v0.1.46 feature sheet

Features in detail

How the app is structured: what each area does, what each track holds, the five path types and five speed concepts, how focus gets from a curve to a motor, what it takes to send safely — plus shortcuts, preferences and where to look when something refuses to run.

Six workspace areas, one job each

The app opens the project manager first; inside the workspace these six areas never change role.

Top barArm status, run messages, node/timeline switching, global speed, project name. Check it before every take.

MonitorCamera, capture card or virtual camera — the frame the camera actually sees.

Trajectory previewThe 3D arm, path, aim, snapshots and set, seen from a bystander's angle.

Timeline / nodesPositions, timing, connections, motion and audio; switch views freely.

InspectorParameters for the selection, or the free control, target, focus and preset pages. Select first, then edit.

Status barJ1–J6 angles, XYZ position (mm), Rx/Ry/Rz orientation (°), plus the playhead pose. “—” means no data, not zero.

Navigating the 3D viewRight-drag orbits, middle-drag pans, the wheel zooms. Trackpad mode adds two-finger orbit, pinch and three-finger pan; on iPad it is one finger to orbit, two to zoom and pan.

View togglesControls, aim, flange path, optical-centre path and snapshots toggle independently — hiding never deletes data.

Two pathsThe flange path is the tool tip's line; the optical-centre path is the lens's viewpoint, which depends on how the camera is mounted.

Click versus holdJoysticks, return bars and continuous keys require holding — release requests a stop. “Move to”, “move to playhead”, the paper plane and the three levelling actions start on a click and finish after release; abort with pause or Esc.

Orbiting only changes what you see — it does not turn the camera. Judge framing in the monitor.

The six areas: monitor, 3D preview, inspector, timeline and status bar.

Projects and scenes: keep more than one answer

Project → scene → saved position, so comparing options never means copying the whole job.

ProjectOne shoot with every scene, position, audio file and setting. Manual save, live save and save-as are all available.

SceneMultiple timelines per project. Copy a scene to test another route without touching the original.

Undo boundaryUndo reverts edits only — it cannot undo motion that already happened.

Desktop backupA project without audio is one .cinearm file; with audio, back up the sibling .cinearm-audio folder too.

iPad backupSave first, then use “back up current project” or “export full backup” and restore with import. Backups over 128 MB are split per project.

Import never overwritesImports always create a new project. The three platforms manage projects separately and do not sync.

Scene tabs hold several timelines inside one project.

Saved positions: one master, many instances

Recording a pose creates both a reusable master and one use of it — two different things.

Master and instanceThe master is the reusable position; the instance is one placement on a timeline or node. They undo together.

LabelsTimeline labels use numbers for order and letters for the saved position; cards show the ID, snapshot and usage count.

Creating referencesDrag a card onto a track or the node canvas to create an instance; right-click “show on timeline” to find who references it.

What the master storesOptical-centre position and full orientation, plus the last successful arm pose; dropping it in re-solves for the current arm and confirmed camera mount.

Delete instance vs masterDeleting a timeline point or node card keeps the master; deleting the saved position removes the master and every reference, with a confirmation listing the impact.

Batch housekeeping“Delete unused saved positions” clears unreferenced masters; “renumber in order” relabels A, B, C… continuing past Z as AA, AB.

Editing one instance keeps the other uses — “same saved position” does not mean every instance moves together.

Saved-position panel: ID, snapshot and usage count per master.

Five tracks, each holding its own thing

Separate tracks mean changing framing cannot silently change focus.

Overview trackSnapshots and numbers — remember a shot by the frames it passed through.

Pose trackThe positions and the move between them; the backbone of the shot.

Target trackTarget assignments and the range where “always aim at” applies.

Focus trackFocus over time; focus-only keys can be inserted without touching pose.

Audio trackImported audio for timing and beat markers.

Curve viewsCombined speed and focus speed expand into curves — read the whole rhythm or pull one segment.

Play rangeRight-click “set as start” (I) and “set as end” (O); Alt+I and Alt+O restore the full range.

