I've got my poser up and running, a beginner - my computer strength is hard disk recording and photoshop. I'm brand new to poser. If someone has a moment to unlock a secret, that would be great. Here's the problem:

I brought in an object I purchased at renderocity - vacuum zepplin.  My poser work area is blank, I deleted the embedded figure so have a new screen. However, when I'm on the auxillary camera, to rotate, etc. the object falls off the bottom of the screen and I've been searching for a way now to move it back into the middle. Is there a function that places an object in the middle, or how do I translate up - I tried the axis and it's very slow, so I believe I'm doing something wrong. It should be simple to move the object, should it not? I'll keep working at it, but if someone can tell me how to move the object up to the middle, I'd appreciate it!

Rubicon

If the zepplin is a figure try using the posing camera, it will always point to the figure.

Alternatively click on the "Frame Selected Object" icon found top right of the preview window.

Thanks so much. That works, except now the figure of the zepplin is huge and when I use the magnifying glass to make it smaller, it distorts the image. Any ideas. I appreciate this help just to get me going. I have read through the manual so I'm not trying to cheap, just need to get started. The poser camera is great, I can translate now on the XYZ axis, just that the figure is huge when it loads.

Rubicon

Select the camera and in its properties change the focal length to something higher. Suggest values of 55 to 150.

Never mind, got the frame object to center and reduce in size. Too bad there wasn't a pick tool like photoshop, but I'm sure I'm working with a lot more parameters. I'm 64, been at it on the computer for quite some time, learning Pro Tracks, sonar, giga studio, etc. plus getting to know photoshop. I just hope I have enough years left to learn this software!!! Yikes!!

I appreciate everyone's help! I know I enjoyed helping those out learning sonar on the user forum. Where would we be without user forums like this.

I'm planning to purchase some video tutorials to help me out.

Thanks again. Hope you don't mind some rediculously simple-minded questions to launch me on this software. I appreciate every scrap of advice.

Rubicon

Don't give up on it. I was 58 when I bought Poser 6. It only takes about two years to learn the basics.

Seriously, get in there and start rendering. When you don't know how to do something, ask here. Someone will give you an answer. (It may be wrong, but it'll be something you haven't thought of, I bet!)

Poser if for fun. I have more fun with this than anything else I've ever done.

Thanks for the advice. It took my partner and I six years to learn pro tracks and sonar. And forums like this help. Being older, you can't help thinkingt that you're 'bothering' someone when asking foolishly simple questions of the pros.

I have another however. In this thread I talk about how when I add my bubble zeppelin to a blank scene, it's huge! So my immediate problem was reducing the size. Using the pose camera helped, and framing it, but when I used the auxillary camera it did two things that are nearly impossible for me correct - the figure dropped down through the floor almost out of sight on the screen. When I use the pose camera, there's the ground stuck in the middle of the figure.

My question is, why is the figure so huge when I bring it into a blank scene? And, with some cameras, when I use the zoom tool with the command button to zoom out of the scene for a better view, the figure of the zeppelin distorts with each click of the mouse?

Thanks for anyone who takes the time to help out old Rubicon.

We have a community college close by - Conestoga - and was thinking of posting a note offering payment to someone with Poser skills to come out to my studio and run through the software with me. That to me saves so much time and the purchase of video tutorials. If something suddenly doesn't work that's supposed to work, according to a tutorial, you have a live person there to solve the problem and teach the solutions.