Control the Lights

When you set the light levels in a 3D view for rendering, the settings are saved as part of the view properties for that view only. The light settings do not affect rendered images for any other 3D views. Use this method, for example, if you want to represent a ceiling light that is dimmed to create mood lighting in a rendered image.

If a lighting fixture is a nested family that is not shared, you cannot control individual light sources in the fixture. Instead, you turn the entire lighting fixture on or off. See Share a Lighting Fixture Family.

Note: Render time using the Rendering tool is directly proportional to the number of lights in the scene. See Render Performance and Lighting.

Note: To specify the color temperature shift for dimmed lights, change type properties for the lighting fixtures. Modify the value of Dimming Lamp Color Temperature Shift. See Change a Lighting Fixture in a Building Model.

To turn lights on or off

1. Open a 3D view.
2. On the View Control Bar, click (Show Rendering Dialog).
3. In the Rendering dialog, under Lighting, for Scheme, select a setting that includes artificial lights.
4. Click Artificial Lights.
5. In the Artificial Lights dialog, under On/Off, select individual lighting fixtures or light groups to include them in the rendered image. Clear the check boxes to omit the lights in the rendered image.

   You can also enter values in the Dimming column to dim individual lighting fixtures or entire light groups. See Dim the Lights.

6. Click OK.
7. To see the results, render the image.

   See Rendering an Image.

To dim lights

1. Open the 3D view to render.
2. Define render settings.

   See Define render settings.

3. In the Rendering dialog, under Lighting, for Scheme, select a setting that includes artificial lights.
4. Click Artificial Lights.
5. In the Artificial Lights dialog, in the Dimming column, enter dimming values for light groups or individual lighting fixtures.

   Enter a value between 0 and 1 to indicate the relative amount of dimming. A value of 1 means that the light is completely on (not dimmed). A value of 0 means that the light is completely dimmed (off).

   Note: If a lighting fixture is a nested family that contains multiple light sources but is not shared, you cannot dim individual light sources in the fixture. See Share a Lighting Fixture Family.
6. Click OK.
7. To see the effects of dimming the lights, render the image.

   See Create the rendered image.