Scale−/+ or the zoom bar; Alt+wheel zooms, Mod+wheel pans, Shift+wheel changes track height, middle-drag moves the view. None of it changes timing.

ToolbarUndo/redo, multi-select, three levelling modes, go to playhead, drag, record, send mode, back to start, reverse, stop, play, jump to end, loop, zoom, snap, track visibility.

While runningThe toolbar becomes red pause / continue / end. Hover any control for its exact name.

Five tracks side by side: overview, pose, target, focus and audio.

Recording: place it, look at it, press once

Recording is the most repeated action, so it is a rhythm rather than a dialog.

Append or insertNew records append by default; dropping one mid-timeline inserts a move segment and shifts later points.

PlayheadDragging it only changes what you are looking at — the arm does not move without an explicit positioning or send.

Select and moveBox select, multi-select, move and copy; changing start or end time recomputes the segment.

Plain previewWithout taking over hardware, a semi-transparent arm shows the intended pose at the playhead.

Optical-centre positioningReposition the whole rig around the lens's optical centre while framing holds.

Overview tableScan every point's type, smoothing, focus and target in one table instead of opening cards.

Snapshots“Update snapshot” replaces the still, “delete snapshot” removes only the image and keeps the pose; an old still does not prove the current state.

Standalone overviewsSegment numbers in the overview add no required points; drag the marker to change time — the inspector time is read-only.

The overview table lists every point's type, smoothing, focus and target.

Paths: five ways, differing in what they pass through

Same A to B, but the intermediate positions behave completely differently.

Smoothing · mode 1Rounds corners as the path sweeps through them — allowed to bypass the original corner points.

Smoothing · mode 2One continuous path that passes through several saved positions.

Three-point arcStart, via point and end define the arc; it passes through the via position, which does not set rotation on its own.

Arc around a targetTwo equal-radius positions orbit a shared target along the shortest arc in a fixed plane, aiming at it throughout.

Manual cubic BézierSpatial handles shape the route and the path need not pass through control points; spatial handles decide where, speed handles decide how fast.

AUTO pass-through speedPlanned from the whole path by default; right-click an inner point to type a value. Restoring AUTO means clearing the input, not entering 0.

Inner handlesAdjust entry and exit length and the shared speed slope; editing one point can affect its neighbour — dashed is reference, solid is the result.

Failures and rollbackCollinear or degenerate points, mismatched radii, or a 180° opposition that leaves no plane will fail; “restore normal path” cancels at any time.

After changing path, timing, speed or target, wait for the full recompute. A successful save does not mean a safe run.

Path type and smoothing live in the pose menu, beside the speed curve.

Five speed concepts, not interchangeable

Mixing them up is the usual reason “I changed it but nothing happened”.

Jog speedManual speed for free and target control; affects only the current action.

Global speedA 1%–100% slider scaling this send without altering saved timing — made for a first run.

Segment speed curveThe saved ramp of start, accelerate, cruise, decelerate: the shot's own rhythm.

Smoothing pass-throughThe continuous speed while crossing an intermediate position, automatic or manual.

Node speedThe 1%–100% on a node card — an estimate of maximum arriving speed; changing it re-times the node.

What percentages meanAll are estimated ratios, not tip mm/s and not measured feedback; focus speed is a rate of focus change.

Looping directionsThe first direction follows global speed; the return runs at the authored 100%. Playing at 20% does not make the way back 20%.

Global speed resetsIt can return to 100% after ending, stopping or reopening a project — re-check before the next run.

Interval settings: speed curve and smoothing configured separately.

Targets: lock the framing to one point

“Where the lens looks” becomes a reusable object instead of being baked into every position.

Reusable targetA point several positions and segments can reference; changing it re-aims the whole move.

Hunting positionsFix the target, then move the arm around it until the framing is right.

Always aimSet the range where the target applies so the lens aims for the whole move, not just the endpoints.

Per-segment useDifferent segments can use different targets, or release the lock for a deliberate look-away.

Arc prerequisiteThe arc mode expects equal radius from both positions — the software will not quietly move an endpoint to make the circle work.

When no plane existsCoincident endpoints, unequal radii, or a 180° opposition leave the plane undefined; adjust the positions, and split long orbits into equal-radius points.

