14 replies to this topic

[Dave Pazyniak]

Good Morning,

 

Has anyone found a way to show rope lighting on a rendering?  I need to show the actual strings of lights, not hide the source behind a crown, for an exterior restaurant/bar area.

 

Thanks for any tips or suggestions..

 

Dave

[Yvon Gonthier]

You could use 3D polygon to do your rope. In 3D, crank up the Emissive so it looks brighter as if light is on. You can use and adjust different type of light source (atmospheric in example) if you want a lighting effect.

Attached Thumbnails

• 
• 

[Dave Pazyniak]

Thank you, Yvon.  I have created a 3d polygon symbol, added it to my symbol library, and brought it into my drawing, but I can not find how to make it a light source.  Did I miss a step in the item creation?

 

Dave

[Yvon Gonthier]

Did you add a light source such as an atmospheric light source before saving it as an electrical symbol?

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[Dave Pazyniak]

That seems to be where I am having an issue.  First try I did not do that.  After seeing your post I have tried several times to recreate the symbol.  If I use the symbol wizard in plan mode, the lighting does not come into the block.  if I use the wizard in 3D mode (where I can see my light sources), I do not get my rope lighting shape into the symbol.

 

Thanks for your help, and sorry I am not very experienced with block creation...

Dave

[Yvon Gonthier]

If it's just a polygon shape with atmospheric lights, you don't need to go thru the wizard. Draw your polygon shape in a room in your plan or somewhere you can see the light reflections. Switch to 3D mode to see if the lighting effect is good. If not, edit the atmospheric light sources as needed (you will probably need multiple atmospheric lights as shown in item #2 above). Once you are satisfied with the light effect, in plan mode select System Options>System Lbrary, select the electrical library you want to put it in, click One Step and draw a box around (leaving plenty of room around the symbol). Your electrical symbol should now be good to be used. Make sure if light effect doesn't show that the light is on (edit symbol, Lights tab and box On checked.

 

If it doesn't work, try to zip the symbol so you can insert it in a post so we can have access to verify (click More Reply Options when enrering your post to allow you to insert an attachment).

[Dave Pazyniak]

Here is what I have, Yvon.  I'm sure I am missing something simple, but no matter how many different ways I try to get this to work I fail.

This is my original drawing and also has the block inserted.

 

Thanks again,

Dave

Attached Files

•  MAIN FLOOR.zip   17.53KB   73 downloads

[Yvon Gonthier]

I'm not sure that the type of lighting you're using is the best for this case. Try using the Atmospheric Lights instead of the Direct Lights and position them directly on the 3D polygon. After, and only after putting the atmospheric lights over the 3D polygon can you create your electrical symbol. Crucial point; it must be in your electrical library, preferably lights.

 

Hint; I've created in the past electrical symbols for under cabinets lights and they work when stored under lights but I've had ceiling lights that worked only when created and saved under ceiling lights (didn't work when saved only in lights). Might just be a setting.

[Dave Pazyniak]

ok... I'm getting closer.  I was putting all my custom symbols in one library.  Creating the block and putting it under lights brings the lighting along with the line work.  I can place the symbol in plan, and see the light icons in 3d mode.  It does not display in my model.  I think I have all mode visibilities that it could be turned on.  I can't edit the offset so maybe it is below the grade?  I also can't rotate the item in 3D so it is hanging down.  I did not get to set the 3D orientations when I created the block.

 

Thanks for your assistance and patience!

Dave

[Yvon Gonthier]

In 3D, verify under Material tab at top that for the solid that you used that the Display box is checked.

Your electrical symbol should be set to reference the floor or ceiling if you prefer depending on your needs. You can set right away a standard offset if a most common offset exist for you. When you put the symbol on a plan, you can uncheck the Cleanup box in the common tab if you want to adjsut your offset.

You can't rotate a symbol along the vertical axis. Since your rope symbol is just a polygon which doesn't really have a up or down, you can set the atmospheric light to "Both". If you need to pont in iether direction, select Up or Down as required or you may have to create a symbol with up and one with down if that's what you need.

 

Attached Thumbnails

• 
• 
• 
• 

[Dave Pazyniak]

The good news is the symbol displays and the lights work when I place it in a fresh project.  I still can't get it to render in my model, but softplan electric items show

 

The attached jpeg shows what I am trying to do, but I just placed light above the tables, so what is shown is not lit from the white curves. 

 

The light will be hanging between the beams over the patio, and it will be hanging loose so it will curve down.  Can I change the block to 3D so I can orient it correctly?  See attached screen shot fro how the block displays in plan.

 

Dave

Attached Thumbnails

• 
• 

[Yvon Gonthier]

To rotate the symbol, you need to put it in a drawing that it's the only thing showing up. Generate the 3D. You'll have to play around a bit to find the 3D symbol. While in 3D, do File>Export>Dwg. This will create a new 3D symbol. Create a new 2D electrical symbol and link the new 3D symbol to it.

 

Maybe someone has a better explanation or way.

[Yvon Gonthier]

You could also use a beam (adjust size as required) to create your symbol because you can give it a Vertical Curve

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[Dave Pazyniak]

Last question, Yvon, then I'm going to give up!  I like the idea of a beam.  It works great for my curve, but when I make the block the beam is not recognized as a shape, so just the lighting elements go into the block.  As you can see, the beam displays as dashed lines.  Any final suggestions?

 

Thank you again, very much!

 

Dave

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[Yvon Gonthier]

Ok. I think that you have to start with a blank plan to create the symbol in 2 steps;

1. draw your beam and size as needed
2. generate a 3D view
3. while in 3D, save the symbol File>Export>Dwg and save it in Softplan2016>3D>3D Symbols and select a library
4. Draw a box over the beam (same size) and delete the beam
5. create as 2D symbol and link your 3D symbol
6. add your atmospheric lights and you will need to adjust the heights (Position Z)
7. Create a new electrical symbol by creating your box around (sytem options, system library, ....)
8. You should be done

 

Hope I didn't miss any steps, have to leave for a meeting.

Attached Thumbnails

•