9.5.2

1076 • CHAPTER 22
XPRESSO EDITOR • 1077
Align To Grid
Aligns the nodes and XGroups to the XPresso Editor’s grid.
Custom Menu
The commands in the Custom menu relate to plugins and modules. For example, if purchased and
installed, from this menu you can access the settings of the Thinking Particles module.
In addition, on this menu you’ll nd the commands for opening the XPresso Pool and XPresso
manager. Since these two windows are integrated into the XPresso Editor by default, you’ll only need
to use these commands if you’ve undocked the windows and closed them.
Calculate Menu
Start XPresso Calculation
Choose this command if you want to test an expression. All nodes and connections will be calculated
once only. Check the result and correct or rene the expression accordingly.
Animation Refresh
When this option is enabled, the expression is recalculated for each frame of the animation. This
ensures that all data coming into the expression, such as the position of objects, is up-to-date.
Live Refresh
This option determines whether the expression is calculated in realtime while a parameter is being
changed (option enabled) or after the parameter has been changed (option disabled). For example,
suppose an expression makes a dog follow his owner. If Live Refresh is enabled, the dog will follow his
owner while you drag the owner to a new position in the viewport. If, on the other hand, the option is
disabled, the dog will wait for the mouse button to be released before catching up with his owner.
XPresso Context Menus
In the XPresso Editor, the context menu provides quick access to commands that are specic to
nodes, XGroups and ports. Some of these commands are available from the context menu only. The
commands shown vary, depending on whether you access the context menu while the mouse pointer
is over a node, XGroup or port.