rope light type light source

[Tom Krowka]

Anyone know how I can generate a linear light source (lamp), similar to a rope light? Have also looked in BIM components, but nothing there that will work either.

[Anonymous]

there are different approach to get this result, first if you have the light source modeled or is a face of a complex profile, you can use a surface with the luminance channel on like the glass lamps surface (make a test with something simple like a cube and add this surface and render it to see the results, don't forget to turn on illuminating surfaces.

Or you can make it using area lights using the line shape and making the light visible.
Here is a pic, the one in the floor is using the lamp surface applied to a material, the vertical light using the area light.

[Anonymous]

Here are the settings for the area light I use for this example.

[Tom Krowka]

Tried the area light-strip type. Can't figure out how to stop the illumination at solid surfaces. Am trying to get a strip light around the perimeter of the drop down in the ceiling. You can see the light penetrates the ceiling above. It doesn't appear I can change the distance of illumination vertically and horizontally differently. However, it looks like you have done it in your capture pic you sent. Am a bit frustrated.

[Dave Seabury]

Tom

This has worked for me. Place a general light and reduce the sphere to 18 or 24" in size. Copy it around your soffit at about 6-8" o.c.

I would place a few lights and try a rendering and when you get the light right then copy all the way around as it is a pain moving that many lights.

David

[Anonymous]

Hi, I just made a video to show you the steps I do to get them done, check it and see what you are missing in the settings. But I'm suspecting is making the visible light volumetric.

http://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cDhTbaihtn

From there you just have to adjust it to the final quality you want it for the render.

[Tom Krowka]

This appears to work for me.....used an area light, in the shape of a rectangle. Illumination in one direction only. The default is down, rotated to up. No falloff on light. Shape of the area light is a bit smaller than the ceiling drop. It gives the effect I needed....and its close enough for this client.

Thanks for your input. Tom

[Anonymous]

Great, it works very nice.
Happy you made it. (I know what is getting frustrated trying to accomplish something )

[Tom Krowka]

A related question......can the light source show up when generating a BIMx model. Have done one, and used global illumination, but it doesn't seem to show the same as when a still pic is generated with a camera in photorealistic setting.
Actually, it doesn't seem to show up at all.

[Erwin Edel]

BIMx has no lights other than the sun.