Move the mouse above the stage and above a shockwave3d sprite, and the 3DPI displays all informations about the object, that is below the mouse. This way it is easy to identify models, ModelResources, shaders and textures, that are visible in your shockwave3d scene.
Furthermore it is also possible to quickly access all details and properties of one of the listed objects (sprite, member, camera, model, ModelResource, shader, texture).

• Picking-Tab Basics
• Working with the Picking-Tab
• Example
• When the Picking-Tab shows nothing

Picking-Tab Basics

1) picking calculations

In the top part of the 3DPI window all important objects are listed, that are corresponding to the position of the mouse over the stage:

• Sprite: the spriteNum of the sprite under the mouse.
  
  
• Member: the member of the sprite and its name.
  
  
• Camera: the sprite camera. If the sprite has more cameras (cameraCount() > 1) it calculates the top most camera, whichs rect fits with the mouse position.
  
  
• Model: the top most model under mouse.
  
  
• ModelResource: the resource of the model.
  
  
• Shader: the shader, which belongs to the models mesh ID, where the mouse is placed.
  
  
• Texture: the texture of the shaders first layer (if one exists).

2) modelsUnderLoc

Detailed picking informations are displayed in the bottom part of the 3DPI window: distance, isectPosition, isectNormal, meshID, faceID, vertices and uvCoords.
This informations are calculated by the Lingo command 'modelsUnderLoc' (camera function):

theCamera.modelsUnderLoc(pointWithinSprite {, maxNumberOfModels, levelOfDetail})

The 3DPI uses your current mousePosition and the sprite.rect for calculating the 'pointWithinSprite' parameter; 1 for 'maxNumberOfModels', because it only displays informations about the top most model under the mouse; and #detailed for the 'levelOfDetail' parameter to get the listed poperties.

Please read more about each property in the Director Help -> 3D Lingo Dictonary -> modelsUnderLoc.

Working with the Picking-Tab

Simply move the mouse over the stage and over a shockwave3d sprite, and all corresponding informations are displayed in the Picking-Tab.

Press the option key (= alt key) and the 3DPI stops calculating all informations for the Picking-Tab. The last details will remain displayed in the 3DPI window as long as the key is pressed, and meanwhile you can move your mouse relaxed wherever you want to.

If any valid informations are still displayed and the option key is still pressed, you can now click on an Icon left to the top informations. This works like a Hyperlink: the corresponding Tab and the corresponding object automatically gets selected by the 3DPI, and you can access all the objects properties.

 
A shockwave3D scene is placed on the stage, which includes some different models.

When beeing interested in the details of this texture, that the models shader uses, hold the option key to stop scanning, keep the key pressed, and then click on the texture-Icon.

The 3DPI switches to the Texture-Tab, selects the "boxTexture" and displays all its informations.

When the Picking-Tab shows nothing

1. If "Pause when deactive" is selected in the 3DPI Preferences, check that the 3DPI window is really the active one, otherwise the 3DPI is paused and so will not display any informations.
   
   
2. Another sprite is placed above the shockwave3D sprite. Even if no other sprite *appears* above, stop your movie and check the sprites. If directToStage of your shockwave3D member is switched on, it always appears on top of all other sprites, even if it is in the first sprite channel.
   The reason for this circumstance is because the 3DPI currently calculates the correct sprite by the Lingo function "the rollover", which always returns the top most sprite below the mouse. (In 3DPI future versions this circumstance might be improved.)