Glossary of terms
When you're working with Dynamics 365 Guides, you'll find this glossary of terms helpful.
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| 3D parts | 3D content that you assign to a step to support that step. You assign 3D parts in the PC application, and then place the holograms in a real-world environment in HoloLens Author mode. |
| 3D toolkit | A library of predefined objects included in Dynamics 365 Guides that you can use to get started right away. For example, there are 3D objects such as pointers and arrows that you can add to a step to support that step. |
| Air tap | A gesture that's equivalent to a "click" with a mouse. For more information on how to do an air tap, see Gestures to know. |
| Anchoring (alignment) | The process of making sure that a guide "lines up" with associated objects in the real world when it's used on HoloLens. Anchoring is an important and mandatory part of creating any guide. For more information, see Anchor your guides in the real world. |
| Author | The person who creates a guide. |
| Calibration | A process in which HoloLens adjusts the hologram display according to a user's interpupillary distance (IPD). The HoloLens device must be calibrated correctly so that the guide aligns properly in the real world. Proper calibration is also necessary to place holographic objects in HoloLens Author mode. HoloLens includes a Calibration app that can be used by authors and operators for this purpose. |
| Circular code anchor (previously known as a printed anchor) | A code that you print and attach to a physical object in the real world to anchor a guide. For more information, see Anchor your guide in the real world. |
| Dotted line | A holographic link that ties a step visually to the area where you want the operator to focus. It helps the operator find content or understand what they're supposed to be looking at in the real world. You can use a holographic dotted line together with a 3D object, such as a holographic arrow or number. |
| Field of view | The size of the HoloLens display where holograms show up. It's important to keep the field of view in mind when placing holograms in a real-world environment. |
| Gaze | The act of looking at a user interface element with HoloLens. In some cases, you can select an item just by gazing at it. In other cases, you use gaze to target an object and then act on that target with a gesture. |
| Gesture | A hand movement that enables an operator to do an action in mixed reality. For more information, see Gestures to know. |
| Holographic anchor (previously known as a digital anchor) | A 3D representation that is used to anchor holograms in the real world. You place the digital representation directly over its counterpart in the real world, and then use a gesture to align the guide to the digital anchor. The digital representation can be a computer-aided design (CAD) model or a scanned model. For more information, see Anchor your guide in the real world. |
| Interpupillary distance (IPD) | The distance between a user's eyes. Different users have different IPDs. To align content correctly, HoloLens needs to be calibrated for each user's IPD. |
| Operator | The person who uses a guide to do a set of tasks. |
| Outline page | A page in the PC Authoring application that you use to add tasks and steps. From the Outline page, you can get a sense of the whole guide and restructure tasks by dragging them from one place to another. The Outline page also includes customizable anchoring instructions and a special step called the Completion step (also customizable). |
| QR code anchor | A code that you print and attach to a physical object in the real world to anchor a guide. For more information, see Anchor your guide in the real world. |
| Step | A short, discrete work item that an operator does to complete a task. Tasks are made up of steps. Steps are also the central navigation point in a guide. |
| Step card | The fundamental building block in Dynamics 365 Guides. You first add text and supporting assets to a Step card in the PC Authoring application. You then place holograms that are associated with each step in a real-world environment in HoloLens Author mode. The operator works through each step to complete a task or series of tasks. For more information about Step cards, see Create steps and add 3D models or 2D media. |
| Style | Visual properties that you can add to any 3D object to reinforce what you want the operator to do or know. Examples of styles include Pick up, Place, and Caution. |
| Task | A piece of work to be done or undertaken. A task is made up of steps that the operator must follow to complete the task. |