Custom Light Issue

[Haydenovative]

Hey Gang!

Got a new one for ya. Ive beem building custom lights and Ive come across an odd anomaly that I hope someone has come across. I am putting a UV wash light on an H-Stand and because the rear bracket is not centred when I focus the light it turns the light the wrong way so it sits inside the floor. A little hard to explain so Ive included a picture and the working file to se if you can solve this, please hit me back if you need more info. Thanks gang!

[michaelk]

Build the instrument "hanging" with the base up. Use the 3D orientation in the OIP to make it sit the right way round. The "barrel" needs to be pointed straight down.

It needs that figure out which way to point.

I think you are using 2012? It helps if you put your OS and version on your signature.

mk

Edited September 3, 2013 by michaelk

[Haydenovative]

Thank you so much Michael,

Your amazing as always. I see what you've done and it works correctly, but I don't understand the why. Is there a away to save the 3D rotation into the symbol so I don't have to edit each instance?

I have created many custom lights that do not cooperate with edit 3D rotation. Often the light works correctly in every other function but when 3D rotation is used the model explodes, this will be an issue if I am to change other H-Stand Lights. Your input would be amazing. Thanks again.

[michaelk]

The why is "because that's the way it was built to work". VW looks at the 4 objects in the 3D part of the lighting symbol and uses the values in the Parts record format database attached to 3 of those objects to determine orientation.

So the orientation has to be the same for all symbol definitions or it gets confused.

There is a way to save the rotation. Create a red symbol.

1. Insert one instrument using the Symbol Insertion tool and set the parameters in the OIP the way you like.

2. Modify > Create Symbol. Make sure that Insertion Point is set to Plug-in Origin. Under Other Options select "Convert to Plug-in Object".

A new symbol will appear in the Resource Browser with the name colored red. Insert that symbol with the symbol insertion tool and it will keep whatever parameters you had set. But those parameters are still editable and it will otherwise behave like the normal symbol.

To make your custom symbols behave correctly it's really important that they get built correctly with the correct record formats attached to the correct parts.

See this earlier discussion: http://techboard.vectorworks.net/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=30592&Number=150287#Post150287

or look up Lighting Instrument Specifications in Help.

hth

mk