Target control: create a point and keep the whole move aimed at it.

Node editing: a different way to read a shot

The timeline sorts by time; nodes sort by where you go next.

Cards and linksEach card is a position, each link a route; record, connect and choose a route without renumbering.

Motion typeCards show joint, straight, target arc or three-point arc at a glance.

Smoothing 0–100Strength of mode 1; zero restores a stop at the original corner and arc via points are limited.

Speed presetsConstant move or full ease-in-out; inherited curves can show “keep original curve”.

Stop when passingPass the actual smoothed position at zero speed — not a return to the corner, and no added dwell.

Paper-plane positioningClick to drive along the currently available route, release to stop, Esc to abort; disabled without a device.

Arc rolesMark start, middle and end roles in the motion menu; roles must be consecutive along the links, and a partial set blocks playback and sending.

Tidy and copy“Tidy nodes” auto-lays out; copy, cut and paste — pasting onto another card copies properties, pasting on empty space makes a new card.

Update from the arm“Update keyframe from current arm position” overwrites with the live pose — it is not a positioning button.

Saving and undoLinks, endpoints, parameters and layout save with the project and participate in undo; rewiring can invalidate inherited timing and reconnecting does not guarantee a restore.

Node workbench: cards are positions, links are routes.

Manual control: four inputs, pick what fits

Finding a position should not depend on which tool you are holding.

Numeric entryType joint angles or tip position for exact repeats, and for levelling the camera.

DraggingDrag the arm in the 3D view and watch the frame as you go.

Keyboard and gamepadKeyboard for nudges, gamepad for continuous pushes; both feed continuous control.

Nudge and write backAdjust slightly around a selected point, then write the result back without recording a new one.

Preset posesThe default initial pose and the CR5 packing pose can be previewed then executed — one press to park the rig.

Joint arrow jogHold an axis direction to move, release to stop. Alarm jog is fixed at 1%; normal jog uses the selected jog speed.

Stop semanticsRelease, lost capture, focus loss, going to background or Esc all request a stop; releasing during preparation cancels the start and a late reply will not restart motion.

Free control panels for translation and rotation, with numeric entry.

Payload and camera tools: data first, precision second

The same arm behaves differently with different loads, so this is configuration, not feel.

Four inputsPayload weight, centre of mass, camera and lens basics, rig info — fill these in and path and speed start to mean something.

Multiple configurationsCreate, select, duplicate, edit and delete; changing bodies on set does not mean changing projects.

Nova 5 bare-flange baselineA baseline to start building a load from zero on Nova 5.

Loaded identificationWith the real load mounted, run an identification pass so calculations use measured inertia rather than nominal values.

Adapter weightRegister the adapter weight in preferences; it participates in the payload calculation.

Camera levellingLevel with numeric entry; roll and pitch stay readable in the interface.

Payload and camera tools: weight, centre of mass and lens data.

Follow focus: program the curve, then connect the motor

Focus is its own timeline — you can program it before any hardware is connected.

Two representationsPercentage 0%–100% or logical code 0–16383 — positions along one calibrated travel, not metres and not focal length.

DirectionNormal or reversed for different mounts; set before takeover, locked during playback, takeover and calibration.

Focus-only keysInsert a focus-only key at a valid integer frame so focus changes without touching pose.

Focus speed curveFlatten the platform and ramp the transitions; %/s is a project focus rate, not measured lens speed.

Auto-calibrationOne press sweeps the full travel; watch both ends finish, then confirm — confirming takes over the current target and the motor may move immediately.

Multiple motorsBluetooth devices are distinguished by full identity, not display name; add, calibrate and take over each separately.

Wired end-effectorThe end-effector controller supports a wired connection alongside Bluetooth.

While runningPause and continue, or choose “send arm only” to drop focus; dismissing a prompt is not the same as a successful joint run.

Reopening a project keeps bindings but not connections or authorisation; after switching machines, verify identity and rebind.

The focus panel separates current focus, the selected key and Air4 state.

