Viewer Layout - Changes to the Dual View display layout in MotionBuilder 2009

Issue

In MotionBuilder 2009, when you are working with the Viewer Layout set to Two Panes mode, you may find the layout of the two panes will switch between top/bottom and left/right when you resize the Viewer Window.

This issue is apparent under the following conditions:

1. You have set the Viewer Window to display two panes from View > Viewer Layout > Two Panes (Ctrl+2), as shown in the screenshot below:

2. You have scaled the Viewer Window either horizontally or vertically by dragging the handles at the top/bottom or left/right of the Window.

Result: When re-sizing the Viewer Window the layout of the two panes will switch automatically depending on the proportions of the Window.

Viewer Layout - Two Panes - Left/Right

The layout will switch to a left/right layout if the height of the window is less than half of the width of the window. This can be seen as in the screenshot below:

Viewer Layout - Two Panes - Top/Bottom

The layout will switch to a top/bottom layout if the height of the window is more than half of the width of the window. This can be seen as in the screenshot below:

Solution

The automatic configuration of the Viewer Window Layout when working with Two Panes Layout is an enhancement in the 2009 release of MotionBuilder. Previously the Viewer Window layout in MotionBuilder always displayed as Two panes side-by-side, no matter what the overall scaling of the Viewer in horizontal/vertical was set at by the user.

Users who are used to working in two-panes side by side mode, no matter what the scaling of the viewer Window will need to be aware of this change and scale the Viewer accordingly. There is no setting in the UI or configuration files to lock to Two panes Side-By-Side independent of the Viewer scaling.