the impression on continuous perspective. Without ramps, the 3-D effect can look like 'cardboard cut-outs' of unrelated objects.
Background Ramps
 The Background Ramp Tool is found on the Toolbar. It allows you to set the angles and depth values of a Background Ramp.
Background Ramps are used to fill in the background of an image in the Depth Map. If there isn't enough Depth Data to create a complete Depth Map, Photo Transformer uses the Background Ramp to fill in the holes with a particular depth value.
The keyboard shortcuts for this tool are R or Shift+R
Background Ramps are used to fill in the background of an image in the Depth Map, and are defined in the Drawing window using the Background Ramp tool.
Background Ramps are used in two ways:
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With some image you can use the ramp to define most of the Depth Map so you don't need to add much Depth Data. For example, a landscape of sloping ground and sky can be quite effectively Depth Mapped by nothing more than a Background Ramp by itself.
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If you do not draw enough Depth Data points to create a complete Depth Map, Photo Transformer uses the Background Ramp to fill in the gaps.
Background Ramps can either be flat (all a single shade of gray), graded from one depth to another, or a combination. The default background is flat black (maximum depth). The dividing line between the two sections can be angled up to 45 degrees.
Just because they are called 'background' ramps does not mean that everything else in the image has to be 'in front' (lighter in depth value color) of the Background Ramp, although this is the most common usage.
Background Ramps are made up of up to two parts, separated by a moveable line. The makeup of each section depends on the two grays you choose, called Depth1 (left swatch, red line) and Depth2 (right swatch, green line). Depth1 can be either closer (lighter) or further away (darker) than Depth2.
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The top section of the background is Depth1.
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The bottom section is graded from Depth1 to Depth2.
You can use Transparent points to force Photo Transformer to use Background Ramp values in a Depth Map, rather than nearby Depth Data.
Please refer to:
Tutorial - Creating a background ramp
Tutorial - Backgrounds
Cylindrical Ramps
 Cylindrical Ramps are used to represent curved surfaces like coffee cups and tree trunks. Depth values vary from Depth1 on the center line to Depth2 along the edges. This effect is applied over a selection of Depth Data points using the Cylindrical Ramp tool. The keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+C.
This is a close-up of a coffee cup which has been filled in using the  Polygon Draw tool, and then a Cylindrical Ramp has been applied over those Depth Data points.
Advanced Tips:
Select two depth values with the  Eyedropper tool by holding Alt and dragging from one value to the next.
Linear Ramps
 Linear Ramps are used to represent flat planes such as walls and tabletops. Depth values vary in a smooth gradient from Depth1 to Depth2. This effect is applied over a selection of Depth Data points using the Linear Ramp tool. The keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+L.
While the lawn area of this image would just as easily be filled in by a Background Ramp, it serves to illustrate how Linear Ramps are used for flat surfaces (although it is not always possible to get accurate perspective with a single ramp). The lawn area was first filled in with the  Box Drawing Tool.
Advanced Tips:
Select two depth values with the Eyedropper tool by holding Alt and dragging from one value to the next.
Radial Ramps
 Radial Ramps are used to represent hollows and bumps. Depth values vary from Depth1 at the center of an ellipse to Depth2 on the outside edge. This effect is applied over a selection of Depth Data points using the Radial Ramp tool. The keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+R.
In this image the golf ball in the foreground has been completely filled in with Depth Data (for illustration purposes only - you would not normally need to add so many points) using the  Ellipse Drawing Tool, and a Radial Ramp has been applied over the top.
Advanced Tips:
Select two depth values with the Eyedropper tool by holding Alt and dragging from one value to the next.
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