To Work with Local Lights

Create and edit local lights

Composing a scene consists of selecting component appearances, lighting style, and camera positions.

Local Lights and Lighting Styles

Important: Local lights work with non-IBL and LDR IBL lighting styles, not with HDR IBL lighting styles. For more information see About Lighting Styles for Rendering.

Create and edit local light

The controls for creating a local light are the same as for creating lights in a lighting style. The only difference is that local lights are maintained in their own browser folder. They are separate from the Lighting Styles, and they act as individual objects, and not a collection.

1. On the ribbon, click Render tab Scene panel Local Lights, and then set the options on the tabs: In the browser, expand the Local Lights node. Double-click a light node to edit the parameters. Alternatively, right-click and click Edit, the dialog box displays. Set the options on the tabs.
2. General tab
   • Type

     Specifies one of the following light types to control the amount of illumination provided by the light. The default is Directional.

     Directional simulates parallel beams of light from a single direction in space, from a light source that is an infinite distance away, such as the sun.

     Point simulates light emitted in all directions from a single point in space, such as a light bulb. The target is used to create and edit point lights, and does not affect where the light falls.

     Spot simulates a conical light emitted from a single point in space in a particular direction, such as a stage light.

   • On/Off

     Light On turns the light on in the lighting style. The default is On.

     Light Off turns lights on or off. When you turn off a light, the light color face changes to black, and in the browser the light icon in the lighting style tree is disabled.

   • Placement

     Target sets a target point on the model when you click anywhere on the model, or sets the target on the view plane at the same view distance as the existing target when you click in space. Move the mouse over a surface to display a preview of the new light target/direction.

     Position sets the position of the light when you click along the direction line of the light. The direction line extends to the standard direction line distance if that distance is longer than the current light distance.

     or

     sets the position at the click point when you click anywhere on the model, or sets the position on the view plane at the same view distance as the existing position when you click a point in space.

   • Flip

     Click the button on the right to reverse the direction of the light. The position and target are swapped as long as the button on the right is pressed. The default is Normal (not reversed).

3. Illumination tab

   Determine how lights of any type emit light and cast shadows.

   Intensity Specifies the amount of illumination provided by the light. The default is 0 in a range of 0 to 100.

   Color Specifies the color of the light. The default color is white.

   Attenuation Compensation Compensates for attenuation of detected light.

4. Point tab

   Sets properties for point lights. Available only when the light type on the General tab is set to Point .

5. Spot tab

   Sets properties for spot lights. Available only when the light type on the General tab is set to Spot .

   Position Specifies values for the X, Y, and Z coordinates of the position of the light source.

   Target Specifies values for the X, Y, and Z coordinates of the target of the light.

   Hotspot Specifies the angle of the spot light. The default is 45 degrees in a range of 1.0 to 150.0 degrees.

   Falloff Specifies the falloff angle of the spot light. The default is 50.0 degrees in a range of 1.0 to 150.0 degrees.

6. When the options on all tabs are set, click Done.

Local lights can be animated when created in the top level of the assembly. When contained in a subassembly, local lights “travel” with the animated component or assembly in which they are included.

Local Light object, browser context menu commands

In the Local Lights folder, you can right-click any light and access the following commands:

Copy Light	Copies selected light capturing all the parameters to make an identical new light. The light is placed in the graphics region slightly offset from the selected light. The copied light can be selected, moved, modified as with any other light. Copy Light makes duplicating lights with the same or similar parameters fast and easy,
Edit	Displays the Edit dialog box for the selected light. You can change light type, parameters, position, and so on.
Move	Activates the 3D Move/Rotate command with the selected light. The window zooms to the light extents to provide access to light handles and optimum spatial orientation for the task.
Enabled	When checked, the light is enabled, selectable, and effects the scene. When not checked, the light is selectable in the browser and does not affect the scene
Delete	Deletes selected light. The node is removed from the local light folder and from the graphics region.
Animate Light	Displays the Animate Light dialog. You define the light position and parameters for the end of the current animation action.
Visibility	Toggles the light geometry visibility in the scene. The effects of the light are still visible in the scene.