Caching agents

In Atoms you can save your simulation on disk using the Atoms cache, then is possible to reuse these caches using the "cacheReader" behaviour module. The Atoms Cache is lightwave and fast. Compared to live simulation it can increase the performance of your scene.

With the cache reader and the agents layout tool you can edit and tweak your cache.

Exporting a cache

You can open the cache exporter GUI using the shelf button or via the Atoms Menu: Atoms > Export > Cache Exporter

Create and agent group
Add a grid layout behaviour module and set the size attribute to (10,0,10)
Add a state machine behaviour module and set the state attribute to 1
Now create some other agent groups and move them
Now open the cache exporter form the Atoms menu: Atoms > Export > Cache Exporter
Select the agent groups you have created from the list, then choose a path where your cache will be saved.
Finally select your start and end frame.
Click on the "Export" button

There also few other options:

Multithread: to be used for high number of agents
Compress: compress each cache file
Random Access Compress: compress each agent in the file. Best if you are planning to read randomly the agents keeping the benefit of compression; for instance, if you will time offset agents singularly later on.

Importing a cache

You can import a cache in a scene using the cacheReader behavuour module

Create and agent group
Add a cacheReader behaviour module
in the cachePath attribute of the cache reader module pick the cache file (the file named youCacheName.atoms)
Rewind the scene and atoms will load the cache. It also automatically load all the agentType that are missing from your scene
You can move, rotate the agent groups to place it where you want and you can create multiple agent group to load different caches or the same cache multiple times

Editing a cache

When a cache is loaded in your scene you can still edit it to change your layout or simulation.

Apply a new height field

Even if you exported the cache from some agent groups on a height field you can apply a new height field to your cache

Create a new height field
Create an agent group and import your cache using the cacehReader behaviour module
in the height field attribute of the cache reader module select the new hegith field
Rewind the scene and press play

Move agents

Create an agent group and import your cache using the cacehReader behaviour module
To move agents you can use the transitionOffset attribute or you can use the Agents Layout Tool
Select the agent group and from the Atoms menu: Atoms → Tools → Agents Layout Tool
Press Q to switch to the seleciton mode or press or RMB on the viewport and choose Select mode
Select the agents you want move
Press W to switch to the move mode or press or RMB on the viewport and choose Move mode
Use the manupulator to move the agents where you want, in maya 2016 the manipulator doesn't work so just press the LMB where you want move the agents
Rewind the scene and press play

Rotate agents

Create an agent group and import your cache using the cacehReader behaviour module
To retate agents you can use the rotationOffset attribute or you can use the Agents Layout Tool
Select the agent group and from the Atoms menu: Atoms → Tools → Agents Layout Tool
Press Q to switch to the seleciton mode or press or RMB on the viewport and choose Select mode
Select the agents you want rotate
Press E to switch to the rotate mode or press or RMB on the viewport and choose Rotate mode
Press the LMB and move the mouse on the left or on the right to rotate the agents
Rewind the scene and press play

Delete agents

Create an agent group and import your cache using the cacehReader behaviour module
To delete agents you can use the filterAgent attribute (set value of 1 to remove an agent) or you can use the Agents Layout Tool
Select the agent group and from the Atoms menu: Atoms → Tools → Agents Layout Tool
Press Q to switch to the seleciton mode or press or RMB on the viewport and choose Select mode
Select the agents you want delete
And from the ui press the "Delete Selected Agents" button or RMB and "Delete agents" from the menu
Rewind the scene and press play

Change agents speed

You can also change the agent speed changing the frameRate attribute. This attribute is a multiplier on the input time.

Create an agent group and import your cache using the cacehReader behaviour module
To change the speed of some agents open the override agent dialog next to frameRate attribute
Select the agents you want modify form the list or use the Agents Layout Tool to select the agents, the selection inside the override dialog changs automatically
Set a value of 0.5 in the value field and then press "Set Value" button
Rewind the scene and press play

Offsetframe

You can offset the cache frame for each agent, so an agent can start playing the frame 10 instead start from the frame 0

Create an agent group and import your cache using the cacehReader behaviour module
To offset the start frame of some agents open the override agent dialog next to frameOffset attribute
Select the agents you want modify form the list or use the Agents Layout Tool to select the agents, the selection inside the override dialog changes automatically
Set a value of 10 in the value field and then press "Set Value" button
Rewind the scene and press play

Duplicate agents

You can clone agents inside a cache

Create an agent group and import your cache using the cacehReader behaviour module
Select the agent group and from the Atoms menu: Atoms → Tools → Agents Layout Tool
Press Q to switch to the seleciton mode or press or RMB on the viewport and choose Select mode
Select the agents you want duplicate
Press the button "Duplicate selected agents" or press RMB and choose "Duplicate agents"
Atoms duplicates the selected agents and moves the new agents a little bit
Press W to switch to the move mode or press or RMB on the viewport and choose Move mode and move the new agents where you want
Rewind the scene and press play

Resim agents

The cache reader module giv you the possibility to risimulate some agents, so oyu can apply modules that change the atoms direction etc...

Create an agent group and import your cache using the cacehReader behaviour module
Select the agent group and from the Atoms menu: Atoms → Tools → Agents Layout Tool
Press Q to switch to the seleciton mode or press or RMB on the viewport and choose Select mode
Select the agents you want duplicate
Open the override agent dialog next to directionFromCache attribute
Set a value of 0
Create a curve near the selected agents
Add a follow curve module
Attach the curve to the follow curve module
Rewind the scene and press play, now the selected agents will follow the curve

Using the Cache manager

When you use the cacheReader behaviour module atoms store some frame of your cache in memory when you play a simulation to improve the performance. You can control and load different cache manually using the Cache manager UI. With this widget you can load in advance caches and also increase the max memory amount reserved by the cache manager. Please look at the cache manager section for more information.