Monitoring and virtual set

Monitoring is the frame you capture; the virtual set is the spatial relationship. Both live in the same 3D view.

SourceCamera, capture card or virtual camera; the virtual camera exists in virtual mode only.

TransformCapture and output scale X/Y, rotation, horizontal and vertical flip — display only, never the recording.

Grid and centreRule-of-thirds grid and a centre cross, both recolourable, for judging balance.

Safe area50%–100% range with mask opacity to check frame edges; it is a reference, not collision avoidance.

PeakingHighlights sharp edges with adjustable sensitivity and colour; it does not replace autofocus or rangefinding.

Virtual setA 120×70×80 cm white table or an empty scene; the subject can be a mini Nova 5, CR10A or CR20A, or your own GLB.

Custom modelsGLB 2.0 under 20 MiB with embedded resources; up to 100k triangles imports cleanly, 100–200k warns, above 200k is refused with the count shown.

Virtual focal length10–300 mm changes the virtual framing (default 50 mm); monitor zoom only changes the display.

There is no false colour, zebras, waveform, monitor recording or lens library yet, and the set does not detect a real table or prove absence of collisions.

Monitor overlays: thirds grid, centre mark, safe area and peaking.

Audio and rhythm: cut the move to the beat

Bring the track in, mark the beats, time the movement against them.

Import and auditionAudio plays on the timeline in sync with the playhead.

Clip basicsClick to select, modifiers or a box to multi-select, drag the body to move.

Trim and splitDrag edge handles to trim while keeping the original audio; right-click “split here” to cut.

Level and fadesDrag the volume line between −60 and +12 dB (restore to 0 dB); drag endpoint handles for fade length and curve points for shape.

Mute and leading silenceThe M button mutes the whole track; “remove leading silence” shifts audio earlier while keeping clip spacing and leaving arm points alone.

Beat markersPress M with the playhead inside a clip to add a marker, drag to re-time, name or delete it — the app does not detect beats automatically.

RelinkingRight-click a missing clip and pick the original file; its length must cover all trims and markers, and other references update too.

Asset retentionOn desktop, migrate the .cinearm-audio folder with the project; auditioning in a browser does not mean the asset is safely stored.

Audio waveform with clips; beat markers drop straight onto the wave.

Sending: this is where the software stops deciding

Everything before this is preparation. Only sending moves the arm.

Send trajectory (default)Generate the whole trajectory file and upload it for the controller to play — shortest link, steadiest rhythm.

ServoJ throughoutCineArm streams targets point by point for setups that need live coupling.

Two ways back to startAlong the trajectory, or a pure joint move that does not guarantee the shot's spatial path.

Upload authenticationVendor default or custom credentials, read and verify the host fingerprint, then validate and save; if it changes, investigate first.

Must be at this run's startForward play needs the arm back at I, reverse at O, and it must actually arrive — dragging the playhead is not arriving.

Run orderStop preview → check project, I/O and the motion check → pick global speed, disable looping on the first run → enable send mode and return to start → play → answer focus prompts → observe until settled.

Pause and endThe button becomes red “pause send”; continue to resume the remainder, or end to abandon it and wait for the unlock.

Fault lockWhen stop state is unverified, use “check and recover control”; clearing a controller alarm does not clear the local unverified state.

Four recovery entriesRecover control, exit safely and disable motion, clear alarms, joint arrow jog — each for a different state; unknown or multiple alarms release no motion.

Two boundariesUploading a trajectory is not saving a project (never copy a .cinearm into the controller); file playback marks progress on DO1–DO6, so check those outputs' wiring.

With send mode on, I/O map to the arm returning to start and end.

Shortcuts and input devices

Defaults cover the frequent actions, and everything can be rebound and saved as a preset.

Default key	Command
Shift+1	Project manager
Mod+S / Mod+Shift+S	Save / save as
Mod+Z / Mod+Shift+Z	Undo / redo
Mod+A / C / X / V	Select all, copy, cut, paste on the timeline
Backspace / Delete	Delete selection
← / → · Space	Playhead by frame · plain preview play/stop
I / O · Alt+I / Alt+O	Set start and end · restore full range
K · Mod+B · M	Record keyframe · insert at playhead · audio marker
Alt / Mod / Shift + wheel	Timeline zoom / pan / track height

RebindingUp to four bindings per command; conflicts list the existing command. Wheel commands need the modifier held while scrolling.

