1.3.7. STK Files

 

STK (Stick figure) files are the native Pivot file format for figure types. They can be stored on your computer to be used in animations or shared with others over the internet.

 

    An STK file can be created by clicking Save As in the File menu of the figure builder. After making changes to an STK file in the figure builder, the file can be overwritten by clicking 'Save' in the File menu or by using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+S.

 

    An STK file can be opened directly into the animation canvas area in the main Pivot window by clicking 'Load Figure Type' in the File menu or by using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+F. They can also be dragged to the canvas area from Windows Explorer.

 

    Text objects can also be saved as an STK file or loaded from one. Click the menu button at the top right of the text designer window to see the save and load options.

 

 

Compatibility Between Pivot Versions

 

STK files are always backwards compatible, meaning that files created with all previous versions of Pivot can be opened in newer versions. However, the reverse is not always true. A file created in a particular version cannot be opened in a previous version if the first digit of the version number is different. For example, a STK file created in version 5.x.x cannot be opened in version 4.x.x (an error message will be shown). However, it is possible to save in the format of Pivot v2 or v4 from the figure builder. This is done by clicking Save As and selecting a version from the 'Save as type' dropdown list. However, it should be noted that any unsupported features may be lost.

 

 

 

STK files can be previewed when opening in the figure builder or main window by clicking the 'show preview pane' button at the top right of the Open file window. The version of Pivot that the file was created in is shown at the top left of the preview.

 

STK files can also be previewed in Windows Explorer by clicking the 'Preview Pane' button in the View tab or using the Alt+P keyboard shortcut.

 

 

 

 

The STK Library is an online repository containing hundreds of figures to download for free. The library can be quickly opened in your default web browser by clicking 'Download Figures' in the Help menu of Pivot Animator. The library can be filtered based on category or Pivot version using the options at the top of the page. The library contains both STK files and PIV files containing packs with multiple related figures. To use a figure from a PIV file simply open it in Pivot, select the figure or figures you want to use and copy them (Ctrl+C). You can then open your animation and paste the figures (Ctrl+V).

 

If you would like to contribute to the library then you can do so by sending the file as an attachment to support@pivotanimator.net, but please only send your own work. Include your creator name and optionally a link to your YouTube channel. The picture and file information will be generated from the file automatically and the name will be taken from the file name. The library will be updated about once a week.