Switch off lighting objects with one tick/click in viewports

[rmorris6]

Is it possible to have an easy selection tool for all lighting objects or a tickbox to switch lights off in viewports?  I would put all lights on a separate lighting design layer but some of them occur in a repeated symbol so it's not always possible.  I'm finding that elevation viewports either have so much light that the textures are washed out, or they're too dark and it'd be better if elevations could be just flat colour without lighting interfering.

[Tom W.]

You can turn lights off on a VP by VP basis via the Visualization Palette if that helps

[rmorris6]

Thanks Tom,

 

I have quite a few lights as I'm finding that 'Convert to Line Light' doesn't create a light with enough visibility, and duplicating point lights along a line gives a more realistic effect when using it to mimick LED strip which halo illuminates a feature.  So it's very time-consuming even just selecting all the lights and turning them off. If there's a better work around for creating the same effect without having to use a million point lights I would take it and it would be easier to manage in viewports though.

 

[rmorris6]

Having searched the forum, realising that having a few different lighting classes could be the way to go to switch lights off more easily in VP s

 

[Tom W.]

Yes I tend to have all my Light objects on the same class. They can be nested inside symbols which are themselves on different classes + different design layers.

 

As for Line Lights, you can try increasing the brightness above 100% or use a Glow texture instead

[rmorris6]

Thanks Tom,  yes I use the glow textures a lot but don't find that they have the same effect as a point light.  Often line lights seem to either disappear or become un-editable, but it's probably something I'm doing wrong, I just don't get on with them or objects that I've converted to lights.  I keep point lights on a lighting class, but realising that if I want to have different settings which work best for elevations I need to split them out into different classes which I can turn off or on in viewports, that said, it's not really helping with lighting washing out all the finishes in a shaded viewport elevation.  There seem to be so many different options for adjusting the lighting in the viewport settings, but none of them are producing a clean elevation which clearly shows finishes.  I'll keep tinkering with the settings...  thanks for your advice.

 

[Tom W.]

Maybe you should post some screenshots because there are plenty of far more knowledgable people than me when it comes to lighting who will be able to offer advice.

 

But remember you can turn lights on + off in the Visualization palette for each VP individually + adjust their brightness as long as they aren't nested inside symbols.

[rmorris6]

Thanks Tom, good idea.  I've realised it's not in the viewport but the file itself.  I have an older version of the file as I re-started a new file and copied bits into a new file to try to fix a wall problem.  But I notice that in the old file the general lighting settings are much better and finishes show just fine and this is un-affected by whether I turn point lights on or off. I'm attaching screenshots, one from the original file and one from the new one. Could it be a helioden light issue (I don't know much about this and can't find a helioden light in the file but maybe it's hiding somewhere.   

 

I will start a new topic since this has become unrelated to my initial wishlist request!

[Tom W.]

I'm not sure a Heliodon (or multiple Heliodons) would cause the issue as the light would be external + your interiors are over exposed.

 

On the design layer if you go to View > Set Lighting Options..., what is the Ambient Light set to? The default is 35%.

[rmorris6]

Oh interesting that default is 35% - both files were set to 80%! But unfortunately changing to 35% didn't change the over exposed aspect. Thanks for continuing to look for the solution, I'll report back if I ever find out what it is. 

 

[Tom W.]

Default is 35% but if you are using lights you'd typically reduce it to 5-10% or turn off completely.

 

(Are you saying reducing from 80 to 35 had no effect at all or simply didn't reduce overexposure sufficiently?)

[rmorris6]

13 minutes ago, Tom W. said:

Default is 35% but if you are using lights you'd typically reduce it to 5-10% or turn off completely.

 

(Are you saying reducing from 80 to 35 had no effect at all or simply didn't reduce overexposure sufficiently?)

I just compared the settings in the old file with the latest and finally found what it was - I had to tick 'limit Shaded Render mode to 8 lights' in the Document Settings>Display box to get the brightness to knock back to show finishes - it means that I do have to up the ambient light right back up to 80% though!  

 

To answer your last question though, yes, reducing from 80 down to 35 had no effect at all on the exposure issue - I think I just have way too many lights because of trying to mimic LED strip back-illumination.  

[Tom W.]

Hmm I'd be more inclined to disable 'Limit to 8 Lights' so your model shows the actual number of lights but reduce their brightness, and/or reduce their number. And reduce Ambient Light to something more like 10%. There's no point packing your model full of Light objects if you can't turn them on without it being too bright, then having to crank up the Ambient Light in order to make it bright enough after you've turned half of them off.

 

But then again if the arrangement you've arrived at is giving you what you want in your VPs then perhaps it's fine!

[rmorris6]

Thanks Tom W. 

 

I know, it doesn't feel like the optimal way of doing things!  I'll try to sort out my need for loads of lights issue by learning if the line light tool can work better when I have more time.  And I think you're right about reducing the brightness of each light too, will have a go at this too in the longer term.