light on all sides in 3D

[Anonymous]

This is a newbie question.

When I'm working in an axonometric window checking and editing my model the sides away from the sun source are dark. I've tried messing around with the sun settings ("Sunlight Intensity"=70%, "Contribution to Ambient"=20%, "Ambient Intensity"=80%).

Is there a way to have light shine on all sides at once... or to quickly move the sun around (maybe with a Palette)? It's hard to see my model and it's slow to keep opening the Sun dialog to change every couple seconds.

Btw, my walls are Paint-03 Gray and I'm using the OpenGL 3D engine.

Thanks for any tips and techniques.

[Anonymous]

I've asked this question many times myself. The answer that I keep getting is NO

No, there is no way to illuminate your entire building.
Maybe some one here knows how to do it, that would be nice.

[Dwight]

What you say is that you want sun on all sides of the building.
However, i suspect that what you need to do is fill dark shadows in OpenGL views......

So, you suppress the strength of the sun, say to:

Camera Dialog Sun Setting: 20
PhotoRendering Setting Sun: 100

Then you artificially increase the Ambient Light:
Camera Dialog Ambient: 100
PhotoRendering Setting Ambient: 500

This, or something like it, still provides a directional feeling to the sunlight while mitigating dark shadows. If sun is still too strong, reduce sun intensity.....


Alternatively, you can create view sets that preserve different, more flattering sun/camera settings for each building face and use the saved views to review your design progress. This will automatically change the sun position....

[Anonymous]

Doug wrote:
This is a newbie question...

... or to quickly move the sun around (maybe with a Palette)? It's hard to see my model and it's slow to keep opening the Sun dialog

The palette you need is the 3D settings window - just hit F1. You can drag the sun to any point immediately to suit the veiw. It's not automatic but it takes less than two seconds!

[Anonymous]

Philip,
Thanks. That's just what I was looking for. I should have realized I could use a keyboard shortcut (and assign my own).

Dwight,
I'll look into using Cameras. So far for editing the model I'm just using Orbit.

Thanks to both of you for the great help.

[Dwight]

From the ArchiGeezer:

There was a time before cameras when all we had to control views was the 3D Projection Dialog.

The camera tool arrived to make a non-printing physical marker that prevents view confusion.

[R Muller]

If you have a camera, and you change the view by orbiting, etc. in 3D, is there a way to update the camera location and settings to agree with the new viewpoint? I know I can save the new view as a view setting, but could I modify or create a camera to have this view?

Once I find the view I want, I would like to have a record of exactly where I am standing on the ground to get this view. The project navigator is the only feedback I have found, and it is very general.

[Dwight]

see attached.

[Djordje]

Yes ... pull down menu ... the right place for it! The old palette was so non RPG ...

Sorry, I am still angry about this. Old fashioned, I know ...

[Anonymous]

R wrote:
If you have a camera, and you change the view by orbiting, etc. in 3D, is there a way to update the camera location and settings to agree with the new viewpoint?

Select the camera in floor plan. Go to 3D view. Use the Orbit tool to redefine the view. Now choose menu command View>3D navigation extras>modify the selected (or insert new camera...)

See the attached screen shot.