how to save a 3D view

[Anonymous]

I could use some help.
I'm working in the 3d window and using the orbit and pan tools as well as the mouse scroll wheel to zoom in and out until I get my view just the way I want it.
I'd like to be able to save the view that I'm looking at but I don't seem to be able to figure out how to do that. Please tell me how I can save a view as I'm looking at it on my monitor.
Thank you,
John

[TMA_80]

Hi,

I generally create a camera first. modify my view to the desired angle then:

Navigator/Path/save current projection.

This will add a new camera with the new position...



There is however a cleaner way ...

once the modified angle is OK

Navigator/Generic perspective/save current view

this will create a view that you'll find on the "view map" part of the navigator

[Chazz]

But let's be honest about this. There are MAJOR bugs with this area of the software. In fact, in my work, camera/view hassles are the number one most consistent, most annoying, most disruptive and most time-wasting issue in ArchiCAD.

Specifically:

• 1) Camera numbering is inconsistent and illogical
  2) Cameras cannot be named in the project map. This is a huge and illogical inconsistency compared to every other element in the 'map (stories, elevations, sections, 3D Docs, etc)
  3) Copy-pasting cameras yields odd results (particularly to numbering)
  4) "Place a Camera" command yields inconsistent results.
  5) "Insert A New Camera After The Selected One" command yields inconsistent results.
  6) Saved 3D views placed in layouts often get corrupted or altered by subsequent changes to the marquee.

Please GS, fix these LONGSTANDING bugs and inconsistencies. The 3D Documents looked like a step in the right direction but the limitations with materials makes that tool too crippled in lots of situations. V15 did make some progress to the corruption in layouts issue but camera/views is an area of the program that, after more than a decade of no change, needs to be completely rethought.

[Chazz]

Of course, in my rant, i never directly addressed John's issue. In truth, I think that if your sig is up to date and you still are using V11, you may be in for a world of hurt.

In either case I would differ with TMA_80 in that just adding views to the view map is OK for Axon projections but for perspectives you really want to add a camera because that way you are supposed to be able to move the camera and have it update the saved view itself. This does not always work, but it is supposed to. It is complicated further because the name of the saved view may not bear any relationship to the name camera in the Project map (this is the reason it is so annoying that camera names cannot be changed).

[Karl Ottenstein]

I find saving views to be the easiest solution. Create just like any other view - either right click/save view from navigator, or drag camera to view map in Organizer.

No problem updating views either - just open the view, modify as desired, then from open the view settings and get current window settings.

If you do need a camera for a saved view, then open the view use the place camera on path command (or insert after command if a different camera is selected in plan).

Aside: I do agree 100% with Chazz on the hassle and inconsistencies of cameras. I haven't touched this area in years, using Artlantis instead, but was looking at it with a friend yesterday who doesn't have Artlantis and was shocked to see no improvements since version 6.5 and all of the issues (and more) that Chazz mentions. We were looking at animations, and the ArchiCAD solution is just ridiculous, providing a fixed number of frames between cameras, forcing you to introduce extra cameras to control the speed, and with the number of frames in the Path dialog and the frames per second in the animation compression settings dialog. Absolutely clunky.

Cheers,
Karl

[Anonymous]

Chazz wrote:
But let's be honest about this. There are MAJOR bugs with this area of the software. In fact, in my work, camera/view hassles are the number one most consistent, most annoying, most disruptive and most time-wasting issue in ArchiCAD.

Please GS, fix these LONGSTANDING bugs and inconsistencies. The 3D Documents looked like a step in the right direction but the limitations with materials makes that tool too crippled in lots of situations. V15 did make some progress to the corruption in layouts issue but camera/views is an area of the program that, after more than a decade of no change, needs to be completely rethought.

Chazz,
I think that this is a great issue for a forum poll to see if we can get some attention to this issue from Graphisoft. If you post the poll I will vote essential. As I am still in v11 and not using the latest software I think it would be a stronger message coming from you.
Aloha,
John

[Karl Ottenstein]

PS Note that saved 3D views can be set to open the 3D window or to generate a photorendering (with the settings saved with the view).

This is nice, but also awkward. Suppose you want a working 3D view as you've set up, and also a view that would generate a Sketch rendering (with desired settings / size) for placement on a layout, and a view that would generate a photorendering (with specified LW settings/etc)... so 3 views with the same "camera".

You might duplicated the OpenGL view, set up the sketch settings, save that as a view, then set up the LW settings and save that as a view.

Now suppose you want to change things a bit, pan the camera, zoom/etc. There is no easy mechanism to change just that aspect of these three saved views. The "Redefine Image Settings with Current" box in the 3D View Settings, will replace not just the 3D projection (desired) but also all photorendering settings etc (not desired). There is no ability to choose which settings to update!

The only workaround for this case that I know of (?) is to start with the OpenGL view, then place a camera (temporarily) on plan using the menu View > 3D Navigation Extras > Put a camera into the path

Now, open the Sketch render view - really only to reset the photorendering settings to those saved with that view. Go back to the 2D window, select the placed camera, open the 3D window - which will now be your new 3D viewpoint/projection - and finally update the Sketch render view - which will now retain the sketch photorendering settings, but update the projection. Same process with the example LW render view.

If you imagine that you have different rendering settings saved with views for different target output sizes (pixels), then this update hassle can involve a lot of steps for each change in 3D projection-view.

Cheers,
Karl

[Anonymous]

Karl wrote:
I find saving views to be the easiest solution. Create just like any other view - either right click/save view from navigator, or drag camera to view map in Organizer.

No problem updating views either - just open the view, modify as desired, then from open the view settings and get current window settings.

Aloha Karl,
When I do create the View as you suggest the zoom and extents of the image aren't saved. The angle yes, the zoom and extents no. Do you know why that is happening? Do you know how I can save a view so the zoom and extents of the image are saved in the view?

Karl wrote:
I haven't touched this area in years, using Artlantis instead,

What is the learning curve on Artlantis. I am working on a project today for a simple presentation tomorrow where I want to show two or three simple hidden line 3D interior views and maybe 8 simple line drawing style interior elevations for a small 700sf house. I have the house and features modeled.
Is Artlantis plug and play?
One other feature that I'm considering Artlantis for is that in a week I'll want to show the clients these same simple views with colors and textures representing the wall colors, tile layouts, appliances, fixtures and cabinets with all of the colors and textures represented in my drawings. Normally, I would just hand color (with pencil, pen and paper) the CAD drawings that I created in ArchiCAD. Do you think Artlantis is easy enough to learn quickly so I can do these colored views using Artlantis with just a few days of learning?
I am not looking for photo rendering images. More just images that replicate my hand colored drawings or water color and colored pencil drawings. It's what I'm used to. I feel like my hand drawings get good response from my clients. I also think it would be easier and quicker to do with a software package like Artlantis.
What can you tell me about the learning curve for Artlantis?
Thanks,
John

[Karl Ottenstein]

Chazz wrote:
Of course, in my rant, i never directly addressed John's issue. In truth, I think that if your sig is up to date and you still are using V11, you may be in for a world of hurt.

Not sure I understand, Chazz. AFAIK, nothing has been improved/changed about 3D views or cameras since v11. But, my coffee hasn't kicked in yet today. 😉

Cheers,
Karl

[Anonymous]

TMA_80 wrote:
There is however a cleaner way ...

once the modified angle is OK

Navigator/Generic perspective/save current view

this will create a view that you'll find on the "view map" part of the navigator

This works exactly, perfectly.
Thank you,
John