Set Lighting

  1. ...
  2. View
  3. Lighting
  1. Description
  2. Demonstration

Description

The Set Lighting command allows you to control the light source direction.

 

Tip: The appropriate use of the Set Lighting and File, Print to file setup will allow you to create great high resolution images.

View, Set Lighting
The Set Lighting panel provides control over the light source direction.

The Light Direction Type radio buttons allow you to specify how the light source should be positioned: With Viewer or With Scene. When With Viewer is the active choice, the light direction is always positioned relative to the viewer's location (shown below). When With Scene is the active choice, the light source remains fixed to the scene as it is rotated, panned, or zoomed (shown below). The Ctrl+L keyboard shortcut can be used inside and outside the Set Lighting panel to toggle between With Viewer and With Scene Light Direction Type options.

View, Lighting With Viewer
Use the With Viewer Light Direction Type to specify the direction of the light source relative to the viewer. In this example, the light source is pointing in the negative screen-X direction.
View, Lighting With Scene
Use the With Scene Light Direction Type to specify the direction of the light source relative to the scene. In this example, the light source is pointing in the negative body-Z direction.

The Align With View command aligns the light direction with the current view direction. This command is enabled only when the Light Direction Type is set to With Scene.

The Reset Light command sets the Light Direction Type to With Viewer and aligns the light source perpendicular to the Display window (screen-Z axis). The Reset Light command has the associated keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+L, a convenient short cut for restoring the light source orientation to its default setting. This shortcut can be used inside and outside the Set Lighting panel.

There are two ways to define the light direction vector:

  • In the Advanced frame, enter the XYZ values defining the vector in the Light Direction text field.
  • In the Display window, hold down the Ctrl key and left-click anywhere on the window. A yellow arrow will appear to indicate the direction of the vector. Simply move the mouse cursor to change the direction of the light source interactively (shown below).
View, Lighting Arrow
Use the yellow arrow rendered in the Display window to easily set the direction of the light.

Demonstration