Lighting Styles Reference for Inventor Studio

Inventor Studio provides the tools to create additional Lighting Styles for rendering and animation. These styles are not used in the model scene lighting.

Studio lighting styles and Studio lights can be animated to produce more interesting and visually compelling results.

For information on creating lighting styles and lights, see To Work with Lighting Styles and Lights.

Access:

Ribbon: Render tab Scene panel Studio Lighting Styles

Toolbar

The toolbar is located at the top of the lighting styles list in the Studio Lighting Styles dialog box.

New Lighting Style

Creates a new default local style. The new style is selected and can be edited. The new style consists of an environment light (Grid Light) and three other lights - directional, point, and spot. The individual lights are disabled as the Default style is environment lighting only. Enable the lights to use their effects.

Purge Style

Removes the selected local style. Available if a local style is selected and the style is not being used.

Update Style

Replaces the data for the selected local style with data from the corresponding global style. The local style must:
  • be selected
  • have changed since last updated from the global style.

Save to Style Library

Saves the selected local style to the style library (on disk). Overwrites an existing global style. The local style must:
  • be selected
  • Read-write in the project file
  • have changed since last updated from the global style.

New Light

Available for local lighting styles only. Temporarily opens the Light dialog box to create a light in the selected lighting style. Available whether the focus is the style or an individual light in the style.

Styles list browser

Lists global and local lighting styles and their associated lights. If the Use Styles Library option is set to Read-Only in the current project, then only local styles are listed. Local styles have an asterisk (*) following the name. Local styles take precedence over global styles with the same name.

The default is to use the Current Lighting, that is, model environment lighting.

To activate a lighting style for use, right-click and select Activate.

Each lighting style can have one or more light objects positioned in the graphics window.

Lighting Styles dialog box context menu commands

In the Lighting Styles dialog box, in the list of styles, you can right-click any style and access the following commands based on the current status of the style:

Active When checked, denotes the active lighting style of the document. To deactivate the style, click to remove the check.
Rename Lighting Style

Places the style name in edit mode, enter the new name and click outside the edit field.

New Lighting Style

Creates a lighting style using the default lighting style parameters.

Copy Lighting Style

Creates a lighting style using the content of the selected style. A copy name is provided and can be changed.

Purge Style The style, if unused, is deleted and removed from the list in the style type browser.
Update Style Replaces the data for the selected local style with data from the corresponding global style. The local style must:
  • be selected
  • have changed since last updated from the global style.
Save Style to Library
Saves the selected local style to the style library (on disk), overwriting the existing global style if there is one. The local style must:
  • be selected
  • Read-write in the project file
  • have changed since last updated from the global style.

New Light

Displays the New Light definition dialog box. Make the desired selections and settings and click OK to add the new light.

Import

Imports the selected style into the document as a local style. If a naming conflict occurs, you are prompted to overwrite the existing style with the imported style. The style file extension is .styxml.
Export Style Exports the selected style to the filename you provide. The style file extension is .styxml.

Lighting Styles browser node context menu commands

In the browser, right-click the lighting style and access the following commands:

Edit Displays the Lighting Styles dialog box with the active lighting style selected and ready for editing. Edit the style or individual lights.

New Light

Displays the New Light definition dialog box. Make the desired selections and settings and click OK to add the new light.

Enabled

Enabled lights are selectable and affect the scene. When disabled the light is selectable in the browser and does not affect the scene.

Visibility Toggles light object visibility in the scene. It does not affect scene lighting.
Animate Light Displays the Animate Light dialog box. You define the light position and parameters for the current animation action.