Using the light tool

[Hunter B]

Help!!! what am I doing wrong...I place a "spot" light on the plan at 17' on the ZS axis.... I then place a 3D loci at 10 feet on the z axis in front of the surface I want to light... then I take the 3d selection tool and place it on the tip of the light and with the mouse clicked I drag the line to the 3D loci point just as described in the textbook and the demo CD(smart points shows me that it is reading the 3d loci point) I then render what I have and the light is pointing to the ground directly below where I want it... so I go into "side view" to see if I can get the light to focus on the 3d loci point... I click on the ligfht and drag the line to the loci point... then go back to plan view and the light is pointing away for the loci point...so I try to do the same thing from a "front" point of view... I click on the light and drag it to the 3d loci point.... then go back to plan view and the light is pointing completly backwards.....I've tried everything I can think of to get the "focusing" of a light correct... the only way I can get it to work is to us the 2D rotation tool and work at it from a plan and a side view.....Any suggestions???

[Jim Smith]

I often use a wireframe isometric vew to help me to set lighting. In this view it is a little easier to get a sence of the light's direction, and where the 3-D arrow is actually pointing. I do find the tool a little "fussy".

Remember a couple of things, you have three kinds of lighting, make sure you have the right one for your application, also make sure the beam and spread is correct and brightness is adjusted.

Using Quick draw 3-D will give you a "quick" idea of your lighting arrangement before you fully render.

Hope this helps.

[Hunter B]

Good Idea about the isometric view to help place and focus the light... but does anybody know WHY the light seems to snap to the wrong point and sometimes in the complete opossite direction... I know that the Smart point is saying that it has found the correct 3D Loci point but it just doesn't do it.

Any ideas anyone?!?!?

[Hunter B]

PLEASE ANY IDEAS!! Help!!! what am I doing wrong (STILL) ...I place a "spot" light on the plan at 17' on the ZS axis.... I then place a 3D loci at 10 feet on the z axis in front of the surface I want to light... then I take the 3d selection tool and place it on the tip of the light and with the mouse clicked I drag the line to the 3D loci point just as described in the textbook and the demo CD(smart points shows me that it is reading the 3d loci point) I then render what I have and the light is pointing to the ground directly below where I want it... so I go into "side view" to see if I can get the light to focus on the 3d loci point... I click on the ligfht and drag the line to the loci point... then go back to plan view and the light is pointing away for the loci point...so I try to do the same thing from a "front" point of view... I click on the light and drag it to the 3d loci point.... then go back to plan view and the light is pointing completly backwards.....I've tried everything I can think of to get the "focusing" of a light correct... the only way I can get it to work is to us the 2D rotation tool and work at it from a plan and a side view.....Any suggestions??? I've tried using the isometric drawing to work on a couple of the lights but it doesn't wqork all the time.... any other hints?!?!?!