topic Re: Lamp shadows in 3D window (not rendering) in Modeling

Lamp shadows in 3D window (not rendering)

Latanietoprzetrwanie — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 21:08:58 GMT

I couldn't find the answer so I'm asking for help. Is it possible to get a shadow that a wall, slab, column or any other object casts in a 3D window (it can be colored, B&W). I don't mean the rendering window but a regular 3D window. The shadow should be from a lamp (any lamp). If it's possible, how to do it and in which version of Archicad. thx

Operating system used: Windows

Re: Lamp shadows in 3D window (not rendering)

Barry Kelly — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 00:48:05 GMT

Have you turned on shadows in the 3D styles settings for the 3D window.

If that is on and there are still not lamp shadows, do your lamp objects have an option to cast shadows or not?

Barry.

Re: Lamp shadows in 3D window (not rendering)

Lingwisyer — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 02:05:06 GMT

Pretty sure they are talking about IES lighting produced by said lamps producing shadows from the environment. As far as I know that is not possible, though I have not really used the experimental Phyiscal Based Rendering in 3D setting.

Re: Lamp shadows in 3D window (not rendering)

Barry Kelly — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 03:26:48 GMT

True, that is 'Sun" shadows in the 3D window.

I'm not sure then that lights will cast a shadow in standard 3D window (I never use them).

PBR I would have thought would show the lighting shadows, but I see no controls for it, again I never use it or lights.

Maybe it is just the same as the regualr 3D window - only sun shadows.

I just tried a 3D render, with lights on, high intensity, range of light more than enough to cast shadow on the surface, but the shadows are very weak.

The 'general' light sources work much better, but again only in a 3D render.

The short answer seems to be that in the 3D window, you can only have sun shadows.

Barry.

Re: Lamp shadows in 3D window (not rendering)

Latanietoprzetrwanie — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 20:36:45 GMT

Well, I also came to the same conclusion that a lamp will not cast a shadow on a wall in a regular 3D window. Unfortunately, it's a great pity because I really need it. Maybe someone has an idea how to solve this and whether it is even possible. Or do you know of a simple intuitive 3D program that has such capabilities?

Re: Lamp shadows in 3D window (not rendering)

Lingwisyer — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 03:04:38 GMT

Unreal5 with Lumin? Though depends what you define as intuitive... as well as your workflow.

Though is this more about presentation without rendering?