Trying to get Par38 symbol to cooperate in 3D...

[Linds]

Hi all,

I am trying to use a Par 38 symbol to show uplighting around a room. However I cannot get the symbol to orientate correctly in 3D. I can't get it to have the base on the ground and point straight up. I have played around with every rotation I know about, but I can't figure it out. I can get it to point straight down, but not straight up. Seems like all I would have to do it change to the 3D rotation 180 deg, but when I do that it doesn't work like I think it should. Is there something I am missing?

Thanks!

[klinzey]

You need to use a focus point to direct the 3D portion of the lighting device otherwise it will use a default rotation.

[Linds]

I have never done that before. Could you elaborate? Thanks!

Edit: Figured out how to make a focus point, but it is really tedious to have to do that to like 50 lights when I just want them to point up. Also I can't figure out how to hide the focus point symbol (don't see it over in classes) so then I end up with a bunch of little focus point symbols all over my drawing. Is there a better way possibly to do this? Thanks!

Edited March 28, 2013 by Linds

[maxbowman]

I generally just make a layer (but a class would work as well) for the FP and turn them off when I print/export...you could duplicate the symbol and edit the 3d part of the symbol (the duplicate not the original and label it as an "UP" version and then just drop them in where you want them (in fact if they are spaced equally you could just do a duplicate array)... assuming you just need it for 3d geometry and not to actually try and render lighting looks with...I personally do this all the time with the truss symbols when I work in 3d for arena rigs that have funky angles and layouts.

[mjm]

Similarly, I create and apply a "focus point" class to the Focus Points and turn them on/off at will. Generally once I focussed, they stay turned off unless a correction is needed.