NeilofOZ

Spent all weekend on heaps of different configurations that were suggested in the "Thread", no luck at all and gobbled up heaps of gloss paper and ink to see the true effects of each render, as this is another issues on comparing display & printed graphics. The PBR still goes all black no matter what config I do, updated all my drivers last week, checked my Radeon Video card and it has been updated but as there are two cards listed in the "Device Manager" not sure which one is operating, nothing to see that it is or isn't, need some help here. Have attached 3 pics:- Capture MT Standard Render.1 - Standard Render camera, happy with colour, tone, lighting & back-lit illumination, not 100% though. Capture MT RayTrace.1a - exported from best raytrace result sofar, lacks colour tone & illumination of menus and logo, not acceptable. Capture MT RayTrace.1b - same as above, but have induced more light via the Windows photo editing programme, but not acceptable as per above. All of the above renders were done with various fixed light fittings and light sources, as the interior has no windows for sun light to influence. I can survive by using exported Standard Renders, but the ultimate goal should be to maximise the programme to deliver the best possible outcome. Can't really do much untill the weekend as my work load doesn't permit, takes a lot of time to do trial & errors. Regards to all, Neil.

Mick, Already tried what you indicated, but no progress. I have two versions of a shop interior:- The first works with PBR, but I lose the "emissive" factor and some lighting, which is essential for signage requirements. In the second version, the whole screen turns black, so I don't know why this happens as it never has done this before. Would have to send both plans if you want. Regards Neil.

Gentlemen, After going through the weekend and trying different ideas from members as suggested, still no success and from where I stand it appears that there is still a lot of confusion and understanding of the actual settings, for both for RT and PBR and being a bit further down the evolution scale with regards to CA, I have Buckleys chance of sorting this one out. To me, this element of CA seems to be a programme within a programme and require some special tutorials. It may be my hardware and graphics can't handle the programme, but i wouldn't know where to go for an opinion on this, may be someone can check out my computer specs and advise. Regards, Neil.

Need some help on the above, just not getting anything of quality, it's either milky coloured and or covered with coal dust. I design shop interiors where the settings are in an open environment with plenty of light from every direction. Am very happy with the colour tones and definitions in the " Standard View" and just require a bit more sharpness in an image sense. Have gone through a plethora of "Ray Trace" configurations and images are worse than the "Standard Render". There must be a basic set-up for Ray Tracing, that one can use on the "Standard Render View" as the options and variety of settings are huge in X10 and appear to overlap. I set up 11 different "RayTrace" options and every one came out as either too light, too dark, too milky. Regards, NeilofOz

Eric, Just letting you know that I solved my initial problem even before you responded to it, so I am progressing beyond the neanderthal stage and just like you said, I am able to now step back and start looking at problems from different angles. From my personal perspective things are going ok, as I am able now to design & document projects, where as in the past I employed people to undertake this work. I started an interior design business 31 years ago and introduced cad which was a first for this type business in my state, unfortunately there were so many other facets of running a business, I stuck with things I new and engaged others for things I didn't know. Regards Neil.

Heaps of feed back on this one and thanks to all. Am still of the opinion, that unless you word a query in accordance with proper search protocols, you get a plethora of tutorials which 99% are totally irrelevant and the comment that it took 10seconds to find something is fine for an experienced CA user, but for novices like myself with no cad experience find it frustrating. Bit like a bricklayer who can lay a brick in 10seconds, but it would take an unskilled person probably 10minutes after being told how to do it. But saying all that, the "life saver" for me is this forum which is my lifeline and now producing 3D drawings which would have seemed impossible when I decided to have a go, last year. Regards to all, Neil.

Yep, just stumbled on this aspect and thanks. One of my criticisms of CA is their search engine for queries, it lacks fire power. I find that I get better results from using "Google" to search for CA queries, which I find somewhat baffling. Regards Neil.

My "Custom Splashback" tool button is not highlighted or accessible, have used the search function but nothing relevant came up. NeilofOZ

Yep, that did it and thanks. Can now put that one on the memory bank, lol. Regards Neil.

Think I had the plan open, I didn't wake up to that one, see attached Mediterranean_Taste_Floor_Plan.plan

Glenn, Not too sure if the plan was saved, a message came "upload Failed". Didn't know how to delete content and start again, so let me know if it came through. Regards Neil.

Glenn, All text and logo are solids and I have finalised the signage panel and it looks great, see attached, so the only problem now for me is why does the logo object disappear only in floor plan view, when I shift it away from the back panel. Just need to know for future reference. Regards Neil.

Eric, Small problem, have done the logo and positioned it on a wall, but can't view it in floor plan, only elevation and camera views which makes it difficult to park it off the wall while playing around with some back lighting, any suggestions. Regards Neil.

Eric, Yep, I thought so and just finished it, obviously you are a lot faster than me, was hoping that there was a more simpler way, now I know how Noah got on building his Ark, lol. Thanks anyway.

Doing some signage detail and have a 2D image from my graphic Designer, have imported this to a "New Plan" but need to find an easy way of tracing a polyline around the image as it's quite detailed. What's the best way achieving this to convert to a polyline solid, see attached image for reference. Would prefer to have the logo ( tomato ) in two parts as there are unique requirements to each. Have used CA's text for the lettering so its the logo that I need to work on. Regards NeilofOz.

