Poser Definitions
This is a list of Poser definitions (a.k.a. overly confusing jargon) that I've come across.
Bump Map - the high elevation for the surface of an object. Bump Maps give an illusion of depth, making some areas seem higher than other areas. Different software programs have different requirements for bump maps, but most use grayscale, except Poser 4 which uses ... something ... but Poser 4 can convert grayscale to it's proprietary format.
.cr2 file - This is the data format for a character which tells Poser what figure to load, what texture(s) to apply, and how to manipulate the mesh. For example, it will tell Poser how the figure is put together (the leg bone is connected to the hip bone, so to speak), what morphs are contained in a character (or what morphs can be injected into a character), and how each piece of the object can be moved, rotated, etc.
Figures - Figures are items that contain multiple moving parts which depend on one another. Most often, figures are humanoids and clothing, but can be anything from hair to furniture, etc. What determines a figure is how the item works, not what the mesh represents.
Hair - Special props that automatically load so they are parented to the head or a figure. Only one hair item can be loaded per figure. All items in the Hair library are hair meshes, but not all hair meshes will be found in the Hair library. If the item has multiple moving parts - which can happen with long hair for example - then it may be found in the Figure library. Some hair meshes can be found in the Prop library as well - often time because the hair mesh is expected to be loaded along with other hair meshes on one figure - such as a hair mesh for bangs, another for a long ponytail, a third for the skull cap, etc.
INJ file - Some figures do not contain all their morph information in the basic Figure file in order to cut down on file size. INJ files will INJect the morph information into a character so you can have just the morphs you want in the character. If you use an INJ file, it will inject the morphs, but will not set a value for the morphs. If you inject a morph, you will need to switch to a different body part, then back in order to see the new dials.
MAT file - this is a MATerial file that applies textures to a mesh. MAT files are found in Pose folders due to the way they're constructed. MAT files are different from Poser 5 material files because they can apply texture information across several parts of a mesh at one time. MAT files will work on Figures and Hair. They will not work on Props unless those props have been parented to a figure.
MAT/MOR file - this contains both texture and morph information to apply to a Figure. This is also found in a Pose folder.
Mesh - this is the actual object, as compared to the data manipulation file (.cr2, .pp2, etc.). For Poser .obj is the most common mesh type used. (Poser can import other types of meshes, but can only manipulate .obj files and only if there is a corresponding data manipulation file.)
MOR file - this is a MORph file that applies morph information to a mesh - what values to set the morph dials to. MOR files apply to Figures and will be found in the Pose folder.
Morph Injection - Some figures do not contain all their morph information in the basic Figure file in order to cut down on file size. Morph Injection is the process of inserting morphs into a Figure in order to add more versatility to the figure.
.pp2 file - The data manipulation file for Poser Props. It contains information such as what mesh to load, what texture to apply, and where to load it in the scene.
Props - meshes that do not have special information or lots of moving parts. The Prop library is a bit of a catch-all, the kitchen junk drawer, so to speak.
REM file - If you inject a morph you didn't intend to, or decide later not to use, you can use a REMove file to strip that information from the Figure. This eases the strain on system resources. A common practice is to inject morphs, set the values, then spawn a morph target which documents all the changes as one morph target. After the morph has been spawned, the REM file is used to remove the individual morphs and the Figure is saved to the library.
Spawn a Morph - If you use magnets, or make set several morph dials to their desired values, you can spawn a morph which contains all that information as one unique change then set the individual dials back to 0 and set the new morph to 1 then save the character to the library. I do this often when creating characters. Note: if you spawn a morph using other people's morphs, you can *not* redistribute that morph because it's just a derivation of other people's work.
Texture Map - the image applied to the mesh. You can either tell the program to use a straight color or tell it to apply a texture to the mesh. If an image is used, the image must be created for that specific object. (The texture used for a globe of the world is formatted very differently than a texture for a flat map due to the difference in shape.) A texture can be anything from simply colors to intricate patterns.
Transparency Map - This controls what parts of the mesh should show and which should be see-through. If you wanted to make a flat plane look like a window, you'd use white to indicate the window frame, and black for the glass. Transparency Maps are not an either/or. You can use shades of gray to indicate varying degrees of transparency, such as sheer fabric or different types of glass.