Background and Lighting

Settings > Colour settings > Graphics window

The Graphics window function enables you to define the background for the sheet and model area and to optimally illuminate your 3-D model with a minimum of input - based on OpenGL.

• Background 3-D Model/Sheet
• Light

Please note:

• The current graphic window settings are global settings, which are not saved together with the drawing. Use the Save configuration function to save the graphic window settings of the current drawing.
• Instead of using lighting with the Graphics window function, you can also use the functions of the Lighting toolbar. However please note that the settings influence each other.

Background 3-D Model / Sheet

You can select a colour, a colour gradient or a BMP file as a screen background - separately for sheet and model views. Note that a corresponding view needs to be active, i.e. when you define the background for the 3-D model, a model view needs to be active.

Colour gradient

1. Activate the On/Off checkbox.
2. If applicable, deactivate the Background checkbox.
3. Define the RGB colour (RGB) for the four corners of the screen. To do this, drag the colour slider to the corresponding position or click the colour symbol and enter the colour explicitly.

Background

1. Activate the On/Off checkbox.
2. Activate the Background checkbox.
3. In the list box, choose the background file you want. The background files need to have been stored in BMP format in the HiCAD subdirectory BACKGROUND. Various background files are shipped with HiCAD.

Unicolour

1. Deactivate the On/Off checkbox.
2. Deactivate the Background checkbox.

You use the background colour from the WORKSTATIONCOLOURS.FRD file. According to the colour you have chosen, a change of the line/edge colour may be required. These can be changed via the HiCAD Colour Editor.

Lighting

Use the Light tab to define three light sources and stray light (as global light source). Optimal illumination is based on the definition and assignment of materials. The relevant material properties define how an object reacts to light. These material properties are defined using the HiCAD colour editor and specify, for example, the amount of reflection provided by each light sort.

Light source

Select the required light source from the listbox. If you do not want a light source to be used, switch it off by deactivating the On/Off checkbox on the tab in question.

Use the sliders in the Position field to determine the position of each light source. For each change of position an immediate preview will be provided in the drawing. Moreover, you can specify for each light source the diffuse and the specular portion of light. To do this, specify the light colour and determine the brightness, either via the slider or via direct entry in the Brightness input field.

[Light Position ]

[]

Stray light

In addition to the three light sources you can define the stray light (as global light source) properties. Proceed as follows:

1. Select the Stray light option from the list box. 
2. Specify colour and brightness for Stray light and skylight. If you do not want to use Stray light, deactivate the On/Off checkbox.

 Related Topics

Present 3-D Models • Setting Colours • 3-D Model Drawing