Fellas, Have used the "2D Generate Block" and there are no offsets to the Origin. The file format is dae. and I noticed originally that the positions did not match the views in this file also ( see attached ) so nothing achieved. The Object only came as a single colour with no provision to modify, so there's not much point in using it, but it would be good if I knew what's happening, for future reference. Plan is too big to send, but attached original object file, if this helps. afanche.atd

Just imported a 3D cad object into my library as a symbol, but can't match the Floor Plan position to the Render view's, see attached pic. Have played "ring-a ring-a-rosie" for the last two hours but nothing will match up.

Eric, Yep, top landing works a treat now, thought I had it connected to the stair, but I know what to look for now. Can you please advise on items 5 & 6, as I still need some help on these. With regard to "View Signatures", do I have to re-activate for every individual discussion as this was brought to my attention previously and thought I had this turned on, and where do I list my software version and computer hardware.

Having issues with the above and have attached a Pic and Floor Plan for reference, the stair has multiple landings which all went well until I came to the main top landing connecting the building and summarize as follows:- 1. Having issues positioning a railing to the top landing, but when I do the landing is at basement level and gives no reference for height positioning. 2. A small railing is situated on the right hand side of the landing, which can't be selected or connected with other railings for some reason. 3. If I do position a railing wall to the long side, it doesn't connect with the stair railings. 4. There's no provision for having continuous rails over the newels, similar to the stair railings. 5. How do you select/offset newel posts in relation to treads, it appears they have limited directional placement. 6. On the lowest stair I can't delete the railing on the left hand side, if I do, then I lose the newel post on the next left flight, do I have to create one. Regards Neil ( X10 ) Sharrock_New_Plan_-_Copy,_C.plan

Fellas, Thanks for the info, did a couple of sequences and found the easiest method was by way of making the building into a symbol, but now I have another query:- Can't get the terrain to reset under the garage floor, tried numerous ways with terrain line elevations but this just messed up all of the external contours which I don't want. I have a lot more detail to add to this site in the form of a pool, patio and BBQ area + some retaining walls and linked by steps, so I need to be able to set my ground areas/levels fairly precisely. Some of the videos showed extending "elevation terrain lot1 Modified + Plan-2.planlines" past the site boundaries to achieve flat terrain planes, but this won't work for me, need some help please. See attached updated plan for visual reference. Regards Neil. lot1_Modified_+_Plan-2.plan

I previously created a site plan with terrain data and now want to place a building which I have just completed, but cant import or merge these two elements. If i have the site plan open and try to import my building I can't access the plan folder, even though the site and building plan is in the same folder and vice versa if I have building plan open and try to import the site plan. All of the tutorials are based on developing a site/terrain plan to a building plan, which doesn't suit my situation. Also, don't understand why my building plan is not accessible when I try to import via the same path as the terrain plan, ie, Documents/X10/Projects/Sharrock Extensions/Plans. Have tried to copy/paste the building into the site plan with no success. Have attached the two files for reference. Regards Neil. Sharrock_New_Plan_-_Copy,_B.plan lot1 Modified.plan

Fellas, Yesterday was a holiday in in our home state, but played around with the settings over the weekend and turned off the sunlight as discussed, but still nothing and all of my settings are the same as yours. From my perspective, I need lots of light to embellish the color and detail of the kiosk, so at this point will go with what I have as I believe the kiosk has enough detail to satisfy my client, got to get on with 2D detailing anyway. For me it's a long learning curve, but still very happy that I am able to undertake both 3D & 2D documentation of projects, something I have been wanting to do for a long time. Thanks for all your help, without the forum I would be floundering, don't forget to clarify filling the Forum Signature, as I haven't been able to find that anywhere in my personal settings. Regards Neil.

KBird, Slowly getting my finger on the pulse:- Have sent a floor plan of the cabinet which incorporates the LED illumination, have beefed up the light data substantially, but still no lighting effect, maybe I have too much brightness in my raytraces, but I need it this way due to it being in a bright area. The LED light source is on the face which shows the vegetation and mesh feature, set to the underside of the cabinet top. Having problems with your directions on the Forum Signature, have been through all my settings and nothing comes up as you described in your last email, sorry mate can you give me more info as this a new ball game for me, was very good at building with a hammer and saw and later on telling people how to do it, but putting things together virtually, is all new, lol. Regards Neil. Kiosk Cabinet.plan

Kbird1, Got the new LED strips and thanks, it has sorted some issues out but still have a few queries:- Once I put the lighting fixture into the cabinet, accessing it for modifications can only be done via a "cross section elevation", no amount of tab/selecting will work, which seems counter productive as any object in CA can be selected via a number of views. This is where the original strips you sent, gave me more problems. Have increased the size of the LED strip and want to add more fixtures, which I did via the "light data" menu box, I did a raytrace to see if it worked and it appears they haven't been added ( see attached pic ) can you clarify for me please. The LED strip is positioned top only, some illumination left of centre. Regards Neil.