PresetsEdits to the default require naming a preset; presets can be saved, imported, exported and deleted, and the default cannot be removed.

Keyboard jogThe keyboard can jog the selected joint or direction continuously — hold to move, release to stop.

GamepadGamepad jog is customisable, with fault vibration and a test.

End-effector buttonThe end-effector button can trigger on a single press and be bound to an action.

Unassigned commandsSome commands ship without a default key and must be assigned before use.

The shortcut window supports search, filters and multiple bindings.

Preferences: six categories, save to apply

Open from the gear in the status bar; the search filters by name or keyword.

AccountSign in, existing licence, activate this machine, device management, refresh, deactivate, sign out — with controller upload authentication below.

EditingDisplay scale, status-bar readout (coordinates or joint limits), default motion for new keyframes, speed curve for new timelines, pinch sensitivity, auto-append timing, send mode and return-to-start.

KeyboardFour sub-windows: software shortcuts, keyboard control, gamepad control, end-effector button.

Payload listAdapter weight and saving, configuration create/select/edit/delete, Nova 5 baseline and identification.

AlertsRun-error sound on/off, change, audition, restore default; gamepad fault vibration and test.

Motion experimentsMotion limits and ServoJ pages, tuned per arm and site.

Speed curve algorithmNew timelines can use “quintic smoothing” or “piecewise S-curve”, defaulting to quintic; existing timelines keep their settings.

Saving semanticsMost pages hold a draft until you press save; cancelling or closing prompts to discard. Settings are locked while running or while a stop is unverified.

Preferences: six categories on the left.

Troubleshooting and wrap-up

Most refusals have a concrete reason in the run messages — read it before changing anything.

Symptom	First thing to check
Cannot connect / waiting for state	Cabling, NIC or Wi-Fi, subnet masks on both ends, duplicate IPs, permissions and protocol model — do not just assume the default address.
Connected but cannot control	Licence, model, alarms and stationary state; use the enable or recover entry the connection window offers.
Buttons grey / compute never finishes	Hover for the reason, open run messages, wait for the calculation; stop playback and input first and fix the selection or path rules.
Not at I, forward play refused	In send mode, drive the arm back to I and wait — the playhead position is not the arm position.
Arc or smoothing fails	Check consecutive selection, points, timing, speed, target radius and constraints; undo the last change and retry.
Alarm cleared but still locked	Read the first execution error and the stop result; clearing the controller alarm does not clear the local unverified state.

Normal wrap-upRelease all continuous inputs → pause a running take and wait for it to settle, then end → steady the load and stop dragging → disable motion control and wait for confirmation → end Air4 takeover → stop capture → save the project and backups → power down per the manufacturer.

Closing is not powering downClosing the window or disconnecting the app does not cut power to the hardware; handle an unknown state on site first.

E-stop firstOn danger, lost link or uncertain stop, use a verified physical E-stop and the manufacturer's procedure — focus loss, network loss or a closed window is never a substitute.

DiagnosticsRun-message details, copy or local diagnostic export preserve the cause; review for project and personal data before sending.

Glossary

These words recur throughout the interface with fixed meanings.

Term	Meaning
Project / scene	The whole job / one shot option inside it (a timeline)
Pose / segment	A camera position / the motion between two positions
Saved position / instance	The reusable master / one placement on a timeline or node
Playhead / I–O	The moment you are viewing / the range this run uses
Smoothing 1 / 2	May bypass corners / passes through interior saved positions
Pass-through speed 0	An explicit zero; restoring AUTO means clearing the input, not typing 0
Optical centre / centre of mass	The lens viewpoint / where the payload weight is concentrated
Calibration / takeover	Learning the lens travel / permission to control the device now
Virtual set	The shooting environment (table, subject, virtual focal length)

Preview, virtual run and on-site execution each need their own check — success in software never replaces on-set safety and the final image.